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When It Happens To You
When it happens to you, you will be surprised. That thing they say about how you knew all the time, but just weren't facing it? That might be the case, but nevertheless, there you will be.
Molly Ringwald mines the complexities of modern relationships in this gripping and nuanced collection of interlinked stories. Writing with a deep compassion for human imperfection, Ringwald follows a Los Angeles family and their friends and neighbors while they negotiate the hazardous terrain of everyday life—revealing the deceptions, heartbreak, and vulnerability familiar to us all.
In "The Harvest Moon," a stay-at-home mom grapples with age, infertility, and an increasingly distant husband. In "Ursa Minor," a former children's television star tries to rebuild his life after being hospitalized for "exhaustion." An elderly woman mourns the loss of her husband and her estranged relationship with her daughter in "The Little One." In "My Olivia," a single mother finds untapped reserves of strength to protect her flamboyant six-year-old son who wishes only to wear dresses and be addressed as Olivia. And in the devastating title story, a betrayed wife chronicles her pain and alienation, leading to an eviscerating denouement.
As the lives of these characters converge and diverge in unexpected ways, Ringwald reveals a startling eye for the universality of loss, love, and the search for connection. An unflinching yet poignant examination of the intricacies of the human heart, When It Happens to You is an auspicious literary debut.
Molly Ringwald mines the complexities of modern relationships in this gripping and nuanced collection of interlinked stories. Writing with a deep compassion for human imperfection, Ringwald follows a Los Angeles family and their friends and neighbors while they negotiate the hazardous terrain of everyday life—revealing the deceptions, heartbreak, and vulnerability familiar to us all.
In "The Harvest Moon," a stay-at-home mom grapples with age, infertility, and an increasingly distant husband. In "Ursa Minor," a former children's television star tries to rebuild his life after being hospitalized for "exhaustion." An elderly woman mourns the loss of her husband and her estranged relationship with her daughter in "The Little One." In "My Olivia," a single mother finds untapped reserves of strength to protect her flamboyant six-year-old son who wishes only to wear dresses and be addressed as Olivia. And in the devastating title story, a betrayed wife chronicles her pain and alienation, leading to an eviscerating denouement.
As the lives of these characters converge and diverge in unexpected ways, Ringwald reveals a startling eye for the universality of loss, love, and the search for connection. An unflinching yet poignant examination of the intricacies of the human heart, When It Happens to You is an auspicious literary debut.
403 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2012
243 people are currently reading
6575 people want to read
About the author
Molly Ringwald
15 books231 followersMolly Kathleen Ringwald is an American actress, singer, dancer and author. Having appeared in the John Hughes films Sixteen Candles (1984), The Breakfast Club (1985), and Pretty in Pink (1986), Ringwald is part of the "Brat Pack" and has been called the greatest teen star of all time. She has also played Anne Juergens in the ABC Family show The Secret Life of the American Teenager.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 891 reviews
June 15, 2012
Full disclosure: my wife wrote this book. That said, I think it's a tremendous feat of storytelling. I loved the interconnectedness of the narratives, the way that events are reintroduced later from a different vantage, and how these perspectival shifts reinforce themes of complexity and even opacity (both narratively and emotionally). This is a world where nothing is simple, and yet it's not a freewheeling all-is-permitted place: there are real and heavy consequences, and watching the characters make their way through this difficult, complicated landscape was a heartbreaking pleasure.
December 6, 2012
I put off reading this book because I made the erroneous assumption that Molly Ringwald is the same girl as the actress in the 80's, still riding her wave of notoriety by trying her hand at writing a novel which inevitably will be bad. She's an actress, after all. Not a writer.
Here is my public apology. I wrongly pigeon holed the author, making the pious and hypocritical assumption that she was one dimensional. Assuming that, unlike me, she hadn't grown and tapped into her different gifts and developed surprising facets in her life. I am particularly guilty because I saw her in one episode of Medium where she played the character of blind woman. All the trappings of Molly Ringwald remained in her physical presence; red hair, pretty smile, big eyes, but as I watched the episode, I forgot Pretty In Pink and saw only a blind woman, plagued with trying to convince Lee that she was, in fact, being watched. Molly who?
It turns out that Molly Ringwald is a master of observation and articulation. She not only translates feelings and characters via acting but also through writing. Although the book is a conglomeration of short stories, the book is essentially telling the same story but at different time periods throughout a year, involving different characters and exploring relationships, the demise of some, the reunification of others, tying together all of the loose ends at the end.
The most prominent character in the book is Greta, the thirty-something year old woman consumed with conceiving another child. Already the mother of one daughter and married to the man she'd been with since she was 18, she had completely identified herself with her roles of homemaker, sacrificing a career to build up her husband's. Although she doesn't frame it as a sacrifice but as a free choice. I liked that. At the end of this story, the reader has put together the clues but Greta is still uncertain for why her husband is crying and apologizing.
The next story is a few months later. Phillip and Greta have been separated since she discovered his infidelities. The stories toggle between the two points of view but interspersed with the introduction of different characters and perspectives of motherhood, parenting, and marriage.
What is exceptional about the book is the way the author expresses in precise articulation the feelings and thoughts of each of them. Halfway through the book is the short story called "When It Happens to You." I wish I could quote it all because it is incredibly perceptive, insightful, and heart wrenching.
Here is my public apology. I wrongly pigeon holed the author, making the pious and hypocritical assumption that she was one dimensional. Assuming that, unlike me, she hadn't grown and tapped into her different gifts and developed surprising facets in her life. I am particularly guilty because I saw her in one episode of Medium where she played the character of blind woman. All the trappings of Molly Ringwald remained in her physical presence; red hair, pretty smile, big eyes, but as I watched the episode, I forgot Pretty In Pink and saw only a blind woman, plagued with trying to convince Lee that she was, in fact, being watched. Molly who?
It turns out that Molly Ringwald is a master of observation and articulation. She not only translates feelings and characters via acting but also through writing. Although the book is a conglomeration of short stories, the book is essentially telling the same story but at different time periods throughout a year, involving different characters and exploring relationships, the demise of some, the reunification of others, tying together all of the loose ends at the end.
The most prominent character in the book is Greta, the thirty-something year old woman consumed with conceiving another child. Already the mother of one daughter and married to the man she'd been with since she was 18, she had completely identified herself with her roles of homemaker, sacrificing a career to build up her husband's. Although she doesn't frame it as a sacrifice but as a free choice. I liked that. At the end of this story, the reader has put together the clues but Greta is still uncertain for why her husband is crying and apologizing.
The next story is a few months later. Phillip and Greta have been separated since she discovered his infidelities. The stories toggle between the two points of view but interspersed with the introduction of different characters and perspectives of motherhood, parenting, and marriage.
What is exceptional about the book is the way the author expresses in precise articulation the feelings and thoughts of each of them. Halfway through the book is the short story called "When It Happens to You." I wish I could quote it all because it is incredibly perceptive, insightful, and heart wrenching.
The girl who will give him back this illusion of vitality for a short time will not think of your children or your marriage. She will not consider the lovely years that you spent together with him. Why would she? She wasn't there when you both laughed your way through your wedding with a pure and nervous joy. She wasn't there when you both waited for your first child to be born. When he held your hand and told you how the contractions were coming, with the seriousness of a boy. . . She wasn't there when you held him upright at his father's funeral and then at his mother's only weeks later. Or for the vacations, alone at first and then with the children. Or the holidays.
When it happens to you, you will ask him why he would choose to forsake this good, sweet life that you carefully built together for a girl who couldn't begin to understand him. And then you will realize that that is at least partially the point. He doesn't want to be understood. He wants to be misunderstood because in that misunderstanding lies the possibility of reinvention.
You will go to therapy and strive to find your part in it. Your complicity. You will nod when the therapist tells you that if you do the work, you can have the marriage you always dreamed of. But I had the marriage I always dreamed of, you'll tell her. No, she will assure you. You only thought you did. You will try to make sense of this "hall of mirrors" way of looking at your life. Mostly, you will just miss the marriage that you had but didn't have.
When it happens to you, you will wonder if he loved her. He will assure you that he did not, that it wasn't about love. He will tell you that it was about something else entirely. But even in your quietest moments together, he will be unable to specify what that something else was. He will honestly seem as confused as you, even to the point of bewilderment.Very well written book. Highly recommend, particularly to both men and women who have been married for a few years.
August 15, 2012
This is not a bad book but it's not a good or great book either. The writing is competent. There are some nice sentences and moments throughout and with a great editor, this book could become so much more. There's not enough that makes this book special or inspired. It's a novel in stories about a couple struggling the way many couples do--infidelity, infertility, ennui. There are family tensions between a mother and daughter. Etc etc etc. There's nothing in this collection we haven't seen before. We cannot simply be impressed because the writer is a celebrity and has a solid command of the English language. I am a big fan of Ringwald and admire the ambition in this book but it fell completely flat for me. And again, the book is in need of serious editing both in terms of copy editing and developmental editing. There are many, many places where the prose would be stronger if the phrasing was leaner. Ultimately, do we need another book about a family in ordinary circumstances? Maybe, but this isn't that book.
August 28, 2024
4.5 Stars for When It Happens to You: A Novel in Stories (audiobook) by Molly Ringwald read by the author.
The author takes a close look into the lives of several families. Things are so much more complex than they seem from the outside.
The author takes a close look into the lives of several families. Things are so much more complex than they seem from the outside.
August 25, 2012
I’ve always thought that in order to be a writer of fiction, you would have to be at least a somewhat competent actor. It would make it easier to sync dialogue and gestures, to envision what it looks like to cross a room or buy an apple. That knowing how to get into character would make it easier to create a character.
It might yet be true.
This is why I had no trouble believing that Molly Ringwald, the face of 1980s teendom, might be the next big thing in fiction writing. Her debut, “When It Happens To You,” is a collection of linked short stories that circle the world of Greta, a woman in her late 30s who is about to find out that her husband Phillip is banging their daughter’s 19-year-old violin teacher. This betrayal comes at an already sticky time in their relationship. She’s all hopped up on fertility drugs and foreplay now starts with him testing the consistency of her vaginal fluids. The eight stories center on Greta and Phillip’s relationship, Greta’s strained tolerance of her mother, Phillip’s flirtation with the mother of his daughter’s regular playdate, the shamed former star of a popular childrens TV show and Greta’s widowed neighbor.
It’s true that Ringwald is writing fiction, but she’s not the next big thing.
Fiction writing is a pursuit without boundaries, like dreams. Extreme example: Martin Amis has just released that features a 15-year-old who has been seduced by his 39-year-old grandmother, a relationship he must keep hidden from his extra rowdy uncle who is preaching a thug life. It isn’t a cautionary tale about the many faces of sexual abuse: It’s a comedy. Of course that’s Martin Amis, way into the red on the spectrum, and what works in his hands won’t work in everyone’s hands. But Anne Tyler, who has mined the ordinary has done it in an interesting way. So has Tom Perrotta. Ringwald has taken no risks with this story and created lifeless characters dealing with the most cliched problems of life in 2012 in a very surface-y way. If you overheard the dramatic moments of this story while standing in line at the grocery store you’d tune it out. It’s common vanilla woes; It’s white noise.
There is one exception: The best story of the bunch is “My Olivia.” Here, finally, Ringwald lets go of the wheel of her Volvo and considers a fresh perspective: Young mother’s young son believes he is actually a girl. Nothing makes him happier than pretty dresses and his long, long hair. Marina is torn between her child’s happiness and the dangers of being a kid who is different. Here Ringwald lets her characters think. She lets bad things happen to them. She digs a little deeper and thoroughly considered the conflict.
I imagine this isn’t necessarily Ringwald’s fault that this book is missing its grit. Who wouldn’t want to be charged with Molly Ringwald’s first foray into fiction. The problem is that no one told her that these stories are first drafts. Her work isn’t bad. It just isn’t very compelling. She can do it. “My Olivia” proves that. She’s just going to have to dig a little deeper.
It might yet be true.
This is why I had no trouble believing that Molly Ringwald, the face of 1980s teendom, might be the next big thing in fiction writing. Her debut, “When It Happens To You,” is a collection of linked short stories that circle the world of Greta, a woman in her late 30s who is about to find out that her husband Phillip is banging their daughter’s 19-year-old violin teacher. This betrayal comes at an already sticky time in their relationship. She’s all hopped up on fertility drugs and foreplay now starts with him testing the consistency of her vaginal fluids. The eight stories center on Greta and Phillip’s relationship, Greta’s strained tolerance of her mother, Phillip’s flirtation with the mother of his daughter’s regular playdate, the shamed former star of a popular childrens TV show and Greta’s widowed neighbor.
It’s true that Ringwald is writing fiction, but she’s not the next big thing.
Fiction writing is a pursuit without boundaries, like dreams. Extreme example: Martin Amis has just released that features a 15-year-old who has been seduced by his 39-year-old grandmother, a relationship he must keep hidden from his extra rowdy uncle who is preaching a thug life. It isn’t a cautionary tale about the many faces of sexual abuse: It’s a comedy. Of course that’s Martin Amis, way into the red on the spectrum, and what works in his hands won’t work in everyone’s hands. But Anne Tyler, who has mined the ordinary has done it in an interesting way. So has Tom Perrotta. Ringwald has taken no risks with this story and created lifeless characters dealing with the most cliched problems of life in 2012 in a very surface-y way. If you overheard the dramatic moments of this story while standing in line at the grocery store you’d tune it out. It’s common vanilla woes; It’s white noise.
There is one exception: The best story of the bunch is “My Olivia.” Here, finally, Ringwald lets go of the wheel of her Volvo and considers a fresh perspective: Young mother’s young son believes he is actually a girl. Nothing makes him happier than pretty dresses and his long, long hair. Marina is torn between her child’s happiness and the dangers of being a kid who is different. Here Ringwald lets her characters think. She lets bad things happen to them. She digs a little deeper and thoroughly considered the conflict.
I imagine this isn’t necessarily Ringwald’s fault that this book is missing its grit. Who wouldn’t want to be charged with Molly Ringwald’s first foray into fiction. The problem is that no one told her that these stories are first drafts. Her work isn’t bad. It just isn’t very compelling. She can do it. “My Olivia” proves that. She’s just going to have to dig a little deeper.
October 27, 2012
Wow - never would have thought an 80's actress could produce such a wonderful book so completely open and filled with emotion!
I hesitated in buying this book because it described itself as a series of short stories, and I don't like short stories - I read too fast and have a hard time moving from story to story so quickly. However I didn't feel it was a collection of short stories so much as just a large cast of characters, whose lives all somewhat intertwine, almost a literary version of "Love Actually".
Ringwald nails the rage and disbelief that Greta feels when she finds out her husband, Philip, is cheating on her with their daughter's 19-year-old violin teacher, and Greta's poignant "letter" (When it Happens to You) to the adulteress is chilling in its honest truthfulness. Also Greta's insistence on hearing every detail of the affair, despite the hurt it caused her - amazing how Ringwald described it:
"And yet you will find that when it happens to you, your heart won't listen to reason. Because for all the wisdom you've accumulated up to that point, in all the years you have been alive, your heart is just a muscle like any other. Full of blood and veins, hungry for oxygen. Your heart doesn't think. Your heart is stupid. It doesn't consider the relativity of tragedy when it breaks".
I loved the way each character's story touched or connected to the others, and how you get to hear the different sides of the story from each character.
I was somewhat disappointed that the story of Oliver wasn't kept going a little longer - the way Ringwald ends it hints at what the outcome was but doesn't cement it. Still, to take on the story of a little boy who insists on wearing girls clothes and self-identifying as a girl is quite the feat, but when Ringwald does with ease.
You fall a little bit in love with each of the characters and their flaws. Definitely will be looking out for more books by Ringwald, and would definitely recommend this to other readers!
I hesitated in buying this book because it described itself as a series of short stories, and I don't like short stories - I read too fast and have a hard time moving from story to story so quickly. However I didn't feel it was a collection of short stories so much as just a large cast of characters, whose lives all somewhat intertwine, almost a literary version of "Love Actually".
Ringwald nails the rage and disbelief that Greta feels when she finds out her husband, Philip, is cheating on her with their daughter's 19-year-old violin teacher, and Greta's poignant "letter" (When it Happens to You) to the adulteress is chilling in its honest truthfulness. Also Greta's insistence on hearing every detail of the affair, despite the hurt it caused her - amazing how Ringwald described it:
"And yet you will find that when it happens to you, your heart won't listen to reason. Because for all the wisdom you've accumulated up to that point, in all the years you have been alive, your heart is just a muscle like any other. Full of blood and veins, hungry for oxygen. Your heart doesn't think. Your heart is stupid. It doesn't consider the relativity of tragedy when it breaks".
I loved the way each character's story touched or connected to the others, and how you get to hear the different sides of the story from each character.
I was somewhat disappointed that the story of Oliver wasn't kept going a little longer - the way Ringwald ends it hints at what the outcome was but doesn't cement it. Still, to take on the story of a little boy who insists on wearing girls clothes and self-identifying as a girl is quite the feat, but when Ringwald does with ease.
You fall a little bit in love with each of the characters and their flaws. Definitely will be looking out for more books by Ringwald, and would definitely recommend this to other readers!
March 11, 2013
I heard Molly Ringwald read part of one of these stories on the podcast "Authors On Tour," sponsored by the Tattered Covered book shop in Denver. While my interest was piqued and I enjoyed listening to it, I admit my skepticism over an actress/singer turned writer when I picked this up. I eat my words. These eight connected short stories made me want to drop everything, and I pretty much did, devouring this over the weekend. About a quarter of the way through, I thought about the title, When it Happens to You. Aha, I got it! The "it" being discovering your husband is having an affair; you get fired from your job because of your drug problem; when you take in your grandchild who needs to go into rehab, and his mother is too "busy" with her own life; when you admit aloud that your husband died seven years ago; when your son, Oliver, at age six insists on being called "Olivia" and dressing like a girl. And no, it's not a phase.
I love connected short stories, because with each new one you wonder when a familiar face will pop up. Ringwald carefully crafts each story and brings the reader tales of love, betrayal, and everything in between. For those who are skeptics like me, don't be; you'll be surprised too.
I love connected short stories, because with each new one you wonder when a familiar face will pop up. Ringwald carefully crafts each story and brings the reader tales of love, betrayal, and everything in between. For those who are skeptics like me, don't be; you'll be surprised too.
September 21, 2012
The literary world is literally jam-packed with books "authored" by celebrities—actors, directors, musicians, socialites, even those famous for essentially doing nothing. Clearly, many of these celebrity so-called authors are able to sell their books to publishers because of their name only, because most of their books are poorly written. But for me, there have been some celebrity surprises over the years, including Steve Martin and Steve Earle.
After reading When It Happens to You, I can unequivocally say that Molly Ringwald belongs on the short list of extremely talented celebrity authors. While I'll admit I chose to read this book partially because of the good reviews it has been receiving and partially because I'm obsessed with the 80s, especially all things Brat Pack, Ringwald's story-telling ability was apparent to me almost immediately, and I found myself quickly drawn into the book. (I'm not in the slightest bit embarrassed to admit one of the next books I plan to read is Andrew McCarthy's new book. Don't judge.)
When It Happens to You is called "a novel in stories," and each story in the book is linked, with one character, Greta, at the epicenter. When the book begins, Greta and her husband, Phillip, are struggling with fertility issues and the effects the desire to have another baby are having on their relationship. Subsequent stories, which focus on Greta and Phillip, as well as peripheral characters whose lives interact with them, touch on the drama—and trauma—of relationships. I really felt Ringwald had a deft touch in creating her characters, and their dialogue seemed authentic, not artificial.
Each of the stories is long enough to give you a sense of what is happening, but not all of them end neatly, much like life itself. In "My Olivia," the mother of one of Greta and Phillip's daughter's classmates struggles with how much she should enable the wishes of her flamboyant, six-year-old son to be treated and dressed as a girl. "The Little One" features Greta's elderly next door neighbor, as she deals with life without her husband and her estranged relationship with her daughter, as well as the fickle, quixotic visits from Greta and Phillip's young daughter, Charlotte. In "Ursa Minor," an actor who had gained fame from appearing on a children's television show (until being hospitalized for "exhaustion") ponders his waning career as well as his twin sister's relationship with her French boyfriend. But the title story packs the strongest punch, as it focuses on how a woman processes her husband's infidelity.
I've said before that the mark of a good story is one in which I wonder what happened to the characters after it ended. And there were a number of stories in this book that left me wanting more. I hope this is the start of a long writing career for Molly Ringwald, because she has the talent and the creativity to succeed. Her use of language and her ability to evoke emotions through her story-telling was masterful in a number of places.
This is definitely a must read.
After reading When It Happens to You, I can unequivocally say that Molly Ringwald belongs on the short list of extremely talented celebrity authors. While I'll admit I chose to read this book partially because of the good reviews it has been receiving and partially because I'm obsessed with the 80s, especially all things Brat Pack, Ringwald's story-telling ability was apparent to me almost immediately, and I found myself quickly drawn into the book. (I'm not in the slightest bit embarrassed to admit one of the next books I plan to read is Andrew McCarthy's new book. Don't judge.)
When It Happens to You is called "a novel in stories," and each story in the book is linked, with one character, Greta, at the epicenter. When the book begins, Greta and her husband, Phillip, are struggling with fertility issues and the effects the desire to have another baby are having on their relationship. Subsequent stories, which focus on Greta and Phillip, as well as peripheral characters whose lives interact with them, touch on the drama—and trauma—of relationships. I really felt Ringwald had a deft touch in creating her characters, and their dialogue seemed authentic, not artificial.
Each of the stories is long enough to give you a sense of what is happening, but not all of them end neatly, much like life itself. In "My Olivia," the mother of one of Greta and Phillip's daughter's classmates struggles with how much she should enable the wishes of her flamboyant, six-year-old son to be treated and dressed as a girl. "The Little One" features Greta's elderly next door neighbor, as she deals with life without her husband and her estranged relationship with her daughter, as well as the fickle, quixotic visits from Greta and Phillip's young daughter, Charlotte. In "Ursa Minor," an actor who had gained fame from appearing on a children's television show (until being hospitalized for "exhaustion") ponders his waning career as well as his twin sister's relationship with her French boyfriend. But the title story packs the strongest punch, as it focuses on how a woman processes her husband's infidelity.
I've said before that the mark of a good story is one in which I wonder what happened to the characters after it ended. And there were a number of stories in this book that left me wanting more. I hope this is the start of a long writing career for Molly Ringwald, because she has the talent and the creativity to succeed. Her use of language and her ability to evoke emotions through her story-telling was masterful in a number of places.
This is definitely a must read.
September 2, 2012
The writing style didn't impress me. Some of the pages required a dictionary for unneeded words. It is the type of writing that makes you feel the writer is a braggart - trying to impress you with her knowledge at the cost of a true emotional connection.
She also rambles quite often - dragging you away from the story at hand to describe a tree or waiter. I rolled my eyes and pushed forward.
The characters are truly loveable and relatable. This she finds success in. I especially loved the story of a little boy, Ollie, and his mother who struggles with his belief that he is a little girl. This is love. Which is why I continued to seek through the verbose writing to find more love.
Overall, a mediocre read at best. Sorry, Molly. I had very high hopes.
She also rambles quite often - dragging you away from the story at hand to describe a tree or waiter. I rolled my eyes and pushed forward.
The characters are truly loveable and relatable. This she finds success in. I especially loved the story of a little boy, Ollie, and his mother who struggles with his belief that he is a little girl. This is love. Which is why I continued to seek through the verbose writing to find more love.
Overall, a mediocre read at best. Sorry, Molly. I had very high hopes.
September 29, 2012
"It seemed to Greta that Theresa was one of those girls who spent all of her time being an imposition while obviously trying not to be an imposition. Almost everything Theresa said or did broadcast the message 'I won't take it for myself. You'll have to give it to me.'"
Molly Ringwald's debut novel is described as a novel in stories and is really a short story collection in which the characters recur from one story to another - it reminded me of Jennifer Egan's A Visit From The Goon Squad, which I disliked for its self-important and experimental nature. I much prefer Ringwald's model, in which the characters are recurring although only tenuously, but time marches forwards rather than jumping about all over the place the way it did in Goon Squad.
Without the writing ever being spectacular or showy, Ringwald repeatedly pinpoints moments of life with heartrending accuracy - Greta's desire to wear something a bit more flattering in case there are photos, Betty's grief still being so deep that she pours an extra cup of tea even though her husband hasn't been there to drink it in seven years. She writes with elegance about ageing and aimlessness, about a search for purpose and what happens when someone with extraordinary drive channels it in an unsuitable direction.
The heavy focus on relationships and adultery is perhaps to be expected in a novel about betrayal, although it does get pretty depressing. The chapters vary in strength, but that might be because a given reader will empathise with certain characters but not others. This is very much a women's book - the men are generally negatively characterised (philandering, confused or dead).
Worth a read; I found it engrossing and elegant, if somewhat disheartening.
Side note: Molly Ringwald, author, is also Molly Ringwald, teenage star of films such as The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink. Which I'm glad I didn't know before I read the book, because I think I would have judged the writing more harshly.
Molly Ringwald's debut novel is described as a novel in stories and is really a short story collection in which the characters recur from one story to another - it reminded me of Jennifer Egan's A Visit From The Goon Squad, which I disliked for its self-important and experimental nature. I much prefer Ringwald's model, in which the characters are recurring although only tenuously, but time marches forwards rather than jumping about all over the place the way it did in Goon Squad.
Without the writing ever being spectacular or showy, Ringwald repeatedly pinpoints moments of life with heartrending accuracy - Greta's desire to wear something a bit more flattering in case there are photos, Betty's grief still being so deep that she pours an extra cup of tea even though her husband hasn't been there to drink it in seven years. She writes with elegance about ageing and aimlessness, about a search for purpose and what happens when someone with extraordinary drive channels it in an unsuitable direction.
The heavy focus on relationships and adultery is perhaps to be expected in a novel about betrayal, although it does get pretty depressing. The chapters vary in strength, but that might be because a given reader will empathise with certain characters but not others. This is very much a women's book - the men are generally negatively characterised (philandering, confused or dead).
Worth a read; I found it engrossing and elegant, if somewhat disheartening.
Side note: Molly Ringwald, author, is also Molly Ringwald, teenage star of films such as The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink. Which I'm glad I didn't know before I read the book, because I think I would have judged the writing more harshly.
June 11, 2013
Received from Goodreads first reads giveaway.
When it happens to you is novel of stories about a marraige in distress. Greta and Phillip have been together for 21 years when Greta discovers that her husband has been having an affair. Some parts of the book are stronger than others. I especially liked the section "When it happens to you". I liked this book. It was good and a worthwhile read. The stories, as well as this book, do not take long to read. I found this book to be a fast read. Very easy to get through.
When it happens to you is novel of stories about a marraige in distress. Greta and Phillip have been together for 21 years when Greta discovers that her husband has been having an affair. Some parts of the book are stronger than others. I especially liked the section "When it happens to you". I liked this book. It was good and a worthwhile read. The stories, as well as this book, do not take long to read. I found this book to be a fast read. Very easy to get through.
August 4, 2012
When it Happens to You is a smart, fresh, on-the-mark “novel in stories”. In eight interrelated tales, Ringwald offers a savvy look into personal relationships in today’s society. While the stories feature contemporary themes, they come across as both modern and timeless. The main characters, Greta, Phillip, and Charlotte, are your typical American family, experiencing the same trials and triumphs that happen to families across the globe everyday. Yet experiencing these through the lens of heartbreaking and redemptive stories makes us understand their daily struggles and temptations. Much like in the Paul Haggis movie Crash, the tales and the characters are interrelated, which I totally loved and think is a major reason why this novel works. The stories could stand alone as sharp and tender life lessons, but when presented as a collective whole, the book truly stands out.
The novel comes full circle as it starts out with Greta, Phillip, and Charlotte embarking on an evening drive to watch the Harvest Moon. The conclusion of this first story serves as an appropriate allegory for the surrounding tales as each brings to light a new character to be examined, pondered, and savored. In the context of Ringwald’s quiet yet powerful language you find yourself fitting the pieces together like a puzzle, discovering how this person connects to either Greta or Phillip or Charlotte. While the basic premises are very elemental and something we can all relate to as we endure the human condition together, the linguistic usage by Ringwald is at once both charming and tragic. Embedded throughout are little nuggets of hope and surprise, and while each character’s soul is exposed with a harsh lens, there are no judgments passed. It is up to the reader to decide how they want to feel about that person. Sometimes you will feel anger. Sometimes you will feel sadness or pity. But you will not be apathetic to anyone by any means.
This book would be perfect for reading groups because the messages it brings are universal and can be related to by anyone. It is a great conversation starter because it draws on contemporary hot-button issues such as infertility, infidelity, and transgenderism. There is no debate that this book is definitely a winner. Pick up a copy and experience for yourself the literary talents of Molly Ringwald!
The novel comes full circle as it starts out with Greta, Phillip, and Charlotte embarking on an evening drive to watch the Harvest Moon. The conclusion of this first story serves as an appropriate allegory for the surrounding tales as each brings to light a new character to be examined, pondered, and savored. In the context of Ringwald’s quiet yet powerful language you find yourself fitting the pieces together like a puzzle, discovering how this person connects to either Greta or Phillip or Charlotte. While the basic premises are very elemental and something we can all relate to as we endure the human condition together, the linguistic usage by Ringwald is at once both charming and tragic. Embedded throughout are little nuggets of hope and surprise, and while each character’s soul is exposed with a harsh lens, there are no judgments passed. It is up to the reader to decide how they want to feel about that person. Sometimes you will feel anger. Sometimes you will feel sadness or pity. But you will not be apathetic to anyone by any means.
This book would be perfect for reading groups because the messages it brings are universal and can be related to by anyone. It is a great conversation starter because it draws on contemporary hot-button issues such as infertility, infidelity, and transgenderism. There is no debate that this book is definitely a winner. Pick up a copy and experience for yourself the literary talents of Molly Ringwald!
August 8, 2012
This is a series of interconnected stories, mostly centering around Greta, her husband Phillip and their daughter Charlotte. Phillip cheats on Greta, which (not surprisingly) leads them to separate. Greta isn't ready to get divorced, necessarily, but she doesn't want to be with him right now, either.
I don't generally read short stories and I probably wouldn't have picked up this book if it weren't written by Molly Ringwald. I said that to say this: this book is AMAZING. You know how there are authors who you know only get book deals because they're famous (SNOOKI)? Molly Ringwald is not that author.
Each story felt real (for lack of a better word). Greta and Phillip (and the other characters we meet) seem like people I knew, more like...well, PEOPLE...and not just words on a page.
While I was completely invested in Greta and Phillip's story, I think my favorite was "My Olivia," which is about a woman raising a son by herself. (The boy, Oliver, is Charlotte's best friend and so Phillip and Greta are in here, too.) Oliver is very young but he's determined that he was supposed to be a girl and is insistent upon being called Olivia and getting to wear dresses and scarves.
I think it's one of the most beautiful testaments to a parent's love for their child that they will allow them to be who they are, even if "who they are" isn't who the parent expects them to be. Obviously you want to protect your kids from harm (and society can surely harm you, if you're different) but there's nothing more harmful than making your kid be something they're not.
This is a gorgeous novel-in-stories. Highly recommended.
I don't generally read short stories and I probably wouldn't have picked up this book if it weren't written by Molly Ringwald. I said that to say this: this book is AMAZING. You know how there are authors who you know only get book deals because they're famous (SNOOKI)? Molly Ringwald is not that author.
Each story felt real (for lack of a better word). Greta and Phillip (and the other characters we meet) seem like people I knew, more like...well, PEOPLE...and not just words on a page.
While I was completely invested in Greta and Phillip's story, I think my favorite was "My Olivia," which is about a woman raising a son by herself. (The boy, Oliver, is Charlotte's best friend and so Phillip and Greta are in here, too.) Oliver is very young but he's determined that he was supposed to be a girl and is insistent upon being called Olivia and getting to wear dresses and scarves.
I think it's one of the most beautiful testaments to a parent's love for their child that they will allow them to be who they are, even if "who they are" isn't who the parent expects them to be. Obviously you want to protect your kids from harm (and society can surely harm you, if you're different) but there's nothing more harmful than making your kid be something they're not.
This is a gorgeous novel-in-stories. Highly recommended.
December 4, 2012
I read this one back in October--a book club pick. I was initially intrigued by the premise: a novel told in short stories (meaning, the stories/characters in the short stories are linked.) I had hesitations after reading the first story, about a thirty-something stay-at-home mom who finds out that her husband is having an affair with their daughter's (much younger, naturally) violin teacher. I felt like that set-up has been used as a device a lot in women's fiction, to start the heroine on a journey in which she re-evaluates her life, reclaims the things she's lost "of herself" as a stay-at-home mom and wife, etc., etc, and, of course, along the way she hooks up with a younger, attractive man who helps rebuild her confidence.
And without giving too much away, I wouldn't say that this book strays very much from that plot... But something about this book was compelling nevertheless, and I think it's because all of the stories and characters rang very "true." There was one story in particular--about a single mom and her young son that I found very touching. Even the cheating husband storyline, which bookends the novel, was interesting because the emotions captured felt real and genuine. I'm not sure I necessarily agreed with the heroine's decision at the end of the story, but I understood her journey and how *she* got there.
All in all, a quick, interesting read, and one that generated a lot of book club discussion.
And without giving too much away, I wouldn't say that this book strays very much from that plot... But something about this book was compelling nevertheless, and I think it's because all of the stories and characters rang very "true." There was one story in particular--about a single mom and her young son that I found very touching. Even the cheating husband storyline, which bookends the novel, was interesting because the emotions captured felt real and genuine. I'm not sure I necessarily agreed with the heroine's decision at the end of the story, but I understood her journey and how *she* got there.
All in all, a quick, interesting read, and one that generated a lot of book club discussion.
March 23, 2013
I’ve never seen any of her movies, but apparently Molly Ringwald is a pretty famous actress. So imagine my surprise when I found out she was a writer too. I would have never known about this book if one of my infidelity participants hadn’t recommended it to me, but I enjoyed When It Happens to You. Her characters are so honest. Even in my research with women, no one spoke about their feelings, resentments, regrets, and disappointments as honestly and poignantly as Ringwald’s characters. “When It Happens to You” is the most powerful chapter. Hearts are on the page here.
In terms of the structure, I liked anticipating how each story would connect but I don’t think it would have been sustainable as a traditional novel, at least not from the perspective of the main couple. I wish Theresa had gotten to speak in her own words, and I’m not sure why the story about Marina was as long as it was. I mean, I was heart broken by the hate crime committed against a six year old. I have no idea how I would have reacted. It’s an amazing story, but it stalled the plot as opposed to advancing it. I was also a bit annoyed that the stories weren’t chronological. I got over it, though. Overall, I dug the book. I recommend it.
In terms of the structure, I liked anticipating how each story would connect but I don’t think it would have been sustainable as a traditional novel, at least not from the perspective of the main couple. I wish Theresa had gotten to speak in her own words, and I’m not sure why the story about Marina was as long as it was. I mean, I was heart broken by the hate crime committed against a six year old. I have no idea how I would have reacted. It’s an amazing story, but it stalled the plot as opposed to advancing it. I was also a bit annoyed that the stories weren’t chronological. I got over it, though. Overall, I dug the book. I recommend it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2017
Oh god, what a slog this audiobook was. Usually have pretty low standards for light audiobooks that occupy my mind while I commute and do chores. I thought Ringwald's familiar voice would make this one enjoyable. Nope!
I just couldn't bring myself to care about these obnoxious rich white people and their fucked up relationships. Usually I love interwoven short stories, but that's because usually I care about the characters and am excited to see them from different angles. That was not the case here; it rung false and hollow and boring.
I do have to give Ringwald some credit for the parts of this book that deal with kids. But these few meaningful moments were overshadowed by hours of boring, told-not-shown musings about rich parties and affairs and other bullshit that I do not care about. at all.
I just couldn't bring myself to care about these obnoxious rich white people and their fucked up relationships. Usually I love interwoven short stories, but that's because usually I care about the characters and am excited to see them from different angles. That was not the case here; it rung false and hollow and boring.
I do have to give Ringwald some credit for the parts of this book that deal with kids. But these few meaningful moments were overshadowed by hours of boring, told-not-shown musings about rich parties and affairs and other bullshit that I do not care about. at all.
August 13, 2016
I admit it, I picked this up because I have been a Molly Ringwald fangirl since the 80s. So it was no small surprise that I really enjoyed When It Happens To You. Ringwald calls it a novel in stories, and I can see how that is true. The narrative does not follow one character straight through time, and truthfully each chapter could be read independently. But other than that, it has all the features of a novel. The characters are all related to one another and their individual stories come together to describe one family drama: that of a marriage falling apart. But the book is really about how each character is affected, what it means for them individually and in relationship to one another, and how it ties their pasts to their futures across place and time. Definitely a character-driven book, there may be more introspection than some readers will enjoy. But if you appreciate explorations of family dynamics and identity in contemporary settings, you may enjoy this book as much as I did.
November 10, 2012
I love the brat pack movies. My curiousity was piqued when I heard about Molly Ringwald's debut novel. So many celebrities write crappy books. Fortunately, Ringwald is not one of them. "When It Happens to You" is a collection of short stories, where characters overlap and are remotely connected, coming full circle at the end. Think 7 degrees of Kevin Bacon, another 80s icon. "My Olivia" tells the story about a mother's love for her child, and her concern about their gender identity. "The Harvest Moon" tells the ageless saga of infidelity, and the heartbreak it ignites.
Well written, cohesive and a quick, enjoyable read.
Well written, cohesive and a quick, enjoyable read.
July 8, 2025
I should preface this review with the following. I select audiobooks when I am driving somewhere and I generally select autobiographies. I had started John Stamos’ autobiography, but it wasn’t going to take me my whole trip so I downloaded this thinking it was Molly Ringwald’s autobiography. I also thought I’d already listened to her autobiography but figured the worst thing that would happen is I would just listen to it again. So I started what was the second half of John’s book only for it not to load. So I hit what I thought was Molly’s autobiography and I’m listening to the first few pages and it suddenly dawns on me that this was a fiction book. But I was driving and there was a storm and there wasn’t much I could do so I just listened.
The stories, and I emphasize stories, weren’t bad. Each chapter introduces some characters who are casually interwoven into each others’ chapters. But unlike The Measure, which I read recently and loved, the characters aren’t woven successfully.
Unfortunately, the main characters we meet in the first chapter and who stay with us through the end have an odd ending.
It’s almost like Molly got bored writing the book or writing about those characters and the book just ends. And because it’s an audiobook, you don’t really know how much is left so when the book ended, I was sort of stunned. I gave it three stars but that might’ve been generous.
The stories, and I emphasize stories, weren’t bad. Each chapter introduces some characters who are casually interwoven into each others’ chapters. But unlike The Measure, which I read recently and loved, the characters aren’t woven successfully.
Unfortunately, the main characters we meet in the first chapter and who stay with us through the end have an odd ending.
It’s almost like Molly got bored writing the book or writing about those characters and the book just ends. And because it’s an audiobook, you don’t really know how much is left so when the book ended, I was sort of stunned. I gave it three stars but that might’ve been generous.
December 27, 2012
I’m not a big fan of the short story, generally speaking. I’m inclined to blame it on my high-school literature classes, where they made up the bulk of what we studied, but it’s probably more because I prefer to spend more time with the characters and situations that I meet in fiction, and by definition, short stories don’t take much time. Even though it can be challenging to make time for reading anything some days, when I have that time, I usually prefer to invest it in a longer-lasting reading relationship with a novel. The increasingly popular “novel in stories” format is an excellent compromise for a reader like me. A collection as evocative and arresting as Molly Ringwald’s fiction debut, When It Happens to You, is no compromise at all.
Although they have some surface resemblance, novels with several narrators differ from linked-story fiction. In my reading experience, a “novel in (x number of) voices” is more plot-driven, constructing its narrative from several viewpoints surrounding a common situation; a “novel in stories” seems to find its more connections through a common character or setting.
The eight stories in When It Happens to You are related enough to function as chapters in Ringwald’s overall narrative, but they shift perspectives, chronology, and style enough that each could be read independently. The common element is the characters Greta and Philip, whom we encounter at a time of marital crisis; at least one of them appears in every story, although they are primary characters in just about half of them. However, with each appearance, we learn something new about them and how they are being affected by their separation, sometimes seeing it through their effects on the relatives, friends, and neighbors who take the central roles in the other stories.
The other qualities that link Ringwald’s stories are their emotional honest, their vivid characterization...and just how well they’re written. I don’t think I was surprised by that, exactly, but I was impressed, and thoroughly drawn in.
Ringwald’s first book, the "illustrated self-help memoir" Getting the Pretty Back, was a surprising look at turning forty from a woman who, thanks to several iconic movies she made with writer/director John Hughes during the 1980’s, represented adolescence to millions. She’s obviously left her teens long behind, however; her fiction is the product of a mature, deeply thoughtful writer. When It Happens to You feels very accomplished for first fiction, and makes me curious to see what the future holds for Molly Ringwald, actor and author.
Although they have some surface resemblance, novels with several narrators differ from linked-story fiction. In my reading experience, a “novel in (x number of) voices” is more plot-driven, constructing its narrative from several viewpoints surrounding a common situation; a “novel in stories” seems to find its more connections through a common character or setting.
The eight stories in When It Happens to You are related enough to function as chapters in Ringwald’s overall narrative, but they shift perspectives, chronology, and style enough that each could be read independently. The common element is the characters Greta and Philip, whom we encounter at a time of marital crisis; at least one of them appears in every story, although they are primary characters in just about half of them. However, with each appearance, we learn something new about them and how they are being affected by their separation, sometimes seeing it through their effects on the relatives, friends, and neighbors who take the central roles in the other stories.
The other qualities that link Ringwald’s stories are their emotional honest, their vivid characterization...and just how well they’re written. I don’t think I was surprised by that, exactly, but I was impressed, and thoroughly drawn in.
Ringwald’s first book, the "illustrated self-help memoir" Getting the Pretty Back, was a surprising look at turning forty from a woman who, thanks to several iconic movies she made with writer/director John Hughes during the 1980’s, represented adolescence to millions. She’s obviously left her teens long behind, however; her fiction is the product of a mature, deeply thoughtful writer. When It Happens to You feels very accomplished for first fiction, and makes me curious to see what the future holds for Molly Ringwald, actor and author.
December 7, 2012
As a child of the 1980s, it’s difficult not to root for Molly Ringwald – after all, every movie released between 1986 and 1989 taught us to do just that. And it’s proof that we’re raising our son correctly that, when he saw me reading this, he knew her as “Molly” from the first season of The Facts of Life. Still, no matter how much goodwill you may have for Molly Ringwald, this “novel in stories,” while it has some decent moments and one good story (the title story), is not particularly good.
The stories here revolve around the marriage and separation of one couple living in Los Angeles, but unfortunately, they’re the least interesting characters in the book. Fortunately, Ringwald broadens her horizons by writing stories from the perspective of family members, rebound flings, and friends, but almost all of the stories suffer from a similar structure, in which a narrator walks around and thinks for long, uninterrupted stretches about his or her past. The writing is fairly average, and the insights feel well-worn and somewhat perfunctory – a married couple yearns wistfully for the freedom of their pre-child years, a housewife wonders if she should have given up on a graduate program for her husband, etc. It is about as interesting as most stories you have heard about people walking around a gardening center or other location while thinking.
The highlight of the novel is its biggest break from its form: the title story, written in the second person, a bitter recrimination detailing how it will go when “your” marriage falls apart. It’s brief (six pages), powerful, and far better than everything that surrounds it. “My Olivia,” a story told from the perspective of a parent of a single child suffering intense gender confusion, is another bright spot (and a welcome break from the tiresome marital woes), and shows that Ringwald’s capable of writing tenderly and empathetically, particularly where children are involved. For example, the main couple’s child, Charlotte, is better written and far more interesting than either of her parents.
Ultimately, however, there are too few of these rewarding moments to make this a particularly noteworthy debut. It’s still better than you’d assume a book by a celebrity would be, and Ringwald manages to be likeable in yet another medium, but this collection is pretty average and forgettable.
The stories here revolve around the marriage and separation of one couple living in Los Angeles, but unfortunately, they’re the least interesting characters in the book. Fortunately, Ringwald broadens her horizons by writing stories from the perspective of family members, rebound flings, and friends, but almost all of the stories suffer from a similar structure, in which a narrator walks around and thinks for long, uninterrupted stretches about his or her past. The writing is fairly average, and the insights feel well-worn and somewhat perfunctory – a married couple yearns wistfully for the freedom of their pre-child years, a housewife wonders if she should have given up on a graduate program for her husband, etc. It is about as interesting as most stories you have heard about people walking around a gardening center or other location while thinking.
The highlight of the novel is its biggest break from its form: the title story, written in the second person, a bitter recrimination detailing how it will go when “your” marriage falls apart. It’s brief (six pages), powerful, and far better than everything that surrounds it. “My Olivia,” a story told from the perspective of a parent of a single child suffering intense gender confusion, is another bright spot (and a welcome break from the tiresome marital woes), and shows that Ringwald’s capable of writing tenderly and empathetically, particularly where children are involved. For example, the main couple’s child, Charlotte, is better written and far more interesting than either of her parents.
Ultimately, however, there are too few of these rewarding moments to make this a particularly noteworthy debut. It’s still better than you’d assume a book by a celebrity would be, and Ringwald manages to be likeable in yet another medium, but this collection is pretty average and forgettable.
January 13, 2021
Halfway through the book, I was impressed that the writing was as strong as it was, but I was worried that the story pieces were taking too long in coming together to complete the whole. I felt it would be a 3-star story that I'd really want to give 4 stars just because I'm a fan of Molly Ringwald.
But when I reached the chapter from which the book gets its name, I realized, no, this is a solid story, well told, regardless of who the author is. The writing is thoughtful, wistful and perceptive and offers a realistic take on the dissolution of a marriage, as well as the hope that not all damage is permanent.
But when I reached the chapter from which the book gets its name, I realized, no, this is a solid story, well told, regardless of who the author is. The writing is thoughtful, wistful and perceptive and offers a realistic take on the dissolution of a marriage, as well as the hope that not all damage is permanent.
August 12, 2013
Well, I'll be damned. Molly Ringwald can write!
The vignettes, as well as the overall narrative, are well constructed. Her prose is spare and lovely. And I think she has a lot of insight into people.
However--
It's a book about marriage and children. So I can't say I personally connected with it. I wish an outside perspective had been represented, somewhere. But that's just me.
The vignettes, as well as the overall narrative, are well constructed. Her prose is spare and lovely. And I think she has a lot of insight into people.
However--
It's a book about marriage and children. So I can't say I personally connected with it. I wish an outside perspective had been represented, somewhere. But that's just me.
September 27, 2020
It's a good book. Not more or less. Just a pleasant read. I enjoyed the flow of the text. It almost felt like reading letters.
Favorite quote from the book: "He doesn’t want to be understood. He wants to be misunderstood because in that misunderstanding lies the possibility of reinvention."
Favorite quote from the book: "He doesn’t want to be understood. He wants to be misunderstood because in that misunderstanding lies the possibility of reinvention."
June 20, 2018
There’s a part in “The Harvest Moon,” the first story in this collection of short fiction by actress Molly Ringwald, where a young girl quizzes her harried mother with a series of increasingly unpleasant scenarios, wondering if she’ll stop loving her. What if she grew spider legs? What if her face was disfigured? About this interaction, Ringwald writes, “This wasn’t a game about answers but about questions. How outrageous, unpleasant, and fearsome could we become and still be loved?” That query is “When It Happens To You” in a nutshell. These interconnected short stories - finely observed and quietly devastating - are all about the ways love binds and enriches and hurts people. “When It Happens To You” is not (NOT!) some celebrity vanity project; Ringwald is the real deal and her writing is exemplary, not compared to other famous moonlighting authors but to ALL authors. This book is superb.
FAVORITES (This is really hard because I loved each of these eight stories):
“My Olivia” - A single mother struggles with how to support her young son identifying as a girl.
“When It Happens To You” - An atom bomb of a story about all the ways infidelity can tear a person apart.
“The Little One” - An elderly woman befriends a young girl while trying to accept the death of her beloved husband.
FAVORITES (This is really hard because I loved each of these eight stories):
“My Olivia” - A single mother struggles with how to support her young son identifying as a girl.
“When It Happens To You” - An atom bomb of a story about all the ways infidelity can tear a person apart.
“The Little One” - An elderly woman befriends a young girl while trying to accept the death of her beloved husband.
July 26, 2019
4.5 stars. Molly Ringwald is an excellent storyteller. She has a unique and talented voice to say so much in not so many words. She is skilled at weaving individual stories to form a unified story. I am left feeling sad for many of the characters. I am not sure the story had an ending that wrapped up my many thoughts.
January 30, 2024
This was recommended to me and I found it very interesting. A novel told in short stories (the characters are connected in each). The main characters Greta and Philip whom we meet in the beginning are going through a marital crisis. As the next story begins we learn more about both of them and are introduced to new characters as well. A few of the stories seem to drag on, but as a whole I did like this.
September 14, 2019
I didn't know Molly was an author. The format of this novel - many different stories woven together works really well. Interesting overall topic of the novel and how it turns out.
February 9, 2024
Enjoyed during difficult period. I bought the book 2013 and only read it in 2024
January 18, 2023
I suppose I should like that, like life, it didn’t have a clearly all wrapped up end. I enjoyed the characters. The situations. I found some hard to read. Emotionally heavy. But isn’t that what a good book does?
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