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Arms Wide Open
Jack and Meredith are non-identical twins. Their father died before they were born and now they both have to watch as their mother sinks further in to the grip of early-onset dementia.
Jack s career has crashed and burned, all that remains is a Maserati and a nervous disposition. Meredith s world is also crumbling the decomposing yogurt in her fridge a symbol of her newly-expired marriage. Her children, Jemima and Luke, offer little support, too consumed with the world of online dating and amateur taxidermy.
One day, a throwaway comment starts Jack wondering if their father really died. As they begin to untangle the revelations, the twins are forced to ponder both the past and the future: their memories of their mother, their hopes for finding their father, and the fear of what s in their bloodline.
Jack s career has crashed and burned, all that remains is a Maserati and a nervous disposition. Meredith s world is also crumbling the decomposing yogurt in her fridge a symbol of her newly-expired marriage. Her children, Jemima and Luke, offer little support, too consumed with the world of online dating and amateur taxidermy.
One day, a throwaway comment starts Jack wondering if their father really died. As they begin to untangle the revelations, the twins are forced to ponder both the past and the future: their memories of their mother, their hopes for finding their father, and the fear of what s in their bloodline.
352 pages, Paperback
First published April 17, 2014
4 people are currently reading
260 people want to read
About the author
Tom Winter
5 books20 followersTom Winter is a British writer living in Berlin. His work has been published in five languages. The hardback edition of his fourth book, In Search of Ethel Cartwright, will be published in 2024 by Corsair, an imprint of Little, Brown. The paperback will follow in 2025.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
May 5, 2018
One family, one monumental storm. I loved this story because it is so different from the most serious family drama that I normally read. This story from start to finish is very moving and very funny.
Jack and Meredith are non-identical twins. Their father died before they born and now they both have to watch as their mother go further in to the grip of early-onset dementia.
One day a throway comment starts Jack wondering if their father really died.
Jemima is a young teenage girl that everything just horrifies her, just like most other teenage girls.
Jemima pretends to be Lucy a twenty something blonde on an online dating site.
I highly recomend Arms Wide Open to all readers and book clubs.
Jack and Meredith are non-identical twins. Their father died before they born and now they both have to watch as their mother go further in to the grip of early-onset dementia.
One day a throway comment starts Jack wondering if their father really died.
Jemima is a young teenage girl that everything just horrifies her, just like most other teenage girls.
Jemima pretends to be Lucy a twenty something blonde on an online dating site.
I highly recomend Arms Wide Open to all readers and book clubs.
August 14, 2016
Tom Winter is a new author to me but this, his second book, was a delight to read. It was both poignant and funny and had a main cast of wonderful characters that, possibly with the exception of the downright eccentric, you could identify and engage with.
Jack and Meredith are 43 year old twins. Meredith’s life hasn’t turned out as she expected. She feels a failure because her husband has left her for another woman and seeks solace in plants and gardening. She diligently visits their ailing mother in a nursing home despite the fact that her mother has never shown her any affection, only unkind criticism.
Jack, meanwhile, has enjoyed a rather charmed life and has the Maserati to prove it. However life has a way of biting you on the backside and with his career and personal life now in meltdown the time has come for both Jack and Meredith to confront their past in order to be able to deal with their future.
Jack and Meredith are complete opposites and it’s the interaction between them that makes this book so special. Add to the mix Meredith’s teenage daughter Jemima – so streetwise in some ways but also so very naive and who deals with her unhappiness by hiding behind online dating forums; 11 year old Luke, whose unusual behaviour makes him a target for bullies and Edna, the elderly next door neighbour who is still expecting Hitler’s bombs to drop and you have a wonderfully dysfunctional family providing the perfect opportunity for some black humour and some very poignant moments. I have to give a mention here to Reggie, Edna’s elderly and neglected dog, who stole my heart.
The story is told by present day character narrations interspersed with chapters going back from 5 - 45 years so that gradually the reader knows the background to Jack and Meredith's life.
I don't want to give away too much and it really is a book best discovered by reading it yourself but I can’t praise this book highly enough, it is a book you simply must read. The writing is taut and clear and not a sentence is wasted. I am now very much looking forward to reading the author’s debut novel Lost and Found.
My thanks to Lovereading for the review copy.
Jack and Meredith are 43 year old twins. Meredith’s life hasn’t turned out as she expected. She feels a failure because her husband has left her for another woman and seeks solace in plants and gardening. She diligently visits their ailing mother in a nursing home despite the fact that her mother has never shown her any affection, only unkind criticism.
Jack, meanwhile, has enjoyed a rather charmed life and has the Maserati to prove it. However life has a way of biting you on the backside and with his career and personal life now in meltdown the time has come for both Jack and Meredith to confront their past in order to be able to deal with their future.
Jack and Meredith are complete opposites and it’s the interaction between them that makes this book so special. Add to the mix Meredith’s teenage daughter Jemima – so streetwise in some ways but also so very naive and who deals with her unhappiness by hiding behind online dating forums; 11 year old Luke, whose unusual behaviour makes him a target for bullies and Edna, the elderly next door neighbour who is still expecting Hitler’s bombs to drop and you have a wonderfully dysfunctional family providing the perfect opportunity for some black humour and some very poignant moments. I have to give a mention here to Reggie, Edna’s elderly and neglected dog, who stole my heart.
The story is told by present day character narrations interspersed with chapters going back from 5 - 45 years so that gradually the reader knows the background to Jack and Meredith's life.
I don't want to give away too much and it really is a book best discovered by reading it yourself but I can’t praise this book highly enough, it is a book you simply must read. The writing is taut and clear and not a sentence is wasted. I am now very much looking forward to reading the author’s debut novel Lost and Found.
My thanks to Lovereading for the review copy.
October 4, 2024
Fantastic book. Funny thought provoking and so relevant in a time when dementia and how families cope with it is such an issue
April 18, 2014
Having read Tom Winter's first novel Lost & Found (review here) I was really looking forward to reading this and I wasn't disappointed. Thanks so much to Grace at Constable & Robinson for sending me a copy for review.
There were lots of characters to familiarise myself with and I did get a bit lost of who's who at the start. On the outside we see what seems to be a normal family which could have had the potential to be a bit boring but because its so heartfeltly written as you read on you see things are unravelling at the seams.
Meredith and Jack are twins but therein the similarity ends, their lives are poles apart. With a mother suffering from dementia and the prospect of an hereditary gene, the revelation that their parentage is not as they thought this is a drama waiting to happen with the first twist being revealed in the first couple of chapters.
Jack and Meredith's characters are well supported with those you may love or hate. Firstly, I thought Jemima was an absolute vile child - all a teenager's worst traits imaginable are wrapped up in this girl. Luke is a little non-descript, I didn't feel strongly about him either way. At least Edna had a bit of a personality about her, bless her! And as for John, well he was just a disappointment is so many ways. All the characters are totally engageable, they all feel like someone you know or could just be a family down your street; however you never know what's going on behind closed doors!
The time line flipping back and forth was a bit random and at times there were cliffhangers in the previous chapters and I was eager to find out what happens but I then found myself thirty years ago but to be fair it gives us the insight into the family's past we need and why Jack & Meredith's mother is the way she is and the relationships she has with her children.
Some of the chapters have titles such as: Buried Secrets and Fears and distractions which give us a little indication of what's to come and I loved this novel for its witty funny one liners which are frequently throughout.
"Edna hadn't planned to leave the tap running, but she hadn't planned to drop dead either. These things just happen."
And then also when new a new scene starts there are the little headers such as Meanwhile... , Back At Meredith's, An Hour Later it kind of breaks up the chapters and feels quite comedic.
Overall, this is sad, funny and sentimental and I liked that it wasn't a predictable ending. This would be a great choice for a book club read as there would be lots to discuss. If you enjoyed Winter's Lost & Found, and books like The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and The Woman Who Went to Bed for a Year then I think you'll enjoy this touching novel.
p.s williwaw - there's a word I've never heard before and wouldn't get in a sentence every day.
There were lots of characters to familiarise myself with and I did get a bit lost of who's who at the start. On the outside we see what seems to be a normal family which could have had the potential to be a bit boring but because its so heartfeltly written as you read on you see things are unravelling at the seams.
Meredith and Jack are twins but therein the similarity ends, their lives are poles apart. With a mother suffering from dementia and the prospect of an hereditary gene, the revelation that their parentage is not as they thought this is a drama waiting to happen with the first twist being revealed in the first couple of chapters.
Jack and Meredith's characters are well supported with those you may love or hate. Firstly, I thought Jemima was an absolute vile child - all a teenager's worst traits imaginable are wrapped up in this girl. Luke is a little non-descript, I didn't feel strongly about him either way. At least Edna had a bit of a personality about her, bless her! And as for John, well he was just a disappointment is so many ways. All the characters are totally engageable, they all feel like someone you know or could just be a family down your street; however you never know what's going on behind closed doors!
The time line flipping back and forth was a bit random and at times there were cliffhangers in the previous chapters and I was eager to find out what happens but I then found myself thirty years ago but to be fair it gives us the insight into the family's past we need and why Jack & Meredith's mother is the way she is and the relationships she has with her children.
Some of the chapters have titles such as: Buried Secrets and Fears and distractions which give us a little indication of what's to come and I loved this novel for its witty funny one liners which are frequently throughout.
"Edna hadn't planned to leave the tap running, but she hadn't planned to drop dead either. These things just happen."
And then also when new a new scene starts there are the little headers such as Meanwhile... , Back At Meredith's, An Hour Later it kind of breaks up the chapters and feels quite comedic.
Overall, this is sad, funny and sentimental and I liked that it wasn't a predictable ending. This would be a great choice for a book club read as there would be lots to discuss. If you enjoyed Winter's Lost & Found, and books like The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and The Woman Who Went to Bed for a Year then I think you'll enjoy this touching novel.
p.s williwaw - there's a word I've never heard before and wouldn't get in a sentence every day.
September 20, 2014
Meredith’s ineffectual husband, Alistair, has left her for another woman half his age. Her children couldn’t care less about his absence; fifteen year old Jemima cares only about her fictitious online life, and eleven year old Luke is trying to cope with being bullied at school, leaving Meredith in a state of unhappy limbo for much of the time. Meanwhile Jack, Meredith’s twin brother, is in a state of flux his career having gone down the tubes leaving nothing to show but his sexy sports car and a well-used credit card.
The twins have never known their father, having been told by their mother that he died before they were born, but now, at the age of forty-three they have a burning desire to find out more. Their mother, never a caring, nurturing woman, is now in the grip of dementia and is unlikely, even if she wanted, to give them any information about him. So the search commences.
At times amusing, at others quite depressing it is essentially a tale about a dysfunctional family just trying to get on with life. The characters are well drawn, especially the children; the author is absolutely spot on with the teenage angst of Jemima; her Californian exchange buddy, Chelsea is absolutely cringe worthy and had me howling with laughter. Reggie, the senile old neighbour’s dog is also a delightful character, but as for Meredith – she’s a bit wishy-washy and I quickly became irritated with her.
I started this book with my mind wide open, and whilst I enjoyed the writing and the idea behind the story, but about two thirds of the way in it became too silly, almost farcical, as if the Mr Winter was trying just a bit too hard, so for me it was just “okay”.
Amazon sent me a free copy to review.
The twins have never known their father, having been told by their mother that he died before they were born, but now, at the age of forty-three they have a burning desire to find out more. Their mother, never a caring, nurturing woman, is now in the grip of dementia and is unlikely, even if she wanted, to give them any information about him. So the search commences.
At times amusing, at others quite depressing it is essentially a tale about a dysfunctional family just trying to get on with life. The characters are well drawn, especially the children; the author is absolutely spot on with the teenage angst of Jemima; her Californian exchange buddy, Chelsea is absolutely cringe worthy and had me howling with laughter. Reggie, the senile old neighbour’s dog is also a delightful character, but as for Meredith – she’s a bit wishy-washy and I quickly became irritated with her.
I started this book with my mind wide open, and whilst I enjoyed the writing and the idea behind the story, but about two thirds of the way in it became too silly, almost farcical, as if the Mr Winter was trying just a bit too hard, so for me it was just “okay”.
Amazon sent me a free copy to review.
August 12, 2014
I had a hard time with this book. I liked the stories premise but the book seemed to fall a little short. The emotions in the book at times seemed to be lacking. It also felt long. The story wasn't horrible, and it was interesting enough to keep me reading. I also liked the twins, for me it felt that their characters were the most developed.
December 29, 2018
A book that I would've never picked up myself, but was recommended by a close friend of mine. Now, after finishing the book, I'm glad she did.
I have to admit that it took me some time to get into the story, but I got a unique, refreshing story in return that also made me think about life a bit better. Maybe it's a coincidence, maybe it's not, but today a woman came up to me in a store saying things that didn't make sense at all. She had dementia. I could tell. This encounter had a huge impact on me. And just like this book it made me think. What if someone I love will have dementia one day? What if I will have it? If i knew I would have it, would I start living differently? This kind of stuff.
So if you're looking for a good book that gets you to start thinking, I recommend you picking this one up.
Now a bit more about the characters. Normally I read about younger people, maybe because I'm not that old myself. So to read about two 43 year olds was indeed a new experience for me. Meredith and Jack were enjoyable characters and they really grew on me during the course of this book. My favourite characters must be Jack and Luke. I thought Luke was a bit weird at the beginning though, but while reading the book some reasons are given to explain some of his behaviour. Jemima I didn't like at all. Even when explanation was given for why she acted that way.
Adding all of this up together, I give this book 4 stars. Why not 5?
• a bit hard to get into the story
• too much descriptions
Don't get me wrong: I LOVE a book with good descriptions, but sometimes it felt like Tom Winter wanted to show off with metaphors he added in like almost every five sentences or so, which could get annoying sometimes.
• sometimes the story felt a bit boring
Yes I know this book is not a thriller or something, but I know a lot of books that aren't either, but still grapped my attention from beginning to end.
So do I recommend this book overall? Hmm... I do, but only to those who are willing to open up to the book. If you do so, you might even get surprised.
I have to admit that it took me some time to get into the story, but I got a unique, refreshing story in return that also made me think about life a bit better. Maybe it's a coincidence, maybe it's not, but today a woman came up to me in a store saying things that didn't make sense at all. She had dementia. I could tell. This encounter had a huge impact on me. And just like this book it made me think. What if someone I love will have dementia one day? What if I will have it? If i knew I would have it, would I start living differently? This kind of stuff.
So if you're looking for a good book that gets you to start thinking, I recommend you picking this one up.
Now a bit more about the characters. Normally I read about younger people, maybe because I'm not that old myself. So to read about two 43 year olds was indeed a new experience for me. Meredith and Jack were enjoyable characters and they really grew on me during the course of this book. My favourite characters must be Jack and Luke. I thought Luke was a bit weird at the beginning though, but while reading the book some reasons are given to explain some of his behaviour. Jemima I didn't like at all. Even when explanation was given for why she acted that way.
Adding all of this up together, I give this book 4 stars. Why not 5?
• a bit hard to get into the story
• too much descriptions
Don't get me wrong: I LOVE a book with good descriptions, but sometimes it felt like Tom Winter wanted to show off with metaphors he added in like almost every five sentences or so, which could get annoying sometimes.
• sometimes the story felt a bit boring
Yes I know this book is not a thriller or something, but I know a lot of books that aren't either, but still grapped my attention from beginning to end.
So do I recommend this book overall? Hmm... I do, but only to those who are willing to open up to the book. If you do so, you might even get surprised.
January 13, 2018
Actual rating is probably more like 3.5 stars.
I had a couple of problems with this one that were quite disappointing. The biggest problem I had is that, on occasion, characters would do or say things that I didn't feel they really would do in a real life setting. (I can't speak about one of these as it contains spoilers, but it's to do with the teenage girl character, Jemima.)
The first of these was the headteacher at the school that the son and daughter go to – she was presented as pretty farcical at times, and said things in the book that NO teacher would EVER say. For example, things like "these aren't children we're talking about, they're animals. I think you should be grateful they just bully your son rather than eat him". She also brushes aside an accusation of a physical relationship between a student and a teacher; something that would NEVER be ignored in a real school setting.
Teachers have a hard enough time of it as it is (spoken from experience, as I used to be a primary school teacher, and many of my close friends are also teachers), without them being represented in this way in books that are otherwise supposed to reflect real life.
Another issue I had is that some chapters in the book seemed a little pointless and didn't move the plot forward in any way, which made the book feel a little slower than it should be at times. This didn't happen too frequently, however.
I did mostly enjoy this book. I picked it up because I read Tom's debut, Lost and Found, when it came out a few years ago and adored it. I was, unfortunately, expecting a similar kind of feel to the story with this one, but it wasn't quite the same, which I found disappointing. It was a nice read, and I enjoyed how the characters changed over the course of the story, but I wouldn't say it was particularly memorable (ironic, considering dementia is an issue that the story deals with).
3.5 stars – a nice story if you're looking for a bit of a light read, but I would recommend Lost and Found over this one any day of the week.
I had a couple of problems with this one that were quite disappointing. The biggest problem I had is that, on occasion, characters would do or say things that I didn't feel they really would do in a real life setting. (I can't speak about one of these as it contains spoilers, but it's to do with the teenage girl character, Jemima.)
The first of these was the headteacher at the school that the son and daughter go to – she was presented as pretty farcical at times, and said things in the book that NO teacher would EVER say. For example, things like "these aren't children we're talking about, they're animals. I think you should be grateful they just bully your son rather than eat him". She also brushes aside an accusation of a physical relationship between a student and a teacher; something that would NEVER be ignored in a real school setting.
Teachers have a hard enough time of it as it is (spoken from experience, as I used to be a primary school teacher, and many of my close friends are also teachers), without them being represented in this way in books that are otherwise supposed to reflect real life.
Another issue I had is that some chapters in the book seemed a little pointless and didn't move the plot forward in any way, which made the book feel a little slower than it should be at times. This didn't happen too frequently, however.
I did mostly enjoy this book. I picked it up because I read Tom's debut, Lost and Found, when it came out a few years ago and adored it. I was, unfortunately, expecting a similar kind of feel to the story with this one, but it wasn't quite the same, which I found disappointing. It was a nice read, and I enjoyed how the characters changed over the course of the story, but I wouldn't say it was particularly memorable (ironic, considering dementia is an issue that the story deals with).
3.5 stars – a nice story if you're looking for a bit of a light read, but I would recommend Lost and Found over this one any day of the week.
August 25, 2024
I immediately liked this story and its characters. It's a delight to read this part dramatic (dead parents turning up), part sad (oh, how cold that mother was), heart-warming ("adopting" the loony neighbour's dog) and quite funny book (amateur taxidermia on a trip to France..).
July 11, 2019
Read this for my book club. A quick read - funny in parts and not quite as light weight as I thought it would be initially
August 5, 2020
A few initial chuckles; then creeping sadnesses. Poignant!
April 25, 2022
Lovely easy read
April 3, 2014
Review originally published here:
http://www.pagetostagereviews.com/201...
In January of last year I read Tom Winter's memorable debut novel Lost and Found, a poignant story of ordinary people whose stories become extraordinary through Winter's excellent writing and I was excited when I heard he had a new novel coming out this year, let alone the opportunity to read it early. Once again Winter takes seemingly average people and with a flair for great storytelling he pulls the reader in and gets them invested into these people's lives.
Arms Wide Open is the story of one family and their many ups and downs as they go about their everyday lives. Meredith has two children, Jemima and Luke, and a twin-brother by the name of Jack. She always felt that her brother got the better end of the deal, having a great job and plenty of money with which he's always jetting off, whereas she's achieved little with her marriage falling apart a year before being the absolute low point - one from which she's still trying to recover.
But when the twins find out that the father they never knew and assumed to be dead may be alive after all they go on the search for answers, which not only provides Meredith with some much-needed distraction, but also shows her that Jack's life isn't as charmed as she thought it was. He can be wonderful with her children, but his glamorous job has disappeared between all the sabbaticals and his forgetful mind looks to be a more serious condition than him just being a scatter-brain.
While reading the novel I felt particularly invested in the journey of Jemima. Neglected by a mother who is too busy grieving for the loss of her marriage to notice what is going on with her children, Jemima has little interaction with teenagers her own age. Instead she escapes into a virtual world of dating men far too old for her, which could have extremely serious consequences. Having a younger sister roughly the same age as Jemima I was horrified when reading her part of the story, but it also served as a wake-up call to the dangers that lay just around the corner for teenagers in today's digital society.
Despite the many tragedies the characters are faced with, Tom Winter has packed his second novel full with surprising wit and hope too. Depressing on one page yet humorous on the next, he has created a story which goes from the mundane to the downright bizarre (such as an explosion at the next door neighbour's which implicates a character who in a strange twist of faith was sort of romantically involved with both Meredith and Jemima, without any of them realising this) in quick succession. He balances these opposites in a very effective way, creating an engrossing and unique kind one novel.
It's a thoughtful read as well - tackling subjects from dementia and complicated family dynamics to rebelling teens and death - which will have the reader think about it long after turning the final page. This also makes it an ideal book club choice as the wealth of issues raised make for plenty of interesting and, no doubt, heated discussions.
http://www.pagetostagereviews.com/201...
In January of last year I read Tom Winter's memorable debut novel Lost and Found, a poignant story of ordinary people whose stories become extraordinary through Winter's excellent writing and I was excited when I heard he had a new novel coming out this year, let alone the opportunity to read it early. Once again Winter takes seemingly average people and with a flair for great storytelling he pulls the reader in and gets them invested into these people's lives.
Arms Wide Open is the story of one family and their many ups and downs as they go about their everyday lives. Meredith has two children, Jemima and Luke, and a twin-brother by the name of Jack. She always felt that her brother got the better end of the deal, having a great job and plenty of money with which he's always jetting off, whereas she's achieved little with her marriage falling apart a year before being the absolute low point - one from which she's still trying to recover.
But when the twins find out that the father they never knew and assumed to be dead may be alive after all they go on the search for answers, which not only provides Meredith with some much-needed distraction, but also shows her that Jack's life isn't as charmed as she thought it was. He can be wonderful with her children, but his glamorous job has disappeared between all the sabbaticals and his forgetful mind looks to be a more serious condition than him just being a scatter-brain.
While reading the novel I felt particularly invested in the journey of Jemima. Neglected by a mother who is too busy grieving for the loss of her marriage to notice what is going on with her children, Jemima has little interaction with teenagers her own age. Instead she escapes into a virtual world of dating men far too old for her, which could have extremely serious consequences. Having a younger sister roughly the same age as Jemima I was horrified when reading her part of the story, but it also served as a wake-up call to the dangers that lay just around the corner for teenagers in today's digital society.
Despite the many tragedies the characters are faced with, Tom Winter has packed his second novel full with surprising wit and hope too. Depressing on one page yet humorous on the next, he has created a story which goes from the mundane to the downright bizarre (such as an explosion at the next door neighbour's which implicates a character who in a strange twist of faith was sort of romantically involved with both Meredith and Jemima, without any of them realising this) in quick succession. He balances these opposites in a very effective way, creating an engrossing and unique kind one novel.
It's a thoughtful read as well - tackling subjects from dementia and complicated family dynamics to rebelling teens and death - which will have the reader think about it long after turning the final page. This also makes it an ideal book club choice as the wealth of issues raised make for plenty of interesting and, no doubt, heated discussions.
August 13, 2014
Time taken to read - 4 days
Publisher - Corsair
Pages - 353
Blurb from Goodreads
Jack and Meredith are non-identical twins. Their father died before they were born and now they both have to watch as their mother sinks further in to the grip of early-onset dementia.
Jack s career has crashed and burned, all that remains is a Maserati and a nervous disposition. Meredith s world is also crumbling the decomposing yogurt in her fridge a symbol of her newly-expired marriage. Her children, Jemima and Luke, offer little support, too consumed with the world of online dating and amateur taxidermy.
One day, a throwaway comment starts Jack wondering if their father really died. As they begin to untangle the revelations, the twins are forced to ponder both the past and the future: their memories of their mother, their hopes for finding their father, and the fear of what s in their bloodline.
My Review
Our main characters are Jack and Meredith, twins and as different in personality as they are in looks. Meredith simply cannot get over her husband leaving her, for another woman, she still has the yogurt congealing in the fridge from his departure. Her brother is successful, vibrant, loving life and a bit of a car crash waiting to happen. Their mother is in a home with dementia, one comment makes Jack reconsider if his father has actually died as they were always led to believe and trys to find out more.
Meredith has two children, Luke and Jemima, both affected by their fathers departure and trying to cope in their own way. Meredith is becoming more withdrawn, Jack has a secret he is keeping and each is falling apart.
This story flips back and forth, from past to present to try and show how the past has shaped the people and their futures. Lies and secrets will be revealed and have different impacts upon the people involved.
I have to say I wasn't enamored with this book, some people really loved it. I found the characters hard to take to, I did love Reggie, the poor wee blind dog from next door. Once you learn more about Jack, I did warm a little to him however, Meredith, her mother and her daughter were not likable characters. Yes they had reasons for why they behaved as they did but still, I couldn't take to them. Wee Luke, God love him, he was ok but there wasn't a real explanation for his peculiar behaviors really, I felt.
I would have gone with three stars as to be honest it isn't a badly written book, I just didn't like how it jumped around so much or the characters. However the big clincher for me was the ending, I don't do spoilers as a rule and I won't here however, I was left thinking um where is the rest of the story? I hate when books end as this one did, although, reading the reviews out there a lot of people loved or really liked it. Give it a go, you may be in the lovers camp, sadly it just didn't do it for me. 2/5 this time, I would read this author again if I came across their work but I won't be actively seeking it out.
Publisher - Corsair
Pages - 353
Blurb from Goodreads
Jack and Meredith are non-identical twins. Their father died before they were born and now they both have to watch as their mother sinks further in to the grip of early-onset dementia.
Jack s career has crashed and burned, all that remains is a Maserati and a nervous disposition. Meredith s world is also crumbling the decomposing yogurt in her fridge a symbol of her newly-expired marriage. Her children, Jemima and Luke, offer little support, too consumed with the world of online dating and amateur taxidermy.
One day, a throwaway comment starts Jack wondering if their father really died. As they begin to untangle the revelations, the twins are forced to ponder both the past and the future: their memories of their mother, their hopes for finding their father, and the fear of what s in their bloodline.
My Review
Our main characters are Jack and Meredith, twins and as different in personality as they are in looks. Meredith simply cannot get over her husband leaving her, for another woman, she still has the yogurt congealing in the fridge from his departure. Her brother is successful, vibrant, loving life and a bit of a car crash waiting to happen. Their mother is in a home with dementia, one comment makes Jack reconsider if his father has actually died as they were always led to believe and trys to find out more.
Meredith has two children, Luke and Jemima, both affected by their fathers departure and trying to cope in their own way. Meredith is becoming more withdrawn, Jack has a secret he is keeping and each is falling apart.
This story flips back and forth, from past to present to try and show how the past has shaped the people and their futures. Lies and secrets will be revealed and have different impacts upon the people involved.
I have to say I wasn't enamored with this book, some people really loved it. I found the characters hard to take to, I did love Reggie, the poor wee blind dog from next door. Once you learn more about Jack, I did warm a little to him however, Meredith, her mother and her daughter were not likable characters. Yes they had reasons for why they behaved as they did but still, I couldn't take to them. Wee Luke, God love him, he was ok but there wasn't a real explanation for his peculiar behaviors really, I felt.
I would have gone with three stars as to be honest it isn't a badly written book, I just didn't like how it jumped around so much or the characters. However the big clincher for me was the ending, I don't do spoilers as a rule and I won't here however, I was left thinking um where is the rest of the story? I hate when books end as this one did, although, reading the reviews out there a lot of people loved or really liked it. Give it a go, you may be in the lovers camp, sadly it just didn't do it for me. 2/5 this time, I would read this author again if I came across their work but I won't be actively seeking it out.
February 12, 2015
The Plot
If you're looking for a book that dissects the illness that is dementia and that takes a look at it in a forthright manner, Arms Wide Open is not for you. That's not to say that Tom Winter doesn't take the illness seriously, because he does, it just isn't front and centre of the book; it isn't the main focus.
Saying that, I don't think there is a main focus, other than the lives of twins Jack and Meredith falling apart at the seams.
There is a fair bit going on within the storyline - I won't go in to detail as I don't want to spoil it for future readers - but each member of the family has their own individual plot. Even though a lot is going on, the story doesn't feel like a huge amount is being compressed in to a small space, it fits perfectly well and isn't overwhelming.
The Characters
The characters within Arms Wide Open could be seen as stereotypical, however, for the most part, they have some unique quirk or trait that sets them apart from the atypical; for example, Meredith's obsession with plants, Luke's need to capture things. It's interesting because the quirks they have are in fact what is getting them through the tough times they are facing.
Jack and Meredith's mother plays a huge part in the trials and tribulations that take place. The dynamics between mother and children is immediately laid out for us from the get go, but by revisiting the past a depth is given to them which heightens the story.
Arms Wide Open is a book very much driven by characters.
The Writing
Written in third person, the way in which the story pans out felt very cinematic to me. In the opening chapter each section starts by stating who it pertains to (i.e. Meredith, Jack etc) and throughout the book things such as 'Later that evening', 'Twenty minutes later' or even 'Meanwhile in Surrey' are often mentioned. These, along with the cuts to and from the past and present made me feel like something was unfolding before my eyes, not just words. It seems like such a small detail, but perhaps if you've read Arms Wide Open, or do read it in the future, that will make more sense.
Tom Winter writes with wit, but at the same time incorporates compassion and sadness in to the story, these elements aren't easily combined but the author makes it work. Another thing Tom Winter makes work is the way in which he writes realistically; this could be somebody's everyday life.
Final Thoughts
I wasn't sure what to expect going in to Arms Wide Open, Tom Winter being a new to me author, but I enjoyed it and would love to read his debut novel, Lost & Found.
First published on my blog - http://www.lifesopenpages.blogspot.co.uk
If you're looking for a book that dissects the illness that is dementia and that takes a look at it in a forthright manner, Arms Wide Open is not for you. That's not to say that Tom Winter doesn't take the illness seriously, because he does, it just isn't front and centre of the book; it isn't the main focus.
Saying that, I don't think there is a main focus, other than the lives of twins Jack and Meredith falling apart at the seams.
There is a fair bit going on within the storyline - I won't go in to detail as I don't want to spoil it for future readers - but each member of the family has their own individual plot. Even though a lot is going on, the story doesn't feel like a huge amount is being compressed in to a small space, it fits perfectly well and isn't overwhelming.
The Characters
The characters within Arms Wide Open could be seen as stereotypical, however, for the most part, they have some unique quirk or trait that sets them apart from the atypical; for example, Meredith's obsession with plants, Luke's need to capture things. It's interesting because the quirks they have are in fact what is getting them through the tough times they are facing.
Jack and Meredith's mother plays a huge part in the trials and tribulations that take place. The dynamics between mother and children is immediately laid out for us from the get go, but by revisiting the past a depth is given to them which heightens the story.
Arms Wide Open is a book very much driven by characters.
The Writing
Written in third person, the way in which the story pans out felt very cinematic to me. In the opening chapter each section starts by stating who it pertains to (i.e. Meredith, Jack etc) and throughout the book things such as 'Later that evening', 'Twenty minutes later' or even 'Meanwhile in Surrey' are often mentioned. These, along with the cuts to and from the past and present made me feel like something was unfolding before my eyes, not just words. It seems like such a small detail, but perhaps if you've read Arms Wide Open, or do read it in the future, that will make more sense.
Tom Winter writes with wit, but at the same time incorporates compassion and sadness in to the story, these elements aren't easily combined but the author makes it work. Another thing Tom Winter makes work is the way in which he writes realistically; this could be somebody's everyday life.
Final Thoughts
I wasn't sure what to expect going in to Arms Wide Open, Tom Winter being a new to me author, but I enjoyed it and would love to read his debut novel, Lost & Found.
First published on my blog - http://www.lifesopenpages.blogspot.co.uk
August 6, 2016
I had never come across Tom Winter before being offered this title to review by a readers panel that I am on. In fact I doubt I would have chosen to read this book myself so I am grateful I was given this opportunity because it is an extremely poignant read. Dementia is at the heart of this novel and it is dealt with through humour as well as sensitivity. Written in language that is clear, succinct and so expressive that even though it is a traumatic subject the author is writing about he manages to lighten the story in a humorous way. In fact this heart moving novel impacted on me so much that when shortly after finishing the novel I came across an initiative called 'Dementia Friends' I was inspired to find out more.
The protagonists of the story are forty three year old non identical twins Jack and Meredith, whose worlds are currently crumbling around them. Meredith is not coping at all well with the break up of her marriage leaving her to deal alone with teenage offspring. The children Jemima and Luke also have problems undoubtedly not helped by the fact that their father has gone off with another woman. Jemima is playing a dangerous game on-line and her brother is being bullied at school. Unfortunately Meredith is too traumatised by her failed marriage to cope with much else apart from diligently visiting her own mother in a local nursing home and her father's grave.
It is her twin Jack that shakes up life for them all somewhat when he suddenly starts to spend more time with his sister, niece and nephew when his own high flying life style starts to crumble around him. Seeking solace from each other the trauma in their lives seems to escalate as they not only discover by chance that the father they thought was dead may not be so. However with their mother sinking daily into the ever deeper depths of Dementia they do not stand much chance of finding out the truth from her.
Narrated in the present day interspersed with flashbacks from five to forty-five years the reader gradually gets a fuller picture of the twins life as they grew up. As truths are revealed the twins discover that life is not always as simple as one thinks.
Exactly what these revelations are you will have to read for yourself to find out. I can not think of anyone I would not recommend this to, certainly a good choice for book clubs as so much to discuss.
http://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogspo...
April 5, 2014
Arms Wide Open is a poignant and surprisingly sweet story of a family 'in a cyclone of turmoil', searching for meaning and connection in a world of confusion. I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review, so thank you to Corsair Books. Jack and Meredith are twins who have reached middle-age and find themselves flailing. Their mother is in a stage of advanced dementia and their father died before they were born, so that when Meredith's son offers to take a picture of Jack 'with Grandpa', he is offering to photograph a grave. In the mean time, Jack finds himself in professional free-fall and locked in loneliness while Meredith finds herself emotionally attached to the mouldering yoghurt in her fridge which is the only remnant of her errant husband. A chance encounter with a stranger by the graveside raises the possibility that their father is not dead, leaving Jack and Meredith to question all that their mother has ever told them and what their lives have meant so far.
This could very easily have been a mundane mid-life unravelling but Winter writes with a kind of detachment, giving a real sense of a family struggling to communicate. Meredith's children are searching for meaning of their own; Jemima trawls online dating sites seeking to humiliate the unwary while Luke attempts to understand people through studying their behaviour. The ways in which we interact are changing and the extent to which that alters us as people is a popular topic for discussion but this is not a novel about the evils of modern technology, rather how our attitudes to our lives can affect our outcomes. What do we want to get from life? How can we live our lives to best make sure that we reach our goals? In short, are we living with our arms open?
For my full review:
http://girlwithherheadinabook.blogspo...
This could very easily have been a mundane mid-life unravelling but Winter writes with a kind of detachment, giving a real sense of a family struggling to communicate. Meredith's children are searching for meaning of their own; Jemima trawls online dating sites seeking to humiliate the unwary while Luke attempts to understand people through studying their behaviour. The ways in which we interact are changing and the extent to which that alters us as people is a popular topic for discussion but this is not a novel about the evils of modern technology, rather how our attitudes to our lives can affect our outcomes. What do we want to get from life? How can we live our lives to best make sure that we reach our goals? In short, are we living with our arms open?
For my full review:
http://girlwithherheadinabook.blogspo...
August 27, 2014
This second novel by Tom Winter is cleverly written being both moving and in parts very, very funny. Ironically, quite serious themes such as early onset dementia, the risks of Internet dating and bullying all form part of the plot. But it is the dialogue that the quite quirky characters use when communicating with each other that turns this into a very enjoyable and entertaining reading experience. The writer’s wry observations are witty and his language is colourful and very playful. The main protagonists in the story are Jack and his twin sister Meredith who at 43 quite unexpectedly learn that their father may not in fact be dead as they were told by their mother when they were toddlers. He may in fact actually be alive because the grave the family has visited for four decades it turns out, is not his grave after all. The predicament that they are in though, is that their mother has deeply advanced dementia, so she is unable to help shed any light on the mystery. Meredith who is unhappily separated from her husband has two children, Jemima a feisty but lonely teenager and Luke an eleven year old who is wise and inquisitive well beyond his years. The novel deals with family connections, and non-connections and the support and non-support in families. The story moves smoothly back and forth in time and gradually more details about the family’s background and history are revealed. As a result the characters’ personal identities develop a roundness and fullness as we learn who they are, how and why they think as they do they and how they relate to each other. ‘Arms Wide Open’ is honest, extremely funny in parts but at the same time very poignant and thought provoking.
April 13, 2014
Arms Wide Open is a wonderful read which continues with all the trademark black humour, irony and wit that the reader came to associate with Tom Winter through his first novel, Lost and Found. It tells the story of two non-identical twins - Meredith and Jack - with a mother in the grip of early-onset dementia, a father who died before they were born and their own individual coping mechanisms for dealing with the difficult upbringing and childhood they have had, and the places they currently find themselves in life. Meredith is a recent divorcee longing for the return of her husband and Jack, a former advertising executive who has lost his creative spark and finds his career washed up.
A passing comment from a stranger at what the twins believe is their father's grave side sets them on a quest as they wonder if he really died and seek to validate to truth. They are also forced to confront the reality of living with a hereditary disease in their bloodline in the form of their mothers early-onset dementia. Throw into the mix of this dysfunctional family two teenage children of Meredith's, Jemima and Luke, an elderly neighbour, an American exchange student and the world of online dating and prepare yourself for one of the wittiest books of this year so far! I defy you to read this book without a smile frequently appearing on your face!
Tom Winter creates characters who you really do care about, a humorous plot and casts everyday life is a way which the reader can identify with. I look forward to his next book and hope this joyous read finds the audience it so deserves!
I read and reviewed this book on behalf of www.lovereading.co.uk.
A passing comment from a stranger at what the twins believe is their father's grave side sets them on a quest as they wonder if he really died and seek to validate to truth. They are also forced to confront the reality of living with a hereditary disease in their bloodline in the form of their mothers early-onset dementia. Throw into the mix of this dysfunctional family two teenage children of Meredith's, Jemima and Luke, an elderly neighbour, an American exchange student and the world of online dating and prepare yourself for one of the wittiest books of this year so far! I defy you to read this book without a smile frequently appearing on your face!
Tom Winter creates characters who you really do care about, a humorous plot and casts everyday life is a way which the reader can identify with. I look forward to his next book and hope this joyous read finds the audience it so deserves!
I read and reviewed this book on behalf of www.lovereading.co.uk.
February 26, 2014
I was sent this as a pre-publication copy from www.love reading.co.uk. to review. It will be published in April.
I loved Tom Winter's first book and was looking forward to reading this, his second book. After 70 pages I was so depressed by this family that if it hadn't been a review copy I would have given up at this point. I'm so glad I didn't.
This is a story of a dysfunctional family; Meredith the mother, whose husband left her months ago but still expecting him to come home. Jack her twin brother, rich but unemployed. Jemima the 15 year old daughter who is going on-line pretending to be 20+. Luke the son bullied on a daily basis at school. There is also the twins mother and next door neighbour both suffering from dementia.
A series of flash-backs shows the background of Meredith and Jack and you come to know how they got where they are. Their mother was a horror, but as the story unfolds you realise that circumstances made her what she became. I even felt some sympathy for her. They are also looking for their father whom they never knew and were told is dead. In some ways they are all looking for love and in the wrong places.
It is well written, sympathetically handled, with characters struggling with circumstances beyond their control.
I loved Tom Winter's first book and was looking forward to reading this, his second book. After 70 pages I was so depressed by this family that if it hadn't been a review copy I would have given up at this point. I'm so glad I didn't.
This is a story of a dysfunctional family; Meredith the mother, whose husband left her months ago but still expecting him to come home. Jack her twin brother, rich but unemployed. Jemima the 15 year old daughter who is going on-line pretending to be 20+. Luke the son bullied on a daily basis at school. There is also the twins mother and next door neighbour both suffering from dementia.
A series of flash-backs shows the background of Meredith and Jack and you come to know how they got where they are. Their mother was a horror, but as the story unfolds you realise that circumstances made her what she became. I even felt some sympathy for her. They are also looking for their father whom they never knew and were told is dead. In some ways they are all looking for love and in the wrong places.
It is well written, sympathetically handled, with characters struggling with circumstances beyond their control.
October 7, 2024
Far from being identical, twins Jack and Meredith are very different characters and have been living vastly separate lives. Jack has his successful advertising company while Meredith's life revolves around her children and her Mum, now chronically disabled with a genetic dementia that may come to them both. However, a chance meeting tells them that the grave they have always known as that of their father can be no such thing; their lives are drawn closer and they now face an uncertain future together.
The author has created some distinct and interesting characters, particularly in the central family. Although they may not be absolutely believable, they do offer opportunities for a series of incidents and some humorous writing. It is light reading, despite the underlying seriousness of many of the actions. The narrative conceit of telling the main story chronologically but having flashbacks that go back ever deeper in time is an interesting one although I suspect more might have been made of it.
Reread in 2023 for the same book group (although mostly different members). I pretty much concur with my earlier thoughts about this book. Some interesting characterisation and intriguing twists in the narrative. Enjoyable despite the sometimes dark shades.
The author has created some distinct and interesting characters, particularly in the central family. Although they may not be absolutely believable, they do offer opportunities for a series of incidents and some humorous writing. It is light reading, despite the underlying seriousness of many of the actions. The narrative conceit of telling the main story chronologically but having flashbacks that go back ever deeper in time is an interesting one although I suspect more might have been made of it.
Reread in 2023 for the same book group (although mostly different members). I pretty much concur with my earlier thoughts about this book. Some interesting characterisation and intriguing twists in the narrative. Enjoyable despite the sometimes dark shades.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2014
I was given this book by http://www.lovereading.co.uk/ for an honest review.
This was the second book of Tom Winters I have read and the previous one Lost and Found was such a good read I was worried this would be a let down but no this was equally as good.
The book centres around Meredith who is the mother of twins Luke and Jemima and also her twin brother Jack. Merediths husband has left for a younger model and she can't move on. Jemima has many 'boyfriends' over the internet and she has some interesting ideas about how they should show thier loyalty. Luke sees himself as a young Damien Hurst and has to hide the dead animals but really can't see the problem with them.Underlying all this it seems the grave Meredith has been putting flowers on for the father who died before she was born was not actually her father and Jack takes it on himself to find their real dad.Throw in the mix the elderly lady next door who thinks the war is still on and you have a great book.
This was the second book of Tom Winters I have read and the previous one Lost and Found was such a good read I was worried this would be a let down but no this was equally as good.
The book centres around Meredith who is the mother of twins Luke and Jemima and also her twin brother Jack. Merediths husband has left for a younger model and she can't move on. Jemima has many 'boyfriends' over the internet and she has some interesting ideas about how they should show thier loyalty. Luke sees himself as a young Damien Hurst and has to hide the dead animals but really can't see the problem with them.Underlying all this it seems the grave Meredith has been putting flowers on for the father who died before she was born was not actually her father and Jack takes it on himself to find their real dad.Throw in the mix the elderly lady next door who thinks the war is still on and you have a great book.
May 3, 2014
This is the first book I have been sent to review. The burb made it sound really interesting but I struggled to complete it and would not have bothered to do so had I not committed myself to read and review it!! The whole storyline of the novel was so highly improbable and over descriptive e.g. 'she shovels some Brussels sprouts onto his plate, their flesh yielding a little too much to the spoon'- Oh please, does the author need to throw in phrases like that for effect in almost every paragraph? The characters were pathetic and unlikeable; the only decent one being the dog.
I'm afraid, on this example of his work, Tom Winter is not an author I will be seeking out in the future. I cannot understand why others on this site have rated it so highly; they must be easily pleased. The book reminded me of Mark Haddon's Red House -another example of self absorbed twaddle after such an excellent first novel.
I prefer something with more 'bite' and intelligence.
I'm afraid, on this example of his work, Tom Winter is not an author I will be seeking out in the future. I cannot understand why others on this site have rated it so highly; they must be easily pleased. The book reminded me of Mark Haddon's Red House -another example of self absorbed twaddle after such an excellent first novel.
I prefer something with more 'bite' and intelligence.
May 8, 2014
I was sent a copy of this through Goodreads as a giveaway. It is not an author that I was familiar with, but was willing to give it a read. I am grateful to have been given the chance to read it.
I felt it was very slow to start and was finding the characters a bit difficult to like, however I persevered and the second half of the book was more enjoyable. Going back and forth between past and present was a bit annoying but it was necessary to understand what the past had to do with the present circumstances. It was emotional at times and on occasions quite humorous. One of the characters is in the early stages of dementia, which was dealt with in a sensitive manner (and struck a note with me from personal experience). I think Jack was my favourite character.
I felt it was very slow to start and was finding the characters a bit difficult to like, however I persevered and the second half of the book was more enjoyable. Going back and forth between past and present was a bit annoying but it was necessary to understand what the past had to do with the present circumstances. It was emotional at times and on occasions quite humorous. One of the characters is in the early stages of dementia, which was dealt with in a sensitive manner (and struck a note with me from personal experience). I think Jack was my favourite character.
April 7, 2014
Arms Wide Open
I was very pleased to receive this book from goodreads.com First Reads.
It is a very acutely observed story of a family with problems. It is written very humorously, but there is a deeper, darker undercurrent.
I particularly loved the scenes involving either one or both of the children, and found myself getting rather worried about Jemima's online activities. However, Uncle Jack came to the rescue.
I wasn't too sure, however, what to make of Meredith.
All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable book which I would recommend to anyone.
I was very pleased to receive this book from goodreads.com First Reads.
It is a very acutely observed story of a family with problems. It is written very humorously, but there is a deeper, darker undercurrent.
I particularly loved the scenes involving either one or both of the children, and found myself getting rather worried about Jemima's online activities. However, Uncle Jack came to the rescue.
I wasn't too sure, however, what to make of Meredith.
All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable book which I would recommend to anyone.
April 8, 2014
I received this book as p[art of Good Reads First Reads
Jack and meridith are non identical twins - different in every possible way
Meridith has taken to gardening after her husband left her for another woman and Jack has a posh car and seems to have sailed though life thus far
However, at 43 it seems life is about to change for both of them. They will both need to confront their pasts in order to change their futures
A book that keeps you turning the pages to see what happens to Jack and Meridith - the author has mapped out their lives fantastically
Jack and meridith are non identical twins - different in every possible way
Meridith has taken to gardening after her husband left her for another woman and Jack has a posh car and seems to have sailed though life thus far
However, at 43 it seems life is about to change for both of them. They will both need to confront their pasts in order to change their futures
A book that keeps you turning the pages to see what happens to Jack and Meridith - the author has mapped out their lives fantastically
May 24, 2014
This is a great read, Im on the last few chapters and really keen to see where it all ends,
Its a very well written book as well. Chapters aren't too long and that keeps it interesting.
Love the characters and have laughed and despaired for them.
Cant recommended highly enough and I'm going to see what else Tom Winter has written and buy them.
Excellent !
Its a very well written book as well. Chapters aren't too long and that keeps it interesting.
Love the characters and have laughed and despaired for them.
Cant recommended highly enough and I'm going to see what else Tom Winter has written and buy them.
Excellent !
April 6, 2014
I found the book to be a slow start, but once "up and running" it was an enjoyable read. I am grateful to Goodreads for sending me a proof copy.
There is a lot of emotion involved within the family, but occasional humour.
I would recommend the book to anyone, as long as you persevere through the opening pages
There is a lot of emotion involved within the family, but occasional humour.
I would recommend the book to anyone, as long as you persevere through the opening pages
March 25, 2015
A surprisingly good read considering the rather dark topics of early onset dementia, bullying and online sexual predators. This novel had some great characters and was written with a light and skilful hand. Although not a roaringly "funny" book there were some very amusing little scenes and one-liners.
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