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We Are Gathered
" A big-hearted and clear-eyed story of life’s biggest who to love and how best to love them…Compulsively readable and oh so worth the read."
—Heather Harpham, author of The Crooked Little Road to Semi-Ever After
YOU ARE INVITED…
To the wedding of Elizabeth and Hank. But the bride and groom are beside the point. Because, on this hot Atlanta afternoon, the people of the hour are the wedding’s (adoring, envious, resentful, hilarious) guests.
Among them, Carla, Elizabeth’s quick-witted, ugly duckling childhood best friend turned Hollywood film scout with a jaundiced view on life (and especially on weddings); Elizabeth’s great-aunt Rachel, who is navigating a no-man’s-land between cultures and identities; Elizabeth’s wheelchair-bound grandfather Albert, who considers his legacy as a man in the boardroom, but mostly in the bedroom; and Annette, the mother of the bride, reminded now of her youthful indiscretions in love.
Tender and bitingly funny, We Are Gathered pulls you in and carries you through a (dysfunctional, loving, witty, unforgettable) world and family; it is a not-to-be-missed debut from a “writer to watch” (Caroline Leavitt).
—Heather Harpham, author of The Crooked Little Road to Semi-Ever After
YOU ARE INVITED…
To the wedding of Elizabeth and Hank. But the bride and groom are beside the point. Because, on this hot Atlanta afternoon, the people of the hour are the wedding’s (adoring, envious, resentful, hilarious) guests.
Among them, Carla, Elizabeth’s quick-witted, ugly duckling childhood best friend turned Hollywood film scout with a jaundiced view on life (and especially on weddings); Elizabeth’s great-aunt Rachel, who is navigating a no-man’s-land between cultures and identities; Elizabeth’s wheelchair-bound grandfather Albert, who considers his legacy as a man in the boardroom, but mostly in the bedroom; and Annette, the mother of the bride, reminded now of her youthful indiscretions in love.
Tender and bitingly funny, We Are Gathered pulls you in and carries you through a (dysfunctional, loving, witty, unforgettable) world and family; it is a not-to-be-missed debut from a “writer to watch” (Caroline Leavitt).
- GenresFictionContemporary
288 pages, Hardcover
First published June 5, 2018
101 people are currently reading
1071 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
June 13, 2018
Friends and family take center stage at an outdoor wedding in Atlanta, Georgia, on a very hot day. Some guests are sweating. Bach cello suite is playing in the background—the bride and groom walk down the aisle, the music stops, and everything is quiet. In no time at all, everyone is clapping- the ceremony is over.
It’s not the wedding itself ( even with 18 Bridesmaids) - or Bride & Groom that linger in our thoughts when this book comes to an end.
For me - one of the strongest themes that stood out was how unattractive people are targets for cruelty. Our society has an ugly obsession with beauty.
Author Jamie Weisman cracks open our emotions quite effectively with a clan of characters letting us hear the little voice speaking to them inside their heads....their unfulfilled dreams, their apathetic thoughts, their secrets, hopes, and silent wishes.
There’s plenty of humor - and a wide variety of characters - but the deeper issues are sooooo real.....soooo powerful.....so relevant!!!!! I think I love Jamie Weisman for what she created in this novel!!!!
Here are a couple of excerpts that definitely resonated with me:
“They gave Sleeping Beauty beauty and song, and then kept her from dying from poison. I used to wonder what that third gift would have been if it hadn’t been used to mitigate Maleficent’s curse—probably grace. No needs for brains in a Disney princess”.
“I dream that it will be empathy, not beauty, that will stir our souls and make us fall stupidly in love. After all, there is much more that is imperfect than is perfect in this old world”.
Many thanks to my friend Bonnie Brody. I recommend reading her review. It’s outstanding and touching!!!!
It’s not the wedding itself ( even with 18 Bridesmaids) - or Bride & Groom that linger in our thoughts when this book comes to an end.
For me - one of the strongest themes that stood out was how unattractive people are targets for cruelty. Our society has an ugly obsession with beauty.
Author Jamie Weisman cracks open our emotions quite effectively with a clan of characters letting us hear the little voice speaking to them inside their heads....their unfulfilled dreams, their apathetic thoughts, their secrets, hopes, and silent wishes.
There’s plenty of humor - and a wide variety of characters - but the deeper issues are sooooo real.....soooo powerful.....so relevant!!!!! I think I love Jamie Weisman for what she created in this novel!!!!
Here are a couple of excerpts that definitely resonated with me:
“They gave Sleeping Beauty beauty and song, and then kept her from dying from poison. I used to wonder what that third gift would have been if it hadn’t been used to mitigate Maleficent’s curse—probably grace. No needs for brains in a Disney princess”.
“I dream that it will be empathy, not beauty, that will stir our souls and make us fall stupidly in love. After all, there is much more that is imperfect than is perfect in this old world”.
Many thanks to my friend Bonnie Brody. I recommend reading her review. It’s outstanding and touching!!!!
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February 27, 2018sadly, I'd peg this as the worst book I've read so far this year (followed closely or perhaps eclipsed by my other current read...). We are forced to sit through a wedding from the points of view of various attendees as they reflect on the nuptials as well as their lives to this point. most interesting story came from a holocaust survivor, but the first one is what really turned me off to the book from the outset. A girl/bridesmaid with a port-wine stain birthmark spends her time fantasizing about how to recast the people in her life into movies where they get their karma kickbacks for the way they've treated her. The whole thung just seemed so self-indulgent and useless. I hesitate to give 1 star ratings so I'm just going to abstain, but if you read this far you know where I stand.
June 10, 2018
Welcome to the wedding. Elizabeth Gottlieb and Hank Jackson are getting married in Elizabeth's back yard. One might suppose that this novel would be about the bride and groom along with the goings on at the celebration. Well, part of it is, but only circumstantially. The bulk of the novel is about the guests, the people who are in attendance. In many ways this book is structured like Elizabeth Strout's 'Olive Kitteridge', narratives about different people who inter-connect in some way with with each other and the happy couple.
Every one of the characters caught and held my interest and the characterizations were excellent. As I read this book, I felt like I knew every major character that the author described. Jamie Weisman has a perspicaciousness that takes the larger and smaller aspects of each character into account. Be it a quirk, a manner of laughing, a small glimmer of the past, or a sense of place relevant to the wedding, the author gets it. She.gets.it. All the personal and individual aspects that she uses to describe each of the the guests are not only relevant, but necessary.
The book starts out with Carla, Eizabeth's high achieving friend and high school valedictorian who was shunned all her life because of her large port cherry birth mark that covers much of her face Now she is the assistant to a famous film star and others, including Elizabeth, have tried to get to him through her. Carla could cover her birth mark if she chose. After all, she works with the best make-up artists in the world, but she chooses not to. She wears it as a banner, as a reminder to herself and everyone else of who she was, how she was treated, and what she's now become. "Self-inflicted pain is so much easier to bear than the slings and arrows that others deliver."
Two guests sit in wheel chairs. Albert is Elizabeth's grandfather, once rich and powerful and now, due to a series of strokes, reduced to an old man who can barely stay awake and must depend on others for all his essential needs. Jeffrey has muscular dystrophy for which there is no cure. He has lived well past his predicted life span and is not that much younger than Elizabeth. His mother has devoted her life to him, perhaps to the extent of not giving her other two children or her husband their fair share. She says to herself, "I know it is terrible to admit this, but part of me is always with Jeffrey. He is the only thing in the world that completely needs me, and there will be a day when that need is gone".
Jack Chandler, a poor kid from North Carolina, once roomed with Elizabeth's father and two other Jewish men in college. Jack had never even seen a Jew prior to this. He wasn't prepared for college and it was through the help of Josh Gottlieb's tutoring that he graduated. He ended up going to Vietnam and, upon returning home, struggled with drugs, unemployment and probably PTSD before he was able to find himself. His connection with the Gottliebs runs deep on many levels.
Steven is 31 years old and lives at home. He finished medical at the head of his class but had his first psychotic break while in school. He no longer remembers the basics he learned and struggles to perform the simple activities of daily living. He deals with paranoia, hallucinations mood disturbances, and delusions on a daily basis. He is on a cocktail of psychotropic drugs but nothing seems to help. He lives in "persistent sorrow, this certainty that happiness is not for me, not for anyone, really". He thinks about how he was on the way to "having it all", becoming a cardiac thoracic surgeon, only to have it all halted by the onset of his mental illness.
These are only some of the guests at the wedding. Each one is fascinating, even if they are unlikable. Ms. Weisman segues from one chapter to the next virtually seamlessly and she has that very rare gift of being able to look deeply into the human soul. The ending of this novel brought tears to my eyes and I don't cry easily. I know this book will make it to my top ten of the year. Thank you Ms. Weisman.
Every one of the characters caught and held my interest and the characterizations were excellent. As I read this book, I felt like I knew every major character that the author described. Jamie Weisman has a perspicaciousness that takes the larger and smaller aspects of each character into account. Be it a quirk, a manner of laughing, a small glimmer of the past, or a sense of place relevant to the wedding, the author gets it. She.gets.it. All the personal and individual aspects that she uses to describe each of the the guests are not only relevant, but necessary.
The book starts out with Carla, Eizabeth's high achieving friend and high school valedictorian who was shunned all her life because of her large port cherry birth mark that covers much of her face Now she is the assistant to a famous film star and others, including Elizabeth, have tried to get to him through her. Carla could cover her birth mark if she chose. After all, she works with the best make-up artists in the world, but she chooses not to. She wears it as a banner, as a reminder to herself and everyone else of who she was, how she was treated, and what she's now become. "Self-inflicted pain is so much easier to bear than the slings and arrows that others deliver."
Two guests sit in wheel chairs. Albert is Elizabeth's grandfather, once rich and powerful and now, due to a series of strokes, reduced to an old man who can barely stay awake and must depend on others for all his essential needs. Jeffrey has muscular dystrophy for which there is no cure. He has lived well past his predicted life span and is not that much younger than Elizabeth. His mother has devoted her life to him, perhaps to the extent of not giving her other two children or her husband their fair share. She says to herself, "I know it is terrible to admit this, but part of me is always with Jeffrey. He is the only thing in the world that completely needs me, and there will be a day when that need is gone".
Jack Chandler, a poor kid from North Carolina, once roomed with Elizabeth's father and two other Jewish men in college. Jack had never even seen a Jew prior to this. He wasn't prepared for college and it was through the help of Josh Gottlieb's tutoring that he graduated. He ended up going to Vietnam and, upon returning home, struggled with drugs, unemployment and probably PTSD before he was able to find himself. His connection with the Gottliebs runs deep on many levels.
Steven is 31 years old and lives at home. He finished medical at the head of his class but had his first psychotic break while in school. He no longer remembers the basics he learned and struggles to perform the simple activities of daily living. He deals with paranoia, hallucinations mood disturbances, and delusions on a daily basis. He is on a cocktail of psychotropic drugs but nothing seems to help. He lives in "persistent sorrow, this certainty that happiness is not for me, not for anyone, really". He thinks about how he was on the way to "having it all", becoming a cardiac thoracic surgeon, only to have it all halted by the onset of his mental illness.
These are only some of the guests at the wedding. Each one is fascinating, even if they are unlikable. Ms. Weisman segues from one chapter to the next virtually seamlessly and she has that very rare gift of being able to look deeply into the human soul. The ending of this novel brought tears to my eyes and I don't cry easily. I know this book will make it to my top ten of the year. Thank you Ms. Weisman.
May 3, 2018
I think there were only a couple of times that I actually could tell who was talking and what they were going on about. This was a very confusing book and I'm not sure where the plot was.
I liked the idea of the story but the execution left me eager to finish and still not understanding what the point was.
I liked the idea of the story but the execution left me eager to finish and still not understanding what the point was.
July 3, 2018
If you think We Are Gathered by Jamie Weisman is a soppy or romanticized novel about the perfect wedding you are wrong. No, Jamie Weisman's amazing novel is about the people who have been invited to the wedding, friends of the bride or the bride's family. Their stories are told one by one, each darker and more soul-wrenching than the previous, until I was almost fearful to read the last entry. But that was the story of True Love--not the bride and groom's true love story, but that of a haunted elderly lady and the broken man who saves her.
The bride's father is a ruthless man. "Every man wanted Ida, but I was the one who got her," he thinks about his wife; "A man is judged by the woman with him, and Ida's beauty made me more powerful." A stroke leaves him unable to communicate as he watches his business crumble and his daughter marry a non-Jew. He sees life as a "brutal and exhausting gallop through a desert populated by predators and parasites."
A mother's life work is to care for her son who was born with Muscular Dystrophy. He once spent a week at a camp where the bride was a counselor.
A woman wears her birthmark proudly although she resents not having been born beautiful. "There is no justice in this world," she begins, despairing at the bride's beauty. "What am I without my birthmark?" she questions, dismissing the makeup that can make her look perfect.
A college roommate of the bride's father has drifted in and out of addiction. Drafted during Vietnam, he "didn't love my life enough to make it worth avoiding" the war. "People who go to war are different from everyone else," he thinks.
A man who once got the bride drunk and didn't take advantage of her, but also did not protect her from the other frats, was going to be a heart surgeon before he had a breakdown. The bride disdains him. He wanders from the ceremony.
An elderly lady survived the Holocaust but can't forget the loved ones who did not. She married a kind man and had a decent life, but is still haunted by the past.
Weisman has written so many sentences and pages that I fell in love with and which I wanted to read out loud to anyone in earshot.
I loved the mother of the bride's musings on a life given to her family.
"My friend Rita once said that your children come to you perfect, and the best you can hope for is not to allow too much damage, from yourself first and foremost, and then from the world."
I shuddered at that line. It rang true. I had the same thought when our son was a preschooler, an awareness of all the scars life would lay on his unblemished soul and skin moving me to tears. The mother thinks, there are limitations and childhood wounds which we parents bring with us, inadequacies, and actions that result in regrets.
"They intend to have it all, careers, families, creativity, at least for the lucky few who can afford it," she thinks. The bride appears to be one of those lucky ones.
I am grateful to have won the book on #FridayFreebie on The Quivering Pen blog by author David Abrams.
The bride's father is a ruthless man. "Every man wanted Ida, but I was the one who got her," he thinks about his wife; "A man is judged by the woman with him, and Ida's beauty made me more powerful." A stroke leaves him unable to communicate as he watches his business crumble and his daughter marry a non-Jew. He sees life as a "brutal and exhausting gallop through a desert populated by predators and parasites."
A mother's life work is to care for her son who was born with Muscular Dystrophy. He once spent a week at a camp where the bride was a counselor.
A woman wears her birthmark proudly although she resents not having been born beautiful. "There is no justice in this world," she begins, despairing at the bride's beauty. "What am I without my birthmark?" she questions, dismissing the makeup that can make her look perfect.
A college roommate of the bride's father has drifted in and out of addiction. Drafted during Vietnam, he "didn't love my life enough to make it worth avoiding" the war. "People who go to war are different from everyone else," he thinks.
A man who once got the bride drunk and didn't take advantage of her, but also did not protect her from the other frats, was going to be a heart surgeon before he had a breakdown. The bride disdains him. He wanders from the ceremony.
An elderly lady survived the Holocaust but can't forget the loved ones who did not. She married a kind man and had a decent life, but is still haunted by the past.
Weisman has written so many sentences and pages that I fell in love with and which I wanted to read out loud to anyone in earshot.
I loved the mother of the bride's musings on a life given to her family.
"My friend Rita once said that your children come to you perfect, and the best you can hope for is not to allow too much damage, from yourself first and foremost, and then from the world."
I shuddered at that line. It rang true. I had the same thought when our son was a preschooler, an awareness of all the scars life would lay on his unblemished soul and skin moving me to tears. The mother thinks, there are limitations and childhood wounds which we parents bring with us, inadequacies, and actions that result in regrets.
"They intend to have it all, careers, families, creativity, at least for the lucky few who can afford it," she thinks. The bride appears to be one of those lucky ones.
I am grateful to have won the book on #FridayFreebie on The Quivering Pen blog by author David Abrams.
March 26, 2018
Most people will look at the title and assume the story will be the bride narrating the story of her wedding, how she met her groom etc., etc. The book is actually a narration by a variety of the wedding guests who are loosely intertwine their stories. Most know Elizabeth the bride, several are friends of her parents. A bridesmaid who is disfigured by a port wine birthmark that grew up on the fringe of Elizabeth's crowd is probably the vignette that sticks with me most. Since Elizabeth and her family are Jewish there are relatives who survived WWII and the holocaust and even the mother of the bride gives a viewpoint. I liked the way the tales were separate yet linked together. I received an ARC of this book by the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
June 15, 2018
The premise of the story grabbed me immediately. I couldn't wait to read what promised to be a story of love, living well, nutty friends and relations -- the typical wedding, no matter where you are. Weisman is an exceptional writer -- fantastically clever, adroit with a phrase, skilled at depicting anguish and wonder. I bet she writes fantastic short stories, flash fiction, perhaps has a terrific blog.
Unfortunately, this novel does not showcase her burgeoning talent. I so wanted to like it, settled down with a cup of tea to enjoy an intricate, complex froth of a wedding that is supposed to be perfect and ultimately is, but not for the reasons anyone might think. What I got was drone. Drone and drone and misery and more drone. I wanted to read about the wedding, see what the author constructed between the beautiful, perfect bride and her decidedly imperfect friend. I pressed forward, figuring that a little backstory never hurt anyone, but it kept on going so long that I forgot what the story was--and no longer cared.
I did not finish this book. Maybe I'm not the target audience -- or maybe I am and the way that the story was told by this magnificent writer did not work for me. Truly, it doesn't matter. I wish her well -- wish her a second novel that allows her to strut her lyrical prose, wonderful way of describing people and setting, in the service of a ripping good story.
Unfortunately, this novel does not showcase her burgeoning talent. I so wanted to like it, settled down with a cup of tea to enjoy an intricate, complex froth of a wedding that is supposed to be perfect and ultimately is, but not for the reasons anyone might think. What I got was drone. Drone and drone and misery and more drone. I wanted to read about the wedding, see what the author constructed between the beautiful, perfect bride and her decidedly imperfect friend. I pressed forward, figuring that a little backstory never hurt anyone, but it kept on going so long that I forgot what the story was--and no longer cared.
I did not finish this book. Maybe I'm not the target audience -- or maybe I am and the way that the story was told by this magnificent writer did not work for me. Truly, it doesn't matter. I wish her well -- wish her a second novel that allows her to strut her lyrical prose, wonderful way of describing people and setting, in the service of a ripping good story.
March 23, 2018
Thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and NetGalley for an early review copy of We Are gathered by Jamie Weisman, which will publish June 5, 2018. All thoughts are my own.
Writing: 4/5 Plot: 3/5 Characters: 4/5
Although sold as a novel, this is really a set of interconnected stories, each an interior monologue of one of the guests at the lavish wedding of Elizabeth Gottlieb in Atlanta, Georgia.
The storytellers (or thinkers) range from mother of the bride, to bridesmaids, to family and friends. I wouldn’t call it a happy book — most of the narrators face or have faced some heavy challenges: a large port wine facial birthmark, clinical depression, a child with muscular dystrophy, a stroke, the aftermath of being a holocaust survivor. Still, as the characters bounce their thoughts off the wedding of a young woman who has led a completely charmed life, they reflect, they elaborate carefully constructed life philosophies, they rail against injustice, and they opine about love in all its myriad forms. While I missed the coherence and longer narrative arc of a novel, I enjoyed the insight that the narrators produced in their conscious thought stream. The author is a dermatologist from Atlanta and many of these stories revolve around doctors, medical conditions, and the way people cope with illness or disability.
I found the text long winded at times, but the writing was good and I highlighted many sections that made me think; overall an interesting read.
Writing: 4/5 Plot: 3/5 Characters: 4/5
Although sold as a novel, this is really a set of interconnected stories, each an interior monologue of one of the guests at the lavish wedding of Elizabeth Gottlieb in Atlanta, Georgia.
The storytellers (or thinkers) range from mother of the bride, to bridesmaids, to family and friends. I wouldn’t call it a happy book — most of the narrators face or have faced some heavy challenges: a large port wine facial birthmark, clinical depression, a child with muscular dystrophy, a stroke, the aftermath of being a holocaust survivor. Still, as the characters bounce their thoughts off the wedding of a young woman who has led a completely charmed life, they reflect, they elaborate carefully constructed life philosophies, they rail against injustice, and they opine about love in all its myriad forms. While I missed the coherence and longer narrative arc of a novel, I enjoyed the insight that the narrators produced in their conscious thought stream. The author is a dermatologist from Atlanta and many of these stories revolve around doctors, medical conditions, and the way people cope with illness or disability.
I found the text long winded at times, but the writing was good and I highlighted many sections that made me think; overall an interesting read.
July 11, 2020
Very clever conceptually. To take this galvanizing event like a wedding and have a series of short stories told from the perspective of several of the guests. Kinda like finding yourself in a group and wondering what is going on in everyone’s head. Everybody has a story to tell and the way the stories interconnected was great and each story had a distinct voice.
I don’t know why I thought this would be funny, it’s not. Few likeable characters and the ending was confusing and lackluster.
I was a little disappointed with this, but it’s a quick read and creative.
I don’t know why I thought this would be funny, it’s not. Few likeable characters and the ending was confusing and lackluster.
I was a little disappointed with this, but it’s a quick read and creative.
July 1, 2018
Summer Bingo - Set in the state where you live (Georgia). Each of these connected stories is narrated by a different character, so we get to see the big picture from many perspectives (I love this technique). The cast is really diverse, as are their stories, and the writing is beautiful. Highly recommend.
March 27, 2019
Salvation. Don't trust anyone, Elizabeth, who has never yearned for it. It is the fundament of all religion and philosophy, to be delivered and saved from fear, meaninglessness, the vulnerability of the body, the loss of loved ones, and our own inevitable deaths. Not nice thoughts on a wedding day, but death and our need for salvation are the two basic facts of human life, and everything else, our desires, our hobbies--my painting, your horseback riding, great books, golf games, and, above all else, love--are the necessary distractions that enable us to live. Pick your distractions well, Elizabeth, they will define your life.
A wedding is taking place in late spring between an upper class, Jewish young-woman and a Protestant young man. Extended family gather from far and wide to join in the celebration. As they walk into the yard, and take their seats to await the festivities, they turn contemplative as they compare their road traveled with the one Elizabeth is about to embark on. We Are Gathered is really a collection of short stories, loosely themed around the common element of Elizabeth. Each chapter has a different narrator--her grandfather, her mother, her mother's friend, her birth-marked friend she has hung out with growing up, etc.
There is very little in the way of plot to be found here. We share in musings--both regrets and thankfulness. Weisman's prose carries the day. She has a way of showcasing character studies in a way that has brought each point of view vividly to light. I didn't think I would particularly like this read after the first chapter...it's one of the weaker ones...so stick with it. I'm glad I did. Given 4 stars or a rating of Excellent. Recommended to anyone who likes character driven novels.
A wedding is taking place in late spring between an upper class, Jewish young-woman and a Protestant young man. Extended family gather from far and wide to join in the celebration. As they walk into the yard, and take their seats to await the festivities, they turn contemplative as they compare their road traveled with the one Elizabeth is about to embark on. We Are Gathered is really a collection of short stories, loosely themed around the common element of Elizabeth. Each chapter has a different narrator--her grandfather, her mother, her mother's friend, her birth-marked friend she has hung out with growing up, etc.
There is very little in the way of plot to be found here. We share in musings--both regrets and thankfulness. Weisman's prose carries the day. She has a way of showcasing character studies in a way that has brought each point of view vividly to light. I didn't think I would particularly like this read after the first chapter...it's one of the weaker ones...so stick with it. I'm glad I did. Given 4 stars or a rating of Excellent. Recommended to anyone who likes character driven novels.
June 26, 2019
Not my usual book but picked it up on a recommendation. I'll cop to not *quite* finishing it. The premise is an outdoor wedding on a hot Atlanta day, and the reflections of 6-7 different wedding guests (one at a time). Almost no dialogue; it all unfolds in each of the characters heads. Which doesn't seem like it would work, but it did, and it was interesting to see how she managed it.
Having said that....the premise got old after a while. The final two folks I read about were pretty crass, and I decided "mostly done" was good enough.
Having said that....the premise got old after a while. The final two folks I read about were pretty crass, and I decided "mostly done" was good enough.
June 26, 2018
In these linked stories about an upper-middle-class, Jewish-Protestant wedding in Atlanta, Jamie Weisman skillfully weaves 7 of the 8 first-person narratives. Each story has its own compelling plot and -- sometimes -- its own distinctive voice. Without being clunky, Weisman quickly makes it clear who is narrating each chapter. The problem is that most of the narrators are just not very likable. And the final story simply doesn't fit.
May 26, 2018
In "We Are Gathered", by Jamie Weisman, we are invited to an interfaith wedding between beautiful, rich, and Jewish, Elizabeth Gottlieb, and handsome, rich, and not Jewish, Hank Jackson. It's a beautiful spring day for a garden wedding in Atlanta, but with this strange and eclectic guest list, how is it going to turn out?
While called a novel, "We Are Gathered", is actually a collection of interwoven short stories, each told form the point of view of a guest or member of the wedding party. Each story is about 30-40 pages, so it's plenty of time to get a real sense of each character, all of whom are varied, interesting, and touching, in different ways.
First up is one of the 18 bridesmaids, longtime friend of the bride, Carla, who has a large port-wine birthmark on her face, which has defined her throughout her life. As Carla reflects on her life and lack-of-loves, she frequently imagines her life and future as a movie she would like to write and star in. These "in the movie version..." plots and scenes are wonderfully imaginative and often hilarious.
The second story is told by the bride's grandfather. He was once rich and powerful, but now, felled by a stroke, he is wheelchair-bound and paralyzed, and no one around him realizes that his mind is still sharp: he's trapped in his body. He's also a total jerk.
Maybe to balance him out, the next section is narrated by friend of the family, Helen Wolf, who is the kind and loving mother of Jeffrey, who has muscular dystrophy, and who is also in a wheelchair, incapacitated and trapped. It's utterly heartbreaking to read about Helen and Jeffery; her total love and devotion mixed with her devastating understanding of Jeffrey's diagnosis which means an early death.
Jack Chandler was a college friend of the bride's father, Josh. Jack has had a hard life ranging from drug abuse to being a Vietnam vet. Josh and his wife stood by him through it all, and today he is there to pay love and respect to their beautiful daughter Elizabeth, whom Jack has loved since her birth. Jack's story is full of horror, hope, and redemption.
Steven Shapiro, brother of a bridesmaid, is at first glance a misogynistic sexual predator (I know: redundant) who once took drunken advantage of the bride. But Steven’s section ended up being my favorite due to its complexity. One minute I found myself sympathizing with this depressed young man who seems unable to empathize with any fellow human, to the next minute wanting to punch him in the face. That’s good writing, folks!
What follows is a very moving section narrated by Great Aunt Rachel, a holocaust survivor.
The penultimate chapter concerns the mother-of-the-bride as she cleans up from the wedding. She reflects upon her life, in which she has been wealthy, happy, lucky, and loved; yet she has had but one fleeting moment of passion.
And the last chapter? Oh, I’ll let you experience that enchanting chapter on your own, dear reader.
While called a novel, "We Are Gathered", is actually a collection of interwoven short stories, each told form the point of view of a guest or member of the wedding party. Each story is about 30-40 pages, so it's plenty of time to get a real sense of each character, all of whom are varied, interesting, and touching, in different ways.
First up is one of the 18 bridesmaids, longtime friend of the bride, Carla, who has a large port-wine birthmark on her face, which has defined her throughout her life. As Carla reflects on her life and lack-of-loves, she frequently imagines her life and future as a movie she would like to write and star in. These "in the movie version..." plots and scenes are wonderfully imaginative and often hilarious.
The second story is told by the bride's grandfather. He was once rich and powerful, but now, felled by a stroke, he is wheelchair-bound and paralyzed, and no one around him realizes that his mind is still sharp: he's trapped in his body. He's also a total jerk.
Maybe to balance him out, the next section is narrated by friend of the family, Helen Wolf, who is the kind and loving mother of Jeffrey, who has muscular dystrophy, and who is also in a wheelchair, incapacitated and trapped. It's utterly heartbreaking to read about Helen and Jeffery; her total love and devotion mixed with her devastating understanding of Jeffrey's diagnosis which means an early death.
Jack Chandler was a college friend of the bride's father, Josh. Jack has had a hard life ranging from drug abuse to being a Vietnam vet. Josh and his wife stood by him through it all, and today he is there to pay love and respect to their beautiful daughter Elizabeth, whom Jack has loved since her birth. Jack's story is full of horror, hope, and redemption.
Steven Shapiro, brother of a bridesmaid, is at first glance a misogynistic sexual predator (I know: redundant) who once took drunken advantage of the bride. But Steven’s section ended up being my favorite due to its complexity. One minute I found myself sympathizing with this depressed young man who seems unable to empathize with any fellow human, to the next minute wanting to punch him in the face. That’s good writing, folks!
What follows is a very moving section narrated by Great Aunt Rachel, a holocaust survivor.
The penultimate chapter concerns the mother-of-the-bride as she cleans up from the wedding. She reflects upon her life, in which she has been wealthy, happy, lucky, and loved; yet she has had but one fleeting moment of passion.
And the last chapter? Oh, I’ll let you experience that enchanting chapter on your own, dear reader.
June 7, 2019
De mooiste dag is duidelijk niet mijn mooiste boek. De cover is prachtig en het idee sprak mij aan. Lezen over verschillende gasten die allemaal bij dezelfde bruiloft aanwezig zijn. De achterflap claimt dat Weisman met humor en warmte vertelt over hoe het leven kan lopen. Helaas moet ik bekennen dat ik de humor en warmte niet heb kunnen ontdekken. Wel viel mij op dat Weisman af en toe behoorlijk grof schreef en daar ben ik geen fan van. Ik snap dat het grove bij een personage kan passen maar ook dat zag ik hier niet helemaal.
Door de vele personages en de onduidelijkheid vanuit wie je leest wanneer je een nieuw hoofdstuk begint, raakte ik niet in het verhaal en had ik soms geen idee met welk personage ik te maken had. Dit raden vond ik vervelend en zelfs wanneer ik erachter kwam door wiens ogen ik dit keer las, kon ik het personage niet altijd plaatsen. Helaas oogt de lay-out vrij massief door gering gebruik van alinea’s. Dit geeft op voorhand al een zwaar gevoel. Voeg daar uitgebreid woordgebruik aan toe en je komt uit bij een boek dat niet eens heel erg dik is, maar wel zo kan gaan voelen omdat het soms lastig doorkomen is.
Het idee om in het leven van verschillende personages te duiken vond ik mooi en geeft ook zeker een bijzondere kijk in het leven van verschillende figuren. Zo is de grootvader van de bruid sinds een jaar verlamd maar nog helder van geest. Door zijn hoofdstuk leer je zijn gedachten kennen, zijn wereld waar niemand iets vanaf weet, mede omdat hij zich niet meer kan uiten.
Helaas begon ik na zo’n vijf hoofdstukken steeds meer af te haken. De eerdere hoofdstukken kon ik nog redelijk volgen en bevatten gedeeltes die ik interessant vond om te lezen. Vanaf oom Jack begon mijn interesse toch echt weg te vloeien. Ik denk dat dit te maken heeft met het onbekende personage waardoor ik nauwelijks herkenningspunten had uit eerdere hoofdstukken en geen idee had met wie ik te maken had. Dit werd niet beter in de volgende hoofdstukken waardoor ik de draad een beetje kwijtraakte. Een aantal personages waren goed bedacht en gingen meer de diepte in. Die stukken vond ik mooi. Helaas waren deze personages en stukken tekst in de minderheid. De mooiste dag krijgt van mij 2 sterren.
Door de vele personages en de onduidelijkheid vanuit wie je leest wanneer je een nieuw hoofdstuk begint, raakte ik niet in het verhaal en had ik soms geen idee met welk personage ik te maken had. Dit raden vond ik vervelend en zelfs wanneer ik erachter kwam door wiens ogen ik dit keer las, kon ik het personage niet altijd plaatsen. Helaas oogt de lay-out vrij massief door gering gebruik van alinea’s. Dit geeft op voorhand al een zwaar gevoel. Voeg daar uitgebreid woordgebruik aan toe en je komt uit bij een boek dat niet eens heel erg dik is, maar wel zo kan gaan voelen omdat het soms lastig doorkomen is.
Het idee om in het leven van verschillende personages te duiken vond ik mooi en geeft ook zeker een bijzondere kijk in het leven van verschillende figuren. Zo is de grootvader van de bruid sinds een jaar verlamd maar nog helder van geest. Door zijn hoofdstuk leer je zijn gedachten kennen, zijn wereld waar niemand iets vanaf weet, mede omdat hij zich niet meer kan uiten.
Helaas begon ik na zo’n vijf hoofdstukken steeds meer af te haken. De eerdere hoofdstukken kon ik nog redelijk volgen en bevatten gedeeltes die ik interessant vond om te lezen. Vanaf oom Jack begon mijn interesse toch echt weg te vloeien. Ik denk dat dit te maken heeft met het onbekende personage waardoor ik nauwelijks herkenningspunten had uit eerdere hoofdstukken en geen idee had met wie ik te maken had. Dit werd niet beter in de volgende hoofdstukken waardoor ik de draad een beetje kwijtraakte. Een aantal personages waren goed bedacht en gingen meer de diepte in. Die stukken vond ik mooi. Helaas waren deze personages en stukken tekst in de minderheid. De mooiste dag krijgt van mij 2 sterren.
July 27, 2018
This is about a 3.5, but I am rounding up for some of the great quotes interspersed though the book.
I had a really hard time getting into this book. I had not read any reviews and was thoroughly confused by the format, which was a series of character studies about the attendees at a wedding. They became interwoven as the book went along, because many of those present obviously had relationships with the others. The original group were 3 Jewish guys who were roommates at UNC, and the poor kid from North Carolina who was the fourth roommate. They all remained close to varying degrees, and it was one of their daughters who was getting married.
On the positive side, most of the stories were interesting, although I couldn’t relate to many of the people. On the negative side, I had a hard time keeping everyone straight, and had to keep looking back to see who was who. It isn’t a book you can pick up and put down with ease. The stories varied in interest; some of the characters were sympathetic and some definitely weren’t. Many of them had major flaws, either physical or moral, and sometimes both. There was quite a bit of irony in how lives fell out. I thought Annette’s story (a slice of leftover cake) was the most well-written and most engaging, and her character the most real, but that is probably because I could relate more to her than any of the others.
I think the author has promise, and I hope next time she adds a plot of some sort to the character studies. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
I had a really hard time getting into this book. I had not read any reviews and was thoroughly confused by the format, which was a series of character studies about the attendees at a wedding. They became interwoven as the book went along, because many of those present obviously had relationships with the others. The original group were 3 Jewish guys who were roommates at UNC, and the poor kid from North Carolina who was the fourth roommate. They all remained close to varying degrees, and it was one of their daughters who was getting married.
On the positive side, most of the stories were interesting, although I couldn’t relate to many of the people. On the negative side, I had a hard time keeping everyone straight, and had to keep looking back to see who was who. It isn’t a book you can pick up and put down with ease. The stories varied in interest; some of the characters were sympathetic and some definitely weren’t. Many of them had major flaws, either physical or moral, and sometimes both. There was quite a bit of irony in how lives fell out. I thought Annette’s story (a slice of leftover cake) was the most well-written and most engaging, and her character the most real, but that is probably because I could relate more to her than any of the others.
I think the author has promise, and I hope next time she adds a plot of some sort to the character studies. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
June 27, 2018
[3.5 stars]
Thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Edelweiss for an advanced copy of this book.
The publisher says We Are Gathered is a debut novel, but I think it reads more like a series of closely interconnected short stories (similar to Elizabeth Strout’s Anything is Possible). Each chapter is told from the perspective of a different wedding guest, but much of the book is the each guest’s backstory with a smaller portion focused on the wedding itself. Before reading it, I thought We Were Gathered would be a light, fun read and a potential candidate for my 2018 Summer Reading Guide. It was immediately clear I’d judged wrong because many of the characters’ backstories are dark and sad and the overall tone is subdued. These people have demons and some are dealing with big challenges. There’s the childhood friend of the bride with a birthmark that covers half her face, the grandfather of the groom who can’t move or speak but whose mind is works just fine, yet no one knows it…and more. Despite it being different than expected, I liked We Were Gathered‘s unique perspectives and the astute life observations. But, the ending focused on two of the characters I was least interested in and was somewhat odd compared to the rest of the book. I’d recommend We Were Gathered if you like quieter books with life observations from interesting perspectives…and don’t mind depressing.
Visit https://www.sarahsbookshelves.com for more reviews.
Thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Edelweiss for an advanced copy of this book.
The publisher says We Are Gathered is a debut novel, but I think it reads more like a series of closely interconnected short stories (similar to Elizabeth Strout’s Anything is Possible). Each chapter is told from the perspective of a different wedding guest, but much of the book is the each guest’s backstory with a smaller portion focused on the wedding itself. Before reading it, I thought We Were Gathered would be a light, fun read and a potential candidate for my 2018 Summer Reading Guide. It was immediately clear I’d judged wrong because many of the characters’ backstories are dark and sad and the overall tone is subdued. These people have demons and some are dealing with big challenges. There’s the childhood friend of the bride with a birthmark that covers half her face, the grandfather of the groom who can’t move or speak but whose mind is works just fine, yet no one knows it…and more. Despite it being different than expected, I liked We Were Gathered‘s unique perspectives and the astute life observations. But, the ending focused on two of the characters I was least interested in and was somewhat odd compared to the rest of the book. I’d recommend We Were Gathered if you like quieter books with life observations from interesting perspectives…and don’t mind depressing.
Visit https://www.sarahsbookshelves.com for more reviews.
November 6, 2019
I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion.
We Are Gathered tells the story of some of the guests at a wedding. You hear from Carla, bridesmaid and childhood friend of the bride; the bride's great-aunt Rachel, a Holocaust survivor; the bride's grandpa Albert, speechless and wheelchair-bound since his stroke; Annette, mother of the bride; Jack, college friend of the bride's father; the older brother of a friend of the bride, who is dealing with mental illness; and a mother to a son with muscular dystrophy, whose husband was also college friends with the bride's father.
The premise of the book was intriguing to me. I looked forward to hearing about the wedding from the viewpoint of the guests. However, the wedding is only briefly referenced in each passage from a guest. They spend the rest of the time talking about their life away from the wedding. Not that you are going to want to hear about their lives; many of them reminded me of people you meet at public gatherings like a wedding and count down the seconds until you can get away from them because they are so unlikable. This is not a book I will be recommending to anyone else.
We Are Gathered tells the story of some of the guests at a wedding. You hear from Carla, bridesmaid and childhood friend of the bride; the bride's great-aunt Rachel, a Holocaust survivor; the bride's grandpa Albert, speechless and wheelchair-bound since his stroke; Annette, mother of the bride; Jack, college friend of the bride's father; the older brother of a friend of the bride, who is dealing with mental illness; and a mother to a son with muscular dystrophy, whose husband was also college friends with the bride's father.
The premise of the book was intriguing to me. I looked forward to hearing about the wedding from the viewpoint of the guests. However, the wedding is only briefly referenced in each passage from a guest. They spend the rest of the time talking about their life away from the wedding. Not that you are going to want to hear about their lives; many of them reminded me of people you meet at public gatherings like a wedding and count down the seconds until you can get away from them because they are so unlikable. This is not a book I will be recommending to anyone else.
May 7, 2018
3.5 stars
In an interesting concept, Weisman presents vivid snapshots of the interior lives of a group of near strangers who happen to be guests at the same wedding.
Some of the stories are wonderfully described, offering a concise picture of a complex life and a snapshot of an event/events that formed their current personality. For instance, there is a loving and dedicated mother of a young man with MS, who has a tangled past with the bride. The honorary uncle who used to be a mildly selfish young man before he went to war and turned even darker, but is still capable of redemption because of his soft spot for the bride’s mother and her gift of inclusion. The holocaust survivor who cannot completely let go of the past, and her surprising role in another characters story, and more.
On the negative side, there is an overlying bitter, dark tone to most of the narratives, and that similar air began to make some of the character blend together, especially as there were not too many likeable people in the bunch.
This ARC was obtained from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in exchange for an honest review.
In an interesting concept, Weisman presents vivid snapshots of the interior lives of a group of near strangers who happen to be guests at the same wedding.
Some of the stories are wonderfully described, offering a concise picture of a complex life and a snapshot of an event/events that formed their current personality. For instance, there is a loving and dedicated mother of a young man with MS, who has a tangled past with the bride. The honorary uncle who used to be a mildly selfish young man before he went to war and turned even darker, but is still capable of redemption because of his soft spot for the bride’s mother and her gift of inclusion. The holocaust survivor who cannot completely let go of the past, and her surprising role in another characters story, and more.
On the negative side, there is an overlying bitter, dark tone to most of the narratives, and that similar air began to make some of the character blend together, especially as there were not too many likeable people in the bunch.
This ARC was obtained from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in exchange for an honest review.
May 19, 2018
*I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through a giveaway on Goodreads.
I just finished this book and am not sure how I feel about it. Rather than a traditional plot, Jamie Weisman has provided a series of character studies based on several guests at a wedding. Each chapter is written in the first person and represents the viewpoint of several interconnected characters from the bride's side. I was most interested in the stories of Carla and Rachel. I found their chapters to flow well and I was able to empathize with them. In general, I preferred the author's depictions of the female characters, possibly because I was better able to relate to them. I just didn't feel like I could connect to any of the three male characters.
The final chapter was somewhat confusing and did not flow well with the rest of the book. It depicted switching perspectives of two of the characters and seemed out of place. I had hoped for a better ending.
Overall, I enjoyed Weisman's writing style and the unique voices she provided for each of her characters, particularly Carla. I would be interested to read a novel by her with a more traditional plot.
I just finished this book and am not sure how I feel about it. Rather than a traditional plot, Jamie Weisman has provided a series of character studies based on several guests at a wedding. Each chapter is written in the first person and represents the viewpoint of several interconnected characters from the bride's side. I was most interested in the stories of Carla and Rachel. I found their chapters to flow well and I was able to empathize with them. In general, I preferred the author's depictions of the female characters, possibly because I was better able to relate to them. I just didn't feel like I could connect to any of the three male characters.
The final chapter was somewhat confusing and did not flow well with the rest of the book. It depicted switching perspectives of two of the characters and seemed out of place. I had hoped for a better ending.
Overall, I enjoyed Weisman's writing style and the unique voices she provided for each of her characters, particularly Carla. I would be interested to read a novel by her with a more traditional plot.
November 4, 2018
The tragedy at Squirrel Hill pushed this to the top of my tbr. This is a 3.5–there were some choices that seemed kind of off putting, like why cede so many pages to the voices of misogynistic men? Why give Stephen Shapiro, of all characters, more than one chapter? And Stephen, Katherine (Katie), and Elizabeth are saints names. Not sure they’d be chosen for children of Atlanta’s Jewish elite.
I really liked the concept of chapters in the voices of different members of a community who had convened for a shared event. I really loved the core trio of mensch dads—Josh Gottleib, Larry Wolff, and Marty Leftkowitz. How they were such loving fathers and friends, especially Marty toward Jack and Jeffrey. I was really moved by Josh and Annette literally “welcoming the stranger” that was Jack Chandler with unflagging kindness and generosity that spanned decades.
The title is clever and alludes to the legacy of pain in Rochel’s chapter. Gathering the Jews has come to be the title of a pithy community newsletter. But historically, when we were gathered, it was to unleash acts of horrific violence upon us.
I really liked the concept of chapters in the voices of different members of a community who had convened for a shared event. I really loved the core trio of mensch dads—Josh Gottleib, Larry Wolff, and Marty Leftkowitz. How they were such loving fathers and friends, especially Marty toward Jack and Jeffrey. I was really moved by Josh and Annette literally “welcoming the stranger” that was Jack Chandler with unflagging kindness and generosity that spanned decades.
The title is clever and alludes to the legacy of pain in Rochel’s chapter. Gathering the Jews has come to be the title of a pithy community newsletter. But historically, when we were gathered, it was to unleash acts of horrific violence upon us.
August 29, 2019
I'll be perfectly honest, I did not finish this book. I got about halfway through and it didn't hold my interest longer than that.
The positives of this book for me mostly had to do with the author's writing. It was vivid, descriptive, and encouraged you to use your imagination.
As for the negatives, keep in mind when you pick up this book that there is not really a traditional plot. It is mostly a series of montages about the characters' lives as they gather and reflect during Elizabeth's wedding. A lot of the book is long stretches of narration with very little dialogue. While these montages are well-written and offer different perspectives from the characters, the lack of an actual story kind of ruined it for me. There was no real purpose to read to the end of the book, if that makes sense. It got to the point where I had to force myself even to get halfway through it before I finally lost interest.
That being said, if you want a unique take on the usual "guests attending a wedding" concept, this might be the book for you. While I appreciate the author's talent for descriptive writing, unfortunately this book didn't do it for me.
The positives of this book for me mostly had to do with the author's writing. It was vivid, descriptive, and encouraged you to use your imagination.
As for the negatives, keep in mind when you pick up this book that there is not really a traditional plot. It is mostly a series of montages about the characters' lives as they gather and reflect during Elizabeth's wedding. A lot of the book is long stretches of narration with very little dialogue. While these montages are well-written and offer different perspectives from the characters, the lack of an actual story kind of ruined it for me. There was no real purpose to read to the end of the book, if that makes sense. It got to the point where I had to force myself even to get halfway through it before I finally lost interest.
That being said, if you want a unique take on the usual "guests attending a wedding" concept, this might be the book for you. While I appreciate the author's talent for descriptive writing, unfortunately this book didn't do it for me.
April 30, 2018
I received a free copy of the book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review
This was a very interesting book. I almost gave up at the beginning because I couldn’t really figure out what was going on. As I read through it, I did come to like it despite its lack of a real “plot”.
"We are Gathered" is a series of stories of a group of family and friends gathered for a wedding in Atlanta. The family and friends are Jewish and tell the stories of their lives and how they are all intertwined. The wedding serves as a backdrop as we really only get to know the bride ( and somewhat thr groom) through the stories of others ( the bride’s mother, family friend, godfather ect). There isn’t really a climax, although the wedding does take place as sort of the arc of the story.
This was a good quick read, although somewhat depressing. Not light reading, not beach reading either. I tend to really enjoy generational books and this is kinda one, so I enjoyed it for the most part. A solid “story”
This was a very interesting book. I almost gave up at the beginning because I couldn’t really figure out what was going on. As I read through it, I did come to like it despite its lack of a real “plot”.
"We are Gathered" is a series of stories of a group of family and friends gathered for a wedding in Atlanta. The family and friends are Jewish and tell the stories of their lives and how they are all intertwined. The wedding serves as a backdrop as we really only get to know the bride ( and somewhat thr groom) through the stories of others ( the bride’s mother, family friend, godfather ect). There isn’t really a climax, although the wedding does take place as sort of the arc of the story.
This was a good quick read, although somewhat depressing. Not light reading, not beach reading either. I tend to really enjoy generational books and this is kinda one, so I enjoyed it for the most part. A solid “story”
December 18, 2018
A wedding is taking place in the backyard of of well to do Jewish family from Atlanta. Daughter, Elizabeth Gottlieb will be marrying Hank Jackson. Yet the story is not about the bride and groom, but instead about the guests. Each chapter reads like a short story. Each short story is about one of the guests. Carla, a high school friend of Elizabeth, tells her story first. She was born with a very large port wine birthmark which made her the butt of bullying resulting in a tormented childhood. Each story that follows delves deeply into the character that is portrayed. And the characters are intertwined.
The author ‘s strength lies in the ability to create a cast of characters that I felt I knew. Each one was fighting an inner chaos. Their paths cross one way or other as the story evolves, until a stunning ending where two unlikely wedding guests face each other in under very dramatic circumstances.
I started reading this book because the author will be appearing locally and I expect to be there. I finished reading the book because it was excellent.
The author ‘s strength lies in the ability to create a cast of characters that I felt I knew. Each one was fighting an inner chaos. Their paths cross one way or other as the story evolves, until a stunning ending where two unlikely wedding guests face each other in under very dramatic circumstances.
I started reading this book because the author will be appearing locally and I expect to be there. I finished reading the book because it was excellent.
June 30, 2018
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, NetGalley, and Goodreads provided me with the opportunity to read an advanced copy of We Are Gathered. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.
We Are Gathered is a book about a wedding, told from the perspectives of the guests who are in attendance. The writing format leaves the story very disjointed, with different opinions from section to section. It is also hard to ascertain the author of each portion of the book, as the character name is not always apparent.
This character sketch has almost no plot, which gives We Are Gathered a sluggish pace. The novel is just about a bunch of people attending a wedding, with very little connection between them. I really did not get a clear picture of any of the characters and the plot itself was lacking. For these reasons, I would not recommend We Are Gathered to other readers.
We Are Gathered is a book about a wedding, told from the perspectives of the guests who are in attendance. The writing format leaves the story very disjointed, with different opinions from section to section. It is also hard to ascertain the author of each portion of the book, as the character name is not always apparent.
This character sketch has almost no plot, which gives We Are Gathered a sluggish pace. The novel is just about a bunch of people attending a wedding, with very little connection between them. I really did not get a clear picture of any of the characters and the plot itself was lacking. For these reasons, I would not recommend We Are Gathered to other readers.
September 7, 2018
This novel is structured around the guests that are attending the wedding of Elizabeth Gottlieb. Each chapter is told from the point of view of a different guest. Some are relatives and friends of the bride, but some only have a tangential connection with Elizabeth. But she is seen by everyone as sort of a "golden girl" who has had her life handed to her on a sliver platter. This causes the guests to look back at their life and the twists and turns that they have taken. So the book is really a series of mini life story vignettes about these people and they vary in gender, age, and health. Taken together the chapters are a clever way of looking at the different stages of a person's life and all the many factors that cause us to end up with the life we have. Things like family, love, work, and even the era and geography that we are born into. As an added bonus Weisman's writing is beautiful.
January 9, 2019
All the characters seemed to be grappling with love and/or life. What is it truly, is what I have it, am i loved? The author, an Atlanta dermatologist, was able to get into each individuals head and seemed to intentionally want the reader to hate some of the thoughts. The story is told in what could be individual short stories from inside the heads of characters attending the wedding of Elizabeth Gottlieb. You learn a lot about Elizabeth but have no idea what's going inside her head as there is no chapter from her perspective. Well written but not real exciting read.
WSBCGA Rating (according to me)
Women :-) – As many as not.
Short :-) - The book could be considered a series of short stories.
Southern :-) - Yes.
Depth :-| - Not in particular - until the recommender of the book suggested that the book was about the transference of power from old to young, caregiver to care receiver, etc.
Good Book Club Book :-( - Meh.
Recommend :-|- Meh
WSBCGA Rating (according to me)
Women :-) – As many as not.
Short :-) - The book could be considered a series of short stories.
Southern :-) - Yes.
Depth :-| - Not in particular - until the recommender of the book suggested that the book was about the transference of power from old to young, caregiver to care receiver, etc.
Good Book Club Book :-( - Meh.
Recommend :-|- Meh
February 28, 2018
We Are Gathered tells the life stories of several guests attending a wedding between a Jewish girl and a non-Jewish man. Through each of the point of view characters, readers are introduced to snippets of life as a Jew from World War II era Germany to post-Vietnam America. Many of the characters are well-rounded and the writing is engaging for the most part. I was a little thrown off by part of the end section because it seemed to come out of left field.
If you like books that are told from multiple points of view that deal with historical events and life, this book would be good choice. It is not a particularly fast read--I usually can read entire novels straight through in an evening and this took me a few days of reading a chapter at a time. I appreciated the chance to read this book, even if it is not one my preferred mystery, suspense, or fantasy genre novels.
If you like books that are told from multiple points of view that deal with historical events and life, this book would be good choice. It is not a particularly fast read--I usually can read entire novels straight through in an evening and this took me a few days of reading a chapter at a time. I appreciated the chance to read this book, even if it is not one my preferred mystery, suspense, or fantasy genre novels.
February 17, 2019
This book wasn't what I thought it was going to be about. I expected a romantic comedy but when I got the book and started reading it I realized it was actually about the guests of the wedding of Elizabeth Gottlieb. The idea of each chapter told from the point of view of a guest was actually very interesting and a good idea. However, the key here would be to care about the guests who were telling their story. A few of the stories I enjoyed, but mostly I just didn't care enough about the guests to feel anything about them, good or bad. I think the author had a good concept and wrote it well. I just didn't connect with any of the characters, and for me to really like a book I have to connect by either hating or loving a character.
July 14, 2018
I read a review of this book in my local newspaper. It sounded pretty interesting so I decided to give it a go.
One hundred and fifty people are gathered for the interfaith wedding of Elizabeth and Hank. Each chapter is told by a different character - a friend, a grandfather, an aunt, etc. Each brings their own perspective of the wedding and how they fit into the bride or groom's life.
This was often funny and insightful. I liked the honesty and straightforwardness of each character. Bravo to Ms. Weisman on this entertaining debut.
I received this from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt via Netgalley. Many thanks!
One hundred and fifty people are gathered for the interfaith wedding of Elizabeth and Hank. Each chapter is told by a different character - a friend, a grandfather, an aunt, etc. Each brings their own perspective of the wedding and how they fit into the bride or groom's life.
This was often funny and insightful. I liked the honesty and straightforwardness of each character. Bravo to Ms. Weisman on this entertaining debut.
I received this from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt via Netgalley. Many thanks!
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