Reading this book was a rather frustrating experience. It's not that it was an utter failure, but it did become rather tedious at certain points. Every little thing that seemed to have the potential to be good, or even great, would inevitably take a turn for the worse.
One positive aspect was the format of the book. It was mainly composed of e-mails, IMs, texts, and so on, which provided a new and interesting reading experience for me. I also liked the fact that the main characters were childhood friends, having known each other their entire lives. There were quite a few LOL moments in between that were enjoyable to read.
However, we're talking about Cecelia Ahern here. Since when have her main characters ever had the simple joy of being together without some infuriating drama thrown in for the sake of the plot? I'm looking specifically at "Thanks for the Memories." I mean, come on... It was blatantly obvious that they were made for each other and would somehow end up together, but of course, things got messed up terribly. At least the ending was decent enough, I guess.
In conclusion, this book was just okay-ish, especially if you're a fan of drama (because trust me, there's plenty of it). If not, you might be better off reading some of her other works.
Peace out!
Cecilia never fails to amaze me with her writing skills and creativity. What seems like a simple and ordinary story turns into something that touches your heart deeply. All those who have read "Postscript: I Love You" or "If You Could See Me Now" or any of Cecilia Ahern's books know that this girl writes to make you cry. Generally, her stories always have a sad point that makes you think twice about things, and before you know it, you're already crying. And this book, at least for me, is no exception.
The book not only expresses the immense love that Alex and Rosie have for each other but also reflects the imperceptible changes in life. As the years pass by without you realizing it, and you always think you'll have time to do everything you want, but sometimes it's too late.
Let me explain that the whole book is told through letters, emails, and chats, which makes it a completely fast and enjoyable read. Additionally, the events cover approximately 40 years of the characters' lives, so you can better appreciate the changes and feelings.
Let me tell you something: I loved it! Cecilia has always given me excellent lessons in her books, but this time she outdid herself. Seeing how Rosie's life changes as the years pass, how you realize that when you're an adult, you want to be young again, and when you were young, you wished to become an adult. How sometimes we let great opportunities slip away, for which we regret our whole lives, and how no matter how many mistakes we make, we always have one last chance. It's contradictory, but that's life, a sea of flavors where we're only content if we learn to appreciate those small things that make us happy and learn to seek our happiness by fighting with all our might.
I highly recommend this book to everyone. It's excellent and will make you think twice about things!
Das ist alles, was ich je wollte. Dass du glücklich bist.
I simply can't fathom how this book managed to receive such an abundance of positive reviews. For me, it was an exercise in extreme frustration. I failed to develop any affinity or interest in a single one of the characters. The whole "no" and "know" confusion was especially irksome. One would think that a cardiac surgeon, of all people, would be able to distinguish and use the correct spelling at some juncture in his life. It seems almost inconceivable that such a basic error could persist throughout the narrative. It really detracted from my overall enjoyment of the book and left me with a sense of dissatisfaction.
ESTA RESEÑA CONTIENE MEGA-SPOILERS (LA RESEÑA ENTERA ES SPOILER). NO LEER (NI SIQUIERA EL PRINCIPIO) A NO SER QUE HAYAS LEÍDO EL LIBRO POR COMPLETO. RECUERDA QUE LAS OPINIONES SON SUBJETIVAS
I am truly disappointed. I have been waiting throughout the entire book for the characters to maintain the relationship they should have had and... SURPRISE!!! Until the very last page of the book (truly the last), there was nothing. If only they had had a push and pull, or now I'm with you and now I'm leaving you, or "Honey, I'm a mess. Forgive me, but I'm going back to my ex", it would have been much more entertaining.
The book unfolds through long letters, birthday greetings, extremely long e-mails, chat conversations (in my opinion, the ones from the divorced club were unnecessary) and very long instant messages that tell us about the lives of Rosie and Alex. Friends since they were five years old, stupid enough not to realize that they are made for each other. O_o!!! WTF Seriously??? Are you really going to be with someone and not realize that you are made for each other??? It has been truly frustrating, especially the behavior of both:
- Rosie is drunk and kisses him. What does Alex do? He keeps quiet and doesn't say anything to her, not even the next day. Why? Because he thinks she will be ashamed if she remembers. Personal opinion: Come on! Are you really going to let that opportunity pass because of a little shame??
- Rosie confesses her feelings. What does Alex do? Since he is engaged to another girl, he marries her and leaves the love of his life aside. Why? I have no idea, maybe the poor guy is a jerk. Personal opinion: I repeat. He is a jerk.
- Rosie gets married. I didn't see that coming (sarcasm).
- Alex gets divorced and confesses his love in a letter to Rosie. What happens? The letter disappears (obviously). If you leave it on the counter, of course Rosie's husband will take it and hide it. What happens? Rosie's husband cheats on her and at the same time doesn't want Alex to confess his love to Rosie (in other words, the dog in the manger). What does Alex do even though he knows everything? He keeps quiet and doesn't say anything because apparently it's better to let her suffer. Personal opinion: Alex is an idiot.
- Alex starts a new relationship (of course), and Rosie gets divorced. Rosie wants to flee to Boston where Alex is, and Alex leaves his relationship to be with Rosie. But everything falls apart when Rosie's daughter's father appears, so she cancels the trip to Boston. What happens? Alex gets angry (because the poor guy is so intelligent that he doesn't see that the girl has a good reason not to leave her country) and goes back to his ex, asks for forgiveness and GETS MARRIED. Personal opinion: WHAT ON EARTH!!!??? I have never seen a stupider guy in my life. She's your best friend, you love her, you understand her, but you're not able to understand that her daughter needs to know her father??? You're the worst friend in the world, Alex, and on top of that you're an idiot because you go back to your ex and marry her because you're angry. A great reason, by the way (sarcasm).
- Years pass... but really. Ten years later. Rosie is still waiting like a fool, even having recovered the love letter that Alex sent her twelve years ago. Alex gets divorced (thank goodness), and when they are both 50 years old, that's when they can be together.
FACEPALM
Okay, at 50 you're still young, but, my God in my life, I have never seen more frustrating and stupid characters in my entire life. They have dragged things out throughout the entire book to satisfy the reader on the last page. I don't care that the characters end up together on the last page, I want to know what's going to happen between them while they are together, I want to know how they solve their problems and have fun during the relationship. This book stretches things out in an amazing way (I guess it was a Willy Wonka gum).
I have been debating between two and three stars for a day, because although I have this opinion about the book, the problems it reflects in real life (not in the romance) are problems that we can all have. I admit that I also laughed at some dialogues. But still I couldn't give three stars because I didn't like the behavior of the characters, so I opted for 2.5.
I know this book has good ratings and I'm sorry if my review offends, but I expected something else.
2.5 Stars
SOME SPOILAGE AND RANTING ENSUES – CONSIDER YOURSELF WARNED. HOWEVER, BEING AS THIS IS STANDARD ROM-COM FARE, THE ENDING SHOULDN’T REALLY THROW ANY OF YOU FOR A LOOP
Now, if I were to judge the movie based on the trailer (I haven't seen it yet), it would get at least 4 Stars. It looks like many pages were cut, as they should have been. The story is a typical RomCom: boy meets girl, they become friends, wonder if they should take it further, date others, those relationships fail, and they realize they're meant to be together. I love that in movies, but it doesn't need to be as long as this book. I loved Alex and Rosie as characters, but they took too long to get to the point. I have a feeling I'll enjoy the movie more than the book. And even if the movie sucks, it has Sam Claflin. Yep, welcome to Cougar Town, Sam : )
With one sentence I can describe it: Almost yes, but no. Everything is very frustrating. Although the ending has brought a tear to my eye.
This statement seems to convey a sense of ambiguity and dissatisfaction. It implies that there was a situation where something was almost achieved or resolved, but in the end, it fell short. The frustration that follows is palpable, as if all the efforts and expectations have been in vain.
However, the mention of a tear at the end suggests that there might have been some kind of emotional impact or realization. Maybe despite the disappointment, there was still something valuable or meaningful that emerged from the experience. It could be a moment of self-reflection, a new understanding, or a glimmer of hope for the future.
The quote "“You can run and run as fast and as far as you like but the truth is, wherever you run, there you are.”" further emphasizes this idea. It implies that no matter how hard we try to逃避 or run away from something, we can never truly escape ourselves. The truth will always catch up with us, and we have to face it eventually.
This is a charming and enjoyable read. However, I find it rather difficult to keep track of how quickly time passes. It's truly remarkable that 50 years of life can be condensed into just 500 pages. The book is presented solely through texts and emails, which makes me think that some details might have been overlooked. Many things are briefly explained, leaving me with a sense that there could have been more depth.
Moreover, I don't feel an extremely "close" connection to the characters. Nevertheless, at times, I do find myself emotionally attached to certain ones.
What's meant to be will always find its way back together.