This novel is a good, very easy beach read, enough
to keep one entertained and interested in the story, but not so heavy or deep
so that to ruin the vacation feel. Its
setting is New Hampshire and this was probably what drew my attention from the
very beginning. The novel is the story of two very different sisters, both
coming home to mend their lives. Secrets and quarrels of the past make way into
their summer and things shift over the course of their two months stay in
Hampstead.
In the beginning I had the
feeling the novel started off too slow, the author kept playing the "poor
Iris" (main character) card. Despite this, I really liked her, probably my
most liked character of the novel. I really didn't like her sister, Leah, but
now, having finished the book, I can see this was the point. 15% into the book
I honestly thought she was bipolar by the way other characters talked of her.
Speaking of characters, the two
main male characters in Iris' life were extremes, I'd say, but none fitting into
real life: her husband Paul was an annoying, judgmental man, who never gave
Iris space to grow outside her role as a wife and mother. On the other hand,
there was Cooper, Iris' high school friend and crush. It's all nice and fun as
a summer fling (although, really?), but I had a hard time seeing this as a
permanent and durable thing. However, the author gave them a happy-ish ending.
As for the girls' mother - a very mysterious character, not fully developed,
nor very interesting, in my opinion.
At times it felt as if the author
moved quickly from one scene to another; I had to reread the previous paragraph
to see what that was all about. She shifted quickly, not necessarily smoothly
from one thing to another, but this didn’t hinder the flow of the story
irremediably.
The story was interesting, it
caught my attention to the very end, and it wasn't a predictable story. I knew there were two possible ways to end the novel, and my curiosity was kept alive to the end to see how things were going to end. This
really is a perfect vacation read, and despite its length, it's a quick read.
I received an advanced reader’s
copy via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions
expressed here are my own.
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