I loved the character development in this book!
Emily Giffin sets out to tackle a lot of modern issues in this novel. I've seen a lot of people saying that this book would be better if she picked a few issues to focus on, but I disagree. Life is hardly ever that neat and rather throws everything at you at once and then kicks you will your down. And every issue that Giffin deals with connects with each other and the plot line. The fact that everything is relevant makes the book easier to take in.
Another huge thing I loved about this book was how relatable and realistic the characters are. Each and every person deals with the inner turmoil of emotions vs. rational thought: Lyla likes a boy who did this terrible thing and has a hard time deciding if she can trust him, Nina loves her son but has to tackle the issue that he may not be as perfect as he seems, Tom wants to defend his daughter to the ends of the earth but she's a teenager and wants to act out.
This inner discussion of these characters is what really drove the book for me. I enjoyed following the plot and seeing what was going to happen - or what doesn't happen - but seeing these characters really dive into their inner monologues was super interesting to me. All We Ever Wanted really drives home the idea that nobody is perfect but we can all try to be the best version of ourselves and that it's never too late for forgiveness.
Another huge thing I loved about this book was how relatable and realistic the characters are. Each and every person deals with the inner turmoil of emotions vs. rational thought: Lyla likes a boy who did this terrible thing and has a hard time deciding if she can trust him, Nina loves her son but has to tackle the issue that he may not be as perfect as he seems, Tom wants to defend his daughter to the ends of the earth but she's a teenager and wants to act out.
This inner discussion of these characters is what really drove the book for me. I enjoyed following the plot and seeing what was going to happen - or what doesn't happen - but seeing these characters really dive into their inner monologues was super interesting to me. All We Ever Wanted really drives home the idea that nobody is perfect but we can all try to be the best version of ourselves and that it's never too late for forgiveness.