What do you think?
Rate this book
A Complicated Life in a Small Town
The road to hell really is paved with good intentions.
Bitter that she was robbed of her childhood, at age eighteen, Lydia Lawson severed all communication ties with her alcoholic parents. Her father commits suicide one year after she leaves home. Twenty-three years later she receives word that her mother is dead and that she has inherited more than just the family home. Lily, a twenty-one-year-old, morbidly obese half-sister with Prader-Willi Syndrome, is found in the basement, too big to move out of the home. Lydia sets out on a life-changing journey trying to help Lily, trying to find Lily s father and trying to find herself. In the interim, she falls in love with Tommy Porter who remains with her right up to the climatic, mind-blowing reveal at the end.
Bitter that she was robbed of her childhood, at age eighteen, Lydia Lawson severed all communication ties with her alcoholic parents. Her father commits suicide one year after she leaves home. Twenty-three years later she receives word that her mother is dead and that she has inherited more than just the family home. Lily, a twenty-one-year-old, morbidly obese half-sister with Prader-Willi Syndrome, is found in the basement, too big to move out of the home. Lydia sets out on a life-changing journey trying to help Lily, trying to find Lily s father and trying to find herself. In the interim, she falls in love with Tommy Porter who remains with her right up to the climatic, mind-blowing reveal at the end.
106 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 15, 2012
5 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 5, 2019
Easy, fun read.
May 31, 2012
When Lydia Lawson left home at the mere age of eighteen, she never imagined coming back some day. Her alcoholic parents ruined what little childhood she had, scarring her for the rest of her life. Her memories are so full of pain that she refuses to remember the smallest details of things that brought her pleasure. In her mind, she's better off not remembering anything at all. Things hurt less that way.
When her mother dies unexpectedly, she's forced to reconsider her return to the one place she never wanted to be in the first place. Against her better judgment, she goes back. Never once did she imagine the horrors that awaited her behind its closed doors.
In addition to inheriting her mother's assets, Lydia discovers that her mother has left behind one tiny little detail that changes everything. Her twenty-one-year-old half sister is living in the house's basement, unable to leave the bed she's been sleeping in for the past ten years. She's grown too big in order to be able to walk up the stairs. Her sister's true origins are also unknown as her mother never left any traces as to who Lily's true father was scattered around.
Despite the circumstances surrounding her sister's birth, Lydia knows she'll need to make the most of the situation. Lily, on the other hand, has other ideas. In her mind, Lydia is a threat to her existence and she'll do anything to thwart her sister's plans. Lydia, with no other course of action but accept the current situation, decides to help Lily find her place in the world. To do so, she'll need to change the way Lily lives her life, even if she refuses to do so, for the moment.
As Lydia delves into her mother's secrets, she finds herself drawn to her childhood friend, Tommy Porter. She loved him once and she's very sure she could do so yet again. He's her rock when she needs him the most, offering her his support every step of the way. As they grow closer, the secrets of the past soon come light and Lydia realizes that she may have gotten more than she really bargained for.
I found this book quite intriguing. It's subject is one people don't really know about and it was quite refreshing in learning about a disease that ultimately affects all parties involved. I think Tammy did a good job in creating the world surrounding her characters and the emotions they shared were felt across every page. I did note quite a few instances where the grammar and punctuation needed a little fixing. The book, in itself, is a good read, though.
When her mother dies unexpectedly, she's forced to reconsider her return to the one place she never wanted to be in the first place. Against her better judgment, she goes back. Never once did she imagine the horrors that awaited her behind its closed doors.
In addition to inheriting her mother's assets, Lydia discovers that her mother has left behind one tiny little detail that changes everything. Her twenty-one-year-old half sister is living in the house's basement, unable to leave the bed she's been sleeping in for the past ten years. She's grown too big in order to be able to walk up the stairs. Her sister's true origins are also unknown as her mother never left any traces as to who Lily's true father was scattered around.
Despite the circumstances surrounding her sister's birth, Lydia knows she'll need to make the most of the situation. Lily, on the other hand, has other ideas. In her mind, Lydia is a threat to her existence and she'll do anything to thwart her sister's plans. Lydia, with no other course of action but accept the current situation, decides to help Lily find her place in the world. To do so, she'll need to change the way Lily lives her life, even if she refuses to do so, for the moment.
As Lydia delves into her mother's secrets, she finds herself drawn to her childhood friend, Tommy Porter. She loved him once and she's very sure she could do so yet again. He's her rock when she needs him the most, offering her his support every step of the way. As they grow closer, the secrets of the past soon come light and Lydia realizes that she may have gotten more than she really bargained for.
I found this book quite intriguing. It's subject is one people don't really know about and it was quite refreshing in learning about a disease that ultimately affects all parties involved. I think Tammy did a good job in creating the world surrounding her characters and the emotions they shared were felt across every page. I did note quite a few instances where the grammar and punctuation needed a little fixing. The book, in itself, is a good read, though.
May 15, 2012
A Complicated Life in a Small Town is a novella about a woman who left her hometown and never intended to return. She left because of her alcoholic parents and the mistreatment she received from them. She became a successful author and lives only 45 minutes away for where she grew up. She is contacted by the Police Chief of her hometown letting her know that her mother has passed away. She reluctantly returns only to find that she has a sister who is morbidly obese and cannot get out of bed and lives in the basement. Lily has Prader-Willi Syndrome which is the most common known genetic cause of life-threatening obesity in children. Although the cause is complex it results from an abnormality on the 15th chromosome. Lydia finds that caring for her sister is a difficult undertaking that she really does not want but she eventually gives in to the fact that there is no one else and no one knows who Lily's father is as Lydia's own father passed away before Lily was conceived.
This short story is unique in the fact that it covers an illness that people generally shy away from. When someone is morbidly obese and can not leave their home, they are often ridiculed and called lazy but there are usually reasons other than laziness and neglect that can cause a weight condition. I feel that the author covered this touchy topic with honesty and compassion. The ending caught me unawares as I never saw it coming. The only complaint I had was some editing. There was a reference to a caregiver by the name of Robin and then the name was changed to Rose... other than that I enjoyed this little story and recommend it.
This short story is unique in the fact that it covers an illness that people generally shy away from. When someone is morbidly obese and can not leave their home, they are often ridiculed and called lazy but there are usually reasons other than laziness and neglect that can cause a weight condition. I feel that the author covered this touchy topic with honesty and compassion. The ending caught me unawares as I never saw it coming. The only complaint I had was some editing. There was a reference to a caregiver by the name of Robin and then the name was changed to Rose... other than that I enjoyed this little story and recommend it.
April 26, 2014
A Complicated Life in a Small Town: a fitting title for this book. I'm still not certain what genre the book belongs to, but I'm going with this: general fiction with elements of suspense and a dark, quirky slant. We first meet Lydia, the story's protagonist, and are then introduced to Lily, who has lived an unusual life due to contending with a certain disorder among a peculiar set of circumstances. Lily's is an interesting story to explore, and Lydia's becomes yet more so as the book progresses.
I found it to be an enjoyable read. There is one section near the end that I felt zipped along rather more quickly than I would have liked, but this does not detract from the overall experience. As for the final section, I'll mention that some may be unprepared. All in all, this is a book with potential appeal for any reader, no matter what genre of fiction you may happen to be into, and be ready, if possible, for a few surprises along the way.
I found it to be an enjoyable read. There is one section near the end that I felt zipped along rather more quickly than I would have liked, but this does not detract from the overall experience. As for the final section, I'll mention that some may be unprepared. All in all, this is a book with potential appeal for any reader, no matter what genre of fiction you may happen to be into, and be ready, if possible, for a few surprises along the way.
October 2, 2015
--I was given a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
I thought this book was very interesting. It wasn't suspenseful or really a mystery, but the storyline kept my attention through the entire book. The back story of Lydia and her parents, growing up being abused both physically and mentally set the stage for the present very well. Coming back to her hometown after her mom's death to find her 1/2 sister, who suffers from morbid obesity and some mental instability had me sucked in. This was a subject I have never encountered and found extremely interesting and was happy to have it tackled here...education while entertaining! The romance of Tommy and Lydia was very sweet...but the twist in the end certainly was totally unexpected for me. Lots of story in a short amount of time! Loved it!
Caroline McLaughlin had a wonderful performance. Great voices(loved Lily's, just like I would have imagined it!) and her pace was perfect.
I thought this book was very interesting. It wasn't suspenseful or really a mystery, but the storyline kept my attention through the entire book. The back story of Lydia and her parents, growing up being abused both physically and mentally set the stage for the present very well. Coming back to her hometown after her mom's death to find her 1/2 sister, who suffers from morbid obesity and some mental instability had me sucked in. This was a subject I have never encountered and found extremely interesting and was happy to have it tackled here...education while entertaining! The romance of Tommy and Lydia was very sweet...but the twist in the end certainly was totally unexpected for me. Lots of story in a short amount of time! Loved it!
Caroline McLaughlin had a wonderful performance. Great voices(loved Lily's, just like I would have imagined it!) and her pace was perfect.
March 1, 2013
At first I found this book to be quite funny, I laughed half way through the book at the banter between half sisters Lydia and Lilly and I was excited for Tommy to finally have a family and then the WTH ending came and I was almost ashamed that I laughed in the beginning. This was a freebie from Amazon and a short read only 100 pages but it had love, tragedy, death both natural and suicide, family drama, mystery, a medical condition and one hell on an ending. While reading I thought I had the plot figured out and then it didn't seem like it. Ms. Maas gave us another chance at guessing and I thought again I had figured it out, but nope not that either and then BAM and that's all I'm going to say, just BAM!!!!
August 15, 2016
A complicated Life in a Small Town
This moving tale is a mystery and tragically about an illness most of us have never heard of. Lydia ,at age 18 left home to excape what drunken parents whom she believes do not love or care for her.Two decades later she receives a phone call advising her parents have died and she must return as there are impairative problems to be attended to regarding the funeral and her sister. A sister she had no knowledge of. A story full of surprises you will not soon forget. I RECOMMEND to ages over 18
This moving tale is a mystery and tragically about an illness most of us have never heard of. Lydia ,at age 18 left home to excape what drunken parents whom she believes do not love or care for her.Two decades later she receives a phone call advising her parents have died and she must return as there are impairative problems to be attended to regarding the funeral and her sister. A sister she had no knowledge of. A story full of surprises you will not soon forget. I RECOMMEND to ages over 18
September 19, 2016
This book was just not my cup of tea.Caroline McLaughlin is an ok narrator.The story itself is a lot of nasty stuff that happens to one family in a small town. A woman must return home when her mother dies.She was estranged from her family.She discovers that living in the basement of the house is a huge woman that has never been outside.She is a sister she never knew about.No one did.Mama took care of her,saying she was the sister of Jesus.
Gross stuff follows and when all seems well another bombshell hits.
I was given this book for an honest review.
Gross stuff follows and when all seems well another bombshell hits.
I was given this book for an honest review.
February 27, 2013
This was one of the most original stories I have read in ages, following a heart wrenching journey of discovery and how a family deals with a challenging disease.
With clever prose, Maas layers her characters. You start with a loathing which eventually develops into endearment as the story reaches a most unexpected twist at the end.
Wonderful debut! I look forward to more from this author.
With clever prose, Maas layers her characters. You start with a loathing which eventually develops into endearment as the story reaches a most unexpected twist at the end.
Wonderful debut! I look forward to more from this author.
July 16, 2015
I had a difficult time following the story in a couple spots. The author switched the name of a caregiver between Rose and Robin a couple times and that threw me off. I thought there was a new character, but it was the same one. It was a quick read because it is right around 100 pages. Has a sequel that was much better (God Save Us All).
May 11, 2012
A fabulous story, which whips you along into a sudden series of life changing events for the heroine. It has some wonderful human moments and plenty of romance; my only complaint is that it wasn't long enough! I wanted to be immersed for far longer!
July 25, 2012
It was fun reading a fiction novella based in my hometown! Ready for some more, Tammy!
February 24, 2013
I don't ever recall wishing so fervently that I had not finished a book. I feel sick.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews