Every Last One by Anna Quindlen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Traveling Sister Read Review by NORMA, LINDSAY and BRENDA!!
4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars for EVERY LAST ONE as this novel took us all on an extremely emotional roller coaster of a ride!
EVERY LAST ONE by ANNA QUINDLEN is a novel that can be compared to riding a very steep roller coaster. The first half of the book was the slow chug up the hill, anticipation for the thrill to kick in, wondering when that huge ‘drop’ is going to happen. Once you hit the MAJOR ‘drop’ at around the halfway point, you are in for a breathtaking, emotional, and page-turning ride that doesn’t stop until the very last chapter.
EVERY LAST ONE is a highly emotional, spectacular, and beautiful but yet disquieting novel that offers a deep exploration of family relationships and female friendships.
“sometimes I live so much in my mind that I forget what is before my eyes”
When we meet Mary Beth she is living a pretty ordinary, happy, and somewhat perfect life. We get to know her daughter, twin sons and her husband though her perspective as she gives us a good picture of her life. She is involved and connected with her children but yet distracted and unaware at the same time. The things that make us human and sometimes even when we are doing everything right, bad things can still happen.
ANNA QUINDLEN does a great job bringing truth and understanding of human behaviour and emotions to this heartbreaking story that had Lindsay in tears for most of the second half of this novel.
While the first half of this story did drag a little for us as it was all about character development – it builds the backstory and gives the family history needed to fully understand the entire plot. Then the second half hits you with a bang which makes you understand and appreciate the first half so much more. We all felt a satisfying sense of closure at the end of the novel.
We all loved the main character, Mary Beth! Her perspective and narrative was very relatable and powerfully written which made this an extremely enjoyable and incredibly great book for all of us as we had lots to discuss and enjoyed the conversation immensely!
Penny For Our Thoughts 