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The Wonder of Ordinary Magic
A Silver Medalist in the 2012 Readers Favorite Award Contest, The Wonder of Ordinary Magic introduces us to one of fiction's most unique main characters, Bobby Weaver, a young writer who just happens to be in a coma. Deteriorating both physically and mentally while still painfully aware of what's going on around him, Bobby continues to work on the murder mystery he was writing before his life took a sudden and unexpected turn. As Bobby strives to tie up loose ends in his final story, if just for himself and his characters, the reader is given a glimpse of the life he's left behind in the form of day-in-the-life vignettes of his family. A vibrant, original story steeped in symbolism and family ties, this haunting debut explores the subtle ways lives are connected, broken, and renewed by love.
- GenresContemporaryFiction
252 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2011
9 people are currently reading
324 people want to read
About the author
Lilli Jolgren Day
1 book23 followersLILLI JOLGREN DAY is a photographer, artist, and author who was born and raised in the beautiful state of Michigan. While she is thrilled to have won a silver medal in the Readers Favorite Award Contest for her debut novel, her most precious tribute is still the whimsical portrait of a stick figure mom inside a big pink heart drawn many moons ago by one of her children proclaiming, "Mom I know is a good mom. I love you mom". She takes it out and reads it whenever she doubts herself and loses her way.
Lilli is the mother of two, partner to Doug, grandmother to three nearly perfect little people, a battered but grateful MECFS warrior, and like most writers she loves to curl up with a good book and steal away on a magic carpet of words. THE WONDER OF ORDINARY MAGIC is her debut novel. A Reading Group Guide is available on her blog www.bookbabie.com
Lilli is the mother of two, partner to Doug, grandmother to three nearly perfect little people, a battered but grateful MECFS warrior, and like most writers she loves to curl up with a good book and steal away on a magic carpet of words. THE WONDER OF ORDINARY MAGIC is her debut novel. A Reading Group Guide is available on her blog www.bookbabie.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
February 22, 2012
The Wonder of Ordinary Magic ***** of ***** I had intended to give this book 4 stars but when I could not get it out of my head, I had to give it 5!
Lilli Jolgren Day
Family. The interplay and interweaving of lives in an extended family are fascinating. The loveliest voice in The Wonder of Ordinary Magic belongs to Chloe, a rather precocious and endearingly precious little girl who connects the adults’ lives in a magical way. There’s nothing traditionally magical about Chloe, she doesn’t sprout wings, or make wishes come true but she provides a vital link of ordinary magic that makes this book work. Miranda, a buttoned down type A personality and psychologist is Chloe’s Mom and her father, Thomas, a successful accountant, both love Chloe but are growing apart from each other due to the familial burdens that they bear. For Miranda, her burden is the loss of her lovely mother to cancer within the past year; for Tom, it is his brother Bobby’s inert form, comatose for an extended period of time, now hospitalized for an illness in the same hospital where Miranda, her father Jack, and her brother Michael lost their beloved wife and mother. Michael, gay but in a loving relationship with his partner, hides behind the lens of his camera and the happiest pictures he takes are of Chloe. All of the adults in the story are united in a way that is best describe by Tom, when he says, “…how many times can a heart break before it finally just crumbles and falls completely to pieces?”
Bobby, an author, though comatose and apparently unresponsive, expresses his thoughts and even tells us a story he was writing when his accident happened. His greatest joy is Chloe who seems to connect with her Uncle even though no one else can. She tells him about her “Show and Tell” object, a pussy willow branch and ends by gently rubbing it on his face. Her mother is upset, even horrified, by her daughter prodding her comatose uncle - though Chloe tells her that Uncle Bobby wants to feel the softness, and we know through Bobby’s thoughts that it was pleasurable for him. As the adult characters go through the motions of living, the story Bobby is telling becomes more intense and compelling. When his story is completed, Bobby feels a subtle shifting and visits each person in his real life, his brother sleeping uncomfortably in a chair in his hospital room, Jack working a crossword puzzle in his kitchen, Michael leaving his darkroom to check on his injured but sleeping lover and Miranda finally unbuttoned, weeping in the master bedroom of the home she, Tom and Chloe share. Bobby's last visit is to Chloe and is the most tender and touching vignette of all until he reaches home. The ending is a bit of a surprise; I caught no hint of it as I read but it drives home the complete message of the meaning of family and the extraordinary value of its ordinary magic.
Lilli Jolgren Day
Family. The interplay and interweaving of lives in an extended family are fascinating. The loveliest voice in The Wonder of Ordinary Magic belongs to Chloe, a rather precocious and endearingly precious little girl who connects the adults’ lives in a magical way. There’s nothing traditionally magical about Chloe, she doesn’t sprout wings, or make wishes come true but she provides a vital link of ordinary magic that makes this book work. Miranda, a buttoned down type A personality and psychologist is Chloe’s Mom and her father, Thomas, a successful accountant, both love Chloe but are growing apart from each other due to the familial burdens that they bear. For Miranda, her burden is the loss of her lovely mother to cancer within the past year; for Tom, it is his brother Bobby’s inert form, comatose for an extended period of time, now hospitalized for an illness in the same hospital where Miranda, her father Jack, and her brother Michael lost their beloved wife and mother. Michael, gay but in a loving relationship with his partner, hides behind the lens of his camera and the happiest pictures he takes are of Chloe. All of the adults in the story are united in a way that is best describe by Tom, when he says, “…how many times can a heart break before it finally just crumbles and falls completely to pieces?”
Bobby, an author, though comatose and apparently unresponsive, expresses his thoughts and even tells us a story he was writing when his accident happened. His greatest joy is Chloe who seems to connect with her Uncle even though no one else can. She tells him about her “Show and Tell” object, a pussy willow branch and ends by gently rubbing it on his face. Her mother is upset, even horrified, by her daughter prodding her comatose uncle - though Chloe tells her that Uncle Bobby wants to feel the softness, and we know through Bobby’s thoughts that it was pleasurable for him. As the adult characters go through the motions of living, the story Bobby is telling becomes more intense and compelling. When his story is completed, Bobby feels a subtle shifting and visits each person in his real life, his brother sleeping uncomfortably in a chair in his hospital room, Jack working a crossword puzzle in his kitchen, Michael leaving his darkroom to check on his injured but sleeping lover and Miranda finally unbuttoned, weeping in the master bedroom of the home she, Tom and Chloe share. Bobby's last visit is to Chloe and is the most tender and touching vignette of all until he reaches home. The ending is a bit of a surprise; I caught no hint of it as I read but it drives home the complete message of the meaning of family and the extraordinary value of its ordinary magic.
April 21, 2012
This book is brilliantly written! It is very well thought out and very well executed! It's quite something to read a story about a man, Bobby Weaver, a successful author prior to this coma, who is completing his novel while in a coma, and then to read about this same man as a person who happens to be in a coma, and loved very much by his family.
I have to say I really enjoyed where this story took place! It took place in Detroit and the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan. There were many references to Michigan that I just LOVED! Especially the reference about the weather! HOW TRUE! It had me laughing SO hard! I had to read that part out loud to my husband who could relate SO well! There were other mentions, such as The Detroit Tigers, and more! Really neat if you live in Michigan!)
Sounds interesting, isn't it! The only way to understand how wonderful this book is is to read it! It's an amazing story! This review may seem sketchy and you may not quite understand it all, but I can't go on any further without ruining your experience of reading this poignant story and ruining the experience for you. I can't give away to much so as to ruin the story!
Each chapter of this book is told by a different family member and how each person interacts or doesn't interact with him. It's how he relates to each of them, and the part he plays in each of their lives.
As we are reading this book within a book, we learn a lot about Bobby and his family. When Bobby is not writing, (which no one knows he is doing so in his head, and, as a matter of fact, all the medical tests show he is brain dead), someone from his family is usually there at his bedside. His entire family comes to visit him every day, including his very special 4 year old niece, Chloe. She is the spirit of life. So young, so innocent, yet wise beyond her years. Bobby loves Chloe. He loves this little girl more than any other character in this book. It is truly sweet to hear her talking to him. Somehow I believe she knows he hears her, especially through one very touching moment. She is, after all, his very special little niece and she happens to know this, even though she can't hear him. Other family members who come to visit him, he's not quite so fond of. Come and read this book and hear what he has to say about all of the other characters.
There will never be another book quite like this one to be able to hear the magic of what a man in a coma thinks, or to hear his responses of what others are saying. Come read this book to find out the haunting way as to how he ends up in this coma. This is where the title really rings true: The Wonder of Ordinary Magic!
Bravo! HIGHLY recommended!
I have to say I really enjoyed where this story took place! It took place in Detroit and the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan. There were many references to Michigan that I just LOVED! Especially the reference about the weather! HOW TRUE! It had me laughing SO hard! I had to read that part out loud to my husband who could relate SO well! There were other mentions, such as The Detroit Tigers, and more! Really neat if you live in Michigan!)
Sounds interesting, isn't it! The only way to understand how wonderful this book is is to read it! It's an amazing story! This review may seem sketchy and you may not quite understand it all, but I can't go on any further without ruining your experience of reading this poignant story and ruining the experience for you. I can't give away to much so as to ruin the story!
Each chapter of this book is told by a different family member and how each person interacts or doesn't interact with him. It's how he relates to each of them, and the part he plays in each of their lives.
As we are reading this book within a book, we learn a lot about Bobby and his family. When Bobby is not writing, (which no one knows he is doing so in his head, and, as a matter of fact, all the medical tests show he is brain dead), someone from his family is usually there at his bedside. His entire family comes to visit him every day, including his very special 4 year old niece, Chloe. She is the spirit of life. So young, so innocent, yet wise beyond her years. Bobby loves Chloe. He loves this little girl more than any other character in this book. It is truly sweet to hear her talking to him. Somehow I believe she knows he hears her, especially through one very touching moment. She is, after all, his very special little niece and she happens to know this, even though she can't hear him. Other family members who come to visit him, he's not quite so fond of. Come and read this book and hear what he has to say about all of the other characters.
There will never be another book quite like this one to be able to hear the magic of what a man in a coma thinks, or to hear his responses of what others are saying. Come read this book to find out the haunting way as to how he ends up in this coma. This is where the title really rings true: The Wonder of Ordinary Magic!
Bravo! HIGHLY recommended!
September 24, 2012
I loved most of this book, and the twist at the end definitely took me by surprise. I found the characters to be thoughtful, authentic, and mildly humorous. At times the abrupt changes in perspective were confusing, but overall, a very enjoyable read. I would have liked to read several more chapters before the end.
March 4, 2012
Bobby Weaver is struggling to write his latest novel and deal with the aftermath of a horrible accident. To top it off, he’s in a coma. The story is told not only from his point of view, but from several other family members’ perspectives.
Each family member is dealing with their own issues and facing Bobby’s deteriorating condition. They’ve all dealt with loss and are struggling to find their way. So much so that the novel ends up being about all of them, almost a collection of mini-novels.
The narration from Bobby is captivating. He’s aware and his mind is overflowing, even though he can’t communicate with his visitors or the nursing staff. The internal dialogue was real and pulled you in. His thoughts jumped from one topic to another, which I appreciated because it was so similar to my own internal musings. But most intriguing, he’s writing his final novel in his mind.
One can’t help but wonder if his novel, about a boy and girl getting in way over their heads, is symbolic of his own fear as he faces the end. The author built an emotional intensity with Bobby’s novel and internal interpretation of what was happening to him.
Yet, my heart went out to many other characters in this novel, too. Bobby and his brother, Tom, had already lost both their parents and Tom’s wife, Miranda, lost her mother to cancer. But intertwined with their tales was Chloe’s, Miranda and Tom’s daughter, who added the note of childhood innocence and pure love.
Days after I finished reading this book, I was still thinking about it and wondering how the family would move on. My only complaint… I loved all the insight provided by multiple characters as narrators, but I wished there had been more interaction between the characters—a bit more balance between insight and interaction.
I’ll admit, too, that I was frustrated that it took so long to find out what happened to Bobby and that there weren’t more scenes with the characters at his bedside. A few times, the stories felt disjointed. Fortunately, the author crafted such compelling characters that I still felt engaged even when the story veered a bit of course.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys in-depth insight into compelling characters. If you are constantly intrigued by the inner workings of the mind, you will love the multi-character story arc. And I can’t imagine anyone could read the end without a tear rolling down their cheek.
Oh, and I have to mention how very much I loved the cover. Beautiful and compelling.
Note: I received this book free of charge as part of the WLC Review Team. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; my opinions are my own.
Each family member is dealing with their own issues and facing Bobby’s deteriorating condition. They’ve all dealt with loss and are struggling to find their way. So much so that the novel ends up being about all of them, almost a collection of mini-novels.
The narration from Bobby is captivating. He’s aware and his mind is overflowing, even though he can’t communicate with his visitors or the nursing staff. The internal dialogue was real and pulled you in. His thoughts jumped from one topic to another, which I appreciated because it was so similar to my own internal musings. But most intriguing, he’s writing his final novel in his mind.
One can’t help but wonder if his novel, about a boy and girl getting in way over their heads, is symbolic of his own fear as he faces the end. The author built an emotional intensity with Bobby’s novel and internal interpretation of what was happening to him.
Yet, my heart went out to many other characters in this novel, too. Bobby and his brother, Tom, had already lost both their parents and Tom’s wife, Miranda, lost her mother to cancer. But intertwined with their tales was Chloe’s, Miranda and Tom’s daughter, who added the note of childhood innocence and pure love.
Days after I finished reading this book, I was still thinking about it and wondering how the family would move on. My only complaint… I loved all the insight provided by multiple characters as narrators, but I wished there had been more interaction between the characters—a bit more balance between insight and interaction.
I’ll admit, too, that I was frustrated that it took so long to find out what happened to Bobby and that there weren’t more scenes with the characters at his bedside. A few times, the stories felt disjointed. Fortunately, the author crafted such compelling characters that I still felt engaged even when the story veered a bit of course.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys in-depth insight into compelling characters. If you are constantly intrigued by the inner workings of the mind, you will love the multi-character story arc. And I can’t imagine anyone could read the end without a tear rolling down their cheek.
Oh, and I have to mention how very much I loved the cover. Beautiful and compelling.
Note: I received this book free of charge as part of the WLC Review Team. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; my opinions are my own.
January 5, 2012
I loved this book! The whole concept of it is so unusual and so compelling. The man character is Bobby. What makes Bobby special is that he is in a coma. He is fully conscious, but unable to communicate. This was immediately intriguing to me…what would it be like to be in a coma, where you knew what was going on around you?
“So this morning, Chloe was standing so close to me I could feel the warmth of her breath on my cheek, and I could smell the Cheerios she had eaten for breakfast. I miss cereal. I don’t like Cheerios though. I like Frosted Flakes. And Cocoa Puffs.”
The whole being in a comma, but still having your thoughts and personality is all interesting, but the book goes even further because Bobby is also a writer. So, while he is lying there in his comma, interacting with everyone in his thoughts, he is also writing a story. A murder mystery that takes place along the Appalachian Trail.
Interwoven through the chapters of Bobby’s thoughts and the murder mystery are six other characters close to Bobby as they go about their day. The characters range from a four-year-old to a grieving seventy-three-year-old.
This might sound confusing, but it works. Not only works, but works really well. I loved Bobby and the other characters, and the murder mystery was a good suspenseful story in it’s own right. It was like reading two books at once.
“So this morning, Chloe was standing so close to me I could feel the warmth of her breath on my cheek, and I could smell the Cheerios she had eaten for breakfast. I miss cereal. I don’t like Cheerios though. I like Frosted Flakes. And Cocoa Puffs.”
The whole being in a comma, but still having your thoughts and personality is all interesting, but the book goes even further because Bobby is also a writer. So, while he is lying there in his comma, interacting with everyone in his thoughts, he is also writing a story. A murder mystery that takes place along the Appalachian Trail.
Interwoven through the chapters of Bobby’s thoughts and the murder mystery are six other characters close to Bobby as they go about their day. The characters range from a four-year-old to a grieving seventy-three-year-old.
This might sound confusing, but it works. Not only works, but works really well. I loved Bobby and the other characters, and the murder mystery was a good suspenseful story in it’s own right. It was like reading two books at once.
January 1, 2013
This book was disappointing, all kinds of promise but unfulfilling. I love the idea -- experiencing the lives of various family members with one member (the one in a coma) being the "home base" --but it fell short of providing a cohesive picture. As is typical with this mode of storytelling, we are intermittently welcomed into the lives and thoughts of each family member. And as the story progresses we see how their lives impact one another's, where they come together and where they diverge. Unfortunately, at the book's end I thought, "So what?" I had no sense of what the purpose was in learning about each of these characters, almost like the book ended prematurely.
And speaking of the ending, again, what a waste of a promising idea. I don't want to give away the ending, but an event that carries such strong emotion for any American seemed to have been used as a cheap surprise ending. How unfortunate to have all the makings of a great story without the satisfaction. Even the title left me wondering what is the point?
And speaking of the ending, again, what a waste of a promising idea. I don't want to give away the ending, but an event that carries such strong emotion for any American seemed to have been used as a cheap surprise ending. How unfortunate to have all the makings of a great story without the satisfaction. Even the title left me wondering what is the point?
March 19, 2012
After reading the Kindle sample of this book, I wanted to read more. So I downloaded the Kindle version for $0.99! This is the first Kindle book I will read on my iPad with the Kindle app. Finished. Would give it 3.5-4 stars. I loved the writing and the way all the members of the family were presented. The story revolved around matters of life and death - the recent death of a loved wife and mother and the barely alive comatose brother. We see how each character from the aging, widowed father to the four year old girl is effected by these tragedies. Even Bobby who is comatose and presumed brain dead is continuing to think-finish his latest novel. I cared about the characters and wanted know how their lives continued after the end of the book. Is it a good thing when a book ends and leaves you wanting more? In this case, I believe it is.
April 25, 2013
Oh, I cannot tell you how much this book irritated me. The story is about a guy named Bobby, who is in a come. We get his viewpoint on how it's going in his mind and then also a story he is composing in his head (he is an author). We also get the viewpoint of several of his family members. We know he is married yet we never get the viewpoint of his wife so you know something is up with that. And the thing that is up with that really really angered me because it is a cheap ploy to pull on your heartstrings. I won't ruin it but it was a lousy choice to make on the writer's part. I don't recommend this for anyone.
April 14, 2013
I really enjoyed reading this book. It is fresh, funny, sad, and filled with ordinary magic. I loved Bobby, the focal point of the story, and Chloe, his adorable little niece.
Throughout the story one hopes that Bobby will come out of his coma even though the signs are there right from the beginning that he won't. There is a lot of contemplation in the book and there is always the chance that it may veer off into sentimentality, but it never does.
This was such a lovely surprise and I will definitely look out for more books from this author.
Throughout the story one hopes that Bobby will come out of his coma even though the signs are there right from the beginning that he won't. There is a lot of contemplation in the book and there is always the chance that it may veer off into sentimentality, but it never does.
This was such a lovely surprise and I will definitely look out for more books from this author.
April 11, 2012
Please Write more !
Very well written story, with character that do not sin of being purely archetypal, and drag you into the minds ( literally ) only to engage you in a powerful reading. while fiction this book evokes a real reflection on life, and relativity of existence. I would recommend this book to absolutely anyone regardless of what your favorite genera is(A must read).
Very well written story, with character that do not sin of being purely archetypal, and drag you into the minds ( literally ) only to engage you in a powerful reading. while fiction this book evokes a real reflection on life, and relativity of existence. I would recommend this book to absolutely anyone regardless of what your favorite genera is(A must read).
May 4, 2012
I enjoyed reading this book - made me laugh and be sad.
March 4, 2012
I chose to read the book The Wonder of Ordinary Magic due to the summary given above. I was intrigued by the idea of a character being in a coma, and of being inside the head of that character. So often there is a character in a coma, but they aren’t much of a big part of the story other than another object in the room. Getting to see what might be going on in the mind of a patient in a coma could be interesting, and then throw in the fact that he is a writer trying to finish up his book, I definitely wanted to see what that would be like to read.
I was disappointed once I began reading. It took me a while to get through the first chapter due to the character having a hard time (I know it’s part of his character’s personality and the fact that this was inside of an injured head) following along with what was going on. The flow of thought this character had went from one thing to something completely off topic, and very often to yet another topic, before coming back to the original topic. At that point as a reader, I forgot the first topic existed. I’ve read books that have tangents, but this book didn’t go back to the main point fast enough to hold everything together. The same can be said with many other chapters in this book, the ones dealing with the other characters. I feel the transitions between the giving of back story were too abrupt and came back to the present just as abruptly. This left the story as a whole feeling disjointed and incomplete.
What also didn’t seem to work, for me, in this book was how each chapter was from a different character’s point of view. I’ve read other books that do this, but the amount of characters in this one was overwhelming. It also didn’t help that there were only two females, and only a few letters starting their names (Miranda, Michael, Jack, John, Josh…there was also the deceased Mary). This is one of the few times I’ve had to make a list, and also a family tree, to keep everything in order. It took me about half the book to get the relations straightened out. While those relations are mainly blood relations, and one marriage to link the coma patient, Bobby, to the other two families, there doesn’t seem like much (inside the time frame of the book) connecting of the characters. It’s only in the last few chapters that I felt that something might actually happen. What did happen finally isn’t even worth noting, but I’ll say it anyway: there were a few five minute conversations between a few characters, then the ending of the book happened (that I’ll get to soon).
The strange thing about the entire experience is that the book gave me enough to latch onto. I continued to read with hope that all the elements I was enjoying would come together giving me some insight into the bigger picture. There didn’t seem to be a bigger picture. I think that the book is a great start, but there could be at least another third added to bring out the conflicts that never went anywhere other than a minor mention (marriage problems, loneliness, etc.)
*Spoiler Alert* *End Spoiler*
Why did this book get a three, with so much that I’m saying against it? It’s because I honestly wanted to keep reading it. After the first few shaky chapters, I got into the (unsteady) rhythm that the book had and wanted to see what was going to happen. Just because I ended up more disappointed didn’t completely kill that feeling I had earlier in the book. But this is still a borderline three from me. If this author writes another book, I most likely would give it another chance. I would just hope it pulls itself together much better than this one did.
Thanks for bearing with me, since I’m sure this sounded more like a rant than anything else.
I was disappointed once I began reading. It took me a while to get through the first chapter due to the character having a hard time (I know it’s part of his character’s personality and the fact that this was inside of an injured head) following along with what was going on. The flow of thought this character had went from one thing to something completely off topic, and very often to yet another topic, before coming back to the original topic. At that point as a reader, I forgot the first topic existed. I’ve read books that have tangents, but this book didn’t go back to the main point fast enough to hold everything together. The same can be said with many other chapters in this book, the ones dealing with the other characters. I feel the transitions between the giving of back story were too abrupt and came back to the present just as abruptly. This left the story as a whole feeling disjointed and incomplete.
What also didn’t seem to work, for me, in this book was how each chapter was from a different character’s point of view. I’ve read other books that do this, but the amount of characters in this one was overwhelming. It also didn’t help that there were only two females, and only a few letters starting their names (Miranda, Michael, Jack, John, Josh…there was also the deceased Mary). This is one of the few times I’ve had to make a list, and also a family tree, to keep everything in order. It took me about half the book to get the relations straightened out. While those relations are mainly blood relations, and one marriage to link the coma patient, Bobby, to the other two families, there doesn’t seem like much (inside the time frame of the book) connecting of the characters. It’s only in the last few chapters that I felt that something might actually happen. What did happen finally isn’t even worth noting, but I’ll say it anyway: there were a few five minute conversations between a few characters, then the ending of the book happened (that I’ll get to soon).
The strange thing about the entire experience is that the book gave me enough to latch onto. I continued to read with hope that all the elements I was enjoying would come together giving me some insight into the bigger picture. There didn’t seem to be a bigger picture. I think that the book is a great start, but there could be at least another third added to bring out the conflicts that never went anywhere other than a minor mention (marriage problems, loneliness, etc.)
*Spoiler Alert* *End Spoiler*
Why did this book get a three, with so much that I’m saying against it? It’s because I honestly wanted to keep reading it. After the first few shaky chapters, I got into the (unsteady) rhythm that the book had and wanted to see what was going to happen. Just because I ended up more disappointed didn’t completely kill that feeling I had earlier in the book. But this is still a borderline three from me. If this author writes another book, I most likely would give it another chance. I would just hope it pulls itself together much better than this one did.
Thanks for bearing with me, since I’m sure this sounded more like a rant than anything else.
August 6, 2017
I came across this book and decided to read it but nope I don't like this way of writing.
April 8, 2014
Can I split the difference of what I rated it on Amazon to award this a 3.5 slice-o-pie? Extra whipped cream, then. i liked the readability, the likable characters, especially Chloe, the four year old! Kept thinking something bad was going to happen but it was only the layering of everyday life stresses with the need to appreciate the good; reminding the reader that every day is precious. Interesting story within a story and the -- spoiler!! The fact that some characters are mentioned only through others... The end was almost a sucker-punch, brutal but not quite. Could almost be accused of a bit of preachiness but really admirably done, I suppose. I didn't mind even as I recognized it. So. Eat more PopTarts, less meat. No one should accuse this book of being too long.
May 6, 2013
I will admit that I downloaded this book by accident. I was trying to download a book about a witch. The magic in this book is not from witchery but from family unity. I will also have to admit that I had to read the ending three times before I really understood it. I was tired at the time, but I'm not sure I would have understood it even if I had of been fully focused. I didn't especially like the ending but it did make sense. There are a few too many characters and the book jumps around so quickly, that I kept losing focus on who was who. Despite all of this, I looked forward to reading just a little more every time I had the time to read. The book gave me a warm comfort kind of feeling. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a nice comfort book.
March 23, 2014
It pains me to give this book a 3 star review because it had such flashes of brilliance. It had passages that read almost like poetry, and was sprinkled throughout with bits of life's wisdom. But, I don't feel that the story pulled together at the end. I had too many questions about what the author was trying to do with this story. There were too many small things that hinted at a final cohesiveness... that never arrived.
The end really didn't bother me--though bittersweet, I felt pretty sure about what was going to happen, and why we never heard from Sara's POV.
Even after my disappointment with untied loose ends in the story, I'd still give this author another try. Her talent shines in 95% of the book.
The end really didn't bother me--though bittersweet, I felt pretty sure about what was going to happen, and why we never heard from Sara's POV.
Even after my disappointment with untied loose ends in the story, I'd still give this author another try. Her talent shines in 95% of the book.
January 17, 2016
Kindle
3.5 ★
Bobby Weaver is a young writer, currently in a coma.
He "comments on life about him" and continues to work on the murder mystery he was writing before "the accident".
Day-in-the-life vignettes of his family explore the life left behind.
Especially interesting is his interaction with 4 year old niece, Chloe and her flow of thought and communication with Uncle Bobby.
The epilogue of this debut novel continue with other ethereal aspects of Bobby's state of being.
" It is a reminder that we have so little time"
3.5 ★
Bobby Weaver is a young writer, currently in a coma.
He "comments on life about him" and continues to work on the murder mystery he was writing before "the accident".
Day-in-the-life vignettes of his family explore the life left behind.
Especially interesting is his interaction with 4 year old niece, Chloe and her flow of thought and communication with Uncle Bobby.
The epilogue of this debut novel continue with other ethereal aspects of Bobby's state of being.
" It is a reminder that we have so little time"
January 29, 2015
It was okay but about 50 pages longer than necessary. The ending came out of nowhere and I am not sure it fit at all. It sort of felt like she wrote the story and then tacked that on as a last minute thing. Bobby in the coma and Bobby's novel were the only parts that I thought were very interesting. Everyone else's stories were way too boring to go on for so long. Nice idea, but I want the hours I spent reading this back. At least it had a few good quotes.
August 11, 2013
I had a mixed reaction to this book; some parts I liked very much and others, well, not so much. It's not necessary to belabor the points that annoyed me because most of them are a matter of personal opinion and don't generally detract from the story (and others may not notice). Overall worth reading.
April 6, 2013
What a wonderfully written book, The look into Bobbys mind while in the coma, and into each characters struggles is amazing. Chloe seems to be the glue that holds them all together. I would have liked to heard a little more about them after Bobby to see if they found the comfort and peace they needed. Too many stories were left unfinished. But overall a wonderfully written story.
December 3, 2013
It was interesting enough to keep me reading, or listening actually, on my Kindle. A guy in a coma is writing a novel in his head. Each chapter is told from the standpoint of each of his family members. Only near the end is the reason he is in the coma revealed.
August 29, 2015
Parts of this book were amazing and parts were just ok. The overall story was good but it had the potential to be great. When I picked it up the description sounded so good. It left me felling flat. The ending was too abrupt. Left me with lots of questions.
April 4, 2013
Kind of an incomplete ending. An interesting concept, though.
April 3, 2013
4 stars......was a little difficult to keep the characters in order, and I felt the story needed to be developed more than it was. But otherwise, it was a satisfactory read.
April 1, 2016
Interesting ensemble of first person experiences including that of a 4 yr old and a man in a coma.
Was a free Kindle download for me
Was a free Kindle download for me
October 11, 2013
A good read. I did not expect the ending. I have to admit I enjoy books whose ending takes me completely by surprise.
May 6, 2014
Enjoyable & easy read. I never expected the ending though!
January 19, 2016
It was just OK for me. Good ending though. Definitely the best part. The rest fell a little flat.
December 17, 2016
Good writing
February 21, 2016
Pretty good, quick read. Wasn't crazy about the ending.
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