We all know we aren’t supposed to judge a book by its cover but that’s precisely what made me pause while scrolling, with my finger hovering over this book. ‘If We’re Being Honest’ turned out to be just as warm and approachable as its cover.
The novel begins with a funeral and ends with a wedding which felt very fitting for this story all about a family. We step into the Williams family home after the sudden death of the patriarch, a good and kind man who was very loved - and also, it turns out, kept some secrets. As the plot unfolds, we follow the members of the family as they grapple with that legacy, and slowly confront secrets and truths of their own. It’s title very much makes sense by the time you reach the final page.
The characters are, for the most part, likable and real. The book is at its very best when it follows Ellen, the widow, but there are some misses with other characters. (The youngest sisters in both generations are painfully stereotyped.) I wondered if choosing fewer family members to follow would have been more fulfilling for the reader because we could have spent more time with them. The individual perspectives are the most informative and give a clearer sense of the family history.
This is not a brooding, dramatic family saga. It’s lighthearted and sincere, and there are neat endings. If you tend towards darker genres (which I do), this might be a good departure for your mind. It was a lovely audiobook listen that gave me good feels. Not the very best read of the summer but certainly worthy of 3 stars.
The novel begins with a funeral and ends with a wedding which felt very fitting for this story all about a family. We step into the Williams family home after the sudden death of the patriarch, a good and kind man who was very loved - and also, it turns out, kept some secrets. As the plot unfolds, we follow the members of the family as they grapple with that legacy, and slowly confront secrets and truths of their own. It’s title very much makes sense by the time you reach the final page.
The characters are, for the most part, likable and real. The book is at its very best when it follows Ellen, the widow, but there are some misses with other characters. (The youngest sisters in both generations are painfully stereotyped.) I wondered if choosing fewer family members to follow would have been more fulfilling for the reader because we could have spent more time with them. The individual perspectives are the most informative and give a clearer sense of the family history.
This is not a brooding, dramatic family saga. It’s lighthearted and sincere, and there are neat endings. If you tend towards darker genres (which I do), this might be a good departure for your mind. It was a lovely audiobook listen that gave me good feels. Not the very best read of the summer but certainly worthy of 3 stars.