Parting Gifts: A Novel

by Katrina Anne Willis

Description

Broken by their unorthodox Midwestern childhood, sisters Catherine, Anne, and Jessica Mathers search for love, acceptance, and worth-often in the most unlikely places. Catherine, the oldest of the Mathers sisters, is an English professor battling breast cancer with Cytoxan, red wine, and profanity. Anne is a wife and stay-at-home mother of two struggling to make ends meet in a suburban existence that both suffocates and confounds her. Jessica, the youngest by ten years and estranged-by show more choice-from her family, is an exotic dancer who feels safer on stage than in a relationship. But when the sisters are faced with an incomprehensible loss, they are forced to reevaluate themselves, their damaged bonds, and their fragile future. Parting Gifts illuminates one highly dysfunctional family's tentative, desperate crawl toward a life of meaning and worth. show less

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JoeYee 119 reviews

From the synopsis, I thought this book is about sisterhood but it's more than just that. Family, friendship, love, and acceptance are all important in the book. The story is told in five different perspectives: Catherine (oldest sister), Anne (second sister), Jessica (youngest sister), Dale (Anne's husband) and Eva (the Mom). Each chapter is only a few pages long, so readers do not get tired of one character. There are 61 chapters in 259 pages only.

At first, I really liked Jessica's story but her part was not as big as her other two sisters. I wish her character was more developed. Catherine's story was the most interesting to me. There was more than just chemotherapy, her love life made everything more complicated. I found Anne to be show more the annoying one, she's just like her mother.

I like the twist at chapter 40. It was so unexpected. After that, the book became so emotional. However, it changed the main focus to my least favorite sister, Anne. Overall, I really enjoyed the book. =)

4 out of 5 stars

Received a free copy from BookSparks in exchange for an honest review. show less

May 12, 2016

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