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Stories We Tell Ourselves
Frank and Joan's marriage is in trouble. Having spent three decades failing to understand each other in their unfinished house in the French alps, Joan's frustrations with her inattentive husband have reached breaking point. Frank, retreating ever further into his obscure hobbies, is distracted by an epistolary affair with his long-lost German girlfriend. Things are getting tense. But it's Christmas, and the couple are preparing to welcome home their three far-flung children.
The children, though, are faring little better in love themselves. Maya, a gender expert mother-of-two, is considering leaving her family and running off with a woman; Wim is considering leaving his girlfriend; and Lois, who spends her time turning war documentaries into love poems, is facing a change of heart.
Written with a rare precision and insight, the author explores the thorniness of familial love and its capacity to endure with warmth, wit and disarming honesty.
The children, though, are faring little better in love themselves. Maya, a gender expert mother-of-two, is considering leaving her family and running off with a woman; Wim is considering leaving his girlfriend; and Lois, who spends her time turning war documentaries into love poems, is facing a change of heart.
Written with a rare precision and insight, the author explores the thorniness of familial love and its capacity to endure with warmth, wit and disarming honesty.
- GenresFictionContemporary
288 pages, Paperback
First published March 19, 2018
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129 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
March 30, 2018
This book had some wildly funny moments actual laugh out louds. However the book felt disjointed and jumpy. Parts of the book were incoherent at times, I’ll assume that’s probably a translation issue. There are multiple story lines of affairs, unhappy marriages and general disgruntlement, it’s chaotic with plenty of bursts of humour. So if you can look past the bipolar style of writing there’s a lot of fun in between the pages, it just lacks a consistent flow to make this book a better book as it’s trying so hard to be.
Thanks to Netgalley and Head Of Zeus publications for my early review copy.
Thanks to Netgalley and Head Of Zeus publications for my early review copy.
January 3, 2019
Unfortunately both the story line (what there was) and the characters failed to engage me. Apart from Joan and Cole, all the characters seemed overly self-absorbed and/or absorbed in conducting affairs with other people (at least one of whom sounded like a particularly unattractive individual). I found the pace of the book very slow and the sections written from the point of view of one occupant of the household rather weird. I found myself distracted by small things such as the overuse of commas and the author's tendency to refer to Frank & Joan's son as either William or Wim (make up your mind!).
The one element of the book I found of any interest was the idea that stories come in many forms - objects, photographs, etc. There are Frank's projects that are 'his humble contribution to the keeping of mankind's history', Joan's cautionary tales and the Christmas traditions that have become part of 'family legend'.
The one element of the book I found of any interest was the idea that stories come in many forms - objects, photographs, etc. There are Frank's projects that are 'his humble contribution to the keeping of mankind's history', Joan's cautionary tales and the Christmas traditions that have become part of 'family legend'.
January 21, 2018
I started this book because it was about complex family relationships and dynamics. Set in France and focusing on the marriage between the two lead characters and their three children, I thought this would be a piece of fiction I would enjoy. However, I got about 25% into the book before I decided to move on from it. And it's not often I don't finish a book (I think I have just two or three on my DNF shelf).
Here's what irked me: the narration was confusing, the plot uninteresting and the characters unappealing. There are so many amazing works of fiction by women out there at the moment that it seemed a shame to waste my time on something I wasn't enjoying.
I hope someone enjoys this book but, unfortunately, it's a pass for me. As always, I am grateful to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read this.
Here's what irked me: the narration was confusing, the plot uninteresting and the characters unappealing. There are so many amazing works of fiction by women out there at the moment that it seemed a shame to waste my time on something I wasn't enjoying.
I hope someone enjoys this book but, unfortunately, it's a pass for me. As always, I am grateful to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read this.
May 29, 2018
“They were all adults. They were all entitled to ruin their lives, and to love.”
“And what was a relationship if not a to-do list?”
“Time, which is damage, has made the letters soft like a heartbeat.”
On the cusp of Christmas Eve, the family gathers for the traditional get together – but this year there are simmering tensions. Frank and Joan’s marriage is faltering. Is he having an affair? Why is he spending so much time on his computer in his study – effectively absenting himself from the family? Treacherous, desperate thoughts run through her mind, entering a gap that is normally closed:
“Last night, Joan had caught herself thinking that, maybe, just maybe, her heart wasn’t in it this year. Women in magazines wrote about that time they didn’t do Christmas, but found cheap flights to Madeira instead, or just read a very long book.”
They live in the French Alps in a curiously unfinished home and their children, and grandchildren are coming home for the Christmas holiday. This unfinished metaphor permeates the novel – in a sense we are all unfinished while we are living, experiencing, growing, making mistakes.
There’s Maya, a mother of two, who is considering leaving her husband to be with a woman: “It was a couple of weeks later that Liz kissed her. The kiss was like a question, beginning to end.” There’s Lois, who finds her own marriage emptying in the face of a miscarriage: “And then one day, Lois found that Nick could, in fact, resist her— and she, him. Over the next three years, the intervals between the remarkable moments of their relationship stretched out, and a mutual resistance infiltrated the landscape of their love. The miscarriage didn’t make things easier. It shone a light on their bad bits and poor doings, left the taste of death in their relationship, and a gaping want in the memory book.”
And then there is their brother, Wim who is considering leaving his girlfriend. The only one who might unreservedly believe in love is Simon, the dog. He too has a voice in the novel – and it’s both a poignant and humorous canine commentary on the family. He’s in love with Lois, although he’s aware it might be the last time he falls in love.
We journey through the holiday season – alternatively seeing the world through all their eyes, including the dog’s. a wise, warm, enjoyable read about the foibles of humans, about trying to live through it, be happy and find some meaning in it all. And perhaps, in the end, the only meaning is to be found in simply living through and beyond it.
“And what was a relationship if not a to-do list?”
“Time, which is damage, has made the letters soft like a heartbeat.”
On the cusp of Christmas Eve, the family gathers for the traditional get together – but this year there are simmering tensions. Frank and Joan’s marriage is faltering. Is he having an affair? Why is he spending so much time on his computer in his study – effectively absenting himself from the family? Treacherous, desperate thoughts run through her mind, entering a gap that is normally closed:
“Last night, Joan had caught herself thinking that, maybe, just maybe, her heart wasn’t in it this year. Women in magazines wrote about that time they didn’t do Christmas, but found cheap flights to Madeira instead, or just read a very long book.”
They live in the French Alps in a curiously unfinished home and their children, and grandchildren are coming home for the Christmas holiday. This unfinished metaphor permeates the novel – in a sense we are all unfinished while we are living, experiencing, growing, making mistakes.
There’s Maya, a mother of two, who is considering leaving her husband to be with a woman: “It was a couple of weeks later that Liz kissed her. The kiss was like a question, beginning to end.” There’s Lois, who finds her own marriage emptying in the face of a miscarriage: “And then one day, Lois found that Nick could, in fact, resist her— and she, him. Over the next three years, the intervals between the remarkable moments of their relationship stretched out, and a mutual resistance infiltrated the landscape of their love. The miscarriage didn’t make things easier. It shone a light on their bad bits and poor doings, left the taste of death in their relationship, and a gaping want in the memory book.”
And then there is their brother, Wim who is considering leaving his girlfriend. The only one who might unreservedly believe in love is Simon, the dog. He too has a voice in the novel – and it’s both a poignant and humorous canine commentary on the family. He’s in love with Lois, although he’s aware it might be the last time he falls in love.
We journey through the holiday season – alternatively seeing the world through all their eyes, including the dog’s. a wise, warm, enjoyable read about the foibles of humans, about trying to live through it, be happy and find some meaning in it all. And perhaps, in the end, the only meaning is to be found in simply living through and beyond it.
June 7, 2018
This book brings the stories, of six members of a family meeting at their home after years of not being in the same place at the same time. The event brings out old memories and recent tensions in a funny and dramatic two week Christmas holiday. The candid realities of their lives take time to come out and dispell the facade of a typic family get together, and the book is no thriller, but I loved the setting, relational mess the characters find themselves in and the silent spectator role the dogs plays in the unfolding of the stories. Verry enjoyable, and recommended.
*Why read it: Good writing, and hilarious Laughing out loud moments. Relatable characters and stories that echo your own success, misgivings and uncertainties in relationships.
*Where and When: I read it over a three day weekend. Not a beach book.
*Easy Read: Easily readable
*Why not: Not a high thrill or intensity book.
*Why read it: Good writing, and hilarious Laughing out loud moments. Relatable characters and stories that echo your own success, misgivings and uncertainties in relationships.
*Where and When: I read it over a three day weekend. Not a beach book.
*Easy Read: Easily readable
*Why not: Not a high thrill or intensity book.
June 8, 2018
Great book. You really get into each character's insights and their individual thoughts. Brilliant representation of how infidelities and affairs (in many different levels) are part of a family reunion. Entertaining and highly recommended!
January 9, 2018
It's not quite the Christmas relatives gathering from hell - but it comes close, in this sharp yet affectionate look at family relationships under stress. I found the style of narration from multiple viewpoints rather confusing at first, until the individual characters emerged, but I gradually became engaged with the shifting family dynamics. I particularly liked the family in-jokes and traditional Yuletide lore, like the ‘mystery Calvados’ that was a present from an uncle in Normandy and never opened. There is also a wincingly funny description of taking a young child to the loo whilst also coping with a toddler that every parent will relate to. Simon the dog with human thoughts was a whimsy too far for me, and the constant mention of ‘salt’ became annoyingly repetitive and puzzling till the final passages – but these were not so off putting as to spoil my enjoyment of this author’s off-beat style.
Many thanks to the publisher for ARC via NetGalley
Many thanks to the publisher for ARC via NetGalley
October 17, 2017
Frank and Joan's marriage is in trouble, they live in a house somewhere in Europe (seemingly Brittany, but it seems hardly anybody speaks fluent French) and their three kids are coming home for the holidays. Daughters Lois and Maya are both unhappy at their respective homes - despite being married to Nick who comes home with just-because flowers, and unanimously agreed upon as perfect Cole - and son Wim promptly breaks up with his girlfriend next-door upon his arrival. There were a lot of extramarital affairs mentioned, and keeping track of all the relationship problems in all the different houses was complicated by constant flashbacks to prior problems in former houses (Frank fixes houses up professionally).
Sarah Françoise writes smart and funny; I loved the refrences to matryoshka-izing of Frank's laptop, Friedrich's Chalk Cliffs on Rügen, and the perspective of Simon, Frank's dog. There were too many brilliantly innovative turns of phrases to even mention here, but I look forward to reading more from this writer.
Sarah Françoise writes smart and funny; I loved the refrences to matryoshka-izing of Frank's laptop, Friedrich's Chalk Cliffs on Rügen, and the perspective of Simon, Frank's dog. There were too many brilliantly innovative turns of phrases to even mention here, but I look forward to reading more from this writer.
October 10, 2021
Frank and Joan have been married for 35 years when all three of their adult children come home for Christmas. It is the first time they have all been together under the one roof in five years.
Maya, Lois and Wim have all moved to difference corners of the world and venture home with romantic entanglements and insecurities of their own.
Set in the French Alps, in a beautiful but unfinished house that has been many years in the making, this is a novel about shifting family dynamics.
I really enjoyed the characters in this novel, they are complex and beautifully written by Francoise.
Stories We Tell Ourselves explores the perspectives of each member of the family including the dog (which to be honest weirded me out a bit).
I found this novel to be honest and engaging. If you enjoy books that illuminate the beauty and complexity of everyday life, add this one to your to be read/listened to list.
Maya, Lois and Wim have all moved to difference corners of the world and venture home with romantic entanglements and insecurities of their own.
Set in the French Alps, in a beautiful but unfinished house that has been many years in the making, this is a novel about shifting family dynamics.
I really enjoyed the characters in this novel, they are complex and beautifully written by Francoise.
Stories We Tell Ourselves explores the perspectives of each member of the family including the dog (which to be honest weirded me out a bit).
I found this novel to be honest and engaging. If you enjoy books that illuminate the beauty and complexity of everyday life, add this one to your to be read/listened to list.
November 7, 2017
Frank and Joan have been together for thirty five years, they have three children; Lois, Maya and William, two grandchildren Gitsy and Finn and a dog, Simon. For the first time in five years, the whole family will be reunited for Christmas in their family home in the French Alps, with several of their relationships struggling the books follows their attempt to pull together for a perfect family Christmas.
I ended up giving this two stars, I was expecting a bit more to happen but this is essentially a book about people and their relationships, not a lot actually happens. A lot of information is thrown at you in the first part of the book, a lot of characters and their occasionally multiple relationships are introduced in quite quick succession with quite a few flashbacks which aren't obviously flashbacks at first, at which point I was mainly confused and close to giving up.
This settled down and the majority of the book bumbled along quite enjoyably, the character development is great, they are all well thought out, realistic, flawed people. The tension between some characters gradually starts to build and I had three or four different theories about who would discover what about who or drop someone else in it and so on, but then I realised that I was about 95% of the way through on my kindle and there wasn't really time for any of that to happen.
If you enjoy character and relationships focused books then definitely give this one a go, there quite a few thought-provoking morality based scenarios/questions to tangent on. Main highlights for me included Gitsy, the five year old who plans to stay up to 'catch' Santa by fuelling up on clementines and Simon (the dog) contemplating how he would go about committing suicide while simultaneously wondering if he actually wants to or if he just wants to go for a walk.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an uncorrected proof in exchange for an honest review.
I ended up giving this two stars, I was expecting a bit more to happen but this is essentially a book about people and their relationships, not a lot actually happens. A lot of information is thrown at you in the first part of the book, a lot of characters and their occasionally multiple relationships are introduced in quite quick succession with quite a few flashbacks which aren't obviously flashbacks at first, at which point I was mainly confused and close to giving up.
This settled down and the majority of the book bumbled along quite enjoyably, the character development is great, they are all well thought out, realistic, flawed people. The tension between some characters gradually starts to build and I had three or four different theories about who would discover what about who or drop someone else in it and so on, but then I realised that I was about 95% of the way through on my kindle and there wasn't really time for any of that to happen.
If you enjoy character and relationships focused books then definitely give this one a go, there quite a few thought-provoking morality based scenarios/questions to tangent on. Main highlights for me included Gitsy, the five year old who plans to stay up to 'catch' Santa by fuelling up on clementines and Simon (the dog) contemplating how he would go about committing suicide while simultaneously wondering if he actually wants to or if he just wants to go for a walk.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an uncorrected proof in exchange for an honest review.
December 13, 2019
This was a book I got in a book box last year and I meant to read it last Christmas but never got around to it. So I finally got around to it this Christmas and I was disappointed.
This book looks at the Christmas period of a French family all reunited again under one roof. Three members of the family are dealing with infidelity and we get points of view from everyone in the family, including the dog, apart from Cole and the kids.
I did not get on with the writing style in this book. It felt meandering, in a way that lost my interest, and every thought the characters' had was written down, including those weird tangents your brain goes off on. I don't need to know that this character is thinking about their girlfriend, then swimming and then wondering where their swimming costume went. It made the book incredibly slow and made the characters hard to care about, as well as not distinguishing between the different characters' voices.
As for the plot of the book - that felt very up-in-the-air and meandering as well. We don't get a resolution at the end and instead get Lois' thoughts of the war videos she subtitles or her thoughts about these videos are applied to her situation. None of the questions I had were given concrete answers (). I don't require everything being wrapped up in a neat little bow, but I would have preferred to have something a little more concrete in the epilogue apart from Lois' poetical musings.
I finished this book and the overall impression I got from this was meh. I didn't hate but I certainly could not recommend it. I was left feeling sorry for a lot of the characters and felt like none of them were happy in the slightest, not even the dog, and it just left me with this detached, vaguely depressed feeling after finishing it.
2 stars!
This book looks at the Christmas period of a French family all reunited again under one roof. Three members of the family are dealing with infidelity and we get points of view from everyone in the family, including the dog, apart from Cole and the kids.
I did not get on with the writing style in this book. It felt meandering, in a way that lost my interest, and every thought the characters' had was written down, including those weird tangents your brain goes off on. I don't need to know that this character is thinking about their girlfriend, then swimming and then wondering where their swimming costume went. It made the book incredibly slow and made the characters hard to care about, as well as not distinguishing between the different characters' voices.
As for the plot of the book - that felt very up-in-the-air and meandering as well. We don't get a resolution at the end and instead get Lois' thoughts of the war videos she subtitles or her thoughts about these videos are applied to her situation. None of the questions I had were given concrete answers (). I don't require everything being wrapped up in a neat little bow, but I would have preferred to have something a little more concrete in the epilogue apart from Lois' poetical musings.
I finished this book and the overall impression I got from this was meh. I didn't hate but I certainly could not recommend it. I was left feeling sorry for a lot of the characters and felt like none of them were happy in the slightest, not even the dog, and it just left me with this detached, vaguely depressed feeling after finishing it.
2 stars!
January 8, 2020
This book was quick and easy to get through, and some parts I really liked, but overall it left me with more questions than answers - too many loose ends, too many things left unresolved. It wasn't a terrible book, I just would've liked more out of the characters and the story. 2,5 stars!
April 11, 2020
I have no idea why any of these characters did what they did
December 28, 2018
Literally could not follow what was going on. A whole family all married but all having affairs... sadly this one got left on the plane...
April 7, 2018
Stories We Tell Ourselves focuses on the interactions of members of a family during a Christmas gathering. Events that have occurred in each person’s distant and recent past impacts significantly on the dynamics of events and relationships during the family get-together. The joy of this book is in the richly drawn characters and the way we are invited into each of their lives. We are even given glimpses into the musings of Simon, the dog. Simon observes all, and sensibly allows his head rather than his heart to dictate which family member he should give his allegiance to. Simon is possibly the most sensible and stable of all the characters! An enjoyable read. Thanks to Head of Zeus, Apollo and NetGgalley for the ARC.
October 10, 2017
The grandfather, two daughters and dog in a family are all having affairs, some physical and some over the internet. They meet up over Christmas with their respective partners and feel guilty or long for their illicit loved one.
The book examines the relationships between the family members and how their affairs affect the other parties. Ultimately Frank's (the grandfather) unhealthy eating, lack of exercise and guilt lead to him having a heart attack. However I didn't feel too upset by this, he had become so insular and rude to his wife that I felt he probably needed a shock to the system.
I finished the book but it didn't fill me with any great emotion.
The book examines the relationships between the family members and how their affairs affect the other parties. Ultimately Frank's (the grandfather) unhealthy eating, lack of exercise and guilt lead to him having a heart attack. However I didn't feel too upset by this, he had become so insular and rude to his wife that I felt he probably needed a shock to the system.
I finished the book but it didn't fill me with any great emotion.
October 25, 2017
A story about a family coming together for Christmas. Frank and Joan co-exist in their partially complete home and look forward to their grown-up children arriving. Each person had their own viewpoint on the past and these are laid out in this novel. I was totally perplexed with the narration form the dog’s point of view.
The emotional interactions all feel flat and I wonder if this is due to the translation?
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
The emotional interactions all feel flat and I wonder if this is due to the translation?
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
March 17, 2018
It’s an interesting story. I think I had never read something like this before.
Characters are very complex. They are mysteries to be explored instead of problems to be solved, as I heard somewhere.
There is this common thread that connects the reality each member of the family is going through, so it is evident that the dynamic they all created while living together shaped the way they see life and do things.
My favorite was Lois, though. For some reason I could see something of me in her, as if we had similar personalities. So, her part of the story was the one I liked the most.
However, I must admit that the writing style was a bit confusing sometimes. There were moments when I couldn’t tell which character’s perspective I was reading from; it changed, and I didn’t notice immediately.
Also, there were many issues that, in my opinion, weren’t developed properly. Actually, I have the feeling that I saw the beginning of many independent stories, but none of them got very far.
Characters constantly analyzed their current situations, but they didn’t do much to deal with them, except for some few exceptions.
Basically, I believe the general concept of the book was interesting, but at the end I had more questions than answers. That might have been intentional, but it kind of bothered me that I didn’t know much of anything after reading the entire thing.
I wouldn’t say I didn’t like it; it’s just that I wish I had seen more. Stories progress as their characters make decisions, and that’s the one thing they didn’t do very often in this book.
**I received a copy of this book from Apollo through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own**
Characters are very complex. They are mysteries to be explored instead of problems to be solved, as I heard somewhere.
There is this common thread that connects the reality each member of the family is going through, so it is evident that the dynamic they all created while living together shaped the way they see life and do things.
My favorite was Lois, though. For some reason I could see something of me in her, as if we had similar personalities. So, her part of the story was the one I liked the most.
However, I must admit that the writing style was a bit confusing sometimes. There were moments when I couldn’t tell which character’s perspective I was reading from; it changed, and I didn’t notice immediately.
Also, there were many issues that, in my opinion, weren’t developed properly. Actually, I have the feeling that I saw the beginning of many independent stories, but none of them got very far.
Characters constantly analyzed their current situations, but they didn’t do much to deal with them, except for some few exceptions.
Basically, I believe the general concept of the book was interesting, but at the end I had more questions than answers. That might have been intentional, but it kind of bothered me that I didn’t know much of anything after reading the entire thing.
I wouldn’t say I didn’t like it; it’s just that I wish I had seen more. Stories progress as their characters make decisions, and that’s the one thing they didn’t do very often in this book.
**I received a copy of this book from Apollo through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own**
May 30, 2022
This was a great, but sometimes challenging read, full of love, hope, despair, disappointment, and even grief, not to mention pretty much everything else that can be factored into the human condition. We get reeled into the family dynamics which, just like in real life, are in a constant state of huge disarray. Each character is valiantly trying to claim his or her place within the group, whilst wrestling with their own personal problems and searching for meaning in their own lives. Some will elicit your sympathy, others not so much. Even the dog is doing the same and how clever to bring him in as a fully participating member of the family, struggling to find answers to his own existential questions. The writing is of the highest quality, with vivid observation and sharp humour, and this will help you navigate the occasional feelings of time warp confusion that come from the varying other stories being played out in the recent or more distant past. Throughout the novel, even in the darker or more confused moments of each individual’s experience there is an underlying sense that redemption remains within reach. This is a story about real people with their flaws, their contradictions, their struggles, their regrets and ultimately how they will find their truth. Maybe some will not. After all, we do tell our own stories, even when the narrative seems to be taken out of our hands. The novel is about change or the potential for change and I finished it wondering how it all worked out for them in the end. I felt that it concluded on a positive note because ‘there was still a future to be experienced, with or without a husband. With or without a dog. With or without a father. “
A highly original piece of work, well worth the read.
A highly original piece of work, well worth the read.
December 29, 2018
"‘I want to tell you something,’ he said. ‘No, you don’t.’
‘If you wanted to tell me something, you’d just tell me,’ she said … ‘This preamble means you’re either scared to tell me or you don’t know how to.’"
Frank and Joan’s marriage is in trouble. The have spent three decades failing to understand each other in their unfinished house in the French alps. Joan’s frustrations with her distracted husband have reached breaking point. Frank, retreating into his shrouded hobbies, is distracted with an affair by letters with his long-lost German sweetheart. It's Christmas and the couple are preparing for their three grown children to return home for a visit. The children are also struggling. Maya, a mother-of-two, is considering running off with a woman; Wim (William), a university student, is thinking about leaving his girlfriend; and Lois, who turns war documentaries into love poems, is considering a change of heart following an affair with a historian.
This is an atmospheric story about family, of hidden emotions, bubbling under the surface. Told from a third-person perspective, the reader experiences family dynamics and glimpses of their past in order to provide context for their current situations. The characters are all facing their own crisis of cheating, having cheated or being cheated on, struggling to decide whether to continue as they are or whether to take their lives in different directions. I found it a little slow and the crises forced, with characters that were difficult to warm to. The book felt more about mood and characterisation than plot, but is lightened by sparks of humour.
‘If you wanted to tell me something, you’d just tell me,’ she said … ‘This preamble means you’re either scared to tell me or you don’t know how to.’"
Frank and Joan’s marriage is in trouble. The have spent three decades failing to understand each other in their unfinished house in the French alps. Joan’s frustrations with her distracted husband have reached breaking point. Frank, retreating into his shrouded hobbies, is distracted with an affair by letters with his long-lost German sweetheart. It's Christmas and the couple are preparing for their three grown children to return home for a visit. The children are also struggling. Maya, a mother-of-two, is considering running off with a woman; Wim (William), a university student, is thinking about leaving his girlfriend; and Lois, who turns war documentaries into love poems, is considering a change of heart following an affair with a historian.
This is an atmospheric story about family, of hidden emotions, bubbling under the surface. Told from a third-person perspective, the reader experiences family dynamics and glimpses of their past in order to provide context for their current situations. The characters are all facing their own crisis of cheating, having cheated or being cheated on, struggling to decide whether to continue as they are or whether to take their lives in different directions. I found it a little slow and the crises forced, with characters that were difficult to warm to. The book felt more about mood and characterisation than plot, but is lightened by sparks of humour.
June 8, 2018
This one was hard to put down. A family get-together at the end of the year, with the inevitable expectations, disappointments and stresses this entails. To add to this, the characters are each caught up in varying degrees of personal disaster or potential for, and mostly trying to figure out where to go next. There is a delightfully canny canine intrigued by what is going on and trying to get some attention too. Beautifully written, some surprisingly tangential sub – stories that keep you guessing as well as great attention to detail. I loved the little girl’s childish observations, so simple yet spot-on, as well as the subtle humour, subtle but of the kind that makes you laugh out loud. There is also acute sadness and tragedy even. The latter can be vivid and brutal, as in the documentary film the main character has to subtitle , or just alluded to with a mere glimpse of acute personal sadness, that makes it all the more poignant.
But in the end, what prevails is an enduring sense of hope in spite of the circumstances that life throws at you and of the messes we may all find ourselves in. A great read and characters that you could imagine yourself chatting to around the dinner table.
This is not a story for a reader requiring plot and subterfuge ( although, in truth, there is quite a lot of that) but for one who loves people and learning about how people handle their daily life. One leaves with the impression that whatever comes next, everything will be all right in the end.
But in the end, what prevails is an enduring sense of hope in spite of the circumstances that life throws at you and of the messes we may all find ourselves in. A great read and characters that you could imagine yourself chatting to around the dinner table.
This is not a story for a reader requiring plot and subterfuge ( although, in truth, there is quite a lot of that) but for one who loves people and learning about how people handle their daily life. One leaves with the impression that whatever comes next, everything will be all right in the end.
January 21, 2019
Intriguing but not so memorable.
I thought this book started poorly, the salt reference seems obscure and uninteresting as a uniting force between the family. But push on past these first few pages as it does improve...
It picked up with some interesting insight into the life of each of the characters, the most entertaining and poignant of which I found to be Simon the dog!
I did find that the daughters, in particular Lois, seemed somewhat dismissive of her mothers call about her fathers emotional affair - it painted her as an unrealistically selfish and self-absorbed character. I don’t think a mother would be likely to share such information about her husband with a daughter that appeared to be a hollow, uncaring individual.
Also all storylines were similar - they all cheated and in their ‘stories’ showed little remorse for the effects this had on the people around them.
The ending was a bit lack lustre with no resolution, I understand that this was in line with the story centring around Christmas but it would have been nice for a sense of finality to one of the narratives.
Yet, I can agree that the author leaves you wondering how things pan out and with the take away that essentially life doesn’t get neatly wrapped up but is a never ending congruent line of events!
I thought this book started poorly, the salt reference seems obscure and uninteresting as a uniting force between the family. But push on past these first few pages as it does improve...
It picked up with some interesting insight into the life of each of the characters, the most entertaining and poignant of which I found to be Simon the dog!
I did find that the daughters, in particular Lois, seemed somewhat dismissive of her mothers call about her fathers emotional affair - it painted her as an unrealistically selfish and self-absorbed character. I don’t think a mother would be likely to share such information about her husband with a daughter that appeared to be a hollow, uncaring individual.
Also all storylines were similar - they all cheated and in their ‘stories’ showed little remorse for the effects this had on the people around them.
The ending was a bit lack lustre with no resolution, I understand that this was in line with the story centring around Christmas but it would have been nice for a sense of finality to one of the narratives.
Yet, I can agree that the author leaves you wondering how things pan out and with the take away that essentially life doesn’t get neatly wrapped up but is a never ending congruent line of events!
January 31, 2018
When I requested for this book for review, I knew it was family drama but I had hoped to read something light, happy, and encouraging where a family comes together for Christmas and sorts out all that is wrong with them. Stories We Tell Ourselves is anything but that. It is sad, gloomy, and painfully slow.
This is the story of Joan and Frank and their family. Once happy, their lives have fallen into a pattern of Joan collecting the memories and Frank refusing to be a part of creating new ones. He is more interested in his obscure research which I could not make sense of and in writing to his pen-pal(or pen-girlfriend). Their three kids Maya, Lois, and William are supposed to be faring better. But they are not. And almost similar stories repeat.
The reason I did not like this book:
There are so many characters with their own stories. They are all adulterers and wallow too much in past or future. The narration thus gets too confusing to follow and is difficult to follow at places.
It is very slow. It took me around three months to finish this book. Every time I picked this book, I would feel a sense of despair creeping inside me.
And what is the family’s obsession with salt??
There is also a part where the dog falls in love with Lois???
What I liked:
The one thing I liked in the whole book is a letter Joan writes to Frank towards the end. It forced me to introspect and consider if my own passion towards books is not limiting my social interaction. Then I just brushed it aside and moved on. 😛
This is the story of Joan and Frank and their family. Once happy, their lives have fallen into a pattern of Joan collecting the memories and Frank refusing to be a part of creating new ones. He is more interested in his obscure research which I could not make sense of and in writing to his pen-pal(or pen-girlfriend). Their three kids Maya, Lois, and William are supposed to be faring better. But they are not. And almost similar stories repeat.
The reason I did not like this book:
There are so many characters with their own stories. They are all adulterers and wallow too much in past or future. The narration thus gets too confusing to follow and is difficult to follow at places.
It is very slow. It took me around three months to finish this book. Every time I picked this book, I would feel a sense of despair creeping inside me.
And what is the family’s obsession with salt??
There is also a part where the dog falls in love with Lois???
What I liked:
The one thing I liked in the whole book is a letter Joan writes to Frank towards the end. It forced me to introspect and consider if my own passion towards books is not limiting my social interaction. Then I just brushed it aside and moved on. 😛
January 2, 2019
I got this book through a monthly book club subscription and it was quite possibly one of the worst books I've ever read. There were too many characters (all with bland, boring, 4 letter long names). The book tripped from character to character with no warning. And perhaps worst of all, the writing was choppy and disjointed. While the review on the back said it was "a wonderful, warm and intimate portrayal of family life - sublime, quiet observations lit up by fierce flashes of humor", I'm pretty sure they're referring to a different book. This book was cold and depressing. There was nothing funny about any of it and every person was so incredibly unhappy with everyone that it made for a miserable read. I skimmed the last half because I couldn't handle it anymore and just wanted it finished.
1/5 stars. Legitimately awful.
1/5 stars. Legitimately awful.
June 1, 2022
This book was a bit weird for me to read as I have known for many years one of the main characters;
So it's difficult to be objective. My friend recently lent me this book to read as we had lost contact
with each other for many years.
I think it's important to encourage the writer who has published her first book. However, the book
could have been edited more tightly. Some parts were really not necessary.
It's a sad story basically. This family that is trying to come together for Christmas and pretend all is
fine when the house they've come to is in such horrible shape. The husband seems to have given up
on life and the house is a good reflexion of his attitude.
I don't know how the author who is the daughter in real life managed to write this book because it
must have been painful for her at times.
I liked the parts from the dog's point of view. I thought it was original;
So it's difficult to be objective. My friend recently lent me this book to read as we had lost contact
with each other for many years.
I think it's important to encourage the writer who has published her first book. However, the book
could have been edited more tightly. Some parts were really not necessary.
It's a sad story basically. This family that is trying to come together for Christmas and pretend all is
fine when the house they've come to is in such horrible shape. The husband seems to have given up
on life and the house is a good reflexion of his attitude.
I don't know how the author who is the daughter in real life managed to write this book because it
must have been painful for her at times.
I liked the parts from the dog's point of view. I thought it was original;
July 4, 2019
I've read the book in a day, but that's simply because I'm participating in a readathon. And it's less than 300 pages. I get the feeling that I wouldn't have found myself rushing back to pick this book up if none of that had been the case, which is a shame.
I guess the best way to describe how I feel about this book is indifferent. I was kind of waiting for the big climax. But nothing. There is a sort of climax but I didn't feel like I particularly connected to any of the characters enough to care.
I did find Lois' and Simon's relationship amusing and parts written from Simon's POV did make me chuckle a little.
However, for the most part I guess I just didn't really connect with this book.
I guess the best way to describe how I feel about this book is indifferent. I was kind of waiting for the big climax. But nothing. There is a sort of climax but I didn't feel like I particularly connected to any of the characters enough to care.
I did find Lois' and Simon's relationship amusing and parts written from Simon's POV did make me chuckle a little.
However, for the most part I guess I just didn't really connect with this book.
December 11, 2018
Frank and Joan have raised three children in a village in the French Alps. Just as the house, designed by Frank, remains unfinished, their adult children are not as settled as they might hope. But now everyone’s coming back from Christmas, along with a couple of grandchildren and sons-in-law. But there are cracks in all three marriages, and it’s hard to tell who will emerge from the festivities intact.
Full review
Beneath the surface calm: Stories We Tell Ourselves & And the Wind Sees All https://annegoodwin.weebly.com/1/post...
Full review
Beneath the surface calm: Stories We Tell Ourselves & And the Wind Sees All https://annegoodwin.weebly.com/1/post...
July 6, 2018
This is set up as someones memory. It feels real, but with time, details have been forgotten. I never felt a part of the memory, I felt like an intruder in the house. I felt like I was watching a Christmas in someone else house where I was not invited.
The story was flat, and nothing spesial happened. I did not feel that ut was surprising in any way. The ending came to quickly. The ending felt like the types of "I have written myself into a corner, not knowing how to end".
*Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
The story was flat, and nothing spesial happened. I did not feel that ut was surprising in any way. The ending came to quickly. The ending felt like the types of "I have written myself into a corner, not knowing how to end".
*Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
October 16, 2017
This book had so much potential and seemed to change direction whilst I was reading it - and sadly not for the better.
Confused and disjointed and sadly none of the characters 'did' anything - the best one was Simon the Dog - the concept of writing 'chapters' as the dog I loved, sadly the rest of the book was not paced enough for me.
This was an ARC from NetGalley but the opinions here are all mine!
Confused and disjointed and sadly none of the characters 'did' anything - the best one was Simon the Dog - the concept of writing 'chapters' as the dog I loved, sadly the rest of the book was not paced enough for me.
This was an ARC from NetGalley but the opinions here are all mine!
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July 10, 2018I received a free copy of 'Stories We Tell Ourselves' in exchange for an honest review.
I'll have to admit, I struggled slightly with the complexity of the characters in this one. I found there to be so many different little stories that it all got a little confusing, and in the end it really felt like there was no proper outcome to the story.
There were parts that made me laugh, and parts that I enjoyed, but as a whole, I really did struggle.
I'll have to admit, I struggled slightly with the complexity of the characters in this one. I found there to be so many different little stories that it all got a little confusing, and in the end it really felt like there was no proper outcome to the story.
There were parts that made me laugh, and parts that I enjoyed, but as a whole, I really did struggle.
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