Madelyn Abeyta

This is what I want to say to Molly: “Take your entitled attitude, stupid ideals, and f-words and get the heck out of this beautiful story, you don’t belong here!” On the other hand, I loved the story about Niamh (Vivian). It was engaging, intriguing, and heartbreaking; and I found myself rooting for her the whole time. It sheds light on a part of history I knew hardly anything about. This story illustrates the resilience of the human spirit and the importance of being grateful, despite circumstances. I don’t believe in fate, but I do believe in agency and divine intervention. Regardless of what you call it, it leads to the conclusion that “everything happens for a reason” and it absolutely does. The story about Molly seems so out of place and forced. I didn’t find myself empathizing with her at all, I just found her insufferable. Even until the end, that part of the story never seemed relevant, and the closure at the end of the story should have come about another way. The synopsis makes it sound like the story itself is about this relationship between two women from different walks of life but it’s really just an underdeveloped side story just thrown in to occasionally interrupt the main story. All that said, I’m glad I read this book. I almost quit after the first chapter, but as soon as I started reading about what was happening in NY in 1929, I was hooked.

This book is amazing. It’s a beautiful story of sacrifice and the indestructible power of love. It illustrates how trials and hardships can push you to do things you never thought you could do and become someone you never imagined you would. However, it is not “for the faint at heart” as they say. I mean, this book is dark, disturbing, and heartbreaking. Kristin Hannah must have a heart of steel because she does not sugar coat anything. There were times where I thought to myself, “Oh I can hardly handle this!” But I pushed on, and it was worth it. I feel like I just vicariously lived through WWII. Although it’s fiction, I feel like I have further educated myself about this period. I now have a greater appreciation for living in a free country during a peaceful time. Although heartbreaking, this is a beautifully written book. I am impressed. I feel like I have grown just upon finishing reading!

Pretty good. A fairly enjoyable read but I’m not in awe. It kept me just intrigued and entertained enough to keep reading. I enjoyed the relationships between the women and uncovering the mysteries about Lily’s mother. The way the concept of beekeeping was integrated with the story was unique and interesting. I like some of the themes, such as the need for a sisterhood and mother figure as well as the importance of forgiveness. However, while I am religious and believe in a God who can deliver us, comfort us, and change us; I do not believe that is Mary, or black Madonna, so I found that a bit hard to get past. I acknowledge it as a symbol for a divine mother figure that we women need, but it just wasn’t consistent with my beliefs so I found it a bit weird and unsettling. I liked the writing overall, although there were a few vague and cliché phrases and ideas, that didn’t really make sense, even when expounded upon, such as the “you are enough” thing. Overall, I am glad I took the time to read this uplifting, feel-good book.

TL;DR: I’m not sure whether I would recommend this book. In my opinion, it may not be worth the unsatisfying feeling at the end, but maybe not everyone who reads it feels that. There are parts of it that are touching and beautiful and it’s great from a historical fiction standpoint. You can be the judge. The first half of this book I really liked. I enjoyed the gripping, mysterious feel. Unfortunately it got worse by the second half and didn’t go in the direction I was hoping, other than toward necessary conflict resolution. Overall it was a good story and I liked seeing how everything connected. I also enjoyed Meissner’s unique writing style. I liked the themes especially the idea that our destiny is determined by a combination of ours and others’ agency as well as divine intervention—that God is in the details of our lives. I will appreciate any novel that acknowledges God. (If that bothers you though, it mentions Him very little, it doesn’t take over the story.) That said, sometimes I found the themes conveyed to be a bit confusing. MINOR SPOILERS: I had two main problems with the story which is why the it seemed to take a slight downhill after about the halfway point. I can only be clear by alluding to the story itself. There was a lack of closure between Clara and Andrew and I found that unnerving. After she found closure with her loss and grief, she selfishly refused to provide that for him. It seemed to contradict the themes of the novel, that everything happens for a reason and that one should come to terms with their grief and trauma rather than living in ignorant bliss. That is probably up for debate, but that’s how I felt about it. Also, he is way more charming than the dude she ended up with. I saw absolutely no chemistry between her and Dr. Randall, and I was cringing the entire second half of the novel because of it. He came across to me as this desperate, persistent, Gaston-esque creep that she kept trying to shoo away but finally gave in to his begging. How unsatisfying. If it weren’t for these two aspects of the story and instead they would have somehow been resolved, I would have probably given the book five stars. But unfortunately they make up such a big part of the plot.

I really enjoyed this book and could not put it down! It kept me entertained and I always wanted to know what happened next. I love a quirky protagonist— felt like I could relate to Molly in many ways and some of her traits were exaggerated versions of mine. It was so fun following the story from her point of view. I enjoyed the story through the end, although I have to admit, it left me feeling a bit uneasy rather than completely satisfied. I agree that, as the story mentions, justice may not always be clear cut, and from a literary standpoint, I loved the twist. However, I don’t quite agree with the way the ending played out and I couldn’t help but feel unsettled and disturbed upon finishing this book, especially with what it leads you to believe prior to the epilogue. I also need to clarify: Truth is NOT subjective. It is absolute. Perspective is subjective. Choosing not to accept the truth does not change the truth. That is a common misconception in this day and age that is becoming more widely accepted. It was a bit frustrating seeing the author reinforce that lie. I know that sounds extreme, but the idea of having “your truth” and truth being subjective and entirely based on perspective and experience is an incorrect and toxic mindset. All criticisms aside, I did enjoy the book! If you want a fun read, I would recommend it—just beware of some of the themes.

I remember my friend mentioning this book back when we were young teenagers. I had thought about it over the years planning to read it at some point. Well finally, over a decade later, I read it! I’d say I’m glad I did—it gave me some things to think about that I will probably continue to ponder over the years. What I loved about this book was it kept me entertained and intrigued. I liked the wonder of what might be in the next envelope and how the messages and tasks in each one would be approached. It definitely kept me hooked. I felt like I was taking my own trip around Europe and discovering new things myself. I also felt that Ginny was relatable and I found myself rooting for her. Especially as a strict rule follower myself, I found the plot satisfying. I don’t know if it’s the writing style, or the author trying to make the book more understandable for young adult readers, or just the author’s level of writing experience, but there is a sort of juvenile feel to her writing. Sometimes I liked her imagery and the way it immersed me and I appreciated the quirky aspects of it, but other times the language she used just seemed dull and cliché and it was often hard to get past. I know that’s kind of a vague explanation, but you would have to read it to see what I mean. There were a few lessons within the story that I found to be valuable: 1. When you step out of your comfort zone, you may surprise yourself of what you’re capable of. 2. Even those who are a bit wacky or weird, who may not be the types of people we would want to emulate for the most part, have admirable qualities and attributes that we can and should look for and even look up to. 3. Some events in life are hard to process, because they are tragic, difficult, etc. but it is easier to process those things when we face them head on and acknowledge them for what they are rather than trying to run away, mentally or physically. I thought the end was going to be a total cliff hanger, considering there is a sequel, but I actually found closure upon finishing. I am still deciding whether I am interested enough to read the following book. All in all, it was an enjoyable book and I would recommend it to someone looking for an easier, laid back reading experience.