Jul 18, 2026

I really liked the epistolary structure of this book. That made it very immersing and readable. I often turned to the map at the front to reference. The last 70 pages or so really engrossed me. I sat for an hour and a half to finish it. The twists and turns and how the stories ultimately come together make this a great book. I'm debating on whether to rate it as amazing, instead of great. 

Jul 16, 2026

For much of this book, I felt like the writing was a lot of telling, and less showing. The ending of the book swayed me to appreciate it more. The twist at the end really surprised me. 

Jun 21, 2026

It was with great anticipation I looked forward to this book. I devoured the book, reading it in less than 3 days. The structure of the story adds to my admiration of Ann Patchett's writing. While Buddy was a small character, I loved the big impact his actions had on Daphne and Eddie's survival. 

May 21, 2026

I found this to be one of my favorite books. It's a sweeping story covering two families and their connections over two generations, starting with WWII. 

Jan 21, 2026

I didn't like the ambiguous ending.