Similarities

I read two books that have been compared to other works.  One was compared to Where'd You Go Bernadette, and the other to  Big Little Lies.

The first, The Floating Feldmans by Elyssa Friedland, was indeed an enjoyable read, and had some funny moments, but overall it didn't grab me as much as Bernadette did. 

Annette Feldman books a cruise to celebrate her 70th birthday.  She is hoping to bond with her children and grandchildren, as there have been some riffs and distance in recent years.  Much of the distance is due to miscommunication, misunderstandings, and secrets.  All of this is believable, and at times quite poignant. The humor is understated, and the relationships are authentic.

It was a truly enjoyable summer read, and the characters are generally likable, despite some questionable behaviors.  Most of their secrets are kept out of love for each other, and in the end all is resolved in a convincing manner.  I have never been inclined to take a cruise, and this truly confirmed for me that I won't ever book a cruise. I did think there was some nice social commentary regarding the cruise staff, and their reality (being away from their families for extended periods, while the cruise goers typically celebrate family events).

There is nothing truly displeasing about the book, but it wasn't as engaging for me, as Where'd You Go Bernadette was.  I do hope the film of that book, pulls off the warmth and hilarity of the book.

The other book is The Night Olivia Fell. 


It is told via multiple narratives, and starts with the tragedy then goes into the past.  This effectively builds the suspense, and it did keep me engaged and reading rather quickly, until I finished. It has been compared to Big Little Lies due to this narrative structure.  It doesn't though have the biting social commentary that Moriarty deftly utilizes in her book.

Christina McDonald does create some unique characters, that have interesting backgrounds.  She pulls off the narrative structure, and as I said builds suspense.  Olivia is a teenager, who is on life support after falling from a bridge.  Her life support would have effectively been pulled, since she is brain dead, but once it is discovered that she is pregnant, state laws preclude that until the birth of the baby.

Her mother misses, I think, important and obvious clues as she tries to figure out how the fall happened, and who is responsible for Olivia's eventual death. Despite those plot holes, I did enjoy the novel, and appreciated the character reveals.