Anne Lamott is an incredibly talented writer, and anything she pens is truly amazing.

I have found myself rereading one of her works lately, and the reason for this is that the third book in a particular series has just been released.

Rereading her previous work allows me to immerse myself in her unique writing style and the vivid worlds she creates.

It also gives me a chance to gain a deeper understanding of the characters and their stories, which I know will enhance my enjoyment of the new book.

Anne Lamott's words have a way of touching my heart and making me think, and I can't wait to see what new adventures and insights the third book will bring.

I am sure it will be just as wonderful as her previous works, and I will be eagerly devouring every page.

I'm truly glad that I read this particular piece after the others, rather than following the proper sequence. Even in this somewhat unorthodox order, I find myself deeply in love with the characters within this family. I have this intense desire to be their friend, to step into their shoes and experience life as they do.

On page 162, Elizabeth loudly ponders the concept of the golden mean, *le juste milieu*, wondering whether the human body lies equidistant between the infinitesimally small and large, between quarks and stars. This profound thought immediately grabs my attention and makes me reflect on the mysteries of the universe.

The acid trip described in the story was my absolute favorite part. It added an element of excitement and unpredictability that kept me on the edge of my seat.

Page 175 features a beautiful quote from Neruda: "'i want to do with you what spring does to the cherry trees'". This poetic line fills my heart with warmth and longing, imagining the beautiful and transformative power of love.

On page 183, the description of Mavis Lee's mother sitting and weeding a begonia bed is simply enchanting. With a can of beer beside her on the earth and wearing a finely woven straw bonnet with eyelets around the brim, through which the sun casts a necklace of tiny light beads on her aged brown chest, it creates a vivid and charming scene. When she looks up to toast Elizabeth and the necklace falls across her face, it's a moment of pure beauty and grace.

This article is a wonderful exploration of family, love, and the mysteries of life, and I can't wait to read more.

This is one of those love-hate books for me.

I love it because it flows extremely well. The writing style is so engaging that it constantly made me come back to it. Moreover, it is written in a way that doesn't create any distractions or get in the way of my enjoyment. There is just the right amount of plot to keep the story moving forward at a steady pace. It's not so much that it becomes out of control and overwhelming, which is a great balance. Rae, one of the characters, is truly lovable.

However, Rosie is quite obnoxious. She keeps saying "God!" repeatedly, and has these moments with her mother that are not only inappropriate but also seem completely unrealistic and ridiculous. For example, an 8-year-old saying the F word or throwing tantrums and all that nonsense. It's this whole dynamic of having a more-best-friend-than-mother relationship and the idea of the kid raising the parent, which really bothered me. Additionally, there are some scenes that are a little on the disgusting side. I just get the feeling that Lamott kind of adds stuff like that in an attempt to be "edgy," but it doesn't always work for me.

Overall, this book has its pros and cons, and it's a bit of a mixed bag for me.

Rosie endures a difficult upbringing as she is raised by an alcoholic mother.

Elizabeth, on the other hand, faces the challenge of not only living but also raising her daughter after the heart-wrenching death of her husband.

She discovers some strength within herself to deal with issues as they surface, with the help of a friend's father. However, it seems that this strength is not quite sufficient.

The characters in this story are indeed interesting, with their各自 unique struggles and personalities.

Yet, overall, the whole narrative feels a bit flat.

Perhaps there could have been more depth and development in the plot and the relationships between the characters to make it a more engaging and impactful read.

Nonetheless, it still holds some potential and could be further enhanced to bring out its full charm.

CAUTION review contains spoilers!!

In many aspects, I had a great affection for this book. However, in numerous other ways, I didn't have a favorable opinion of it. Lamott is a proficient writer. Although she may not be the greatest novelist in the world, "Rosie" can be regarded as a good modern novel, especially when compared to a lot of the junk that passes for modern novels these days. Lamott depicts life as it truly is, even when we may not be fond of the reality. Her narrative style often mirrors the way we perceive the world - through our senses. She is a sensory writer, and I adored her vivid descriptions of objects, people, and places. She developed the characters splendidly. I had such intense perceptions of every character in the novel, and I was able to connect with each of them, feeling as if they could be real individuals. The dialogue she wrote also seemed very authentic to me. And she does an excellent job of incorporating thought processes within the dialogue. For the most part, she shows rather than tells.

But, on this note, I did not like the beginning at all. After finishing the novel, I went back and read it again, and found it to be distant, general, and summary-like. She summarizes Elizabeth from the perspective of the townspeople, who don't really matter much for the rest of the story. Moreover, the information provided doesn't seem necessary or relevant to who Elizabeth truly is. The style of narration in the beginning doesn't resemble the rest of the novel, and I have no liking for it whatsoever. I also found the ending to be strange and abrupt.

First of all, with the ending, she marries the guy even though he cheats! She has a suspicion that he cheats on her but doesn't investigate it and still marries him! I don't like the message this conveys to the reader. Maybe it's realistic - yes, guys cheat and we marry them anyway and put up with it often - but it felt like she was just marrying him because she was too scared to be alone again. Lamott couldn't envision breaking them up. James already wasn't a perfect guy for Elizabeth, and I don't understand why Lamott felt the need to write James as a cheater. I think this sends a very harmful message to women reading the book. It's also inconsistent with the novel. Elizabeth counsels Rae through getting over her ex-boyfriend Brian, who is also manipulative and a cheater. So, if Elizabeth knows it's wrong (and perhaps Lamott as well...), why is it suddenly okay for her to be with a guy who will turn out to be like Brian later on? Not good, Lamott. Not good.

And another thing. The alcoholism. Throughout the novel, everyone is commenting on what a great mother Elizabeth is. Yes, she loves her daughter extraordinarily, and Rosie is wonderful and perfect, but Elizabeth is an alcoholic who depends on her daughter for happiness and stability! In real life, an alcoholic mother would have damaged Rosie and the mother-daughter relationship more than what is shown in the book, I believe. Also, this particularly bothers me. Elizabeth doesn't even quit drinking on her own. She goes years telling herself that she'll quit and then doesn't. She can't quit drinking for Rosie's sake. She "tries" but doesn't succeed. She needs James in order to quit. She needs him to quit with her before she can finally do it. I would have been more impressed with Elizabeth's true love for her daughter if she could have done it by her own will and strength.

And, she never gets a job. Great. The lady goes nearly her whole life not working, being miserable for not working, and then finally attaining "happiness" because she has a man again to fill up her time. What a great example that sets for readers. And what a great, strong finish to the novel (NOT!).

This book felt like it ended with too many loose ends or "ends" that I didn't like. But it's not just that I personally didn't prefer them. It's that I believe novels are supposed to teach us something about life that will improve us and help us become better people. If what I'm supposed to learn from this novel is that you can't quit alcoholism without someone to carry you through it, and that you need a man in order to be happy, and you can still raise a happy, fulfilled, brilliant child while being an alcoholic, and that it's okay to be lazy and sit around your house all day not working and sponging off other people's money, then fine. If this is the case, I will openly say: Anne Lamott, I don't agree with you and I don't like your book. But, granted, she can surely describe a child's perspective on the world in a way that is more amazing, beautiful, and accurate than I would have ever thought possible. Kudos for that. I would like to have a conversation with Lamott. Maybe then I could work through the things I disagreed with about the novel.

I have not been so completely immersed in the life of a character for a long time. Elizabeth is extremely flawed, yet she is also intelligent and humorous. However, her alcoholism is so severe that I was constantly concerned about her and her daughter. I cared deeply about these characters to the extent that I actually lost sleep over them. Eventually, I had to restrict my reading to daytime and avoid reading before going to bed. I don't believe I could offer higher praise to a work of fiction.

As a writer, I discovered that Lamott's approach to presenting dialogue is almost revolutionary. Frequently, she will insert the non-speaking character's reaction within the dialogue that the character is hearing. In contrast, most writers only depict the speaker when presenting the spoken dialogue. This was initially a bit disconcerting, but once I recognized that she was breaking convention, it was not difficult to follow. It is always wonderful to have one's eyes opened to a new method of telling a story.

It makes me think about how I can incorporate such innovative techniques into my own writing to make it more engaging and unique. Lamott's work has truly inspired me and shown me new possibilities in the world of fiction writing.

I look forward to exploring more of her books and learning from her masterful storytelling.

I just couldn't finish this. It was a 50-page test and I failed it. It's truly...depressing.

I'm all about being honest and telling the truth in my writing. And as far as realism and grace go, I really like the way Anne Lamott sees the world.

However, this particular story just doesn't do it for me. There's so much whining, aimlessness, and stupidity in it. I absolutely loved her book "Bird by Bird". In that book, she specifically tells aspiring writers that stories need to have hope.

Even though I've heard that her novels technically end with a rather complicated version of hope (I've never actually made it to the end myself), the journey to get there is just too much of a slog for me.

I really love her essays and I enjoy reading what she has to say about writing. But when it comes to her fiction, I don't think it's something that I'm going to enjoy.

Maybe it's just a matter of personal taste, but for now, I'll stick to her non-fiction works.

I really had a great time reading this book. At the beginning, it took me a little while to fully engage with it. You know, I often tend to get bored during the character development stage. However, as the story progressed, I realized that these were truly great characters. Their personalities and backstories were so interesting and well-developed.

I'm now eagerly looking forward to delving deeper into their lives and getting to know them even better in the second and third books of the series. I can't wait to see how their stories unfold and what new adventures await them.

Thanks a million to Deb for the wonderful recommendation. It has introduced me to a whole new world of exciting characters and captivating storylines. I'm sure I'll be thoroughly entertained as I continue my reading journey.

At the heart of Rosie by Anne Lamott lies the complex and touching relationship between a widowed mother, Elizabeth, and her remarkably precocious daughter, Rosie.

After the tragic loss of her husband, Elizabeth has unfortunately fallen into the same destructive relationship with alcohol that her own mother had. Elizabeth is far from perfect, with many faults that make her initially difficult to like. However, beneath her alcoholism, one can sense her profound affection for her daughter and the important people in her life.

I was particularly drawn to her relationship with her best friend Rae. The bond they share is a source of strength and support for Elizabeth, even in the midst of her struggles.

Moreover, Lamott's portrayal of Rosie's reaction to a terrible circumstance is nothing short of remarkable. It seems so accurate and perfectly captures how many little girls in a similar situation would feel, internalize, and react.

This book contains many elements that can make you feel deeply sad, but it also has a beautiful and unexpected sense of humor that lightens the mood. Overall, I really enjoyed reading Rosie and found it to be a poignant and engaging story.

Anne Lamott is an author who has a unique charm that manages to creep under my skin, just like some other remarkable writers. Her writing has such a profound impact that it becomes an integral part of who I am during the time I'm reading her book, and a part of her essence lingers within me forever after.

I read this particular book many years ago and vividly remember thoroughly enjoying it. However, about six months ago, I happened to pick it up again and found myself completely engrossed, reading it in one sitting. The characters in the book truly stirred my emotions.

Lamott has an extraordinary ability to bring her imperfect characters to life in a way that most authors can only dream of achieving with their flawless ones. Every character in this book has a distinct voice, and each one has a heart-wrenching reason for being the way they are.

This book progresses at a brisk pace, yet it makes you feel as if you are suspended in time, taking a long and meaningful walk through life with dear friends.

Both times I read this book, it managed to leave me with a complex mix of feelings - a sense of something unfinished, perhaps a longing for more, and at the same time, a feeling of something accomplished, as if I had gained a deeper understanding of the human condition through the pages of the book.

Elizabeth is a truly captivating character. She is constantly striving to deal with her numerous anxieties, all the while tasked with raising her extremely precocious daughter, Rosie.

The process of reading this novel was a refreshing departure from my usual reading habits. Up until now, I had only delved into Lamott's nonfiction works.

This new foray into her fictional world allowed me to see a different side of her writing prowess. The way she develops Elizabeth's character and the complex relationship with Rosie is both engaging and thought-provoking.

It makes me eager to explore more of her fictional works in the future and see what other interesting stories and characters she has in store.

I found an old note that I made about reading this novel, so I thought I would update my review space with it. :)

I absolutely loved this book. Rosie, a 7-year-old girl, lives with her widowed and alcoholic mother. Despite her young age, Rosie is extremely wise and insightful. She longs for a "normal" mother who would serve "normal" food and not be an alcoholic. Rosie's mother, Elizabeth, is a beautiful woman but always feels like an outsider. She is aware of her problem with alcohol but just can't seem to stop herself. Her best friend, Are, is a weaver and is rather hopeless in relationships. However, they form a wonderful bond and become a little family for each other. Rosie's best friend is Sharon, and it is from Sharon's "normal" family that Rosie learns a difficult and heartbreaking lesson. This book is truly about love, acceptance, right and wrong. It is laugh-out-loud funny in some parts, and yet it may also bring tears to your eyes. It is a story that will touch your heart and make you think about the complex nature of family and relationships.