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Sleepwalking in Daylight
Once defined by her career and independence, stay-at-home mom Samantha Friedman realizes her life has become a routine of errands, car pools and suburban gossip. She deals with a husband who shows up for dinner but is too preoccupied for conversation, an increasingly moody daughter who won't talk at all, and wonders, Is this it?
Since finding out she was adopted, seventeen-year-old Cammy Friedman has felt like an outsider. Unwilling to reach out to the parents she once adored, she shields herself behind black clothing and begins to drift into dangerous territory with questionable friends and risky behavior.
Mother and daughter indulge in their own respective escapism— for Sam, clandestine coffee dates with a handsome stranger, fueled by the desire to feel something ; for Cammy, a furtive search for her birth mother punctuated by sex, pills and the need to feel absolutely nothing—until a pivotal moment in an otherwise average day alters their relationships forever.
Since finding out she was adopted, seventeen-year-old Cammy Friedman has felt like an outsider. Unwilling to reach out to the parents she once adored, she shields herself behind black clothing and begins to drift into dangerous territory with questionable friends and risky behavior.
Mother and daughter indulge in their own respective escapism— for Sam, clandestine coffee dates with a handsome stranger, fueled by the desire to feel something ; for Cammy, a furtive search for her birth mother punctuated by sex, pills and the need to feel absolutely nothing—until a pivotal moment in an otherwise average day alters their relationships forever.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
23 people are currently reading
1228 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Flock
6 books310 followers Former print journalist Elizabeth Flock reported for TIME and PEOPLE magazines before becoming an on-air correspondent for CBS News. Her acclaimed debut novel, BUT INSIDE I'M SCREAMING, chronically the psychological struggles of a young television reporter in New York, was released in 2003. Her second novel, ME & EMMA, became a New York Times bestseller and was an Indiebound (formerly Booksense) Notable Book of 2005. EVERYTHING MUST GO, Elizabeth's third novel, loosely based on a clothing store in Connecticut, was published in 2007. Elizabeth's books have been translated into seven languages and published in twelve countries.
Her fourth novel, SLEEPWALKING IN DAYLIGHT, came out in 2009, and was chosen as an Indie Next List (formerly Booksense) title. WHAT HAPPENED TO MY SISTER, a follow-up to ME & EMMA, will be published by Random House on August 7, 2012.
Elizabeth Flock lives in New York City.
Her fourth novel, SLEEPWALKING IN DAYLIGHT, came out in 2009, and was chosen as an Indie Next List (formerly Booksense) title. WHAT HAPPENED TO MY SISTER, a follow-up to ME & EMMA, will be published by Random House on August 7, 2012.
Elizabeth Flock lives in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 225 reviews
August 15, 2009
Not sure what the point of this book was. Unhappy main character. Unhappy Marriage; unhappy daughter. No resolution. Thanks. Was feeling too cheerful and I needed to be taken down a notch for no good reason.
April 2, 2009
I think this is the worst book I have read in a long time. It made me feel awful and it made me wonder why (much like in soap operas) people don't just say how they feel about something when it is obvious that NOT saying something has messed their lives up.
On top of that, what selfish people! And the author did them no justice what-so-ever by jumping back and forth between characters and moving the story forward with no resolution to any of the problems.
Ugh. This book was so grating that I have written a review, something I have not done for pretty much any other book I have added to goodreads.
If you were not a fan of marriage in the first place, this book will do nothing to change your opinion of it.
On top of that, what selfish people! And the author did them no justice what-so-ever by jumping back and forth between characters and moving the story forward with no resolution to any of the problems.
Ugh. This book was so grating that I have written a review, something I have not done for pretty much any other book I have added to goodreads.
If you were not a fan of marriage in the first place, this book will do nothing to change your opinion of it.
March 16, 2010
I picked this book up in the airport on my way home from Washington State (way back in October 2009) and have been slowly reading it.
It was a REALLY DEPRESSING book. SO SAD. I left feeling helpless, confused, and disturbed (which meant the author did an outstanding job).
It was hard to finish, because of the issues developed in the characters and story.
I found myself wishing to shake Cammy into reality...and especially wanted to smack some sense into her mom, Samantha, because watching their lives unravel was so sad to read...watch. Especially for Cammy. I wished for a better end, but know that just as reality doesn't always have a good ending, neither should books if they really want to capture and relate a realistic viewpoint of families in our times.
It was so sad to watch the mistaken/misunderstood communication going on everywhere in that family...and lack of communication.
In the end, I did have such empathy for the parents, because no parent can leave an event like that without feeling so much guilt and self questioning.
Anyway, I believe this book does a good job of capturing youth in suburbon families (youth in danger and vanishing). It also did a good job of portraying the lack of control and desparation a spouse must feel when they don't know how to reach out to their spouse and unite on important matters...especially when the marital relationship is seemingly beyond repair.
But be forewarned...LIKE I SAID. THIS BOOK IS SO SAD AND DEPRESSING. I felt that the characters were well done and very complex, but unless you really enjoy drama and heartbreak, you probably won't enjoy this book.
It was a REALLY DEPRESSING book. SO SAD. I left feeling helpless, confused, and disturbed (which meant the author did an outstanding job).
It was hard to finish, because of the issues developed in the characters and story.
I found myself wishing to shake Cammy into reality...and especially wanted to smack some sense into her mom, Samantha, because watching their lives unravel was so sad to read...watch. Especially for Cammy. I wished for a better end, but know that just as reality doesn't always have a good ending, neither should books if they really want to capture and relate a realistic viewpoint of families in our times.
It was so sad to watch the mistaken/misunderstood communication going on everywhere in that family...and lack of communication.
In the end, I did have such empathy for the parents, because no parent can leave an event like that without feeling so much guilt and self questioning.
Anyway, I believe this book does a good job of capturing youth in suburbon families (youth in danger and vanishing). It also did a good job of portraying the lack of control and desparation a spouse must feel when they don't know how to reach out to their spouse and unite on important matters...especially when the marital relationship is seemingly beyond repair.
But be forewarned...LIKE I SAID. THIS BOOK IS SO SAD AND DEPRESSING. I felt that the characters were well done and very complex, but unless you really enjoy drama and heartbreak, you probably won't enjoy this book.
March 12, 2010
I loved, loved, loved this book. It's not a happy book by any means. And it makes you sad to realize just how fucked up things are and can be. But I still really really liked it.
Yes the characters had issues and sometimes I just wanted to tell them to wake up. But you don't walk around telling the people in your life to wake up when they have issues no matter how much you want them to. And everyone in this story had issues. Issues that I could relate to.
It's amazing how you want to help someone but don't know how because you don't know what the problem is. You don't realize the extent of the problem until it is too late.
You also stop to think of how self absorbed people are with their own lives and can barely spare other people a thought or even bother to help them. It doesn't make you a bad person, it just makes you human.
Yes the characters had issues and sometimes I just wanted to tell them to wake up. But you don't walk around telling the people in your life to wake up when they have issues no matter how much you want them to. And everyone in this story had issues. Issues that I could relate to.
It's amazing how you want to help someone but don't know how because you don't know what the problem is. You don't realize the extent of the problem until it is too late.
You also stop to think of how self absorbed people are with their own lives and can barely spare other people a thought or even bother to help them. It doesn't make you a bad person, it just makes you human.
September 6, 2009
Oh wow, what an awful book, full of unlikeable characters (seriously, not a single likable character) and bad predictable plot twists. If I could give it less than a star, I would.
April 10, 2009
What would you do if your once spirited and independent life morphed into something gray and routine? What if your once loving daughter seemingly transmogrified into a Goth stranger – someone who is sullen and angry and uncommunicative?
This is now Samantha Friedman’s world. And her husband, the man she once couldn’t live without, is going through the motions with her, until she feels…invisible.
And then one day, she meets a handsome stranger. They talk, they connect, and there is something alive springing up within her once again.
Meanwhile, Cammy (the adopted Goth daughter) is slowly spiraling downward into a place she may not come back from – a netherworld.
“Sleepwalking in Daylight” captures the spirit of lives spiraling out of control with such skill and poignancy that the reader can almost experience the deadening weight of it crushing down…And then one day, something horrific pulls everyone out of the deadening sameness.
And suddenly, life seems to spin around, turning in a whole new direction. The author describes it thus: “This is how it happens. A defining moment. Oprah would call it a lightbulb moment, an aha moment. This is that split second of clarity. This is me saying…enough. No more sleepwalking. Enough.”
This is now Samantha Friedman’s world. And her husband, the man she once couldn’t live without, is going through the motions with her, until she feels…invisible.
And then one day, she meets a handsome stranger. They talk, they connect, and there is something alive springing up within her once again.
Meanwhile, Cammy (the adopted Goth daughter) is slowly spiraling downward into a place she may not come back from – a netherworld.
“Sleepwalking in Daylight” captures the spirit of lives spiraling out of control with such skill and poignancy that the reader can almost experience the deadening weight of it crushing down…And then one day, something horrific pulls everyone out of the deadening sameness.
And suddenly, life seems to spin around, turning in a whole new direction. The author describes it thus: “This is how it happens. A defining moment. Oprah would call it a lightbulb moment, an aha moment. This is that split second of clarity. This is me saying…enough. No more sleepwalking. Enough.”
September 7, 2009
I wanted to like this book, but I really, really didn't. For one thing, Flock's writing was incredibly sloppy and had a lot of inconsistencies. (I got hung up on this one right at the start and couldn't let it go: Flock writes that it has been 11 years since Cammy asked why she didn't look like her brothers. Well, that's quite a feat, given that her brothers are 8 years old in the story. Apparently Cammy has some mad future-seein' skillz...) Beyond the sloppiness, the book just makes the reader feel lousy, which would be endurable if there was a resolution or anything positive coming from it -- no such luck. If you're in the mood to read about the long, slow implosion of a family, though, this is the book for you.
August 2, 2013
I wanted to choke Samantha at the end of the story. She hadn't learned her lesson and her priorities are all messed up. She doesn't know what she wants; for example, from page 280: "Why do I keep going back and forth? Every time I leave him I resolve to not see him again." (Craig) "This time I think I'll do it. This time I'll break free and I'll throw myself back into my family". No inner dialogue/conflict AT ALL about this at their next oh-so-romantic coffee date! Then just twenty pages later on page 300: "The one thing I'm not back and forth about is Craig". So I can guess that Ms.Flock wanted this huge character flaw, or the editor didn't catch the inconsistency. Funny how I never heard any of Samantha's thoughts about resolving to not see Craig again, other than what was on page 280.
Anyway, the ensuing tragedy did nothing to show her this. Her daughter is crying out for her help, and the most Sam can think to do is email Craig on the computer, what clothes is she going to wear to her coffee date with him, and, OMG! is that perfume I smell on Bob? etc. And Ms. Flock, I would've liked to get a chapter or two on what good 'ol hubby Bob was thinking and going through, but I assume (and I base this assumption on your writing of Samantha) that men don't have feelings or thoughts or concerns, therefore, why waste the extra time/paper it would've taken to get Bob's perspective?
Samantha's a whiner that claims to want to talk to her husband but then does it the wrong way. Maybe at the beginning of the book, Sam should've been reading "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus" instead of the Oprah Book Club selection.
The only character I felt anything for was pain-filled Cammy; she needed a true friend to talk to, but never found one. So unless you want to relive some of your teenage years through Cammy, leave this one on the shelf
Anyway, the ensuing tragedy did nothing to show her this. Her daughter is crying out for her help, and the most Sam can think to do is email Craig on the computer, what clothes is she going to wear to her coffee date with him, and, OMG! is that perfume I smell on Bob? etc. And Ms. Flock, I would've liked to get a chapter or two on what good 'ol hubby Bob was thinking and going through, but I assume (and I base this assumption on your writing of Samantha) that men don't have feelings or thoughts or concerns, therefore, why waste the extra time/paper it would've taken to get Bob's perspective?
Samantha's a whiner that claims to want to talk to her husband but then does it the wrong way. Maybe at the beginning of the book, Sam should've been reading "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus" instead of the Oprah Book Club selection.
The only character I felt anything for was pain-filled Cammy; she needed a true friend to talk to, but never found one. So unless you want to relive some of your teenage years through Cammy, leave this one on the shelf
July 15, 2009
This was my first book by this author and while I wasn't blown away by it, I do want to read her other stuff. I like her writing style, if nothing else.
The thing with this book is it hit me kind of hard. It's a difficult story to read, and though I have absolutely nothing in common with the main character, Samantha, I could relate to and empathize with her at the same time I wanted to smack some sense into her.
**SPOILER-ISH***
I'm not one of those "married at all costs" people...I think if you're in a marriage where you can barely stand the sight of the other person, it's time to cut bait and move on. Sam and her increasingly distant husband Bob spend the entire book orbiting each other without ever really making an effort or coming out and saying "Enough". In that regard, Bob as a character has not one single redeeming quality. There is nothing here that makes you root for Bob and Sam, nothing that makes you even *like* Bob. So that - for me - made it hard to root for them as a couple. Throw in a bunch of snot-nosed ungrateful kids and I was scratching my head wondering why the hell I was reading this at times.
In the end I'm glad I stuck with it, because I think it was realistic and messy and I like that the author didn't wrap everything up all neatly and slap a bow on it at the end. And it was set in Chicago, so I entertained myself with trying to figure out what street Sam and Bob lived on.
The thing with this book is it hit me kind of hard. It's a difficult story to read, and though I have absolutely nothing in common with the main character, Samantha, I could relate to and empathize with her at the same time I wanted to smack some sense into her.
**SPOILER-ISH***
I'm not one of those "married at all costs" people...I think if you're in a marriage where you can barely stand the sight of the other person, it's time to cut bait and move on. Sam and her increasingly distant husband Bob spend the entire book orbiting each other without ever really making an effort or coming out and saying "Enough". In that regard, Bob as a character has not one single redeeming quality. There is nothing here that makes you root for Bob and Sam, nothing that makes you even *like* Bob. So that - for me - made it hard to root for them as a couple. Throw in a bunch of snot-nosed ungrateful kids and I was scratching my head wondering why the hell I was reading this at times.
In the end I'm glad I stuck with it, because I think it was realistic and messy and I like that the author didn't wrap everything up all neatly and slap a bow on it at the end. And it was set in Chicago, so I entertained myself with trying to figure out what street Sam and Bob lived on.
May 13, 2009
Elizabeth Flock tells an engaging tale about a mother/wife, Sam, and her teenage daughter, Cammy. The story is written almost as if its in a journal form. We learn all about how Sam is unhappy in her marriage and is struggling to get along with her teenage daughter. We also learn all about Cammy's teenage-angst feelings towards her adopted family and life in general. And at the end, something surprising happens that changes the family's life forever.
When I first saw this cover I thought, "How beautiful". But the book inside was very dark. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed this book. It is told in a very frank and forward way and if a reader is easily offended, I wouldn't reccommend this book. But although it was dark, I felt like I could really identify with the characters. When I was reading the chapters from Cammy's point of view, I was remembering how I felt like I never belonged when I was a teenager (although I never acted out like she did). And when I read the chapters from Sam's point of view, I found myself hoping that my marriage wouldn't turn out like that. This book really engaged me and I couldn't put it down.
When I first saw this cover I thought, "How beautiful". But the book inside was very dark. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed this book. It is told in a very frank and forward way and if a reader is easily offended, I wouldn't reccommend this book. But although it was dark, I felt like I could really identify with the characters. When I was reading the chapters from Cammy's point of view, I was remembering how I felt like I never belonged when I was a teenager (although I never acted out like she did). And when I read the chapters from Sam's point of view, I found myself hoping that my marriage wouldn't turn out like that. This book really engaged me and I couldn't put it down.
May 4, 2010
Another cautionary tale for parents and spouses--be present, nurture those you love--because life and relationships can be very fragile.
Sometimes when wounded people get together the damage multiplies. These wounded characters are mostly sympathetic, although occasionally aggravating in their self-centeredness and carelessness. Still, it's easy to see how boredom, dissatisfaction and grief can drive wedges and isolate us from things that require vigilance.
Told half from a mother's point of view and half from her teenage daughter's, strong dialogue, narrative and attention to detail reveal these characters' pain, confusion and loneliness. As a mother I wanted to shake this mom out of her malaise and fast. At the same time, I could see how her system of denial was working for her and had to ask myself, "What am I missing when I should be paying attention?"
This novel also reaffirms that being a teenager in today's world can be dangerous and scary business. Truly a page turner. Extra points for being set in a lovely neighborhood on Chicago's North side!
Sometimes when wounded people get together the damage multiplies. These wounded characters are mostly sympathetic, although occasionally aggravating in their self-centeredness and carelessness. Still, it's easy to see how boredom, dissatisfaction and grief can drive wedges and isolate us from things that require vigilance.
Told half from a mother's point of view and half from her teenage daughter's, strong dialogue, narrative and attention to detail reveal these characters' pain, confusion and loneliness. As a mother I wanted to shake this mom out of her malaise and fast. At the same time, I could see how her system of denial was working for her and had to ask myself, "What am I missing when I should be paying attention?"
This novel also reaffirms that being a teenager in today's world can be dangerous and scary business. Truly a page turner. Extra points for being set in a lovely neighborhood on Chicago's North side!
July 29, 2011
Sleepwalking in Daylight was a book that really made me think about my future and how I want it to be. This book was very sad but for some reason I didn't ever want to put it down. I liked that it was different then most books I have read, it wasn't some sappy romance (even though I am a fan of those too.) It definitely is a tear jerker and it was sort of depressing in a way but like I said before it just made me want my life to be different then the lady in the book.
The book started off in the mom's point of view and switched back and forth the whole book from her point to her daughters point of view. I really liked how it did that because then you got to hear both sides of the story instead of just one and it made me understand the book better.
The book started off in the mom's point of view and switched back and forth the whole book from her point to her daughters point of view. I really liked how it did that because then you got to hear both sides of the story instead of just one and it made me understand the book better.
March 5, 2012
I loved, loved, loved this book! I could not put it down. The characters were very well developed and I related to them on many situations with a teenager. LOL I LOVED the "human factor" in this book. I love books that we as people can relate to on differant levels but all of us can say "yeah, I know." I thought the ending was incredible. I actually was stunned and I was crying in my childrens eye Dr's office. CAUTION READ LAST 15 PAGES IN PRIVATE, you will cry. I was so moved by the ending of this book that I read to my (4) teenage children the last 10 pages.They need to be reminded of the love that we feel for them. I felt the author conveyed the feelings in the end PERFECTLY. Totally unpredictable and very moving, to say the least. I would recommend to anybody and everybody.
June 14, 2012
This book is a scathing indictment of what it is like to raise children as middle-aged woman in a society that does not recognize fully the value of the job they do. Unfortunatley for the main character, Samantha, she allows herself to temporarily believe that she is as underrated as her husband would like her to believe. With all the difficulties inherent in chilraising, complicated by raising an adopted teenager struggling to find where she truly belongs, Samantha goes into a protective shell where she spends her days walking around in a fantasy world, refusing to see what is right in front of her. Sadly, her refusal to deal with reality has tragic consequences for her and her family.
April 11, 2012
Book description- Once defined by her career and independence, stay-at-home mom Samantha Friedman realizes her life has become a routine of errands, car pools, and suburban gossip. She deals with a husband who shows up for dinner but is to preoccupied for conversation, an increasingly moody daughter who won't talk at all, and wonders, Is this it?
Since finding out she was adopted, seventeen-year-old Cammy Friedman has felt like an outsider. Unwilling to reach out to the parents she once adored, she shields herself behind the black clothing and begins to drift into dangerous territory with questionable friends and risky behavior.
Mother and daughter indulge in their own respective escapism- for Sam, clandestine coffee dates with a handsome stranger, fueled by the desire to feel something; for Cammy, a furtive search for her birth mother punctuated by sex, pills, and the need to feel absolutely nothing- until a pivotal moment in an otherwise average day alters their relationships forever.
This is a cautionary tale for parents and spouses to be present and to nurture those you love, because relationships and life are so very fragile. Sometimes when wounded people get together the damage multiplies. These wounded characters are mostly sympathetic, although occasionally aggravating in their self-centeredness and carelessness. Still, it's easy to see how boredom, dissatisfaction and grief can drive wedges and isolate us from things that require vigilance.
Told half from a mother's point of view and half from her teenage daughter's, strong dialogue, narrative and attention to detail reveal these characters' pain, confusion and loneliness. As a mother I wanted to shake this mom out of her malaise and fast. How could she not see that she was losing her daughter? At times I wanted to scream at her to get a grip and do something. Cammy was so lost and needed someone who she felt like she belongs and no one could give her that. At the same time, I could see how Sam's system of denial was working for her and had to ask myself, "What am I missing when I should be paying attention?" What do I miss in my children's world when I am busy with all of the duties of a stay at home mom? I can also understand how Sam felt that she was drifting and unsure of how her life was supposed to turn out.
The one critical point I have is that I think more time should have been devoted to Bob, the father. We know he was detached, depressed, and felt nothing, but he was only described by Cammy and Sam, who were certainly unreliable narrators for him since they were so unhappy themselves. I would have liked to hear what his inner thoughts were and where he really "was" in the story.
This is a sad and depressing book that brought forth all kinds of emotions while I was reading, which is a sign of a good book. This novel also reaffirms that being a teenager in today's world can be dangerous and scary business, and parents need to be present even when the going gets tough. Truly a page turner. 4 stars!
Since finding out she was adopted, seventeen-year-old Cammy Friedman has felt like an outsider. Unwilling to reach out to the parents she once adored, she shields herself behind the black clothing and begins to drift into dangerous territory with questionable friends and risky behavior.
Mother and daughter indulge in their own respective escapism- for Sam, clandestine coffee dates with a handsome stranger, fueled by the desire to feel something; for Cammy, a furtive search for her birth mother punctuated by sex, pills, and the need to feel absolutely nothing- until a pivotal moment in an otherwise average day alters their relationships forever.
This is a cautionary tale for parents and spouses to be present and to nurture those you love, because relationships and life are so very fragile. Sometimes when wounded people get together the damage multiplies. These wounded characters are mostly sympathetic, although occasionally aggravating in their self-centeredness and carelessness. Still, it's easy to see how boredom, dissatisfaction and grief can drive wedges and isolate us from things that require vigilance.
Told half from a mother's point of view and half from her teenage daughter's, strong dialogue, narrative and attention to detail reveal these characters' pain, confusion and loneliness. As a mother I wanted to shake this mom out of her malaise and fast. How could she not see that she was losing her daughter? At times I wanted to scream at her to get a grip and do something. Cammy was so lost and needed someone who she felt like she belongs and no one could give her that. At the same time, I could see how Sam's system of denial was working for her and had to ask myself, "What am I missing when I should be paying attention?" What do I miss in my children's world when I am busy with all of the duties of a stay at home mom? I can also understand how Sam felt that she was drifting and unsure of how her life was supposed to turn out.
The one critical point I have is that I think more time should have been devoted to Bob, the father. We know he was detached, depressed, and felt nothing, but he was only described by Cammy and Sam, who were certainly unreliable narrators for him since they were so unhappy themselves. I would have liked to hear what his inner thoughts were and where he really "was" in the story.
This is a sad and depressing book that brought forth all kinds of emotions while I was reading, which is a sign of a good book. This novel also reaffirms that being a teenager in today's world can be dangerous and scary business, and parents need to be present even when the going gets tough. Truly a page turner. 4 stars!
February 1, 2010
My Synopsis:
Sleepwalking in Daylight is the story of a mother and a daughter. Samantha Friedman wonders on a daily basis if this is all there is? carpools and soccer games, errands and book club meetings. Is there more to life than living with a husband who is depressed and feels absolutely nothing and a Goth daughter who can't stand her? Sam, uses her relationship with a stranger to help her escape her everyday life. Clandestine meetings at a local coffee house and secret e-mails fill her days and her mind.
Cammy Friedman feels like an outcast. Since finding out she was adopted Cammy has gotten into wearing all black clothing and white make-up. Drawing black teardrops on her jaw and messing around with a disreputable crowd. Is there more to life than this? Being an outcast who doesn't belong at school or at home? Cammy escapes by thinking and searching for her birth mother and by smoking reefer and popping pills.
Until one day there isn't any escape for either of them.
My Thoughts:
This book caused me to shed a tear or two, which means it accomplished it's purpose. If a book can make you feel something, if it can move you in some way. Isn't that what it's all about? When I write I want to make a difference. I want to show someone something to inform them to make them think and Elizabeth Flock certainly did that for me.
I find myself identifying with Samantha. There was a time in my life that I just felt like I was going through the motions, that life was just a succession of bad days and worse nights. My children were small and I just wanted more. I wasn't the person I always dreamed I'd be. I'm glad it didn't take a drastic situation to make me see that I had to change. But, I can see how in some people's lives that defining moment happens that way.
Cammy is such a scared little girl in a teenagers body. She just wants to be loved for who she is. I wonder what my daughter thinks about. I wonder if she'll be faced with some of the hardships Cammy had to go through. I wonder if I'm doing enough? Am I asking the right questions? How well do I know her friends? Am I really aware of what's going on in her life?
This book will make you think. It make you feel something. Whether it is desperation, sadness, even a kinship with Samantha or Cammy. You won't put this one down feeling the same way you did when you picked it up.
Sleepwalking in Daylight is the story of a mother and a daughter. Samantha Friedman wonders on a daily basis if this is all there is? carpools and soccer games, errands and book club meetings. Is there more to life than living with a husband who is depressed and feels absolutely nothing and a Goth daughter who can't stand her? Sam, uses her relationship with a stranger to help her escape her everyday life. Clandestine meetings at a local coffee house and secret e-mails fill her days and her mind.
Cammy Friedman feels like an outcast. Since finding out she was adopted Cammy has gotten into wearing all black clothing and white make-up. Drawing black teardrops on her jaw and messing around with a disreputable crowd. Is there more to life than this? Being an outcast who doesn't belong at school or at home? Cammy escapes by thinking and searching for her birth mother and by smoking reefer and popping pills.
Until one day there isn't any escape for either of them.
My Thoughts:
This book caused me to shed a tear or two, which means it accomplished it's purpose. If a book can make you feel something, if it can move you in some way. Isn't that what it's all about? When I write I want to make a difference. I want to show someone something to inform them to make them think and Elizabeth Flock certainly did that for me.
I find myself identifying with Samantha. There was a time in my life that I just felt like I was going through the motions, that life was just a succession of bad days and worse nights. My children were small and I just wanted more. I wasn't the person I always dreamed I'd be. I'm glad it didn't take a drastic situation to make me see that I had to change. But, I can see how in some people's lives that defining moment happens that way.
Cammy is such a scared little girl in a teenagers body. She just wants to be loved for who she is. I wonder what my daughter thinks about. I wonder if she'll be faced with some of the hardships Cammy had to go through. I wonder if I'm doing enough? Am I asking the right questions? How well do I know her friends? Am I really aware of what's going on in her life?
This book will make you think. It make you feel something. Whether it is desperation, sadness, even a kinship with Samantha or Cammy. You won't put this one down feeling the same way you did when you picked it up.
March 18, 2009
All Samantha Friedman ever wanted was to live a perfect life with the perfect family. Unfortunately what we ask for is not always what we actually receive. Samantha and her husband, Bob tried for a long time to have a child. The doctor told them that they should start thinking about adoption. That was seventeen years ago. Samantha would never trade anything in the world for her adopted daughter, Cammy. By some miracle Samantha was finally able to give birth to Andrew and Jamie.
Samantha and Cammy used to be real close. Cammy always had just the right words to cheer Samanthaup. Now a days, they barely speak to one another. Cammy has taken on a whole new persona. She hardly ever washes her hair; she dresses all in black and worse of all Samantha doesn’t even know what goes on in Cammy’s world. All Cammy wants to do is hang out with her new friend at school, Monica.
Samantha is distracted herself. Her and Bob are like two strangers. They do their routine and go to bed. It has been a long time since Bob has touched or even looked at Samantha with desire in his eyes. Samantha never planned for it to happen but Craig was conveniently there for her.
I thought Sleepwalking in Daylight was a sad story. Samantha walked around in a daze. Bob is self-centered. The only person I really cared for was Cammy. She found herself in many difficult situations, but a big reason for this was she was rebelling. This was her way of speaking out and asking for help. The poems Cammy wrote, I thought were deep, sorrow, and showed she was more adult then the actual adults in this story. After reading Sleepwalking in Daylight, I would try Elizabeth Flock again.
Samantha and Cammy used to be real close. Cammy always had just the right words to cheer Samanthaup. Now a days, they barely speak to one another. Cammy has taken on a whole new persona. She hardly ever washes her hair; she dresses all in black and worse of all Samantha doesn’t even know what goes on in Cammy’s world. All Cammy wants to do is hang out with her new friend at school, Monica.
Samantha is distracted herself. Her and Bob are like two strangers. They do their routine and go to bed. It has been a long time since Bob has touched or even looked at Samantha with desire in his eyes. Samantha never planned for it to happen but Craig was conveniently there for her.
I thought Sleepwalking in Daylight was a sad story. Samantha walked around in a daze. Bob is self-centered. The only person I really cared for was Cammy. She found herself in many difficult situations, but a big reason for this was she was rebelling. This was her way of speaking out and asking for help. The poems Cammy wrote, I thought were deep, sorrow, and showed she was more adult then the actual adults in this story. After reading Sleepwalking in Daylight, I would try Elizabeth Flock again.
December 20, 2010
This book alternates between narration of a housewife named Samantha, and her 16 year old daughter Cameron. I find it fitting that i took this book out of the noe valley library, because samantha is what i imagine the quintessential noe valley woman to be like. running around doing errands all day, doing everything for her 3 kids and husband, running in charity runs, pto, and looking "put together". she is very focused on looking "put together" and going to whole foods to serve her family organic things, which she sometimes fails at. (we have a whole foods right here too!). But she hates her marriage and doesn't really like anything she does during the day, and doesn't even really seem to like her children either. Cammy found out she was adopted when she was just 3, when the husband, who seems like this really blah guy by the way, blurted it out to her. now she has become a goth, she loses her old friends, and spends the days taking drugs and the nights giving blow jobs to pay for them. we read as she writes in her journal, and all she wants is to be part of a family. as she searches for her birth mother, she yearns to be close to sam. sam is too self centered to notice. i never liked sam. she doesn't care about anyone but herself, whines the whole time, and does nothing to fix anything. there are also some little boys who exist only to go back and forth to soccer. cammy's last chapter was sooo sad i can't say without it being a spoiler, but it really hit home. sam's last chapter was just really more of the selfish same. bleh. i wsant to give it 4 stars for cammy but everyone else just brought it down to 3.
March 22, 2010
I read Emma & Me several years ago and thought it was an amazing story, so I was ready to like this book, but I really, really disliked it.
Samantha Friedman is locked in a loveless marriage with her extremely distracted husband. Looking to feel something Samantha begins a flirtation that leads to more. Her teenage daughter Cammy has been looking for happiness in all the wrong places; since learning she was adopted she has made friends with a questionable group, is taking drugs, drinking and having risky sexual encounters. Both women are desperately trying to escape their lives and eventually do, but in totally unexpected and shocking ways.
I have no problem with sad books, or books that deal with difficult subjects, but first and foremost I need to care about the characters. With the exception of Cammy there was nobody in this book I liked. Sam was so self-absorbed in her own search for happiness she does not see her daughter crying out for help over and over again. Bob the father is a one dimensional nobody that evoked no feelings in me at all. Craig, Sam’s possible boyfriend is a sneak and a liar. The only one I cared about was Cammy but her downward spiral became increasingly difficult to read.
Unrelenting in its bleakness this was not an enjoyable read, after turning the last page I was just glad to be done with this depressing story.
Samantha Friedman is locked in a loveless marriage with her extremely distracted husband. Looking to feel something Samantha begins a flirtation that leads to more. Her teenage daughter Cammy has been looking for happiness in all the wrong places; since learning she was adopted she has made friends with a questionable group, is taking drugs, drinking and having risky sexual encounters. Both women are desperately trying to escape their lives and eventually do, but in totally unexpected and shocking ways.
I have no problem with sad books, or books that deal with difficult subjects, but first and foremost I need to care about the characters. With the exception of Cammy there was nobody in this book I liked. Sam was so self-absorbed in her own search for happiness she does not see her daughter crying out for help over and over again. Bob the father is a one dimensional nobody that evoked no feelings in me at all. Craig, Sam’s possible boyfriend is a sneak and a liar. The only one I cared about was Cammy but her downward spiral became increasingly difficult to read.
Unrelenting in its bleakness this was not an enjoyable read, after turning the last page I was just glad to be done with this depressing story.
April 7, 2009
Mother Samantha gets caught up in the day-to-day sameness and wonders if "this is all there is to life". She has a husband who is present in her life, but "absent" from it. Her husband once said "The only constant in our marriage is the edge of the cliff we're hanging on to, killing time until we tire ourselves out and give in to our inevitable collapse."
Her adopted teenaged daughter, Cammy, is into drugs, sex, and a Goth lifestyle. Both are unhappy. Both are searching for something more, a meaning to life, a desperation for a real purpose.
Samantha meets a man on the train ride downtown, and in the short visit, he asks her "do you ever want to walk away from your life? Do you? Do you ever think this life is not exactly what you had planned? Do you ever crave something, anything, that could wake you up?"
And that makes her realize she is going through life blind, just going through the motions.........
A very good story, sad ending. Really makes you think.......
I'll probably check out some more of her previous books...she was pretty good.
Her adopted teenaged daughter, Cammy, is into drugs, sex, and a Goth lifestyle. Both are unhappy. Both are searching for something more, a meaning to life, a desperation for a real purpose.
Samantha meets a man on the train ride downtown, and in the short visit, he asks her "do you ever want to walk away from your life? Do you? Do you ever think this life is not exactly what you had planned? Do you ever crave something, anything, that could wake you up?"
And that makes her realize she is going through life blind, just going through the motions.........
A very good story, sad ending. Really makes you think.......
I'll probably check out some more of her previous books...she was pretty good.
July 2, 2009
Samantha Friedman is a stay-at-home mom with a killer bod and an awful marriage. And her teen daughter, Cammy, dresses in Goth attire and does drugs.
Samantha whines about her dead marriage. She whines about her troubled daughter. But she does nothing about either problem. Instead, she walks around in a haze, wondering where she went wrong. She is sleepwalking in daylight.
Cammy is also sleepwalking in daylight. She's struggling with the idea that she's adopted. She wants to find her mother. She wants to fit in. She wants to feel loved. Instead, she takes drugs to stop feeling anything.
Yes, Samantha and Cammy are quite a pair. Their story is told with alternating points of view; Cammy's is a little less annoying to read. Neither character is sympathetic. In fact, I could not stand either of them. And the more I think about it, the less I like this novel.
Samantha whines about her dead marriage. She whines about her troubled daughter. But she does nothing about either problem. Instead, she walks around in a haze, wondering where she went wrong. She is sleepwalking in daylight.
Cammy is also sleepwalking in daylight. She's struggling with the idea that she's adopted. She wants to find her mother. She wants to fit in. She wants to feel loved. Instead, she takes drugs to stop feeling anything.
Yes, Samantha and Cammy are quite a pair. Their story is told with alternating points of view; Cammy's is a little less annoying to read. Neither character is sympathetic. In fact, I could not stand either of them. And the more I think about it, the less I like this novel.
June 17, 2011
This was kind of a depressing book. Main story is about a mother, Samantha, and her adoupted daughter, Cameron....age 16. Samantha and her husband, Bob, have been in a dead relationship for years, but do nothing about it. Besides Cameron,they have their own biological twin boys. Cameron is sure that her parents don't love her and that her biological mother is wonderful and would love her and be the perfect parent. Cameron gets into a variety of drugs, has terrible relationships with males, and does poorly in school.....a real joy to raise. Samantha meets a man, Craig, on the train. He says he is in a dead marriage also. Craig and Samantha have a weird relationship (nothing physical, except one kiss) but are able to talk and undestand each other.
So.....where does this all end??? No place good.
So.....where does this all end??? No place good.
October 17, 2009
I really, really loved Me and Emma (her first book) so picking up this book to read was a no-brainer. This one is a complete 360 from Me and Emma, no psychological suspense, just straightforward writing about a family falling apart. There were times when I saw myself in Samantha (main character, wife, mom...not sure who she really is) and could really relate to the emotions that she was experiencing. Young couples fall madly in love, enjoy spending time with each, then they marry, have children, and wake up one day to realize they have totally disconnected from each other. Even though this book made me sad and depressed, I still enjoyed reading it. Be prepared for a few surprises along the way!
March 20, 2011
Told in alternating chapters, Sleepwalking in Daylight focuses on the lives of Samantha Friedman, an unhappy stay-at-home mom, and her adopted 17-year-old daughter Cammy. In search of her birth mother, Cammy has come to believe she doesn't belong in the Friedman family and turns to goth, sex and drugs. Samantha feels trapped in her marriage to an uncaring husband; her story documents her affair with a married man. Cammy becomes increasingly despondent as Samantha tries harder to connect with her and decide what to do about her failing marriage.
Depressing ending with an attempt to redeem itself; however, I found it extremely disheartening. The book was well-written, however, and Flock can definitely portray both teenage angst and the perspectives of a failing marriage.
Depressing ending with an attempt to redeem itself; however, I found it extremely disheartening. The book was well-written, however, and Flock can definitely portray both teenage angst and the perspectives of a failing marriage.
January 6, 2010
I loved Me and Emma, so I had high hopes for this book. I liked the premise: Sam is trapped in here life and wondering if this is all their is. She meets a stranger on a train who asks her if she ever wants to walk away from her life. Compelling right? Sounds so, but doesn't wind up being true.
Why is Sam unhappy? Because her husband is an idiot. Just a complete jerk. And it doesn't really seem he was every all that great. And her adopted daughter Cammy? Also a complete mess. The novel is told in Sam's and Cammy's perspectives and I sort of wound up hating both of them. All they did was complain about their situations.
Why is Sam unhappy? Because her husband is an idiot. Just a complete jerk. And it doesn't really seem he was every all that great. And her adopted daughter Cammy? Also a complete mess. The novel is told in Sam's and Cammy's perspectives and I sort of wound up hating both of them. All they did was complain about their situations.
January 25, 2010
I was pulled right into this haunting story of a disturbing mother/daughter relationship. This story was told by both the mother, Samantha and the teenage daughter, Cammie. I so wanted to feel sympathy for Cammie but it just was not there for me. Instead, Cammie made me angry and I just wanted her to change her ways. I was equally angry at Samantha. I guess as the mother she was the one to set the tone in the relationship and maybe if she was not so selfish things would be different between mom and daughter. As angry as I was at the characters, I could not stop reading this book! I felt the author did an awesome job with this book.
I recommend it!
I recommend it!
August 15, 2010
Heartbreaking. That is what sums up this novel. I hated the mother in this book. Hated her. I was surprised at such strong emotions for her. And while I was hating her, my heart broke for the daughter. It definitely made me think of my own relationship with my daughter. And though she's not yet 2, I was haunted by how sad their situation was. They seemed to exist on different planets, each wanting to reach out to the other, but never really getting there. The mother is filling voids in her life with her "romance" and the daughter is filling voids in her life with boys and drugs. I think my strong connection to the characters is what made this book so good to me.
June 4, 2009
A book about everyday life – particularly living in suburbia and orchestrating the rhythms of family life. Told with alternating voices between Sam - the mother, and Cammy - the teenage daughter, it was a story that reflected on how appearances of 'the perfect life' are hardly ever the case. Troubles are there for everyone, in all circumstances, and a lot of the time those troubles come upon us because we are not paying attention to life and simply going through the motions of day to day life. If nothing else, the story is a great reminder to pay attention to everyday.
June 10, 2009
I liked this book, but I'm not sure I'd recommend it to anyone. I had difficulty with the mother/daughter relationship which was very frustrating for me. I wanted to intervene; make them behave differently; make them realize what was happening in each other's worlds, so there were times I had to wait a bit to go back to the story.
It is a depressing book - I cried a lot during the last 20 pages, but it definitely makes you think about teenagers, families and marriages and how it can all go wrong very quickly if you're not paying attention.
It is a depressing book - I cried a lot during the last 20 pages, but it definitely makes you think about teenagers, families and marriages and how it can all go wrong very quickly if you're not paying attention.
August 7, 2009
Interesting book. Interesting writing. I enjoy the author. The story is about a woman dissatisfied with her life....thinking is this all there is. She is married but very lonely. At the same time her/their daughter is struggling with her own issues of being adopted. She feels like her mother didn't want her and because she was a "crack baby" she might as well use drugs now that she is a teenager. She gets into all kinds of trouble with boys and at school. A good book. The language is pretty bad but if you can get by that it's a v.good read.
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