This book felt like it lasted the full five centuries it takes place in. The plot was extremely predictable and it couldn't seem to actually give the women any real healing past 'men are bad' and 'let me be single in nature forever'. Not that I disagree with those testaments, but could we have given them a little more critical thinking? Hard pass.

A bit predictable, but overall incredibly endearing. I thoroughly enjoyed this and actually got very attached to the epistolic (new word for me!) style.

Everyone in this book is unbearable. For being about 'conversations with friends', very little is actually being said. Each characters' idiosyncrasies are laid out bare, but I found none of them endearing in the slightest; Frances is a judgmental hypocrite who struggles to find a safe space to actually talk through her demons, Bobbi is a pedantic narcissist, and Melissa is sanctimonious and two-headed. Nick is an overly flattered middle-aged man. All of these people need to touch some grass.

I really just enjoyed the Australian accents in the audiobook lol. A very bleak story, but compelling overall. Lessons learned? Create better fire barriers and men will really do anything except go to therapy.

Extremely confusing set-up and too many characters to keep track of. In theory, the concept is endearing, but I don't think it was executed well. I actually got more satisfaction from reading the inspirations for each of the characters in the Author's Note. It provided much more depth and insight to the actual events that were trying to be referenced throughout each narrative. For some reason I also thought this would be more of a murder mystery ? Not sure I followed this well.

Devastating and precious. Complete roller coaster of following the arcs of characters' unique idiosyncrasies and navigating the complex, ever-evolving relationships of a passionate and zealous family.