Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Publication date: January 2014
Pages: 512
Source: Library
For: Because I liked What Alice Forgot
Madeline is a force to be reckoned with. She’s funny and biting, passionate, she remembers everything and forgives no one. Her ex-husband and his yogi new wife have moved into her beloved beachside community, and their daughter is in the same kindergarten class as Madeline’s youngest (how is this possible?). And to top it all off, Madeline’s teenage daughter seems to be choosing Madeline’s ex-husband over her. (How. Is. This. Possible?).Things I Liked:
Celeste is the kind of beautiful woman who makes the world stop and stare. While she may seem a bit flustered at times, who wouldn’t be, with those rambunctious twin boys? Now that the boys are starting school, Celeste and her husband look set to become the king and queen of the school parent body. But royalty often comes at a price, and Celeste is grappling with how much more she is willing to pay.
New to town, single mom Jane is so young that another mother mistakes her for the nanny. Jane is sad beyond her years and harbors secret doubts about her son. But why? While Madeline and Celeste soon take Jane under their wing, none of them realizes how the arrival of Jane and her inscrutable little boy will affect them all.
I have to admit Moriarty can really write interesting stories about everyday people. But man, her characters' lives really suck. It seems that only bad things happen to them and everyone around them and pretty much every man everywhere is cheating on his wife. This one kind of broke my heart with the children and their stories. Also, that ending was a little bit crazy and I'm not entirely sure what to make of it, but I suppose it's telling you about it all along. Not ready to be a school mom yet :)
Things I Didn't Like:
It's full of vulgarities and isn't something to read when you're already feeling depressed about life. I guess her books are just full of really crappy lives to me.
Read-alikes:
Like Moriarty's other books, really
BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#$%
lots!
mrg-factor: XX
lots of this too!
v-factor: ->->->
domestic violence
Overall rating: ***
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
Posts
I loved this one. I think there was a lot of crappy things in these people's lives but there was humor and loyalty and friendship too.
ReplyDeleteAh, way to look on the positive side! I think I need a break from her stuff, but I might come back.
DeleteI loved this one, too! It definitely had depressing spots and yes, Moriarty's got a potty mouth, but overall, I just really connected with it. When you get to be a "school mum," you'll see how spot-on some of Moriarty's observations about them really are :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, it kinda scares me if her school mum thing is accurate - not sure I can handle it!
DeleteI LOVED this one. All of that school mom petty jealousies and in-fighting are sadly so true, which may be why it not only hit a nerve but why I could relate to it so well. To me, this is like a modern-day Austen novel with her biting satire.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to try it when my kid is in school - it sounds like I'll definitely relate better!
DeleteThe sweet little boy getting blamed for the bullying broke my heart :( I really enjoyed the humor of this one. I thought the characters had great lines.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, it made me sad too! But I guess I forgot all the funny parts and stuff. I may need to reread this one sometime!
Delete