Customer Reviews

And Sometimes Why: A Novel

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I recently read the article "Holding on to Luke" that the author, Rebecca Johnson, wrote for the New York Times. It had me in tears to read of that journey and the painful end of a life. I read the article because I had won her book (an unedited copy)in an online contest and wanted to know more about her.

While I loved her truthful article on the loss of her son, I did not love this book. For me, it was just too much all over the place. Characters popped up and disappeared shortly after or were not really fleshed out enough. The lady with the rats is one character I just didn't get. What was the point of that whole storyline? I assume it made it into the finished product but I am not sure. I didn't like the character of Harry at all and I found Sophia, the mother, to be too contrived. I did not feel her grief in this story at all and the way she just took off to another city...well I just didn't get it.

I was really hoping to like this book as the premise of it was indeed thought provoking but I just did not relate to the characters at all.

Have you ever wondered what you would do if your child or a close family member were in a coma? Would you "pull the plug"? Would you hover by the bed? Would you go on with your life? Rebecca Johnson provides a glimpse into the life of a modern, loving, educated family facing this problem. Although each person deals with it differently, I did not feel judgemental about any of their choices - nor does the author. Her attention to the telling detail and the surprise shifts make me think of Alice Munro.

In the midst of the sadness, I found myself laughing... as well as crying. It is an unusual book. The images Johnson creates linger.

This is a good read and refreshingly new! It has all the elements of a well-written story - interesting characters, a page-turning plot - plus insights into the emotions of characters for today's audience: a reality show host, college students, a journey into Alaska, etc. Written by a talented journalist in the know who also has an imagination, this title goes to the top of my list!

the writing was good but the characters were not. the concept was interesting but the actual plot was not. the story is scattered. we follow a dozen peripheral characters and random subplots and a 3 page monologue by a character with no relation to the story and end with a meaningless rambling account from a peripheral character. the main characters feel hollow- one just disappears about 2/3 of the way in; come to think of it, several do. the story has no resolution.

This book is extremely powerful if you like your spouse, feel understood by him or her, are accustomed to disagreeing about big things, and believe that even major problems will sort themselves out. The writer makes the storm of resentment between husband and wife both a logical outcome of events and a complete mystery. She resolves the disorientation and anger in a way I didn't expect but was sure would be true. The end is spare and incredibly beautiful.

As a mother of two young daughters, I thought I might not be up for the plot. Interestingly, there are no manipulations that force you to tears. The book asks good questions about how much parents can know, or should try to know, about their teenage kids, and about the usefulness of research as a technique for reorienting oneself and building inner resources in a tragedy.

[...]

This book is startling good. Not a young adult book at all like this last reviewer wrote. please ignore all that junk. This is one of the best books I've read in years. It's dramatic and funny and moving and touching without ever being maudlin. I was moved to tears. This woman is a writer to watch with skills this great in her first book I can't wait to watch for the great work this writer is destined for. So thank you Ms Johnson for this amazing book. You're now one of my favorite writers along with Carolyn See, John Updike and all the great modern authors of this modern era. I was so amazed by the quality of this book! Clancy OHara

One of the best books of 2008. It's funny, sharp, beautifully observed and virtually impossible to put down. I started reading it at 9pm and finally closed it around 2 am. These are characters who are so fully alive you can't shake them even when you're finished; you keep wondering what they're up to once the book is done. Johnson is a great writer and greater observer of human nature. What's unusual about this book is that it is both deeply profound and highly enertaining. And in case there's any confusion, this is absolutely not "chick lit". Men who value compelling fiction will love this book just as much as women. The male characters are wonderful.

Rebecca Johnson's debut novel sets the bar pretty high. It's not often you find a gripping story that effortlessly weaves arcane and interesting information with perfectly rendered descriptions of the inner workings of the heart and mind. I also found it helpful in letting go of certain losses in my own life.

The beginning started out with lots of potential, but after about 2/3 of the book, I started wondering where it was going. There were certain characters and story lines that were never fully developed and I wonder what the point of having them in there was. Also, the reactions of the family seemed sort of unrealistic to me and I didn't have any sympathy for the characters. The book had potential but just didn't turn out the way I'd hoped.

The story centres around a family who faces an unexpected tradegy and the many lives that are unknowingly intertwined with theirs. There are almost too many characters to keep track of and the reader is left not really knowing or understanding any of the characters. The ending was unsatisfying and made me wonder whether there was a point to the story. Save your money for something else.