Commonwealth

The book's well written, (Patchett is great). There were many characters (I confused myself) and some frustrating events (by design). But then the book ends.

When I think about it, all the themes were tied up, but I'm just not sure how to feel about it. Didn't get a sense of what she was saying either.

Maybe I'll reread it some day.

I'm a sucker for multi-generational family dramas, and this one did not disappoint. I was really enamored with how charming each and every one of the characters were, complete with each of their flaws. Despite some characters getting far less attention than others, I still felt a deep connection to the full cast. That deep connection allowed me to really feel the emotions and pain the family went through over the years, from tragedy, to reconciliation, acceptance, and death. This is the story of a very modern family that I think we can all relate to in many ways. While I think some of the later chapters could have been shifted around for a more impactful message, I really enjoyed this book a lot.

Doesn't hold a candle to her other books. Characters are not different enough--they blurred together too easily for a big ensemble like this.

Who owns your story? Interesting question that doesn't get any answers here--unless the answer is "You own it, but only until you tell it to anyone--at which point everyone owns it"

Actually 3 1/2 stars.

This was a pretty good book, I liked it. Only I could never keep the families straight for some reason and which wife was which. Plus there was something kind of cold and unemotional about it that kind of kept me at a distance. I never really did bond with any one character so I wasn't that emotionally invested in the story.

So yeah, it's pretty good. Only, it's not great.

Oh, my, this is going to make for an interesting discussion. Commonwealth, the latest novel by Ann Patchett, is mesmerizing. I found myself enthralled with the characters--interested, angry, sad, and scared.

In the beginning, there are two separate families, the Cousins and the Keatings. After infidelity and divorce occur, they become a blended family. Patchett's story follows the six children of these families for decades, and it is fascinating.

It's important not to reveal too much in a review, since the essential magic of this story is the reader's discovery of certain facts a little at a time.

Read this! It's a gem.