I received an advance copy of this book from the Amazon Vine Program.
This was a very unusual book. It reminded me a little bit of THE WEIRD SISTERS by Eleanor Brown. The book focuses on three sisters who live together in a rent-controlled apartment in New York City that generations of their family have lived in. The eldest sister, Lady, has been suicidal for years and has attempted to end her life many times. The middle sister, Vee, is terminally ill with cancer. The youngest sister, Delph, follows the lead of her older sisters as they have been better maternal figures to her than her own mother ever was. The sisters come from a seemingly cursed family where many members have met untimely ends. The sisters believe their family might be cursed and that the curse stems from their scientist great-grandfather whose creations may end up having killed millions. The sisters decide to write the history of their doomed family as they face decisions about their own mortality.
Mitchell is a very gifted writer. I found myself underlining quite a bit in the book. The Alter family is truly an interesting creation. That being said, I never really found myself connecting with the characters. They were interesting but I could not connect with them emotionally. This meant that the book didn't have quite the impact it could have. Although I found the ending a bit frustrating, I felt the last chapter was the best one in the book. The story of the Alter sisters makes the reader think about the legacies we inherit and how much blood really affects our destinies.
BOTTOM LINE: Recommended with reservations. An unusual story that may be off-putting to some. I didn't particularly care for the story overall but I think Mitchell is a wonderful writer. I look forward to future novels from her.
1 comment:
That's about how I felt. The story was not a great one but the writing is excellent. Kind of a downer, really. I'd definitely give the author another go. She's pretty witty.
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