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Family Pictures
NY Times bestseller Jane Green delivers a riveting novel about two women whose lives intersect when a shocking secret is revealed.
From the author of Another Piece of My Heart comes the gripping story of two women who live on opposite coasts but whose lives are connected in ways they never could have imagined. Both women are wives and mothers to children who are about to leave the nest for school. They're both in their forties and have husbands who travel more than either of them would like. They are both feeling an emptiness neither had expected. But when a shocking secret is exposed, their lives are blown apart. As dark truths from the past reveal themselves, will these two women be able to learn to forgive, for the sake of their children, if not for themselves?
From the author of Another Piece of My Heart comes the gripping story of two women who live on opposite coasts but whose lives are connected in ways they never could have imagined. Both women are wives and mothers to children who are about to leave the nest for school. They're both in their forties and have husbands who travel more than either of them would like. They are both feeling an emptiness neither had expected. But when a shocking secret is exposed, their lives are blown apart. As dark truths from the past reveal themselves, will these two women be able to learn to forgive, for the sake of their children, if not for themselves?
344 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
About the author
Jane Green
77 books8,449 followersJane Green's twenty first novel, Sister Stardust, is out April 5th 2022.
She is the author of eighteen previous New York Times Bestselling novels, and known as one of the world's leading authors in women's fiction, with over ten million books in print, and translations in over 25 languages.
Previous novels have included The Beach House, Second Chance, Jemima J, and Tempting Fate.
She joined the ABC News team to write their first enhanced digital book— about the history of Royal marriages, then joined ABC News as a live correspondent covering Prince William’s wedding to Kate Middleton.
A former journalist in the UK, she has had her own radio show on BBC Radio London, and is a regular contributor on radio and TV, including as well as regularly appearing on television shows including Good Morning America, The Martha Stewart show, and The Today Show.
Together with writing books and blogs, she contributes to various publications, both online and print, including anthologies and novellas, and features for The Huffington Post, The Sunday Times, Cosmopolitan and Self. She has taught at writers conferences, and does regular keynote speaking, and has a weekly column in The Lady magazine, England’s longest running weekly magazine.
A graduate of the French Culinary Institute in New York, Green is bringing out her first cookbook: Good Taste , with Berkley in October 2016.
She is a storyteller for The Moth radio hour on NPR,
and lives in Westport, Connecticut with her husband and their blended family. When she is not writing, cooking, gardening, filling her house with friends and herding chickens, she is usually thanking the Lord for caffeine-filled energy drinks.
Jane's Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jane-Gr...
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
She is the author of eighteen previous New York Times Bestselling novels, and known as one of the world's leading authors in women's fiction, with over ten million books in print, and translations in over 25 languages.
Previous novels have included The Beach House, Second Chance, Jemima J, and Tempting Fate.
She joined the ABC News team to write their first enhanced digital book— about the history of Royal marriages, then joined ABC News as a live correspondent covering Prince William’s wedding to Kate Middleton.
A former journalist in the UK, she has had her own radio show on BBC Radio London, and is a regular contributor on radio and TV, including as well as regularly appearing on television shows including Good Morning America, The Martha Stewart show, and The Today Show.
Together with writing books and blogs, she contributes to various publications, both online and print, including anthologies and novellas, and features for The Huffington Post, The Sunday Times, Cosmopolitan and Self. She has taught at writers conferences, and does regular keynote speaking, and has a weekly column in The Lady magazine, England’s longest running weekly magazine.
A graduate of the French Culinary Institute in New York, Green is bringing out her first cookbook: Good Taste , with Berkley in October 2016.
She is a storyteller for The Moth radio hour on NPR,
and lives in Westport, Connecticut with her husband and their blended family. When she is not writing, cooking, gardening, filling her house with friends and herding chickens, she is usually thanking the Lord for caffeine-filled energy drinks.
Jane's Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jane-Gr...
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,927 reviews
May 15, 2013
I found this book frustrating. You could figure out the "big mystery" by page 20; however, it was revealed around page 130. 110 pages of set-up that went by very slowly and, in my opinion, needlessly.
I was also frustrated that we really never found out anything about Mark. I know, I know, this is chick lit. It's about the WOmen, not the men. But I wanted to know WHY. There's one vague sentence later on in the book; I suppose that's all the author was going to give us.
Then there's the implausibility factor. There are 100 million households in the United States, and Evie just stumbled on the ONE that she was linked to. Then, to make it all even more implausible, that happens on the exact DAY that Sylvie runs into the truth that has been hidden over the past decade? Oh, give me a break.
Onto the positives...
It was an easy read. The character Maggie makes the biggest change throughout the book. We all wish we could be as centered as Sylvie. Both teenage girls have their dirty little secrets although how Grace's is resolved isn't talked about.
Can parents be this self-absorbed and ignorant to what's going on in their children's lives? Unfortunately, that part is probably realistic.
This is my first Jane Green book, and it will probably be my last.
I was also frustrated that we really never found out anything about Mark. I know, I know, this is chick lit. It's about the WOmen, not the men. But I wanted to know WHY. There's one vague sentence later on in the book; I suppose that's all the author was going to give us.
Then there's the implausibility factor. There are 100 million households in the United States, and Evie just stumbled on the ONE that she was linked to. Then, to make it all even more implausible, that happens on the exact DAY that Sylvie runs into the truth that has been hidden over the past decade? Oh, give me a break.
Onto the positives...
It was an easy read. The character Maggie makes the biggest change throughout the book. We all wish we could be as centered as Sylvie. Both teenage girls have their dirty little secrets although how Grace's is resolved isn't talked about.
Can parents be this self-absorbed and ignorant to what's going on in their children's lives? Unfortunately, that part is probably realistic.
This is my first Jane Green book, and it will probably be my last.
July 31, 2022
“You discover something so awful, so life-changing, the only way you can cope is to jump straight into denial.”
― Jane Green, Family Pictures
This was a good book. I enjoyed this book way more then I thought I would. I originally worried because I was unsure it was the book for me. I need not have though as it was warm, interesting and compulsively readable.
I also figured it would be rated higher on here. I admit to being rather surprised it is not. But I see some of my GR friends liked it too..that is good. Family Pictures was a pleasant surprise.
Some people have said it is predictable. It is to an extent. I did figure out the twist almost immediately but that in no way dulled my enjoyment of the book.
I thought the characters were written extremely well and were very realistic, faults and all. I also got quite involved as I wanted to see where the story would go. I was in no way ever bored reading this and I found so many aspects of it realistic.
SPOILERS:
The ending was just wrapped up a tad to perfectly but I was surprisingly OK with that. (It is nice to have a happy ending sometimes as it seems many of my reads lately have horrible endings).
Family Pictures may not be the most original book out there but it is well written and fun, the perfect summer read. I loved it.
― Jane Green, Family Pictures
This was a good book. I enjoyed this book way more then I thought I would. I originally worried because I was unsure it was the book for me. I need not have though as it was warm, interesting and compulsively readable.
I also figured it would be rated higher on here. I admit to being rather surprised it is not. But I see some of my GR friends liked it too..that is good. Family Pictures was a pleasant surprise.
Some people have said it is predictable. It is to an extent. I did figure out the twist almost immediately but that in no way dulled my enjoyment of the book.
I thought the characters were written extremely well and were very realistic, faults and all. I also got quite involved as I wanted to see where the story would go. I was in no way ever bored reading this and I found so many aspects of it realistic.
SPOILERS:
The ending was just wrapped up a tad to perfectly but I was surprisingly OK with that. (It is nice to have a happy ending sometimes as it seems many of my reads lately have horrible endings).
Family Pictures may not be the most original book out there but it is well written and fun, the perfect summer read. I loved it.
April 7, 2013
I have said this before. Jemima J is one of my favorite books in the world. I love absolutely everything Jane Green wrote in England.
Her US stuff has been increasingly awful and this book is a culmination of several stories already told poorly in other books. I think I might be done - I am not in her demographic and I find the constant, never-ending, disparaging comments about women younger than 40 absolutely obnoxious.
This entire book could have been predicted in the first 10 pages - every single piece of it. It was all straight out of a textbook for how to write women's fiction - from the supportive/disloyal best friends to the wimpy main character to the plot development that changes all of their lives - all expected and so freaking boring. Yoga has been in each of the last three books as something that calms the main characters. Really? I didn't know that yoga was supposed to be calming. I also did not know that an internationally acclaimed author could not come up with a single other activity that her main characters could enjoy so that loyal readers could distinguish one protagonist from another when recalling books.
My personal favorite paragraph was the mention of how the main character's candle empire was the first to enter the home space since Martha. That is such lazy writing that I really want to know if the editor was on vacation that week or if the author sells so many books that it is not worth the hassle to encourage her to do better. I would at least empathize with the latter.
Good grief - someone who used to be one of my favorite authors is now being relegated to Janet Evanovich and Mary Higgins Clark status, which is phoning it in to cash a check. What happened to the person who wrote Jemima J, Mr. Maybe, To Have and To Hold, Babyville? I get that she matured and moved to the US, but did the prose have to suffer as a result?
Something else - enough with the mixture of British and American phrases. "Come to mine" when referring to going over to someone's house is a British phrase. Americans finish the sentence with the noun - "come to my house". The use of the word "proper" is also British. We have a place for it, but it prefaced no fewer than 10 different sets of circumstances. My favorite was "I have to give you the proper money for them." This is not American phrasing - it is British. At least have the main character be of British decent to cover up some of these slips. No - wait - the main character was of French decent for some reason. Perhaps that was the huge differentiator from one book to another.
I am being particularly picky here because again - I loved this author - she was phenomenal. With this latest offering, she is officially on the "check if her books are offered on Overdrive every once in a while" list.
Her US stuff has been increasingly awful and this book is a culmination of several stories already told poorly in other books. I think I might be done - I am not in her demographic and I find the constant, never-ending, disparaging comments about women younger than 40 absolutely obnoxious.
This entire book could have been predicted in the first 10 pages - every single piece of it. It was all straight out of a textbook for how to write women's fiction - from the supportive/disloyal best friends to the wimpy main character to the plot development that changes all of their lives - all expected and so freaking boring. Yoga has been in each of the last three books as something that calms the main characters. Really? I didn't know that yoga was supposed to be calming. I also did not know that an internationally acclaimed author could not come up with a single other activity that her main characters could enjoy so that loyal readers could distinguish one protagonist from another when recalling books.
My personal favorite paragraph was the mention of how the main character's candle empire was the first to enter the home space since Martha. That is such lazy writing that I really want to know if the editor was on vacation that week or if the author sells so many books that it is not worth the hassle to encourage her to do better. I would at least empathize with the latter.
Good grief - someone who used to be one of my favorite authors is now being relegated to Janet Evanovich and Mary Higgins Clark status, which is phoning it in to cash a check. What happened to the person who wrote Jemima J, Mr. Maybe, To Have and To Hold, Babyville? I get that she matured and moved to the US, but did the prose have to suffer as a result?
Something else - enough with the mixture of British and American phrases. "Come to mine" when referring to going over to someone's house is a British phrase. Americans finish the sentence with the noun - "come to my house". The use of the word "proper" is also British. We have a place for it, but it prefaced no fewer than 10 different sets of circumstances. My favorite was "I have to give you the proper money for them." This is not American phrasing - it is British. At least have the main character be of British decent to cover up some of these slips. No - wait - the main character was of French decent for some reason. Perhaps that was the huge differentiator from one book to another.
I am being particularly picky here because again - I loved this author - she was phenomenal. With this latest offering, she is officially on the "check if her books are offered on Overdrive every once in a while" list.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 13, 2013
Thank you so much to Goodreads and the author for sending me this might be one of the bestI ever read. I could not put it down. It was filled with emotions, drama, and love... true story, for true readers. Thank you!
September 4, 2019
I first read Jane Green when I was in my early twenties – back then she was writing the kind of fluffy chick-lit that filled my weekends (those days before children when I’d lie around reading books and pondering where I’d go for breakfast). In many senses, I’ve aged alongside Jane Green. Her books about boyfriends were replaced with stories about weddings and babies and now those have been replaced with books about forty-something-year-old women worrying about both their teenagers and their aging parents.
Green’s latest release is The Accidental Husband (to be titled Family Pictures in the US). It’s the story of two women, Maggie and Sylvie – strangers and living on opposite coasts in the US. However, they have one particular thing in common – their husband (note, that’s not a plural!).
Both women have grown children on the verge of leaving home, both are surrounded by friends and both have beautiful homes and essentially enviable lives. Needless to say that when they discover that the man they have both married, Mark, has been leading a double life, their worlds collapse.
Every so often there is a real-life example of this story in the media. It’s hard not to be fascinated, especially when you start thinking of the logistics of such a situation. I’m always struck by how exhausting it would be to keep up with two families (I’m flat out dealing with one).
Green creates a feasible scenario for Mark, Sylvie and Maggie – a guy running his own business with clients all over the US and two women who were absorbed in their own lives, family issues and friends (much as you would expect of women whose husbands were often away).
Unfortunately, this book missed the mark for me. It lacked the humour of Green’s earlier stories and the characters were predicatable – particularly Maggie, as the self-absorbed, social-climbing Connecticut wife.
I had a major issue with the way that the pivotal point in the plot (when the wives discover Mark’s duplicity) unfolds. Without revealing how it comes about, I simply found it all too coincidental. And really, once that had happened, Green couldn’t win me back.
I also felt the rags-to-riches and riches-to-rags themes too contrived. Add to that some mother issues, father issues, eating disorders, teenage drinking and care of an elderly parent and it all got a bit much (and ultimately fell together a bit too neatly).
2/5 Too many issues crammed into one story. If you want to read Green, go ‘vintage’ and pick up Mr. Maybe or Straight Talking.
I received a copy of The Accidental Husband courtesy of the publisher, Penguin Books Australia via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
See my full review here: http://booksaremyfavouriteandbest.wor...
Green’s latest release is The Accidental Husband (to be titled Family Pictures in the US). It’s the story of two women, Maggie and Sylvie – strangers and living on opposite coasts in the US. However, they have one particular thing in common – their husband (note, that’s not a plural!).
Both women have grown children on the verge of leaving home, both are surrounded by friends and both have beautiful homes and essentially enviable lives. Needless to say that when they discover that the man they have both married, Mark, has been leading a double life, their worlds collapse.
Every so often there is a real-life example of this story in the media. It’s hard not to be fascinated, especially when you start thinking of the logistics of such a situation. I’m always struck by how exhausting it would be to keep up with two families (I’m flat out dealing with one).
Green creates a feasible scenario for Mark, Sylvie and Maggie – a guy running his own business with clients all over the US and two women who were absorbed in their own lives, family issues and friends (much as you would expect of women whose husbands were often away).
Unfortunately, this book missed the mark for me. It lacked the humour of Green’s earlier stories and the characters were predicatable – particularly Maggie, as the self-absorbed, social-climbing Connecticut wife.
I had a major issue with the way that the pivotal point in the plot (when the wives discover Mark’s duplicity) unfolds. Without revealing how it comes about, I simply found it all too coincidental. And really, once that had happened, Green couldn’t win me back.
I also felt the rags-to-riches and riches-to-rags themes too contrived. Add to that some mother issues, father issues, eating disorders, teenage drinking and care of an elderly parent and it all got a bit much (and ultimately fell together a bit too neatly).
2/5 Too many issues crammed into one story. If you want to read Green, go ‘vintage’ and pick up Mr. Maybe or Straight Talking.
I received a copy of The Accidental Husband courtesy of the publisher, Penguin Books Australia via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
See my full review here: http://booksaremyfavouriteandbest.wor...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2014
★★★½
Family Pictures is a standalone, women’s fiction novel written by Jane Green. I have read a few of Ms. Green’s books; I have enjoyed some and not enjoyed others. Family Pictures kind of fell in the middle for me. There were two parallel storylines that threaded together later on, and although this style keeps readers entertained and on their toes, I found myself much more invested in one than the other- to the point where I was resisting the urge to skip whole chapters. But overall, I applaud Ms. Green for addressing some very real issues involving disordered eating and controversial family dynamics, both which provide a grave amount of strain to these two families. The book had some stressful parts, but overall, it ended with an air of optimism and new beginnings. That’s all we can really hope for in life right? If the path we’re on gets blocked, then maybe we get a chance to begin again? If you have historically enjoyed Jane Green’s writing, or if you just like women’s fiction in general, take a look at Family Pictures.
My favorite quote:
”We look after each other's daughters. It doesn't matter who they belong to. It's the responsibility we take on when we become mothers.”
Family Pictures is a standalone, women’s fiction novel written by Jane Green. I have read a few of Ms. Green’s books; I have enjoyed some and not enjoyed others. Family Pictures kind of fell in the middle for me. There were two parallel storylines that threaded together later on, and although this style keeps readers entertained and on their toes, I found myself much more invested in one than the other- to the point where I was resisting the urge to skip whole chapters. But overall, I applaud Ms. Green for addressing some very real issues involving disordered eating and controversial family dynamics, both which provide a grave amount of strain to these two families. The book had some stressful parts, but overall, it ended with an air of optimism and new beginnings. That’s all we can really hope for in life right? If the path we’re on gets blocked, then maybe we get a chance to begin again? If you have historically enjoyed Jane Green’s writing, or if you just like women’s fiction in general, take a look at Family Pictures.
My favorite quote:
”We look after each other's daughters. It doesn't matter who they belong to. It's the responsibility we take on when we become mothers.”
February 4, 2013
This is one of those books you pick up, start reading, and half-way through your day you realize you're not putting it down until it is finished. The beginning setting started out a little cliche, but somehow it swiftly moves into a story you will believe in. As far as character development goes, sometimes I felt like I was so close to the characters I actually felt uncomfortable when they had intimate moments. I loved that the characters not only had things happen to them, but were effected by the turn of events in ways that made them seem true. Also, this book makes references to current technologies, ideas, and styles making it more accurate and believable. BUT, what sticks out the most to me was one particular character. I loved the character Buck and his relationship with his mother after everything had happened. He has some sage advice for his mother. Teenagers aren't normally recognized as wise beings with insight. Sometimes though, you find an old soul in a young person. Jane Green displayed this beautifully in Buck. I loved that!! And I loved this good read.
March 10, 2013
I was torn between giving this book 3 stars and 4 stars. On the one hand, it's fairly predictable, the characters are not terribly compelling, it hinges on an enormous and very unlikely coincidence and the ending is saccarine sweet. On the other hand, it's immensely readable - I devoured it in one sitting - and despite its flaws, it has a genuine charm.
The story is about two women living on opposite sides of the US (Sylvie and Maggie) who lead quite different lives but will get to know one another over the course of the book. The connection between them is pretty easy to guess from the outset, although it is meant to come as a surprise. Sylvie is the more likeable character initially although she's a little...wet. Maggie is highly status conscious and pretty shallow, although she develops depth as the novel proceeds. They both have teenage daughters who have struggles of their own and husbands who travel a lot for work and may or may not be unfaithful to them. The theme of the book is really about picking yourself up after your world falls apart and finding yourself in the second act of your life.
Look, it's not a great book, but as I say it's very readable and I liked it more than I would have expected. The sub-plot which deals with a teenager's eating disorder is well done and I liked the way that both women developed friendships to sustain them. If you're after something light and easy to read, you could do far worse.
The story is about two women living on opposite sides of the US (Sylvie and Maggie) who lead quite different lives but will get to know one another over the course of the book. The connection between them is pretty easy to guess from the outset, although it is meant to come as a surprise. Sylvie is the more likeable character initially although she's a little...wet. Maggie is highly status conscious and pretty shallow, although she develops depth as the novel proceeds. They both have teenage daughters who have struggles of their own and husbands who travel a lot for work and may or may not be unfaithful to them. The theme of the book is really about picking yourself up after your world falls apart and finding yourself in the second act of your life.
Look, it's not a great book, but as I say it's very readable and I liked it more than I would have expected. The sub-plot which deals with a teenager's eating disorder is well done and I liked the way that both women developed friendships to sustain them. If you're after something light and easy to read, you could do far worse.
March 31, 2013
Last night I finished, "Family Pictures," by Jane Green. Jane, Jane, Jane, what can I say? That she has lost her touch? That she has dumbed herself down, that this was the most contrived and predictable book I have read, perhaps ever? I CAN say those things, and I am saying them, and YET, I enjoyed the book! It was light, fun, lured me into its predictable web and didn't let me go until I finished.
Green's earliest books continue to be the best of her work. "Family Pictures" is an improvement over her last novel, which was simply horrible, ("Another Piece of My Heart") but it was barely a step above a Danielle Steel novel. Green is a good writer, technically, but her plot was ridiculously farfetched, with one coincidence after another, none of which were plausible. Still, I kept reading, hoping for a shock or turn of events. The last few pages were the most ridiculous of all. However, I finished the novel knowing I enjoyed the few days I spent inside its pages. How is that for a paradoxical review?
Green's earliest books continue to be the best of her work. "Family Pictures" is an improvement over her last novel, which was simply horrible, ("Another Piece of My Heart") but it was barely a step above a Danielle Steel novel. Green is a good writer, technically, but her plot was ridiculously farfetched, with one coincidence after another, none of which were plausible. Still, I kept reading, hoping for a shock or turn of events. The last few pages were the most ridiculous of all. However, I finished the novel knowing I enjoyed the few days I spent inside its pages. How is that for a paradoxical review?
January 31, 2013
Family Pictures
By
Jane Green
My "in a nutshell" summary...
Two families...one East Coast...one West Coast...and a crisis...an almost unbelievable crisis..that literally almost destroys everyone!
My thoughts after reading this book...
Wow...I could not put this book down! I loved every chapter, every event, every dysfunctional moment that these family members lived through. Sylvie and Maggie...living the lives they felt they were meant to live...destined to live...and a chance meeting of the daughters and lives collapse. I don't really want to share too much of the actual story...you would hate me...it's so much better to have your suspicions about Mark...the husband/perpetrator...really...each chapter just flies by as you read more and more of this supercharged family saga. Just know that it's about two families who are totally unaware of each other's existence until this chance meeting...this random chance meeting...literally destroys them. Enough said about the destruction because this book is also about growth and salvation. So yummy!
What I loved about this book...
You can't read this book without loving Sylvie and wanting her in your life! Loving, creative, strong, insecure, sad and infinitely cherishable...that is how I would describe Sylvie. Wait until you read about her French mother...OMG...you will love Sylvie even more.
And...Maggie...you will love after the crisis Maggie... this was one of the best parts of Family Pictures...Maggie's story.
And Buck...Maggie's youngest son...you will want to cry when he takes Maggie to dinner...I loved it!
What I did not love...
Just because it's so much fun to read about the characters you love to hate...Sylvie's mom, before the crisis Maggie, dishonest husband Mark...some...if not all...of Maggie's friends...even Grace and Eve...daughters...could be annoying at times.
Final thoughts...
Just a yummy yummy book...filled with awesomely fascinating dysfunctional situations and characters...who were able to grow and change.
By
Jane Green
My "in a nutshell" summary...
Two families...one East Coast...one West Coast...and a crisis...an almost unbelievable crisis..that literally almost destroys everyone!
My thoughts after reading this book...
Wow...I could not put this book down! I loved every chapter, every event, every dysfunctional moment that these family members lived through. Sylvie and Maggie...living the lives they felt they were meant to live...destined to live...and a chance meeting of the daughters and lives collapse. I don't really want to share too much of the actual story...you would hate me...it's so much better to have your suspicions about Mark...the husband/perpetrator...really...each chapter just flies by as you read more and more of this supercharged family saga. Just know that it's about two families who are totally unaware of each other's existence until this chance meeting...this random chance meeting...literally destroys them. Enough said about the destruction because this book is also about growth and salvation. So yummy!
What I loved about this book...
You can't read this book without loving Sylvie and wanting her in your life! Loving, creative, strong, insecure, sad and infinitely cherishable...that is how I would describe Sylvie. Wait until you read about her French mother...OMG...you will love Sylvie even more.
And...Maggie...you will love after the crisis Maggie... this was one of the best parts of Family Pictures...Maggie's story.
And Buck...Maggie's youngest son...you will want to cry when he takes Maggie to dinner...I loved it!
What I did not love...
Just because it's so much fun to read about the characters you love to hate...Sylvie's mom, before the crisis Maggie, dishonest husband Mark...some...if not all...of Maggie's friends...even Grace and Eve...daughters...could be annoying at times.
Final thoughts...
Just a yummy yummy book...filled with awesomely fascinating dysfunctional situations and characters...who were able to grow and change.
June 25, 2013
I like most of Jane Green's novels, but within the first 30 pages I was able to predict what would happen within the rest of the book. Maggie's character was seriously underdeveloped and her "transformation" seemed forced and abrupt. Not her best work.
January 29, 2013
**I received this ARC novel from the Amazon Vine program**
I literally did a happy dance when I saw this novel offered to me from Amazon Vine. I adore Jane Green and while her novels as of late have turned a darker corner than her earlier works, I still enjoy her writing and works (save for A Walk in the Park, oy). I still have a huge soft spot in my heart for Bookends, which will always been one of my favorites. I varied between a 3 and 4 star for this book but ended at a 3.
Family Pictures is a fast-paced read. I was able to finish it in less than a day. However, much of this is because you know how this book is going to unfold, or at least most people will be able to figure it out. So the first half of the novel, you are skimming and waiting to see how things unfold. Once they do, they do and it continues to go the way you mostly expect it to. Not much surprised me in the book and while I'm not always expecting a whodunit or crazy plot twist, it was borderline boring to read a book that was this predictable.
I also felt that there was a lot of unnecessary bits to this novel, especially Buck's chapter (the point of that was....?). I'm still questioning the point of George and I still don't quite know where in the heck he came from. There's a few things like this that really don't relate much to the story and I'm not used to this from Jane's novels.
In the end though, it was a quick and decent read. I won't be raving to everyone about it, but it's not a novel I would caution one against reading.
I literally did a happy dance when I saw this novel offered to me from Amazon Vine. I adore Jane Green and while her novels as of late have turned a darker corner than her earlier works, I still enjoy her writing and works (save for A Walk in the Park, oy). I still have a huge soft spot in my heart for Bookends, which will always been one of my favorites. I varied between a 3 and 4 star for this book but ended at a 3.
Family Pictures is a fast-paced read. I was able to finish it in less than a day. However, much of this is because you know how this book is going to unfold, or at least most people will be able to figure it out. So the first half of the novel, you are skimming and waiting to see how things unfold. Once they do, they do and it continues to go the way you mostly expect it to. Not much surprised me in the book and while I'm not always expecting a whodunit or crazy plot twist, it was borderline boring to read a book that was this predictable.
I also felt that there was a lot of unnecessary bits to this novel, especially Buck's chapter (the point of that was....?). I'm still questioning the point of George and I still don't quite know where in the heck he came from. There's a few things like this that really don't relate much to the story and I'm not used to this from Jane's novels.
In the end though, it was a quick and decent read. I won't be raving to everyone about it, but it's not a novel I would caution one against reading.
January 17, 2013
I was really excited to win this book as part of a First Reads Giveaway...it was an easy and quick book to get through but I was a bit disappointed. I felt like there was way too much going on in the story and very few things were fully developed. I liked the idea of having multiple points of view but thought it was strange that Maggie's point of view was not introduced until the second part. I found myself not really interested in reading about her because so much of the character development was spent on Slyvie's story during part one. This was the first Jane Green book I've read and I would be open to reading others to see how they compare to Family Pictures...it wasn't awful but I probably wouldn't recommend it.
January 16, 2013
I won an advanced readers edition in a give away and would like to say Thank you!!!
That being said, this book had a very strong start with great characters. I was surprised that I actually was enjoying it. I am very much into YA books. However, I knew what was going to happen or where the story was headed, before it even got to that point. I lost interest about halfway through, when what I knew was going to happen, happened. After that it was a lot of drawn out story line. It was a hard second half for me. At that point I didn't care anymore and I lost interest in the characters. I found that I didn't like them as much as I had originally thought. The ending was typical. I am disappointed with this book, and frankly I am disappointed with all the 4 and 5 star ratings people have given it. It's not worthy of that high a rating.
That being said, this book had a very strong start with great characters. I was surprised that I actually was enjoying it. I am very much into YA books. However, I knew what was going to happen or where the story was headed, before it even got to that point. I lost interest about halfway through, when what I knew was going to happen, happened. After that it was a lot of drawn out story line. It was a hard second half for me. At that point I didn't care anymore and I lost interest in the characters. I found that I didn't like them as much as I had originally thought. The ending was typical. I am disappointed with this book, and frankly I am disappointed with all the 4 and 5 star ratings people have given it. It's not worthy of that high a rating.
December 13, 2015
I liked that it was just from the two wives PoV and not the husband. Enjoyable read
July 8, 2013
I'll write a review when I stop crying! Wow! What a book!
Maggie and Sylvie are two strangers, living a plane ride from each other. They have polar opposite lifestyles and there is no reason for them to meet never mind be connected to one another. However, both women are part of a secret that is so earth shattering that it threatens their way of life, their sanity and their families.
Both Sylvie and Maggie find themselves lucky in love. Both have husbands that provide them with security and comfortable lifestyles. Sylvie's husband is so attentive and she often finds it hard to believe that she has been blessed with such a wonderful man, despite the fact that he often works away from home for long periods. This is the price to pay for happiness. Maggie's husband has provided her with the lifestyle she always dreamt of, allowing her to escape a childhood and an up-bringing that she would rather forget. Her life is a lie but one that she is happy to continue with, until she discovers a new lie! Image is everything and she will do all she can to protect what she has achieved.
With their respective children due to fly the nest, Maggie and Sylvie's lives are changing and transitioning in ways that leave them both wondering what the future holds. However, a startling discovery by Sylvie's daughter Eve soon throws the two women together in the most unexpected of ways, and the pair fear for the future and for their children. Will they become allies or enemies?
I absolutely adored this book and its very difficult to write a review without risking too many spoilers. It had me hooked immediately. I loved the characters and how they evolved throughout the course of the book. The dilemma for the reader is, which of the two main female characters do you support? Or, in reality, is there really a choice to make? Both women have been the victim of unfortunate circumstances and both are equally deserving of sympathy. As their characters, personalities, strengths and weaknesses are exposed throughout the story, they become more or less the same person, dealing with similar issues and similar pain. It turns out they haven't been so different after all.
The story was gripping, tackling issues that are emotive and difficult and I will admit to shedding a few tears throughout the course of reading the book. Lets just say that I ended up having to go into another room to read the final chapter because not only did I want to savour it but I didn't want everyone to see me sobbing. The story takes a look at a situation that no wife or mother ever wants to find themselves in, with their lives very publicly on display for all to mock, criticise or dissect! A brilliant book and one I'd highly recommend!
*I received a copy of this book from Penguin UK for an honest, unbiased review.
Maggie and Sylvie are two strangers, living a plane ride from each other. They have polar opposite lifestyles and there is no reason for them to meet never mind be connected to one another. However, both women are part of a secret that is so earth shattering that it threatens their way of life, their sanity and their families.
Both Sylvie and Maggie find themselves lucky in love. Both have husbands that provide them with security and comfortable lifestyles. Sylvie's husband is so attentive and she often finds it hard to believe that she has been blessed with such a wonderful man, despite the fact that he often works away from home for long periods. This is the price to pay for happiness. Maggie's husband has provided her with the lifestyle she always dreamt of, allowing her to escape a childhood and an up-bringing that she would rather forget. Her life is a lie but one that she is happy to continue with, until she discovers a new lie! Image is everything and she will do all she can to protect what she has achieved.
With their respective children due to fly the nest, Maggie and Sylvie's lives are changing and transitioning in ways that leave them both wondering what the future holds. However, a startling discovery by Sylvie's daughter Eve soon throws the two women together in the most unexpected of ways, and the pair fear for the future and for their children. Will they become allies or enemies?
I absolutely adored this book and its very difficult to write a review without risking too many spoilers. It had me hooked immediately. I loved the characters and how they evolved throughout the course of the book. The dilemma for the reader is, which of the two main female characters do you support? Or, in reality, is there really a choice to make? Both women have been the victim of unfortunate circumstances and both are equally deserving of sympathy. As their characters, personalities, strengths and weaknesses are exposed throughout the story, they become more or less the same person, dealing with similar issues and similar pain. It turns out they haven't been so different after all.
The story was gripping, tackling issues that are emotive and difficult and I will admit to shedding a few tears throughout the course of reading the book. Lets just say that I ended up having to go into another room to read the final chapter because not only did I want to savour it but I didn't want everyone to see me sobbing. The story takes a look at a situation that no wife or mother ever wants to find themselves in, with their lives very publicly on display for all to mock, criticise or dissect! A brilliant book and one I'd highly recommend!
*I received a copy of this book from Penguin UK for an honest, unbiased review.
August 17, 2013
Sylvie is a rather typical American mother and housewife, doting on her daughter and husband and dabbling in creative pursuits to pass the time. After her first husband died when her daughter Eve was born, she thought she would never remarry until she met Mark - a successful businessman who she falls in love with and become a dedicated father to Eve. Sylvie's world begins crashing down with Eve' apparent eating disorder and then the shock that Mark has been leading a double life, married and with three children to another woman.
To be honest, I was pretty disappointed in this book. I found it to be riddled with cliches, poor character development and unrealistic plot lines and development. The way in which Mark's deception is unraveled involved a ridiculously unbelievable coincidence that just made the book seem really silly.
Part of the difficulty in writing a book with multiple viewpoints, is that each character's 'voice' has to be different and distinctive, which can be hard as the author has a particular style of writing that carries over to the characters and it's hard to separate that out and change it to suit multiple personalities. In this instance, I don't feel that she did that and the way the characters thought seemed to be the same.
The way in which the characters were developed was also cliched and just not realistic. The character of Kim (as one example) seemed forced and like the author was trying too hard to prove to us that she was a shallow bitch. The emphasis should be on showing not telling.
I normally also hate books with epilogues as they try and tidy everything up and make it all happy-clappy. This book is no exception in this regard. I feel like it would be fine if you were going away on holiday and wanted an 'easy read' to keep you occupied, but otherwise, I wouldn't bother.
To be honest, I was pretty disappointed in this book. I found it to be riddled with cliches, poor character development and unrealistic plot lines and development. The way in which Mark's deception is unraveled involved a ridiculously unbelievable coincidence that just made the book seem really silly.
Part of the difficulty in writing a book with multiple viewpoints, is that each character's 'voice' has to be different and distinctive, which can be hard as the author has a particular style of writing that carries over to the characters and it's hard to separate that out and change it to suit multiple personalities. In this instance, I don't feel that she did that and the way the characters thought seemed to be the same.
The way in which the characters were developed was also cliched and just not realistic. The character of Kim (as one example) seemed forced and like the author was trying too hard to prove to us that she was a shallow bitch. The emphasis should be on showing not telling.
I normally also hate books with epilogues as they try and tidy everything up and make it all happy-clappy. This book is no exception in this regard. I feel like it would be fine if you were going away on holiday and wanted an 'easy read' to keep you occupied, but otherwise, I wouldn't bother.
April 3, 2019
I read Jane Green's 'To Have and To hold' as a teenager (I guess I had wandered from the YA section). Anyway the book was such a great story to me that, to this day, I still think about it from time to time...
Fast forward about 6 years: One day about a month ago, I walked into my library with the intent of checking out the first audiobook I thought sounded intriguing. Having recognized JG's name and being that the description sounded like a good secret to be unfolded, I picked it up and began listening.
JG captured my attention with her honest and close-up inspection of families and family life. Different components (people) that interact with their relatives in a certain ways became very relateable to me and probably many other people due to it's level of frankness. I was very satisfied with the pace and detail used for unfolding the story. JG also does a great job of portraying addiction, passion, and love. You'd think she's walked in the shoes of several diverse people in order to write this book as accurately as she did.
This is a truly amazing and triumphant story, it feels so real that the lessons presented in this book are ones you'll want to remember forever. It also helps you appreciate people and things in life that are there for you, good, and safe... if that makes sense.
Fast forward about 6 years: One day about a month ago, I walked into my library with the intent of checking out the first audiobook I thought sounded intriguing. Having recognized JG's name and being that the description sounded like a good secret to be unfolded, I picked it up and began listening.
JG captured my attention with her honest and close-up inspection of families and family life. Different components (people) that interact with their relatives in a certain ways became very relateable to me and probably many other people due to it's level of frankness. I was very satisfied with the pace and detail used for unfolding the story. JG also does a great job of portraying addiction, passion, and love. You'd think she's walked in the shoes of several diverse people in order to write this book as accurately as she did.
This is a truly amazing and triumphant story, it feels so real that the lessons presented in this book are ones you'll want to remember forever. It also helps you appreciate people and things in life that are there for you, good, and safe... if that makes sense.
February 27, 2013
I read a Jane Green book for the first time last year, The Beach House, and really enjoyed it – so jumped at the chance to read her latest release. Jane Green did not let me down I was as engrossed in this book as I was the first one. The story is told from the points of view of Maggie and Sylvie, with the occasional input from Angie, one of the daughters. There are secrets revealed, lies uncovered, eating disorders and infidelity. Also a very real look at what it is like to be under media bombardment as your life becomes front page news; and how to protect your children, and pick up the pieces of your life when you have faced betrayal from every direction. I loved the characters, they were all very believable, and some of the support characters I am sure I have met! Each of the characters was described so well that they evoked images in my mind as I read. The Accidental Husband is very easy to read despite the fact that it tackles some very gritty subjects. The problems faced by the wives were totally believable, and not straightforward. There were a few twists and turns and conclusion jumping before the story arrived at its ending – which for each of the women was very suitable.
July 20, 2014
Initially I was thinking 3 stars, with a dip in the middle where my interest was waning. I tried to figure out what I was really thinking of this book, and came up with, an adult version of Sweet Valley High or the Dolly Fiction books I read in early high school. Then I changed my tune, enjoyed it more as I continued, and ended up really enjoying it. A story of perseverance, loss, heartbreak and ultimately self discovery and renewal. The importance of female friendship was a strong theme also. I enjoyed this, my first novel by Jane Green. I don't know how many times I've spotted 'Babyville' on my many trips to second hand book stores, so now I can say I know who she is. I recommend this book as a nice holiday read, or if you're like me and enjoy something light once in a while. You might find something unexpected as I did!
May 7, 2020
Gak. I'm not sure why I even finished this one. I suppose that is what I get for listening to the "available" books on Overdrive while I wait for 18 weeks for the books I really want. 🙄 This book is the final piece in helping me realize that I really don't like contemporary fiction in the form of self absorbed rich women with their disfunctional marriages, fake friends and lousy relationships with their children, who have a crisis then "find" themselves and live a happily ever after life as a "normal" middle class person. And to top it off the narrator was way over-exuberant in her efforts, and it got rather annoying in places.
July 30, 2014
Uggh. I read and I think I enjoyed The Beach House, but this book was terrible. I must admit I did not finish it and did not feel bad about that either. My first thought upon starting this book was "ahh, this is where chick-lit went to die." Seriously, if ladies of a certain age, who don't work (or have to), are the chatelaines of grand topiary filled estates with little else to do except half-assedly worry about whether their formerly fat but now exotically beautiful in a distinctly French way daughter has an eating disorder whilst meeting similarly vapid well-preserved, stylish lady for lunch in uber-exclusive department store to have a chuckle about how they keep it "spicy" for their men by going down-market for Victoria's Secret slutty lingerie INSTEAD of their exceedingly tasteful La Perla everyday stuff---while remarking misogynistically that "of course if you don't give it to him he will get it somewhere else" to excuse the philandering husbands of their OWN friends is your cup of tea, look no further. Although I admittedly didn't get too far into the book to even find out what the big secret or "plot" was, the ephemera of this woman's life so disgusted me that I can't help but add my humble opinion here; I'm sure there are many, many women such as these right here in my own town, and all across the country, who have exchanged their minds/bodies/souls to some man who is willing to provide them with every material desire in exchange for someone to bear/raise their children, occasionally stir their loins, and act as de facto manageress of their house, but I have to wonder, why would they? What do they get out of the deal except very large Amex bills? Oh wait--- a wife with a "cute" business idea or hobby like making hand-painted luxury scarves??????!!!! Or, in this book, CANDLES?? That she makes during the night while she is kept awake with insomnia (probably triggered by the soulessness of their union) of course, that's before she pays the bills, tidies, the pantry, reorganizes and designs new closet systems, and makes a gourmet breakfast for all....yeckkkkkk Clearly, I hated this book.
August 8, 2014
*Received an ARC through Amazon Vine program*
I've been a huge Jane Green fan for 10 years now and I look forward to every time she releases a new book. Although she's taken a turn from writing more chick-lit light reads like "Jemima J" and "Mr. Maybe" to writing books with romance with a serious edge to them, I'm still a big fan.
"Family Pictures" is towards the middle of my favorite and least favorite Jane Green books. While I didn't hate it, I certainly didn't love it. It took me awhile to get into it for some reason. I can't put my finger on whether it was the writing style (present tense, third person for Sylvie and Eve's chapters) and a sudden switch to first person for the Maggie and family side of the story. Or was my problem with the story? Honestly, I'm not sure.
It's kind of hard to tell much about the story with giving a lot of the plot away. But once you start reading it, you'll be able to tell where it's going. There was a bit too much in trying to foreshadow what would happen what would happen. It might have better to do less than that so that it would've more of a shock to the reader when all is revealed.
However, once I got into the middle or so, it was easy to sit for a couple hours and read the book. So it held my attention. The part about Sylvie's daughter was hard to read and I have never had to deal with anorexia in my life or with someone close to me but I imagine that it is much as it is written in the book.
So while this isn't my favorite Jane Green read, I'm still a big fan of hers and I can't wait to read more from her.
I've been a huge Jane Green fan for 10 years now and I look forward to every time she releases a new book. Although she's taken a turn from writing more chick-lit light reads like "Jemima J" and "Mr. Maybe" to writing books with romance with a serious edge to them, I'm still a big fan.
"Family Pictures" is towards the middle of my favorite and least favorite Jane Green books. While I didn't hate it, I certainly didn't love it. It took me awhile to get into it for some reason. I can't put my finger on whether it was the writing style (present tense, third person for Sylvie and Eve's chapters) and a sudden switch to first person for the Maggie and family side of the story. Or was my problem with the story? Honestly, I'm not sure.
It's kind of hard to tell much about the story with giving a lot of the plot away. But once you start reading it, you'll be able to tell where it's going. There was a bit too much in trying to foreshadow what would happen what would happen. It might have better to do less than that so that it would've more of a shock to the reader when all is revealed.
However, once I got into the middle or so, it was easy to sit for a couple hours and read the book. So it held my attention. The part about Sylvie's daughter was hard to read and I have never had to deal with anorexia in my life or with someone close to me but I imagine that it is much as it is written in the book.
So while this isn't my favorite Jane Green read, I'm still a big fan of hers and I can't wait to read more from her.
April 13, 2013
I gave this book two stars instead of one because if you like chick lit in general and Jane Green in particular, then you'll probably read it in a few sittings. Jane Green's novels since 'To Have and to Hold' feel like a cozy (designer!) blanket - warm, fuzzy, and comforting. They're full of characters who are already the best of friends or who will become the best of friends by the end of the book, even if it's hugely implausible. I have read every single Jane Green book (in hardcover!) that has ever come out and for the last four or five books I have come away entertained but also disappointed. The character development in this one was lacking - it was a series of events, albeit well described and engaging - but it didn't feel like there were any universal truths imparted in this one, like in most good chick lit and many of Green's own novels (Babyville, Jemima J, Mr. Maybe, To Have and to Hold...). I also felt that writing chapters from so many different points of view was a device to move the story along without having to delve too deeply into the main characters' growth. I usually enjoy multiple points of view but I didn't like that we only get to meet a very important character in the second half of the book. It would have been more interesting to introduce her early on so she can grow on us, and so we can root for her as we watch her change. Instead this plot device feels like its rushing the book along to a speedy end.
That said, I'll still likely read Jane's next novel and hope it comes together better than this one did.
That said, I'll still likely read Jane's next novel and hope it comes together better than this one did.
September 10, 2013
So, I don't know if it's fair to review a book that I have not fully read, but I was so over it that I had to stop. And that is something I rarely ever do; some part of me feels it's wrong in some way to begin a book and not finish it. I gave Jane 100 pages, and I threw in the towel. After reading Another Piece of My Heart, I was hoping this book wouldn't be more of the same - literally desperate and bored and/or lonely housewives. However, Jane has hit us with more Domestic Melodrama. The only tolerable character for me was Angie, the main character Sylvie's best friend. The main character, her daughter Eve, and husband Mark are written as such vague archetypes that it's hard to glean any real "character" from these characters. Eve has an eating disorder; Sylvie is a lonely hippy dippy wife to a husband who is "always out of town." I can tell what will happen having not read the entire book. Nothing really happened in the first 100 pages except setting up the boring plotlines of privileged people about whom I don't care to read. What happened to Jane's fun and engaging characters from books like Jemima J and The Other Woman? I miss the Old Jane, and I don't think we will ever get her back. They say to write what you know... and sadly, I think Domestic Melodrama is all she knows now.
January 18, 2013
***I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway***
I have read all the great reviews about this book and I just can’t agree. I just did not like this book. I really wanted to, given the great reviews, but I found the characters to be unbelievable and the plot uninteresting. In fact, I didn’t even think the plot started until page 138. I kept reading and reading for something to happen, it finally did on page 138 and I thought it would begin to pick up at that point. It didn’t. It was just more of the same.
One of the main characters consistently sighed when having to deal with anything uncomfortable or conflicting which gave me the impression she was passive and weak, yet I was under the impression she was suppose to be a strong character. Also, I didn’t understand how her first marriage even played into the entire story, except maybe to make way for a potential relationship at the end; but that relationship was really unnecessary as far as I was concerned.
Another main character was anorexic/bulimic and talks about how much anxiety and worries she has, but then in the next chapter states she has never thought of herself as insecure. Seems like a contradiction to me.
Overall I thought the premise was interesting was the details were underdeveloped.
March 14, 2013
I received this ARC as a Goodreads giveaway. To be truthful, I almost gave up on the story around the 100 page mark.Green spends a great deal of time building the players in this novel. We become very familiar with Sylvie and her daughter Eve and Sylvie's husband Mark. They appear to be leading a fairly normal middle class life in La Jolla with hints at potential anorexia issues for Eve and the usual fear of "the other woman' by Sylvie as she deals with her husband working for weeks at a time in New York. The book almost comes across as preachy at moments with commentaries on the evils of Facebook, Twitter and identity theft. What also was lacking was a plot or at least some indication of what direction this book was going to take.
Then BAM, life happens. The story takes off and a fairly staid book turns into a page turner which kept me up all day (shift worker) and played on my mind when I had to put it down. I don't want to take away any of the shock and awe I felt as I followed the emotional rollercoaster of an expanding cast of characters so I will not reveal any spoilers. Green does a terrific job of bringing her characters to life, of making us root for their successes and share in the fears, failures and decisions. She builds hope into her characters in which we can all relate. Here is an example of one characters personal renewel from Family Pictures pg. 287;
I am ashamed to admit it is a few seconds before I can tear myself away from the mirror. I look nothing like the glossy, overly made up, highlighted, straight-haired, bejeweled, and intimidating trophy wife.
Nor do I look anything like the Maggie of the last two years: dowdy, weary, colorless. A woman who doesn't care what she looks like, has gone through something so painful, it is clear for all to see. A woman who has lost all joie de vivre, who puts her energies into getting through each day.
A woman who recognizes her life has stopped, and does not care whether it starts again or not.
The woman looking back at me in the mirror is fresh, natural, approachable. She is soft and pretty. She is a woman you would want to talk to. You would want to be friends with her.
I would want to be friends with her.
Not because she wields power, but because she is real.
If I could I would give this book a 4.5 star rating. Redemption all over the place for a cast of characters who face extraordinary challenges. Great book.
Then BAM, life happens. The story takes off and a fairly staid book turns into a page turner which kept me up all day (shift worker) and played on my mind when I had to put it down. I don't want to take away any of the shock and awe I felt as I followed the emotional rollercoaster of an expanding cast of characters so I will not reveal any spoilers. Green does a terrific job of bringing her characters to life, of making us root for their successes and share in the fears, failures and decisions. She builds hope into her characters in which we can all relate. Here is an example of one characters personal renewel from Family Pictures pg. 287;
I am ashamed to admit it is a few seconds before I can tear myself away from the mirror. I look nothing like the glossy, overly made up, highlighted, straight-haired, bejeweled, and intimidating trophy wife.
Nor do I look anything like the Maggie of the last two years: dowdy, weary, colorless. A woman who doesn't care what she looks like, has gone through something so painful, it is clear for all to see. A woman who has lost all joie de vivre, who puts her energies into getting through each day.
A woman who recognizes her life has stopped, and does not care whether it starts again or not.
The woman looking back at me in the mirror is fresh, natural, approachable. She is soft and pretty. She is a woman you would want to talk to. You would want to be friends with her.
I would want to be friends with her.
Not because she wields power, but because she is real.
If I could I would give this book a 4.5 star rating. Redemption all over the place for a cast of characters who face extraordinary challenges. Great book.
January 10, 2013
Family pictures was a fast-paced read for me, and a book telling detailing the story of family dynamics.
Sylvie, the main character, is more or less set in her routine, and her life is defined by her daughter, Eve, a child from her first marriage to Jonathan, who is deceased, and defined by Mark, her current husband. Her daughter is set to leave for college, and Sylvie finds herself dwelling on how to cope with the situation. Her house feels empty.
It feels empty more so because her husband Mark is constantly traveling for business. Sylvie has doubts, at times, about Mark's fidelity, and fantasizes about him being unfaithful. When he returns home or when she hears his voice on the phone she releases her doubts.
Eve has eating disorders (yes, plural), and Sylvie is trying to contend with those issues as best she can. She is trying to be supportive and her life revolves around getting the medical attention and psychological help that Eve needs.
Eve eventually finds herself in New York City where she meets a young woman named Grace. Grace invites her to her home, and it is there that the family dynamics are thrown into upheaval.
From that day forward, life will never be the same in Sylvie's household, or the household of Maggie, where the life-altering incident occurred. The reader is taken on a journey of love, anger, depression, obsession and the dysfunctional family interactions of two families.
The writing is vivid as far as the word-imagery is concerned. The family dynamics are detailed with concern, love and warmth. The secrets within the pages ring of some incidents depicted in the news that have occurred within the past two or three years. The story line moved along, and was not one that was difficult to become involved in.
The reader is left to ponder marriage life and whether the individuals involved in the relationship truly know each other. Does a comfortable life overcome the realistic interactions of the spouses? Does complacency blind one to the external forces that play havoc on the marriage? These are just two of the questions the reader will find themselves asking while reading Family Pictures.
I want to thank the Goodreads first-reads program for the complimentary copy of Family Pictures.
Sylvie, the main character, is more or less set in her routine, and her life is defined by her daughter, Eve, a child from her first marriage to Jonathan, who is deceased, and defined by Mark, her current husband. Her daughter is set to leave for college, and Sylvie finds herself dwelling on how to cope with the situation. Her house feels empty.
It feels empty more so because her husband Mark is constantly traveling for business. Sylvie has doubts, at times, about Mark's fidelity, and fantasizes about him being unfaithful. When he returns home or when she hears his voice on the phone she releases her doubts.
Eve has eating disorders (yes, plural), and Sylvie is trying to contend with those issues as best she can. She is trying to be supportive and her life revolves around getting the medical attention and psychological help that Eve needs.
Eve eventually finds herself in New York City where she meets a young woman named Grace. Grace invites her to her home, and it is there that the family dynamics are thrown into upheaval.
From that day forward, life will never be the same in Sylvie's household, or the household of Maggie, where the life-altering incident occurred. The reader is taken on a journey of love, anger, depression, obsession and the dysfunctional family interactions of two families.
The writing is vivid as far as the word-imagery is concerned. The family dynamics are detailed with concern, love and warmth. The secrets within the pages ring of some incidents depicted in the news that have occurred within the past two or three years. The story line moved along, and was not one that was difficult to become involved in.
The reader is left to ponder marriage life and whether the individuals involved in the relationship truly know each other. Does a comfortable life overcome the realistic interactions of the spouses? Does complacency blind one to the external forces that play havoc on the marriage? These are just two of the questions the reader will find themselves asking while reading Family Pictures.
I want to thank the Goodreads first-reads program for the complimentary copy of Family Pictures.
January 11, 2013
I won this book as an advanced copy, thanks to the author and Goodreads!
I've never read a book from Jane Green before. I will say that I didn't think this book was going to be that good. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down! I could relate to the characters easily even if I haven't been in their exact situation.
The plot moved quickly enough to where I wasn't bored (instead intrigued by all the foreshadowing). It was slightly suspenseful in a way.
I loved watching the characters change and grow before my eyes. I was very impressed with Maggie's character.
Of course some of the book is a bit sappy but I eat that right up when it lines up with the book nicely.
This book has the perfect recipe for a good book: a little suspense, a little humor, a little tragedy, a little personal growth. It's the best book to read when you feel like life is knocking you down. You will survive.
Thanks to Jane Green for writing a riveting book that I just could not put down. With so many books out there to read, it's easy to get in a rut with "okay" or even "good" books, so when a GREAT book comes along, it's such a delight and pleasure to read it. It makes me relish in my love for reading.
I've never read a book from Jane Green before. I will say that I didn't think this book was going to be that good. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down! I could relate to the characters easily even if I haven't been in their exact situation.
The plot moved quickly enough to where I wasn't bored (instead intrigued by all the foreshadowing). It was slightly suspenseful in a way.
I loved watching the characters change and grow before my eyes. I was very impressed with Maggie's character.
Of course some of the book is a bit sappy but I eat that right up when it lines up with the book nicely.
This book has the perfect recipe for a good book: a little suspense, a little humor, a little tragedy, a little personal growth. It's the best book to read when you feel like life is knocking you down. You will survive.
Thanks to Jane Green for writing a riveting book that I just could not put down. With so many books out there to read, it's easy to get in a rut with "okay" or even "good" books, so when a GREAT book comes along, it's such a delight and pleasure to read it. It makes me relish in my love for reading.
March 1, 2015
My second Jane Green novel and I loved it! I read this every free chance I got. I actually finished it today while sitting in my car, waiting for it to warm up. Two women whose lives took a turn when their daughters become friends. I couldn't wait for the secret to be revealed so I kept reading and reading and then once it was revealed I had to keep reading to get their reactions. A blessing in disguise I guess is what you can call this. Their lives took a turn for the worst but both women found themselves and got a greater and much more fulfilling life out of it. Honestly this novel reminded me that sometimes when the red flag is waving itself directly in front of you and you ignore it, extreme measures have to happen since you're choosing not to see it.
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