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The Making of Us
From the New York Times bestselling author of Then She Was Gone comes a “compelling and heartbreaking” (Jojo Moyes) novel about three strangers who are brought together by the father they never knew.
Lydia, Dean, and Robyn don’t know one another. Yet. Each is facing difficult challenges. Lydia is still wearing the scars from her traumatic childhood. Wealthy and successful, she leads a lonely and disjointed existence. Dean is a young, unemployed, single dad whose life is going nowhere. Robyn is eighteen. Gorgeous, popular, and intelligent, she entered her first year of college confident of her dream to become a pediatrician. Now she’s failing her classes. Now she’s falling in love for the first time.
Lydia, Dean, and Robyn live very different lives, but each of them, independently, has always felt that something was missing. What they don’t know is that a letter is about to arrive that will turn their lives upside down. It is a letter containing a secret—one that will bind them together and show them what love and family and friendship really mean.
Lydia, Dean, and Robyn don’t know one another. Yet. Each is facing difficult challenges. Lydia is still wearing the scars from her traumatic childhood. Wealthy and successful, she leads a lonely and disjointed existence. Dean is a young, unemployed, single dad whose life is going nowhere. Robyn is eighteen. Gorgeous, popular, and intelligent, she entered her first year of college confident of her dream to become a pediatrician. Now she’s failing her classes. Now she’s falling in love for the first time.
Lydia, Dean, and Robyn live very different lives, but each of them, independently, has always felt that something was missing. What they don’t know is that a letter is about to arrive that will turn their lives upside down. It is a letter containing a secret—one that will bind them together and show them what love and family and friendship really mean.
496 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
3226 people are currently reading
22628 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Jewell
47 books88.5k followersLISA JEWELL was born in London in 1968.
Her first novel, Ralph's Party, was the best- selling debut novel of 1999. Since then she has written another twenty novels, most recently a number of dark psychological thrillers, including The Girls, Then She Was Gone, The Family Upstairs and The Night She Disappeared.
Lisa is a New York Times and Sunday Times number one bestselling author who has been published worldwide in over twenty-five languages. She lives in north London with her husband, two teenage daughters and the best dog in the world.
Lisa's Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/LisaJewelloff...
Her first novel, Ralph's Party, was the best- selling debut novel of 1999. Since then she has written another twenty novels, most recently a number of dark psychological thrillers, including The Girls, Then She Was Gone, The Family Upstairs and The Night She Disappeared.
Lisa is a New York Times and Sunday Times number one bestselling author who has been published worldwide in over twenty-five languages. She lives in north London with her husband, two teenage daughters and the best dog in the world.
Lisa's Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/LisaJewelloff...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,604 reviews
July 5, 2020
I think I just need to stick to Jewell's more current books. These older ones just have a lot to learn from her experience writing.
Lydia, Dean, Robyn, and a mystery fourth person all discover they share the same sperm donor. The novel goes back and forth between their perspectives, alternating how they figure this out and if they come together. Parts were interesting, most took way too long to get to the point.
Too long to get going, and most of the storytelling was not interesting, borderline boring if I'm being honest. At the end, I'm just glad to have this one finished. It was just ok for me.
Onto the next!
Lydia, Dean, Robyn, and a mystery fourth person all discover they share the same sperm donor. The novel goes back and forth between their perspectives, alternating how they figure this out and if they come together. Parts were interesting, most took way too long to get to the point.
Too long to get going, and most of the storytelling was not interesting, borderline boring if I'm being honest. At the end, I'm just glad to have this one finished. It was just ok for me.
Onto the next!
May 20, 2020
The blurb really doesn't do this book justice. really gripping. Couldn't put it down.
May 9, 2012
Let me start by saying I love Lisa Jewell. I read Ralph's Party the moment it was published in 1999, and have devoured her novels since. She's my favourite author writing in fiction in what many term the 'chick lit' genre (though the label is one I have reservations about) - the only one I regularly read these days. Much of what she excels at is here - the empathy for her characters, the compelling storytelling, the pacy dialogue - however, given what she's already published, her considerable talent and how long she's been at this game, I found this disappointing.
The Making of Us deals with serious subject matter - three young people tracing their parentage having discovered they were conceived as a result of sperm donation. Yet the novel seems to skate along the surface, rarely taking us as readers deeper, and often veers towards sentimentality. Of all the characters, Lydia was the only one who seemed fully fleshed out - and Robyn was very wispy indeed. The plot was too neat, (there are too many coincidences), and by the end I was left with a distinct sense that Jewell could do more, be bolder, more ground breaking, than she dares to be.
In short, if you're after a light read, go for it, but if this is your first Lisa Jewell, she's written better novels than this one, so I'd suggest you don't start here.
The Making of Us deals with serious subject matter - three young people tracing their parentage having discovered they were conceived as a result of sperm donation. Yet the novel seems to skate along the surface, rarely taking us as readers deeper, and often veers towards sentimentality. Of all the characters, Lydia was the only one who seemed fully fleshed out - and Robyn was very wispy indeed. The plot was too neat, (there are too many coincidences), and by the end I was left with a distinct sense that Jewell could do more, be bolder, more ground breaking, than she dares to be.
In short, if you're after a light read, go for it, but if this is your first Lisa Jewell, she's written better novels than this one, so I'd suggest you don't start here.
March 31, 2022
The Making of Us is a family drama novel published by Lisa Jewell in 2012. I've read most of the author's other books and am working my way through the early releases so that I am current this spring. The novel takes place in England and revolves around the lives of several people across many generations; a common thread connects them all, and as they each discover the link, they decide what it means to their lives. Since I don't want to give away spoilers, I won't share the details, but it's definitely a complex topic and involves deciding for oneself what truly defines a relationship between two people, whether it's parent/child, sibling, friends, or enemies.
By choosing to drop 10 different characters in the first few chapters, spread across three different timelines, it's not easy to understand how everyone is related. That's part of the beauty because it's a tale best told through a blurry lens, allowing readers to guess which characters become the connection to the prior chapter. Jewell excels at this style, and it's not a flashy or suspenseful gimmick. It's truly telling the story of each individual person and letting the details unfold as they need to become clear for the purpose of the plot and the time period.
I enjoyed the book a lot but felt the ending was a little abrupt. There was about 8% left on the Kindle version, which I assumed would take us into the future of some characters after a big event occurs. Instead, it's the preview of another Jewell book. So I kept slamming the "next" and "back" buttons, hoping I accidentally skipped a chapter... but I hadn't. So for that reason, I couldn't push the book up to a 5... felt too blah at the end to continue the momentum of excitement of "where will these wonderful people go" when I'm done. But still a book I'd recommend for readers who love Jewell, family drama, and multiple time periods / POVs.
By choosing to drop 10 different characters in the first few chapters, spread across three different timelines, it's not easy to understand how everyone is related. That's part of the beauty because it's a tale best told through a blurry lens, allowing readers to guess which characters become the connection to the prior chapter. Jewell excels at this style, and it's not a flashy or suspenseful gimmick. It's truly telling the story of each individual person and letting the details unfold as they need to become clear for the purpose of the plot and the time period.
I enjoyed the book a lot but felt the ending was a little abrupt. There was about 8% left on the Kindle version, which I assumed would take us into the future of some characters after a big event occurs. Instead, it's the preview of another Jewell book. So I kept slamming the "next" and "back" buttons, hoping I accidentally skipped a chapter... but I hadn't. So for that reason, I couldn't push the book up to a 5... felt too blah at the end to continue the momentum of excitement of "where will these wonderful people go" when I'm done. But still a book I'd recommend for readers who love Jewell, family drama, and multiple time periods / POVs.
July 7, 2016
3.5*
First off I must say I absolutely love Lisa Jewell's writing style. She's an author I've recently discovered. I often hear her referred to as a "ChickLit" author. I don't understand that reference. Her books are not lightweight. Her stories about families are quite complex and meaningful. Perhaps she started out in that genre but she seems to have moved away from it.
I really enjoyed this one but I think it's not her best work. Such an interesting premise about Sperm Donation and the making of families. A unique and cleverly spun tale!
I'm definitely going to be reading more of her backlist.
First off I must say I absolutely love Lisa Jewell's writing style. She's an author I've recently discovered. I often hear her referred to as a "ChickLit" author. I don't understand that reference. Her books are not lightweight. Her stories about families are quite complex and meaningful. Perhaps she started out in that genre but she seems to have moved away from it.
I really enjoyed this one but I think it's not her best work. Such an interesting premise about Sperm Donation and the making of families. A unique and cleverly spun tale!
I'm definitely going to be reading more of her backlist.
September 25, 2024
Once again I’m eighty bazillion reviews behind, so keep your expectations low when it comes to what I am puking out in attempt to get things under control. Lisa Jewell has become a must read sort of author for me so when I saw this “new” release I instantly put my name on the library waiting list. Then I realized this was actually just a re-pub of an older book and I have had some not-great experiences with those in the past and was a little hesitant to even begin this one when my time came up. Not to mention, I did take a gander at the blurb and the idea of a sperm donor wanting to meet his “children” before dying did not sound like my idea of a great time. But then . . . .
The story here is as I said above – Daniel is nearing the end of his life and opens up about being a sperm donor which amounted to fathering four children that he would potentially like to meet before passing away. Narratives are provided by the children and Daniel’s friend in order to bring the story (and eventually the characters) together.
Jewell normally writes family stores with a healthy heaping of some thriller or stabby aspects, and this was definitely more “chick lit” (for lack of a better term). But I love that genre too and ended up pleasantly surprised that I really enjoyed this one.
The story here is as I said above – Daniel is nearing the end of his life and opens up about being a sperm donor which amounted to fathering four children that he would potentially like to meet before passing away. Narratives are provided by the children and Daniel’s friend in order to bring the story (and eventually the characters) together.
Jewell normally writes family stores with a healthy heaping of some thriller or stabby aspects, and this was definitely more “chick lit” (for lack of a better term). But I love that genre too and ended up pleasantly surprised that I really enjoyed this one.
January 26, 2013
Firstly – do not pay attention to the synopsis or the cover of this book. Both covers they have for it do not do the book justice. There is one that is a bit chic litty and the other quite contemporary. And I didn’t find the book either of these genre's – certainly not what I expected. The synopsis on the back also does not do the book justice so if you pick it up just for the blurb, then you will be surprised like I was that the blurb barely touched the subject matters.
To put it in a nutshell – Daniel, a dying man was a sperm donor thirty years ago who wants to meet the children he fathered before he dies. The story though focuses on the three persons that he fathered. It was quite emotional and the characters (although I didn’t actually like some of them to begin with) were very well portrayed and I loved how they evolved through the story. Because the story jumps from character to character by each chapter, we delve into the history of each person and how they got to where they are at that time and I loved each story also. Some stories that we read you can say ‘oh that was similar to such and such a book’ but I can honestly say I have never read anything with that storyline before. So, all in all, I really enjoyed this book and I might now go and see what else I can uncover by Lisa Jewell……
To put it in a nutshell – Daniel, a dying man was a sperm donor thirty years ago who wants to meet the children he fathered before he dies. The story though focuses on the three persons that he fathered. It was quite emotional and the characters (although I didn’t actually like some of them to begin with) were very well portrayed and I loved how they evolved through the story. Because the story jumps from character to character by each chapter, we delve into the history of each person and how they got to where they are at that time and I loved each story also. Some stories that we read you can say ‘oh that was similar to such and such a book’ but I can honestly say I have never read anything with that storyline before. So, all in all, I really enjoyed this book and I might now go and see what else I can uncover by Lisa Jewell……
March 12, 2023
The main characters in the book are Lydia, Dean, Robyn, Maggie and Daniel; all intrinsically linked, and yet almost drifting through life with that niggling feeling that something is missing. The chapters aren't numbered; they're titled with the name of the person they are about. This makes for a slightly slow start as you get to know each character in-depth. I can fully understand why Lisa has taken this approach, though, because, seeing as none of the characters know each other, it's the only real way to get an insight into their world and mindset.
The book starts in 1979 with Glenys, Lydia's mother. It briefly sets the scene for what will take place in the present day. The first main character we meet is Lydia, in 1998. She's eighteen years old, and aside from her faithful dog, she feels like a misfit. The main story starts with Lydia again; this time in 2009.
Dean is a young man who, like the others, is just drifting aimlessly along in his life. A series of events that befall him lead him to retire even further into the shell that he has built around himself. A chance meeting one drunken night leads him to do something that he would never have normally done, and from that moment things start to change.
Robyn has it all, lovely parents, a great future ahead of her and a good circle of friends. Life couldn't be better really, or could it? Although she doesn't know it yet, there is one thing in life she has always dreamt of having, one thing that she never thought she'd get. The thought of it frightens and excites her all at the same time.
Maggie, at 53 years old, never thought she'd find love again. The man she'd been seeing for a while now was strangely reticent, but she enjoyed his company so much that she never really pushed the boundaries. But now, now it seemed she would never get to feel his skin against hers. Daniel was now in a hospice, and things were looking very bleak. He'd originally only complained of a sore back, but in the end no amount of painkillers would let him lead a normal life. He felt it all slipping away from him. He knew he must tell someone, and that someone was Maggie. And Maggie knew that whatever he asked her to do, that she would do it. So, when Daniel finally opened up to her, she was determined to help; determined to make sure it wasn't too late.
The story, as a whole, is fascinating. It opens up a world that many of us will never have experienced. Although the loss, determination, fear and love that we encounter along the way is something we can all relate to.
The book starts in 1979 with Glenys, Lydia's mother. It briefly sets the scene for what will take place in the present day. The first main character we meet is Lydia, in 1998. She's eighteen years old, and aside from her faithful dog, she feels like a misfit. The main story starts with Lydia again; this time in 2009.
Dean is a young man who, like the others, is just drifting aimlessly along in his life. A series of events that befall him lead him to retire even further into the shell that he has built around himself. A chance meeting one drunken night leads him to do something that he would never have normally done, and from that moment things start to change.
Robyn has it all, lovely parents, a great future ahead of her and a good circle of friends. Life couldn't be better really, or could it? Although she doesn't know it yet, there is one thing in life she has always dreamt of having, one thing that she never thought she'd get. The thought of it frightens and excites her all at the same time.
Maggie, at 53 years old, never thought she'd find love again. The man she'd been seeing for a while now was strangely reticent, but she enjoyed his company so much that she never really pushed the boundaries. But now, now it seemed she would never get to feel his skin against hers. Daniel was now in a hospice, and things were looking very bleak. He'd originally only complained of a sore back, but in the end no amount of painkillers would let him lead a normal life. He felt it all slipping away from him. He knew he must tell someone, and that someone was Maggie. And Maggie knew that whatever he asked her to do, that she would do it. So, when Daniel finally opened up to her, she was determined to help; determined to make sure it wasn't too late.
The story, as a whole, is fascinating. It opens up a world that many of us will never have experienced. Although the loss, determination, fear and love that we encounter along the way is something we can all relate to.
September 6, 2018
Lisa Jewell is becoming one of my favorites. This is the third book of hers that I absolutely loved. The Making of Us is about Lydia, Dean, and Robyn, three young people who have never met each other and always believed that they were only children. Their lives are forever changed when they learn that not only are they are the products of a sperm donor, but they have living brothers and sisters, and that their father wants to meet all of them.
Jewell builds the action slowly until you become completely absorbed in the characters and their lives. Her previous novels that I enjoyed were very dark, but this one is lighter and hopeful. It is ultimately a heart-warming story about the need for belonging and the meaning of family. Highly recommend.
Jewell builds the action slowly until you become completely absorbed in the characters and their lives. Her previous novels that I enjoyed were very dark, but this one is lighter and hopeful. It is ultimately a heart-warming story about the need for belonging and the meaning of family. Highly recommend.
May 21, 2012
I have not read a Lisa Jewell book for years and so when I was asked to review her latest novel The Making Of Us I couldn’t wait to start this as reading reviews on this book it seems opinions are straight down the middle so I decided I needed to put my two pence worth in!
The story follows three characters, Lydia, Dean and Robyn who all have something significant in common. They are all living their lives and feel as though something is missing in their lives and one by one they all find out that they were all conceived by sperm donation. As each of the characters come to terms with the shocking news they all sign up to the Donor sibling Registry to try and fill this gap in their lives.
I was worried when I first started reading this book. I loved the first chapter it was a great start to the book but then after that the book took a bit of a worrying turn for me. As we went chapter to chapter we were introduced to our characters and it seemed each time we started to get to know a character it would then swap to another one and it was a little overwhelming meeting so many significant characters in such a short space of time I was worried that I was going to forget who was who and I was contemplating putting the book down.
I am so glad I carried on reading this book because after the introductions to each of the characters they all started to develop really well and they each had very individual backgrounds which made it easy to differentiate between them. I loved Lydia who seems to be the main feature of this book she has what everyone would view as a perfect life but as we get to know her we get to see her loneliness and her vulnerability which makes her such an enjoyable character. Dean’s story really did tug at the heart strings when first meeting him he just feels like a typical modern day layabout but when we see all has had to go through he soon becomes a character you want to wrap up in cotton wool. I found Robyn the only character I couldn’t take to she is overly confident and vain but then she does bring something different to the book.
The storyline is very fresh and unique, I have never read any books featuring sperm donation! I did find it a little strange how well each of the characters reacted when they found out the truth I think in reality people wouldn’t have accepted the news so quickly but then this is the world of fiction! I did fly through this book despite its hefty 470 pages but it was a fast paced read.
I really enjoyed this book and I did feel the old heart strings being pulled in certain parts of the book. I will definitely pick up future books by Lisa Jewell.
The story follows three characters, Lydia, Dean and Robyn who all have something significant in common. They are all living their lives and feel as though something is missing in their lives and one by one they all find out that they were all conceived by sperm donation. As each of the characters come to terms with the shocking news they all sign up to the Donor sibling Registry to try and fill this gap in their lives.
I was worried when I first started reading this book. I loved the first chapter it was a great start to the book but then after that the book took a bit of a worrying turn for me. As we went chapter to chapter we were introduced to our characters and it seemed each time we started to get to know a character it would then swap to another one and it was a little overwhelming meeting so many significant characters in such a short space of time I was worried that I was going to forget who was who and I was contemplating putting the book down.
I am so glad I carried on reading this book because after the introductions to each of the characters they all started to develop really well and they each had very individual backgrounds which made it easy to differentiate between them. I loved Lydia who seems to be the main feature of this book she has what everyone would view as a perfect life but as we get to know her we get to see her loneliness and her vulnerability which makes her such an enjoyable character. Dean’s story really did tug at the heart strings when first meeting him he just feels like a typical modern day layabout but when we see all has had to go through he soon becomes a character you want to wrap up in cotton wool. I found Robyn the only character I couldn’t take to she is overly confident and vain but then she does bring something different to the book.
The storyline is very fresh and unique, I have never read any books featuring sperm donation! I did find it a little strange how well each of the characters reacted when they found out the truth I think in reality people wouldn’t have accepted the news so quickly but then this is the world of fiction! I did fly through this book despite its hefty 470 pages but it was a fast paced read.
I really enjoyed this book and I did feel the old heart strings being pulled in certain parts of the book. I will definitely pick up future books by Lisa Jewell.
July 1, 2018
Even though it was Jewell's earlier work, I can't forgive The Making of Us. It has everything I dislike about British Chick-lit. It's just too shallow to talk about heavy subject such as sperm donation and life itself.
These are what I didn't like about this novel.
- Main characters are all so beautiful! Their love interests are soooo beautiful. As if that's the most important quality of human beings.
- A selfless nice lady who helps a dying stranger "takes care of herself"and is seen as "classy". It means she is 50's but she does botox and goes to waxing for private parts even though nobody sees it! Give me a break!
- 28 year old woman makes one business success and buys a Hollywood star quality mansion. I know it's a fiction, but the reality is not like that. I know plenty of real successful entrepreneurs. They don't spend silly money, and they don't buy a house like that. Chick-lits tend to use such cliche Millionaires and I really hate it. A success doesn't look like that!
*spoiler alert!*
- A young girl gets a boyfriend who is 10 years older than her. As soon as she started dating him, she questions her lifetime goal to become a doctor, decides to quit a medical school. Jewell treats "doctor" and "medical school" such a big deal for girls. In US, there are more female medical students than male counterparts now. It's a good professional job and not a stupid status symbol! Jewell gives a message to young female readers, "loving a beautiful boyfriend is more important for a girl than working hard to find your own life". Well done!
I should stop reading UK chick-lit. These women annoy me too much and it's bad for my health.
These are what I didn't like about this novel.
- Main characters are all so beautiful! Their love interests are soooo beautiful. As if that's the most important quality of human beings.
- A selfless nice lady who helps a dying stranger "takes care of herself"and is seen as "classy". It means she is 50's but she does botox and goes to waxing for private parts even though nobody sees it! Give me a break!
- 28 year old woman makes one business success and buys a Hollywood star quality mansion. I know it's a fiction, but the reality is not like that. I know plenty of real successful entrepreneurs. They don't spend silly money, and they don't buy a house like that. Chick-lits tend to use such cliche Millionaires and I really hate it. A success doesn't look like that!
*spoiler alert!*
- A young girl gets a boyfriend who is 10 years older than her. As soon as she started dating him, she questions her lifetime goal to become a doctor, decides to quit a medical school. Jewell treats "doctor" and "medical school" such a big deal for girls. In US, there are more female medical students than male counterparts now. It's a good professional job and not a stupid status symbol! Jewell gives a message to young female readers, "loving a beautiful boyfriend is more important for a girl than working hard to find your own life". Well done!
I should stop reading UK chick-lit. These women annoy me too much and it's bad for my health.
Read
August 5, 2020Might write a few thoughts out later but I don't think I will be giving a star rating for this book. I didn't care for the multiple characters and wish the author would have just stuck with Lydia's perspective.
October 25, 2020
Love Lisa Jewell and loved this book! I’ve yet to read anything by her that I haven’t loved.
February 2, 2022
This really wasn't for me. I found the language and the construction quite immature.
I enjoyed The Truth About Melody Brown so maybe just a blip with this one. 🤔
I enjoyed The Truth About Melody Brown so maybe just a blip with this one. 🤔
November 5, 2012
I picked up the book with a glimmer of hope that this might, somewhat, resemble Never Let Me Go, which I absolutely loved (call out to read, if you haven’t done so already). Sadly, Ishiguru this is not!
The book revolves around three offspring of an anonymous sperm donor in London, some town outside London and Wales! They’re all really good looking (relevant nonsense there) and have issues of their own (unique issues, mind you – like having a boyfriend that could possibly be her brother (yuck), having an affair with one’s trainer (yawn) and spliff smoking boyfriend who’s girlfriend just died having given birth to his kid (yikes))! Eventually they meet and become kindred spirits, and just in ample time to watch their ‘real’ father die of the most lingering played out death (the entire novel). Sorry about the spoiler here but, don’t fret – Lifetime will have the movie rights any day and you’ll see it some Tuesday afternoon when you’re home from work with a cold!
Unfortunately and hard as I tried, I couldn’t find any redeemable feature to this one. The story was bland, characters without much depth and a total dialogue of vapid conversation - (Robyn: “Mummy, Daddy, I’ve decided med school isn’t for me so I’m quitting and going to work at a local restaurant”. Mummy/Daddy: “oh that’s alright sweetheart, we just want you to be happy.”).
Oh, I did like the title. It had so much promise!
The book revolves around three offspring of an anonymous sperm donor in London, some town outside London and Wales! They’re all really good looking (relevant nonsense there) and have issues of their own (unique issues, mind you – like having a boyfriend that could possibly be her brother (yuck), having an affair with one’s trainer (yawn) and spliff smoking boyfriend who’s girlfriend just died having given birth to his kid (yikes))! Eventually they meet and become kindred spirits, and just in ample time to watch their ‘real’ father die of the most lingering played out death (the entire novel). Sorry about the spoiler here but, don’t fret – Lifetime will have the movie rights any day and you’ll see it some Tuesday afternoon when you’re home from work with a cold!
Unfortunately and hard as I tried, I couldn’t find any redeemable feature to this one. The story was bland, characters without much depth and a total dialogue of vapid conversation - (Robyn: “Mummy, Daddy, I’ve decided med school isn’t for me so I’m quitting and going to work at a local restaurant”. Mummy/Daddy: “oh that’s alright sweetheart, we just want you to be happy.”).
Oh, I did like the title. It had so much promise!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 4, 2021
I've read a few of Lisa Jewell's book and wasn't sure if I enjoyed her older more "chick lit" kind of books or her more recent more thriller kinds of reads. I was leaning towards the later but I loved this book so much. Its follows three half siblings that have the same father, a sperm donor, and their struggle to find them self in their lifes. I was hooked on Lydia's and Dean's story the most but found the whole book very readable and engaging. It dealt with struggle but wasn't overly emotional and sad.
August 16, 2015
Great read took a bit of sorting the characters, but well done to the author. I liked all the characters in this book, however, I kind of wanted of what more happened after the end of the novel (sequel to come maybe) however, might drag it out a bit if that was to happen. This is only the second book of Lisa Jewell I have read will definitely the rest of her novels.
July 21, 2016
My second novel by Lisa Jewell; the first being The House We Grew Up In, which I was suitably impressed with. Although this novel did not quite live up to the first, it was still entirely readable and I finished it within a couple of days.
This story is told from the perspective of several different people whose lives are entwined, although they don't know it yet. I found Lydia, the small town girl cum self made millionaire, the most intriguing character. Despite being incredibly successful and wealthy, she epitomises the whole 'money can't buy you happiness' cliche.
Conversely, there is Dean, struggling with his relationship Skye and the impending birth of their first child. Finally, there is Robyn, the perfect daughter and aspiring paediatrician. Each main character is struggling with their own demons, and I enjoyed how the author had created similarities within their lives, even if the characters were completely unaware of it.
I found some aspects of the book frustrating; one aspect that kept coming back to me - Lydia has an attractive personal trainer, but she thinks he may be homosexual. Almost every chapter told from her perspective touches upon his sexuality. Is he gay? Is he straight? Or maybe just bisexual? Can a straight man wear fake tan and pluck his eyebrows? Oh, for goodness sake - just ask him, I wanted to scream at her. Do you have a girlfriend, or maybe a boyfriend? There, problem solved.
I probably enjoyed the first half of the book more than the second, as about halfway it started to feel quite amateur and almost like reading an Eastenders script. The way in which some of the characters talked just didn't feel believable. Even a Frenchman who has lived in the UK for decades will lose some of his cultural identity and adopt the phrases of his new home country. He will not, as an example, start sentences with "Am I not" and "For I am." I found there to be too many coincidences and the writing pace just seemed to potter along without any real 'wow, what did I just read?' moments.
Because I gave The House We Grew Up In four stars, it seems only fair to give this novel a three. It didn't live up to my expectations based on the last book, but I enjoyed it for the most part overall. I have another book of hers to read, so perhaps I can summarise my feelings on her writing better once I review that one.
This story is told from the perspective of several different people whose lives are entwined, although they don't know it yet. I found Lydia, the small town girl cum self made millionaire, the most intriguing character. Despite being incredibly successful and wealthy, she epitomises the whole 'money can't buy you happiness' cliche.
Conversely, there is Dean, struggling with his relationship Skye and the impending birth of their first child. Finally, there is Robyn, the perfect daughter and aspiring paediatrician. Each main character is struggling with their own demons, and I enjoyed how the author had created similarities within their lives, even if the characters were completely unaware of it.
I found some aspects of the book frustrating; one aspect that kept coming back to me - Lydia has an attractive personal trainer, but she thinks he may be homosexual. Almost every chapter told from her perspective touches upon his sexuality. Is he gay? Is he straight? Or maybe just bisexual? Can a straight man wear fake tan and pluck his eyebrows? Oh, for goodness sake - just ask him, I wanted to scream at her. Do you have a girlfriend, or maybe a boyfriend? There, problem solved.
I probably enjoyed the first half of the book more than the second, as about halfway it started to feel quite amateur and almost like reading an Eastenders script. The way in which some of the characters talked just didn't feel believable. Even a Frenchman who has lived in the UK for decades will lose some of his cultural identity and adopt the phrases of his new home country. He will not, as an example, start sentences with "Am I not" and "For I am." I found there to be too many coincidences and the writing pace just seemed to potter along without any real 'wow, what did I just read?' moments.
Because I gave The House We Grew Up In four stars, it seems only fair to give this novel a three. It didn't live up to my expectations based on the last book, but I enjoyed it for the most part overall. I have another book of hers to read, so perhaps I can summarise my feelings on her writing better once I review that one.
February 9, 2025
I got just over halfway through this story about children of donor sperm. It started out strongly, which was a real plus when I found myself waiting an extra hour and a half for a doctor's appointment the first day I was reading it. But by the middle, it became very slow and I found myself less and less interested in picking it up. I finally gave up and skimmed through the last few chapters to see how the various story lines tied up. It was warm and empathetic, but maybe there were too many main characters, because I didn't feel particularly close to or invested in any of them. This was not at all what I expected from a Lisa Jewell book.
November 7, 2012
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The Making of Us was an engrossing novel. The author did a wonderful job of giving the reader an in depth look at these three siblings and their father. You really got to know Lydia, Dean, and Robyn, and as the reader truly gets to know them, you realize how much they would benefit from having a sibling. All three are a bit lonely and adrift in their lives. Anyone who has a sibling (I have six of them) knows that it can be a love/hate relationship at times, but no matter what happens they are there for you and "got your back".
Bottom line, I really did enjoy The Making Of Us. The book really grabs you from the first page. As you start to read about these three very unique individuals you realize that their lives are all lacking in someway. If you are looking for a well written novel about relationships, you must not miss this one, it will leave you wanting to call your siblings just to say hi...
The Making of Us was an engrossing novel. The author did a wonderful job of giving the reader an in depth look at these three siblings and their father. You really got to know Lydia, Dean, and Robyn, and as the reader truly gets to know them, you realize how much they would benefit from having a sibling. All three are a bit lonely and adrift in their lives. Anyone who has a sibling (I have six of them) knows that it can be a love/hate relationship at times, but no matter what happens they are there for you and "got your back".
Bottom line, I really did enjoy The Making Of Us. The book really grabs you from the first page. As you start to read about these three very unique individuals you realize that their lives are all lacking in someway. If you are looking for a well written novel about relationships, you must not miss this one, it will leave you wanting to call your siblings just to say hi...
August 10, 2013
Realising that Lisa Jewell’s latest book ‘The House We Grew Up In’ was due to be published in July I decided to read one that I had missed out on.
Lisa Jewell’s books are great for light easy reading but with this book she manages to do so by dealing with serious issues; in this case sperm donors and the offspring they produce. Lisa Jewell always demonstrates the art of good storytelling, the sort of writer that makes you care about the characters she writes about with a solid underpinning of a good plot.
I like the story being told from different viewpoints and as the reader we meet all the important characters early on. Lydia, Dean and Robyn all have different experiences of family life, their own tragedies and unsure of where they really began. All these characters are realistically portrayed as are the others in the book.
Lisa manages to analyse family dynamics and loss in an easily accessible way making this a fantastic read.
Lisa Jewell’s books are great for light easy reading but with this book she manages to do so by dealing with serious issues; in this case sperm donors and the offspring they produce. Lisa Jewell always demonstrates the art of good storytelling, the sort of writer that makes you care about the characters she writes about with a solid underpinning of a good plot.
I like the story being told from different viewpoints and as the reader we meet all the important characters early on. Lydia, Dean and Robyn all have different experiences of family life, their own tragedies and unsure of where they really began. All these characters are realistically portrayed as are the others in the book.
Lisa manages to analyse family dynamics and loss in an easily accessible way making this a fantastic read.
May 4, 2016
It took me a long time to get through this book, but I really enjoyed it! I went into this book thinking it was about something completely different and that was wonderful. I'm hesitant to write any kind of synopsis just because it was so nice to be surprised! But a short one will follow anyway.
Lydia never got to know her mother, and she doesn't like what she does know of her father. Lucky enough for her, he isn't her biological father. She soon finds out from an anonymous letter that she is the product of a sperm donor. This shakes up Lydia's whole world, and for the better.
I really liked how each chapter was a different perspective, but none of them were first person. It really felt like watching a story unfold instead of hearing about it from each individual person.
I was delightfully surprised by this unique tale and its ending.
Lydia never got to know her mother, and she doesn't like what she does know of her father. Lucky enough for her, he isn't her biological father. She soon finds out from an anonymous letter that she is the product of a sperm donor. This shakes up Lydia's whole world, and for the better.
I really liked how each chapter was a different perspective, but none of them were first person. It really felt like watching a story unfold instead of hearing about it from each individual person.
I was delightfully surprised by this unique tale and its ending.
March 1, 2015
This is the first Lisa Jewell novel I've read, and it drew me in from the opening chapter about Glenys. At first each chapter introduces a new character who seems unrelated to the others. But as the narrative develops, the connections among the characters are revealed and new, fragile relationships emerge. This is a beautifully told novel about missing what you never had, and learning to have what you didn't know you were missing. (Yes, I'm being deliberately cryptic to avoid spoilers.) Highly recommended.
April 13, 2019
I loved the characters and the way the author unraveled their stories. The basis of the book was fascinating to me and held my interest throughout. I liked the way both the strong and the tenuous family connections were handled and the way she revealed who this family was and how important these disparate people became to one another. Great story!
April 17, 2020
Whenever I reAd a Lisa jewell book I always end up thinking how clever her mind is and how creative her writing is. This is a very cleverly written book about people’s emotions and feelings that are totally relatable. Her books always have lots of different turns in the storyline that makes it such a good read.
I don’t usually enjoy books with too many characters but this one really worked.
I don’t usually enjoy books with too many characters but this one really worked.
October 11, 2020
At first it was difficult to keep track of the different storylines... I could not figure out where the story was headed. About halfway through I started to enjoy the book a lot more. By the end I thought it was really good but it was a slow burn.
February 20, 2025
If this had been the first Lisa Jewell book I ever read, I would never have read another. 🤷🏻♀️
September 28, 2012
I have received this book for free in exchange for an honest review
This in no way affects my opinion
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my review.
This book took me forever to read, not due to the writing, but due to the fact that my Kobo broke, and the one I bought to replace it wouldn't read the protected file, and I had to wait for the original to get fixed under warrenty. I am sorry for the delay, but it just couldn't be helped.
I did find the book a slow go however. There wasn't too mush suspence, or wondering what happened next. It just kind of meandered along at no particular pace.
I did like that it wasn't something I'd read before. Four siblings all conceived using a Sperm Donor, finding out, and the implications it created. Trying to find eachother and dealing with life as it was handed too them. All characters having so many similarities, yet so many differences. It was nice to read something other than the normal make up or so many books.
Once I got used to dealing with SO many different peoples view points (each chapter switches what character is talking, and being followed around), it was a nice way to see things. By about 40% into the book the switches where making sense, and you could almost predict who would be next. In the first section though it was slightly odd, especially as at first not many details where given and the reader was largely guessing what was going on.
Overall, I did enjoy this book. I am interested in reading more by the author as well.
Thanks for this book!
This in no way affects my opinion
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my review.
This book took me forever to read, not due to the writing, but due to the fact that my Kobo broke, and the one I bought to replace it wouldn't read the protected file, and I had to wait for the original to get fixed under warrenty. I am sorry for the delay, but it just couldn't be helped.
I did find the book a slow go however. There wasn't too mush suspence, or wondering what happened next. It just kind of meandered along at no particular pace.
I did like that it wasn't something I'd read before. Four siblings all conceived using a Sperm Donor, finding out, and the implications it created. Trying to find eachother and dealing with life as it was handed too them. All characters having so many similarities, yet so many differences. It was nice to read something other than the normal make up or so many books.
Once I got used to dealing with SO many different peoples view points (each chapter switches what character is talking, and being followed around), it was a nice way to see things. By about 40% into the book the switches where making sense, and you could almost predict who would be next. In the first section though it was slightly odd, especially as at first not many details where given and the reader was largely guessing what was going on.
Overall, I did enjoy this book. I am interested in reading more by the author as well.
Thanks for this book!
August 8, 2012
From Lisa Jewell, author of 8 previous novels, comes The Making of Us, a wonderfully remarkable story of family. I'm an only child, so I particularly empathized with the main characters in this novel. Each, in their own way, feels incomplete, without really knowing why. Lydia, whose parents who had two daughters before her, both of whom died of the same birth defect, knows that she was conceived by in-vitro fertilization. One day, a mysterious package arrives in the mail, offering Lydia the chance to know her father and any siblings conceived, as she was, by the same man.
The story of Lydia, her siblings, Dean and Robyn, and how they get to know each other, is filled with tenderness and love, the kind only sisters and brothers can share with each other. This book is filled with birth and death, parents and children. It is warm and heartfelt, and truly a great read for just about everyone.
The story of Lydia, her siblings, Dean and Robyn, and how they get to know each other, is filled with tenderness and love, the kind only sisters and brothers can share with each other. This book is filled with birth and death, parents and children. It is warm and heartfelt, and truly a great read for just about everyone.
August 18, 2012
It is pretty clear from the beginning that this book features a plot that involves a number of individuals from disparate walks of life who eventually come to the inevitable conclusion that they are linked through a sperm donor. I found none of the characters to be particularly interesting and I eventually just put the book down and did not return to it. After 150 pages I just wasn’t interested enough to read through the rest of the book to find out the details of how they contact and connect with each other.
The writing is not bad—it’s pleasant enough—but I will save my precious reading time for books out there that are more interesting and more satisfying to read. With that comment, I will be leaving this book in the airport when my plane touches down. I will hope that some bookless person who enjoys this kind of writing will pick it up and enjoy it on her next flight.
The writing is not bad—it’s pleasant enough—but I will save my precious reading time for books out there that are more interesting and more satisfying to read. With that comment, I will be leaving this book in the airport when my plane touches down. I will hope that some bookless person who enjoys this kind of writing will pick it up and enjoy it on her next flight.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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