A Cloud in the Shape of a Girl

by Jean Thompson

From National Book Award finalist and the New York Times bestselling author of The Year We Left Home comes a moving family saga about three generations of women who struggle to find freedom and happiness in their small Midwestern college town.

A Cloud in the Shape of a Girl is a poignant novel about three generations of the Wise family—Evelyn, Laura, and Grace—as they hunt for contentment amid chaos of their own making.

Evelyn set aside her career to marry late, and motherhood never became her. Her daughter Laura felt this acutely and wants desperately to marry, but she soon discovers her husband Gabe to be a man who expects too much of everyone in his life, especially his musician son. Grace has moved out from Laura and Gabe’s house, but can’t seem to live up to her potential—whatever that might be.

In A Cloud in the Shape of a Girl we see these women and their trials, small and large: social slights and heartbreaks; marital disappointments and infidelities; familial dysfunction; mortality. Spanning from World War II to the present, Thompson reveals a matrilineal love story that is so perfectly grounded in our time—a story of three women regressing, stalling, and yes, evolving, over decades. One of the burning questions she asks is: by serving her family, is a woman destined to repeat the mistakes of previous generations, or can she transcend the expectations of a place, and a time? Can she truly be free?

Evelyn, Laura, and Grace are the glue that binds their family together. Tethered to their small Midwestern town—by choice or chance—Jean Thompson seamlessly weaves together the stories of the Wise women with humanity and elegance, through their heartbreaks, setbacks, triumphs, and tragedies.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Audiobook, Family, Contemporary, Womens Fiction

336 pages, Hardcover

First published October 23, 2018

About the author

Jean Thompson is a New York Times bestselling author and her new novel, The Humanity Project will be published by Blue Rider Press on April 23, 2013.

Thompson is also the author of the novel The Year We Left Home, the acclaimed short fiction collections Do Not Deny Me, and Throw Like a Girl as well as the novel City Boy; the short story collection Who Do You Love, and she is a 1999 National Book Award finalist for fiction as well as and the novel Wide Blue Yonder, a New York Times Notable Book and Chicago Tribune Best Fiction selection for 2002.

Her short fiction has been published in many magazines and journals, including The New Yorker, and been anthologized in The Best American Short Stories and Pushcart Prize. Jean's work has been praised by Elle Magazine as "bracing and wildly intelligent writing that explores the nature of love in all its hidden and manifest dimensions."

Jean's other books include the short story collections The Gasoline Wars and Little Face, and the novels My Wisdom and The Woman Driver.

Jean has been the recipient of Guggenheim and National Endowment for the Arts fellowships, among other accolades, and taught creative writing at the University of Illinois--Champaign/ Urbana, Reed College, Northwestern University, and many other colleges and universities.

Reviews

[Angela M · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Let’s face it. There’s probably a little dysfunction in all of our families, and I’ll admit to my own, but I have to say up front, the dysfunction here with a cast of miserably, unhappy characters, unhappy with each other and with themselves, was more than I could relate to. The novel focuses on three generations of women. Evelyn is dying and we learn that she’s led an unsatisfying life, resentful that she gave up her dreams and ambitions when she marries and has children who she never really has a motherly bond with. Her daughter Laura, is also in an unhappy marriage, giving her all to her family, but her family is dealing with alcoholism and drug abuse, later an illness, and a distance between her and her daughter. No matter how hard Laura tries, she is not able to keep her daughter Grace from wanting to get away from all of them. No character is without flaws and we learn of secrets held by both Evelyn and Laura.

I especially liked the writing in the beginning. While most of the narrative is in chapters named for these three women, the opening chapter is told without names. I thought that it laid out Evelyn’s story really well, the time in this country around the war, what is happening as Evelyn is dying and what Laura is going through without even mentioning their names. While I was hard pressed to find a character that I liked, there were moments when I felt for them and moments when I was heartened by their actions. I read and loved Thompson’s The Year We Left Home and I remember feeling more of a connection with those characters. In spite of my reservations, I thought she did a commendable job of depicting some realistic, relatable issues and emotions : alcoholism, drug addiction, Illness, death, grief, and heartbreaking family tragedy. The lingering question throughout is whether Grace will be able to break from her mother and grandmother’s lives filled with dissatisfaction. Anyone who read this will have to decide for themselves.

I read this with Diane and Esil as our monthly buddy read.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Simon and Schuster through NetGalley.

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 I had a very negative reaction to this story. Don't get me wrong, the writing is extremely well done, but the book was just so, well for me, a Debbie downer. Three generations of women, unhappy families to the extreme. Nary a glimpse of joy. Never connected with the chsrscters, so I didn't feel sorry for the as did my wonderful reading partners, Esil and Angela. To me, they were like cardboard characters, so obvious and stereotypical. Unhappy, martyr like women, drugs alcohol, infidelity, surprise pregancies and illness. What more could be thrown in?

There were a few surprises near the end, and even a glimpse of hope that this cycle could be broken. I just had a hard time absorbing this much unhappiness. I loved her previous book, and will read her next because she is a fine writer. Plus, not everyone reacts the same way to a story, and you may be in s completely different reading mood. Best that in mind.

ARC from Netgalley.

[Debra · Rating 3 out of 5]

"What if your life sneaked up behind you, tapped you on the shoulder, and said, Guess what, I'm already here."

A Cloud in the shape of a girl follows the story of three women, Evelyn, Laura, and Grace. Three generations of women from one family and their lives, their loves, their choices and the men in their lives. Each woman has something she is dealing with ranging from marital issues, infidelity, heartbreak, addiction, dysfunction with the family, secrets, longing and coming to terms with death.

"I have lived my life sandwiched between two angry women."

Each of the women in this book are stuck in their lives. Stuck with the choices they have made, being too comfortable being uncomfortable. The book deals with many issues/themes - addiction, infidelity, pregnancy, illness, dying, and heartbreak to name a few. I found this to be a bleak book with very little happiness. I think one must be in the mood to read such a book. The writing is very good and some of the characters may be relate-able. Evelyn gave up her career aspirations for a family - for children that she struggled to bond with. Laura is her daughter and she lives in an unhappy marriage with a husband who drinks way too much and a son who is in and out of rehab. Grace is Laura's daughter and she keeps her family at arm's length. She also makes poor choices in terms of who she lets in her life and the reader is left to wonder if Grace will in fact, break free from the cycle and find a way to live a satisfying life.

This book felt like a character study on sadness. It shows how patterns can be repeated, how not having a healthy relationship to use as a model, that children may grow up to repeat their parent's patterns and about relationships. This book shows how choices, no matter how big or small can affect and change one's life. There is a lot to think about in this book, which would make this book a good book club choice.

Very well written somber story about three women in one family.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Read more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com

[TarHeelReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 insightful stars to A Cloud in the Shape of a Girl! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

I’ve read wonderful things about Jean Thompson’s The Year We Left Home, so I was eager to read A Cloud in the Shape of a Girl! What an ethereal and beautiful title, by the way!

A Cloud in the Shape of a Girl is the story of three generations of women in the Wise family. What an emotional story Grace, Evelyn, and Laura have to tell.

At the root of each woman’s life is something we can all probably relate to- feelings of not measuring up. Evelyn, the grandmother and matriarch, did not take easily to motherhood. Laura, her daughter, marries a man who is hard on everyone and conveys to their son that he does not meet expectations. Grace is Laura’s daughter, and she is not able to meet expectations whether they be her own or otherwise.

The focus is on each of these women and the strain they feel, the longing, the desperation. We experience every aspect of their trials and tribulations as they travel through life and time. How do we pass down our own stressors, experiences, and false expectations to our younger generations? Can a woman ever get out from under these harsh expectations?

A Cloud in the Shape of a Girl has a somber, melancholic tone. These women have hard lives emotionally, and they carry their burdens outwardly. It made me think about its important message, and I really appreciate it: how much of my own life has been shaped by the women in my family who modeled for me, who experienced their own trials long before I came to be?

On a personal note, in my maternal family, the women are stronger than the men for the most part. Sorry to my male forebears, but it’s true. The women were the glue holding their families together, the ones who raised children while husbands were off to war, who never complained, never had an ailment, were hardly emotional. I wonder now if this set expectations for me to follow in this same mold (the mold that was firmly cast based on THEIR experiences), and I would say in many ways I have. But at the same time, I don’t meet every standard set for me, and perhaps that does affect my self-worth at times.

That was a little more personal than I typically delve in my reviews, but this book resonated with me. Everyone has “stuff” they carry through life and their own experiences, good and bad. Just how much of our “stuff” is predetermined by the environment we grow up in and the shaping and modeling we receive by those important to us? I enjoyed this self-reflective journey, and I don’t mind a somber read when the message is an evocative one. Thanks to Jean Thompson for the insight.

Thank you to Simon Schuster for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All opinions are my own.

My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com

[Cheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

”There's no mercy in a live wire
No rest at all in freedom
Of the choices we are given it's no choice at all
The proof is in the fire
You touch before it moves away
But you must always know how long to stay and when to go

“And there ain't no talkin' to this man
He's been tryin' to tell me so
It took awhile to understand the beauty of just letting go
Cause it would take an acrobat, I already tried all that
I'm gonna let him fly”
-- Let Him Fly, Patty Griffin, Songwriters: Patty Griffin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVLuE...


Alma Mater,
“To thy happy children
of the future
Those of the past
send greetings ”


When Lorado Taft (1860-1936) created Alma Mater, a statue including three figures at the University of Illinois, he wanted to portray ‘Our Mother’ as a “majestic woman in scholastic robes, who rises from her throne generously greeting her children,” advancing with open arms, welcoming her children. The second and third figures, he proposed, were to be “subordinate” figures. ‘Learning’ clasping hands with ‘Labor,’ hands meeting over the back of the chair. This quote, the inscription on the statue Alma Mater appears, alone, on the first page, showing the connection and relationship of the three, as well as the elevated status of the Mother figure.

Our mothers may have welcomed us into the world, but for these three women, it doesn’t make the relationships between these three women easy, or demonstrative, or loving. Neither are they contentious or bitter, so much as they just… are.

Three generations of women, whose lives seem to be a variation on a theme, not happy but also not unhappy, melancholic in their frazzled, unappreciated, underappreciated lives that feel as though these women were always waiting for permission to live the lives they wanted, instead of the ones they ended up living. The men they ended up, they blame, as though these men had been assigned them instead of recognizing they held some responsibility for the choices they made. The feeling of all the passion for life they once had, tamped down by these men.

Evelyn had ambitions – once upon a time, and at a time when women rarely were encouraged to pursue such things as a Ph.D. It is just after the end of World War II when she meets Rusty at college, a veteran who was there courtesy of Uncle Sam, and a love affair soon follows. He leaves to return to his family farm, and soon thereafter Evelyn realizes she is carrying his child. Hastily, she marries Andrew, a professor, in hopes that he will believe this child is his, but soon after, miscarries. Eventually they will have two children, Laura and Andrew, and she will play her dutiful role as mother, but with some resentment attached for the loss of her unfulfilled dreams.

Laura doesn’t want to be like her mother, she thinks of her mother as emotionally distant, and Laura isn’t focused on pursuing a “career.” Her courtship with the man who becomes her husband, a computer genius, changes quickly when he proves to be too offensive to her long-standing friends, and they begin to distance themselves. Looking for love, or the closest substitute, she runs into an old friend of her brother, Bob, and nine months later, Grace is born. Eventually, a son, Michael will be born, as well.

As years pass, Laura struggles between helping to care for her mother, whose health is declining, with the end only a matter of time, her husband whose fondness of alcohol has become a problem, her son will eventually turn to drugs. Tensions will run high. Grace works at a health-food store, no longer living in her parent’s home. Will she also make unhealthy choices / decisions in men, or will she learn to recognize how unhealthy choices can change the course of your life.

Years ago, I read another novel by this author, which I didn’t realize until I saw the name of the book,The Year We Left Home a five star read for me. Similar to A Cloud in the Shape of a Girl, both are stories that focus on ordinary lives, lives where very little happens or changes, and yet… everything does. That is the nature of life. It changes.

Sacrifice, bitterness, resentment, forgiveness are all themes in this story. While the writing is often lovely, this did get a bit bogged down for me for a short while, but I ended up really enjoying, and appreciating this story.


Pub Date: 23 OCT 2018

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Simon & Schuster

[Lindsay L · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars.

A family with three generations of unhappy women.

This was a backlist NetGalley title that didn’t work out for me. I usually love books that focus on female main characters, especially family stories involving multiple generations of women. I can handle sad stories — I actually love having a good book cry every now and then, and I generally enjoy connecting with characters going through tough times and hardships. However, I have to have some sort of investment in the characters and care about them somehow first for the sadness to impact me and this just wasn’t the case with this novel. I didn’t care for any of the characters. The storyline was slow and depressing and I found myself bored and wanting to speed up the audiobook to get through it. I was curious enough to continue on and see how things came together but even the ending was lacklustre. Even though I didn’t connect with any characters, I wanted to feel a sense of hope for them and even that didn’t happen.

Overall, a complete miss for me. Not sure if this authors writing just isn’t for me or maybe it was a one-off with this particular storyline.

Audio rating: 2 stars. The narrator didn’t make this depressing story any more enjoyable.

Thank you to the publisher for my review copy! Thank you to my lovely local library for the audio loan!

[Bam cooks the books · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3.5 stars rounded up.

This is the story of three generations of the women of one family but broadens towards the end to deeply examine the family dysfunction of the last generation--father, mother, son and daughter. The father has a drinking problem and mentally abuses his children, most especially his son who cannot live up to his father's expectations and turns to drugs. The daughter is belittled by her father but more often feels ignored for the most part. The mother is the peacekeeper, trying to keep everyone happy, hoping they can all play nice and get along. The husband tends to blame her for coddling the son and causing his problems; she hopes family counseling will help. Too little, too late?

Yes, this story is wrenching and depressing, but so well written! Thompson makes you feel what these people are going through. I get excited when a novel helps me examine something about my own prejudices, experiences, thoughts and beliefs.

I dare you not to read this book and not think about your mother. Or perhaps you will see yourself in these women? I relived my role as family peacekeeper when my daughters were young, trying to make everyone happy, settle squabbles. It's a truly thankless job!

My husband was not abusive at all to our children but was old-school: strict and demanding. It was a family joke that my husband was lucky he never had sons because he was hard enough on the girls. But I had an aha moment while reading this story--were we implying that less was expected of our daughters because they were not boys? I mentioned this to my husband and he was taken aback too.

We always told them they could be whatever they wanted to be--just to follow their passion and the money will follow. But is that strictly true in today's economy? In this story, the son has talent and a passion for music but can't seem to support himself with it. And the daughter loves English literature but with her degree, she might as well have 'unemployable' tattooed on her forehead, according to her father. The story examines the reality of the job market for this latest generation, how hard it is to find a job that pays a living wage.

Another part of the plot that is wrenching is dealing with the dying process of our mothers, both during and afterwards. I have lived through that myself and this story brought back many painful memories. I really had enough of this story when it came to funerals, I have to admit.

This is a book to be read slowly and mulled over. Are you like your own mother or have you gone in the other direction?

I received an arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review. Many thanks. I look forward to reading more of this author's work. She's a very fine writer.

[♥ Sandi ❣ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the chance to read this novel. Published on October 9, 2018.

This was a book that I probably would have set down, if it were not that I was reading it with a group. But because I was, I forged on, and am now fairly happy that I did.

The first half of this book was frustrating. I felt the characters were shallow and basically portrayed people who I try hard not to associate with. The story tells of three generations of women. First Evelyn, who was forced to conform and marry, when it was not what she wanted. Second was the peace maker Laura, who blamed herself for everyone else's problems. Lastly came Grace, who having no self confidence, was trying to find her place in life. I actually think the author did a good job in portraying these women, because I had such a visceral dislike for them.

In the second half of the book there was sadness. More sadness than even in the first half. Due to two deaths more intermediate people were brought into the story. This half of the story centered mostly on drug abuse and played out the way a lot of families actually go through it. This half also began to resolve some of the secrets and lies that had plagued the story.

This is the first novel I have read by Jean Thompson, so hate to do her a disservice by condemning her book or writing. I will say that even though I disliked her characters, she wrote them well enough to get that reaction from me. I would hesitantly read another novel by Thompson, but would first check it out making sure that it's subject matter was not as bleak and sorrowful as this book.

[Jsiva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly... I read the back cover and thought, idk... why did I want to read this again? Sounds boring.... but it resonated with me in many ways, and I was eager to read it each night. Les and the Dad really creeped me out. I loved the little incident with Laura's last words! And Micheal is unfortunately very close to my heart. Beautiful writing, Ms. Thompson 💛

[Esil · Rating 3 out of 5]

3+ stars

A Cloud in the Shape of a Girl is the third novel I read in a short time span dealing with the generational divide between millennials and baby boomers. The two others were Unsheltered and Boomer1. Each one of them had a heavy bleak undertone. This was not exception. The writing was good, but it was hard to like these self-pitying self-destructive characters. In the face of a real crisis, they seem to make all the wrong decisions.

This was monthly read with Angela and Diane. I’m long overdue with my review. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sad, raw and depressing. Three generations of women who have been suffocated/stifled from their full potential/achievements, true loves, and instead are living a life of yearning and servitude and playing as peacemakers. The men in these three generations also have their own issues of being controlling and manipulative and with pressures of maintaining a high successful profile; the last generation not being able to meet any of these expectations. He’s an out of control addict, alcoholic, an off/on band player, has been in and out of rehab, hates his father, treats his mother horribly, defies society /authoritative standards.

Overall, a very dysfunctional family tale. We all know that dysfunctional relationships do not work normally and are not happy or successful. This is the entire plot of this story.

I enjoyed the writing at the beginning of the story; it was good and it held promise. Somewhere around mid- point, it went downhill, and it went down fast. The same old story being repeated through generations. Like mother, like daughter; like father, like son; on and on. Yes, I could see this as a valid family’s story, but, it was quite overwhelming to this reader.

No one really was able to get out of this unending dismal rut, though they tried, but did they really try or did they not try hard enough? Stuck in the same place, with the same people, with similar sins. The unending cycle of co-dependency. I really wanted to yell something out to each and every one of them to break the chains that bind, but they were all so embedded and resentful of their lives and family members. The women were up for martyrdom; they were subservient, always putting others before themselves and before their own wants and needs.

A Thanksgiving dinner segment with the family was so very full of angst and was painful to read. The weird guy that picked up Grace at her workplace was totally inappropriate and a very scuzzy individual. I so disliked his character. He was a user/manipulator; yet she took up with him. Why, Grace? Why? Where is your head? This is not helping, it’s just adding to the hurt. This is all so hopeless!

More suffering and victimizing; more of not being able to stand up for yourself and just say no. They were all so maddening! Back to the alcohol. Back to the drugs. Back to bad behavior. Back to making poor choices. Back to arguing and fighting. Back to trying to make and keep the peace with the family. Back to making excuses and bailing one or the other out time after time. Back to running away from difficulties instead of working through them. It just did not seem as if there was ever going to be any kind of hope or moving forward for these characters and it was actually quite depressing to read and to literally get pulled into their bleak, unhappy lives.

The ending did bring some hope and perspective but not without things getting much, much worse before they got better. 3.0 unhappy, dismal stars.

[switterbug (Betsey) · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those who aren’t familiar with Jean Thompson, a word of warning—her books do not have page-turning action or swiftly moving plots (at least the ones I’ve read). Instead, like this one, her novels are character-based, and her style is often meditative. When something dramatic happens, it isn’t like a bomb going off, but rather like the bottom fell out. She does not pander to boilerplate blockbusters, or pad her story with popular platitudes. Thompson’s narrative is subtle, intelligent, with themes that compel you to examine our culture.

Is your agency governed by choice or by decree? Does history determine your future? As women, are we bound to roles passed down by our mothers? How can we fix our lives when mired in a damaged, dysfunctional family? In this story of three generations of women, spanning over 80 years, the questions of legacy and expectations—both your own and your parents’—are addressed.

Three generations of Wise women, in a small midwestern town, with their various ambitions and stifled longings, are keenly portrayed in this story. Evelyn, well educated, taught college during WW II, taking advantage of the vacancies when men went off to war. She was an unconventional thinker and assertive achiever who married late and had children even later. She capitulated to choices against her nature, and paid for it with growing resentment and ill-disposed mothering. Evelyn lived in the shadow of her husband—the conduct of the good wife, while she was devoured by custom and housework.

Evelyn’s daughter, Laura, was unlike her mother; she was obliging and pliable and sought love and marriage. Eventually, she settled for an unruly and moody alcoholic, and took a backseat to his will. Her minor career offered meager satisfaction, and she tried to be the glue in her family. Laura coddled her self-destructive son and took her daughter, Grace, for granted; she expected Grace to be accommodating to the men in the family. Now in her twenties, Grace wants more for herself, but she’s stuck in a matrilineal legacy. She carries her burden with dread, and is caught in a battle of wills.

The pace moves gently as the characters deepen and troubles increase, but there’s an urgency growling subtly beneath the narrative. It’s a pull and push, a tug of war, a war of the women in the quagmire of history.

“And yet history shifted underneath your feet…The present was a dizzy perch that every so often began to spin and slide…You held onto your life with both hands, you told yourself to pay attention to this moment, the here and now. But one minute passed into the next, and at some point you looked back and everything was over and people called it history.”

4.5 rounded up

[Jessica Woodbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

The novel of male discontent and melancholy has been at the center of American literature for a long time, but more and more I see the rise of its long overdue female counterpart. The novel of male discontent (almost always a straight cis white male, well-off, and successful) has always been a mystery to me. Its central question seems to be, "Why am I so unhappy?" and the answer is usually nothing more than that this is inherent to life, that it is unescapable. The two men in this book could easily have each had their own novel of male discontent out of the story presented in this book. It is good that they do not.

A CLOUD IN THE SHAPE OF A GIRL does not push too hard against this tradition in that the women in this book are also straight, cis, white, and well-off. You can see them inhabiting the same world as many of those other novels of male discontent. There is much that you'll recognize from those books: affairs, death, and the cage of family. But just by tweaking the formula enough to look at women instead of men, this book cannot look at the world and wonder why we are unhappy and just blame life itself. There are many reasons. Piles and piles of reasons. And at the center of it is a pair of culprits: the discontented man and the complex woman.

There are three women in this book, Evelyn, her daughter Laura, and her daughter Grace. We get to live a little as each of them and any woman who has had a mother or a daughter will recognize the way that small and large differences between generations can lead to rifts that feel impossible to cross. Each mother is her own kind of curse to her daughter, and each daughter a kind of curse to her mother. Whether a mother does not love enough or loves too much, it can never be right. But this book doesn't dwell in the day-to-day of this, instead it starts at Evelyn's death. Evelyn was a frustrated mother who felt trapped by her family, but Laura has responded by being a woman who makes her family the center of her life, including the care for her mother as she nears the end. We get hardly any interaction between this mother and daughter, this is not that book, but we get to jump through time to see each woman on her own, without her family, with her own set of dreams.

Laura's relationship with Grace is also complex. Laura's family is her center, but it has also fractured. Her husband and her son are constantly at odds, only forced together because of her son's ongoing struggle with addiction. Grace cannot get far enough away from all of it and the way her mother does all the work for everyone, including her constant efforts to repair this relationship. But Grace soon finds herself forced to step into her mother's role, just as her mother and grandmother have found themselves obligated before her.

Getting to know each of these women, understanding why they made the choices they did, and seeing just how similar they are but how little they understand each other or open up to each other is truly heartbreaking. But mostly I spent this book feeling a lot like Grace, feeling angry at the men who created most of these situations in the first place. I saw the men of so many novels, creating havoc and misery while they wallow in their own selfish struggle, but when you move outside of their heads to someone else's there is a kind of momentum and scale that builds a bigger, deeper, more rewarding book.

I love a book that shows you multiple points of view, that lets you live with A who struggles with B, but then flips over to B to show you just how hard a time they have with A. But I particularly enjoyed how this book didn't just give you each woman in equal parts but broke out of my expectations for what would happen and how this story would be told. My largest quibble is that the end is a bit too rushed, which keeps it from feeling fully integrated with the rest of the story, though this may have been the author's intention.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are looking for an incredibly tragic, moving family saga then look no further, A Cloud in the Shape of a Girl by Jean Thompson has you covered!

I went into A Cloud in the Shape of a Girl knowing it was going to be a family saga about three generations, but I don't think I realized just how sad it was going to be. There is a lot of hurt and pain in this book, so I definitely think you need to be in the right mood to read it. That being said, it was beautifully written, and I can tell that Thompson is very skilled at her craft. I think Grace was my favorite viewpoint, but also one of the saddest. This is a tear-jerker for sure so I would make sure to keep some tissues handy!

I listened to all of A Cloud in the Shape of a Girl on audio, and I really enjoyed the narrator Cassandra Campbell. She narrators another book that I want to listen to soon, so it is nice to know I already like her from this book. I listened to her on 1.8 speed which was perfect, and I could understand her just fine. I think that listening to this may have made it a tiny bit less of a tear-jerker for me so if you are worried about crying while listening to the audio, you might not have to. It's sad and tragic, but doing the audio detached me a little bit and I didn't cry a whole lot even though usually I'm sure I would.

Song/s the book brought to mind: Elastic Heart by Sia

Final Thought: There aren't a whole lot of happy things that happen in A Cloud in the Shape of a Girl, so if you aren't in the mood to be melancholy this might not be the book for you. It made me long for lilac trees, and lilac seemed to be a theme in and of itself which was very interesting. The book revolves around the lives of three different generations of women, and if that sounds like your thing I would definitely recommend checking it out. I'm glad I did the audio of this book, and I look forward to reading more from Thompson.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book (and a candle!), all opinions and thoughts are my own.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

In her latest novel, Jean Thompson focuses on what she does best — creating authentic and complex characters that quietly make choices, some good and some bad, and evolve through those decisions. In exploring three generations of women, the question that arises is this: is it possible to break free from one’s family and cast off its legacy of unhappy women?

For Grace, who literally renames herself from her given name of Patti (Grace is her middle name), living on one’s own terms is worth a try. Her grandmother, Evelyn, married a stodgy professor on the law school faculty during war time—not the most harmonious alignment. That marriage led to two children, including her only daughter, Laura, who subsequently falls into a misaligned marriage of her own and also begets two children, Grace and Michael.

Grace is underemployed in a local health food store; her brother Michael, a wannabe musician and drug addict. As Grace struggles to keep her family afloat, will she end up losing herself? Will she, indeed, find the grace to fit into her family structure without being pulled into the destructive orbit of her oppressive family?

In sharing the stories of these women —separately and together—A Cloud in the Shape of a Girl really shares the story of what it is like to be a woman, the things we yearn for, the things we cast ourselves against, the ways we undermine ourselves by our sense of duty to husbands, brothers, and society in general. These intricately-drawn portraits sparkle with truths and the despair that often goes hand-in-hand with being a dreamer. It is, at turns, poignant, tender, tragic, and real.

[Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Cloud in the Shape of a Girl delves deeply into the lives of three generations of the Wise family. Evelyn is the matriarch of the family and although her life is close to an end, we do get a deeper understanding of her life and that of her daughter Laura and granddaughter Grace. This is not a happy tale and it does discuss issues that are relevant in many families such as marriage issues, cheating, substance abuse, and the life choices one makes.

I do admit that I had a hard time really getting into the story for the first forty pages and I did put the book down a couple of times, but once Evelyn’s story picks up I found myself thoroughly engrossed in her life and the choices that she made. I often think back to stories my own grandmother tells me about what it was like growing up especially during wartime and how life was like in her family growing up and I couldn't help but relate this to Evelyn. I think a lot of times people tend to forget it was a different time back then especially with societal views on women working, marriage and babies. Evelyn has a late start in life getting married and having her first child and I can see the struggles she went through with motherhood and having an older husband.

Laura wants to be better than her mother and often finds herself the peacemaker in her own family. She worries constantly about her children and wants better for them than how her own life turned out. She is mostly content in her marriage although it is not always a happy one. Laura does not do well with conflict and tends to not speak up at times because she does not want to make waves within her family. But in reality, she is the peacemaker and the glue that holds her family together.

Grace has always felt like she never belonged in her family. She thinks of herself as an outsider looking in. She does not have much of a relationship with her father. Her brother has his music and drug of choice and her mother never seems to understand her. In truth, she is very much a rebel and still trying to find her place in this world. Grace wanted to be different. She didn’t want the life her mother had and in a way she never fit in the mold of the family dynamic.

I can see why Jean Thompson is a New York Times best selling author. Her writing is absolutely beautiful and lyrical. She has such a way of drawing you right in and engrossing you into the lives of the Wise women and the choices they have made in their lives. This is not a happy story. It is strife with heartbreak and sorrow, but at the same time it is also real. Thompson shows that through all of the heartache that there can also be a light at the end of the tunnel.

One thing I would like to mention is the title of this story and while I was reading, I wasn’t sure what the symbolism would mean and once it is revealed, I can clearly see why this story was named A Cloud in the Shape of a Girl. It was so poetic and so fitting.

A Cloud in the Shape of a Girl is a poignant and moving story that will evoke every emotion out of you. Jean Thompson has an extraordinary gift of writing and I can see why she is well loved by her readers. This is a book I can highly recommend.

[Mahala · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.

A Cloud in the Shape of a Girl is a story about three generations of women in the Wise family. I believe the point of this novel is to try to answer whether each generation of women is doomed to be exactly like their mother or if they can change their course. It seems this was meant to be poignant and moving and affect us all in some deep way but honestly, it was terrible and dull. This was a story about a woman trapped in a loveless marriage who devoted her life to doing everything for everyone except herself, her daughter who is also trapped in a loveless marriage with an alcoholic, and HER daughter who is miserable because she ends up cleaning up their decades of messes. It would be depressing but it's too bland to even incite such feeling as sadness.
I had really high hopes for this book and I feel like it COULD have been good. It had potential but it didn't play out.

[Alena · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have some crazy mixed feelings about this book. I went in knowing nothing except that I loved this author's previous novel The Year We Left Home and for the first 2/3 of the novel I felt the same way. I love the midwestern roots, the ambling nature of the storytelling, the push-pull of mother/daughter dynamics. I recognized these women, felt I understood their strengths and weaknesses.

Then the bottom dropped out for me. It's not that I can't handle a tragic turn or some abrupt plot twists (in fact I often prefer those developments); it was more like I felt it suddenly turned into another book completely - maudlin, painfully self-aware and bizarrely repetitive. I struggled through the last 50 pages shaking my head.

I will read Jean Thomson again, but on the whole, this novel left me unsatisfied.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jean Thompson’s compelling new novel — about three generations of Midwestern women in the Wise family — asks this core question:

“By serving her family, is a woman destined to repeat the mistakes of previous generations, or can she transcend the expectations of a place, and a time? Can she truly be free?”

Her gracious response is played out in the lives of Evelyn, Laura, and Grace, from WWII to the present, as they traverse paths of joy, loss, triumph, and despair. Another winning narrative from this National Book Award finalist and New York Times bestselling author of The Year We Left Home. 5 Stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, for an early copy. Opinions are mine.

[Judy Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buy the Audiobook! Cassandra Campbell was amazing, as always. More to come.

[Cathryn Conroy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, this is a sad book. But it's also a book about real life, and some of real life IS sad. Very sad. Author Jean Thompson has written a magnificent story about mothers and daughters over three generations that will resonate with virtually every woman.

The novel, which takes place from World War II to the present day, is set in an unnamed small college town in the Midwest—the kind of town where the college dominates everything and those who live there are called "townies."

• Evelyn is the matriarch. She married Andrew soon after the war ended, but she never recovered from her anger and frustration at having to settle for marriage instead of a career. After all, in those days it was one or the other. She has two children, Laura and Mark, both of whom came later in an already later-in-life marriage. Her husband is an attorney and an esteemed member of the college faculty.

• Laura grew up in this small college town and went to college there. After graduation, she got an unimportant, boring job, waiting to fall in love and get married. One night in a bar she meets Gabe, who is a graduate student. Gabe is good looking and will soon be gainfully employed, even if he does drink too much. They marry. They have two children, Grace and Michael. Laura lives her life to serve her family, but she is left exhausted and often harried. She feels invisible. Laura has a secret—a big, big, big secret that she has carefully guarded most of her life. Under the direst of circumstances, she reveals to Grace a clue to the secret.

• It's modern day, but if it were the 1960s, Grace, who is 26, would have been a hippie. Fiercely independent as she tries to emotionally and physically separate from her family, she only eats health food, works as a cashier in a health food market, and teaches yoga. She and her live-in boyfriend, Ray, are slowly slipping apart. Grace has no idea what she wants to do with her life, but she doesn't want to be like her mother, subservient to her husband and children. Grace's brother Michael is a talented musician and a drug addict, who has been in and out of rehab. Her relationship with her mother is fine, but her father's rage and resentment about his life and Michael's addiction is so intense, Grace avoids him. And then two things happen that will forever change Grace's life in tragic and confusing ways.

This is a family saga about the lives of these three unhappy women—from all the small joys and heartbreaks to the big secrets they hold close. Although Evelyn, Laura, and Grace are all stuck in their lives, seemingly unable to change things, they each desperately try to find happiness. The title is brilliant. Laura twice thinks of herself as a shape-shifting cloud (a cloud in the shape of a girl), and that metaphorically describes all three women as they shift their place in the world to please others first.

Written with great emotional insight, this is a novel about unfulfilled lives, difficult marriages, family dysfunction, and the inexorable ties that bind mothers and daughters through it all.

Just be prepared: It is sad…very, very sad.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Women hold a family together. They plan the social activities and family gatherings, act as a buffer between butting heads, ease the high emotions of family conflict, and provide the meals for the family table that brings generations together.

It is not an easy job, or an easy life. Especially in families afflicted with personality disorders, addictions, mental illness, anger issues, conflict--or even with the usual garden variety issues common to all families.

A Cloud in the Shape of a Girl by Jean Thompson is about three generations of women who have struggled with holding the family together even when their personal dreams are sacrificed for their family. The characters, Evelyn, Laura, and Grace, are vital and distinct while recalling to mind our own mothers and daughters.

It is a heartbreaking story that spans from WWII to the present, each generation of women hoping to find self-fulfillment and true love yet putting the interests of others first.

Each woman who reads this novel must ask herself in what way has she repeated her mother's life, in what ways has she sacrificed her dreams, and if it was worth it in the end. And do we make these choices out of societal or familial expectation or out of the love we have for our children?

I received a free ebook from the publisher in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jean Thompson has definitely entered my very short "will read whatever this author writes" list. She has a way of so beautifully (and amusingly) depicting messy people. If you need your characters to be likeable, I wouldn't recommend this. But I found it brilliant.

[Sarah at Sarah's Bookshelves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for an advance copy of this book.

Headline
Though not perfect, A Cloud in the Shape of a Girl is an astute observation of different generations of women’s roles in marriage and motherhood and reminded me of a bleaker Anna Quindlen.

What I Liked
- I’ve been gravitating towards books about marriage, motherhood, and women’s roles lately (as evidenced by my recent post: The “Women Who Get Women” Authors Club) and that’s the crux of what this book is about.
- Thompson beautifully unpacks the small, everyday trials of marriage and parenting: coddling your kids, bonding with your kids, different parenting styles within a marriage, different generational views on the roles of women, addiction, and mild alcoholism. So, don’t expect fireworks from a plot perspective…just astute commentary about life, especially for women.
- Thompson reminded me of a somewhat bleaker Anna Quindlen (if you like happy books, this one is not for you!) and A Cloud in the Shape of a Girl reminded me of a less explosive The Wife by Meg Wolitzer (my review).
- I love the focus on women of three different generations and think Thompson painted an accurate picture of the different generational outlooks on the role of women in the home. Grandmother Evelyn is actually very modern for her time and was career focused before reluctantly giving up it up when she became a mother. Mother Laura is a stay-at-home mom who coddles her husband and son. Laura’s husband, Gabe, is infuriated by Laura’s coddling of their son, but fully expects the coddling to apply to himself. Grace is Laura’s daughter who constantly barbs her mother for martyring herself in service to her husband and son and desperately wants to get out of her small town, but can’t seem to find the energy to make it happen.
- These characters are all flawed and every one will annoy you in some way. But, they’re realistic and represent types of people I see often in daily life…the housewife who martyrs herself to serve her husband and kids, the husband who expects the service of his wife, the millennial who is used to his parents to doing everything for him, and the woman who “gave it all up” to care for her family and now feels stifled.
- This would be an excellent book club selection!

Check out my blog, https://www.sarahsbookshelves.com, for the full review.

[Mary Lins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can’t imagine a woman who WON’T find something with which to identify in the three main characters of Jean Thompson’s novel, “A Cloud in the Shape of a Girl”. There were parts of each of their stories that spoke to me directly, parts that mystified me completely, and all of it was compelling and beautifully rendered. I feel confident recommending this to all of my female reading friends, AND to any man who would like some insight into women’s lives, past and present.

Evelyn, Laura, and Grace – three generations of women who have lived their lives in a small college town. For the most part their lives are conventional for their eras, though secrets are contained in each story. Theirs are largely familiar quotidian stories of motherhood and family; births, deaths, raising children, marriage, and occasional catastrophes and tragedies. This is a character-driven novel, not a plot driven one, though there are some suspenseful moments toward the end. The “today” character, Grace, dominates most of the story, and Thompson does a brilliant job of showing how Grace’s life is both similar to her mother’s and grandmother’s, and also how vastly different it is in today’s culture.

Two things occurred to me while reading this novel. The first was in noticing that both Laura and Grace have brothers only, I wondered how their stories would have been different had they had a sister (in addition to, or in place of, a brother). Sisters, especially when they are close, share both joys and burdens, and probably would have made these characters less isolated. The other thing I noted is that with the advent of DNA/genetic services such as “23 and Me” and others, it’s much less likely that paternity switcheroos will stay hidden, even for past generations.

Solid 4.5 stars!

[Jill Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can the actions of one generation affect the lives of succeeding ones? Should the secrets of parents and grandparents - seemingly so important to them - be exposed by the third generation? And what damage - or help - occurs by exposing them? Author Jean Thompson has written a brilliant book, "A Cloud in the Shape of a Girl", about three generations of a family in a mid-western college town and the actions and secrets that bind them together.

Thompson's story centers on the three generations of women. Evelyn, the grandmother, is a disappointed wife and mother, who always seems to be searching for...something, some place, or somebody else in her life. She married a much older academician and her own hopes of a brilliant teaching career are rather stifled by motherhood and wifehood. She gives birth to a son and a daughter, and that daughter, Laura, repeats her mother's life by also marrying a difficult man and having a daughter and son. Laura's daughter, Grace, is a mid-20's college graduate who is sort of drifting through life. Grace is drifting, as is her younger brother, Michael, who, in addition, is saddled with an addiction to drugs. Oh, and did I mention that their father, Gabe, is an alcoholic? Pretty grim family, I think most readers would say.

But they're not "grim", in Jean Thompson's able hands. She gives so much nuance to her six main characters that all are seen as individuals who you might know...or even be a member of your own family. Thompson doesn't feel sorry for her characters, so the reader doesn't. Thompson's book is not action-packed. Oh, people die but the others mourn and move on, often accompanied by the secrets these deaths have exposed. It's what the family members do with those secrets that makes Jean Thompson's book such a winner.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy broad sweeping family sagas that look at relationship patterns that repeat over generations. I believe that good fiction provides readers with windows into relationships of their own, or at least provides possible explanations for relationships that defy easy understanding. A CLOUD IN THE SHAPE OF A GIRL offers many vantage points and explanations for mothers and daughters who just miss one another in their attempts to connect. Author Jean Thompson has some deeply held views about parents and children and the ways in which timing interferes with intention throughout the lifespan. This tale is vast in scope but surprisingly specific in content. While all families have some pain, few suffer to this extent. I found this book very compelling and could not put it down. I wasn’t sure what would happen next and was eager to find out. I wasn’t disappointed. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Kris (My Novelesque Life) · Rating 4 out of 5]

RATING: 4 STARS
2018; Simon & Schuster Canada
(Review Not on Blog)

This is my first novel by Jean Thompson and it will not be my last. I already have a few titles in mind. "A Cloud in the Shape of a Girl is a poignant novel about three generations of the Wise family—Evelyn, Laura, and Grace—as they hunt for contentment amid chaos of their own making." (Amazon) What I loved about this novel, is that we see how each woman tries to live her life on her own terms within the era setting they were living in. While at times the characters - primary and secondary- can appear unlikable they are also well written and realistic, in my opinion. This is an engaging and well-written novel and I highly recommended.

***I received an eARC from NETGALLEY***

[NILTON TEIXEIRA · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m giving 3 stars because of the writing, which I thought was well done. But, unfortunately, I did not connect with any of the characters. I love drama and the premises sounded very promising, but the story of 3 generations of very sad women did not touch me. I expected a lot more.

[Lindsey Black · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you would like to be deeply depressed by reading a book that portrays women with absolutely no control or power over their own lives, who live tragic and miserable lives, and then die horribly; this is the book for you!