Mum's Monday Fly Away by Kristin Hannah

 

This is not a bad book, however, I can think of better ways to start a story than taking us through a family and friends' grief. That aside this is written extremely well and sympathetically to anyone who has lost someone close to them. It also shows that there is on the whole no right or wrong way to grieve and that different people grieve in different ways. This shows real and raw emotions in this book and is explained extensively, which is detailed to the/in full. I like how the author was not afraid to ‘Put pen to paper’ as they say and just write it all bare.this is a solid but sad book in the way everything is explained in the story. Although this book is good it is however, borderline depressing. I do hope it gets a little less so and gets to be a happier read because of this, I feel, I can only read a bit at a time. This book is easy to put down and pick up again at another time.

This book is extremely well detailed almost to the point of being ‘Long winded’. This isn’t a bad thing and also I now know the reason behind the picture on the cover and it is a lovely one. One of the reasons for buying this book was because of what I felt was an unusual cover on the front of this paperback version. I know that you shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover, but I am glad I took a chance on this book as this story is a good brave idea. Although this book is a sequel there is enough explanation and background story to read this, to me, as a stand alone.

I don’t like the way the timelines are in the story, they either need more explanation at the beginning in these parts and/or headings like other parts. This book has gone from being over detailed to under explained very quickly. This, to me, is confusing.

I feel really uncomfortable reading about what Tully is doing to supposedly ‘Help’ Johnny. I don’t agree as I feel it is an intrusion. I feel sorry when the family returns home. I have to sympathise with Johnny. I don’t like Tully at this point but I will, however, carry on reading this book.

It could just be me but I have lost the thread of this story. This story is not the easiest book I have ever read, however, I will persevere and give it a chance for the sake of this blog review at least. I do actually feel this story would be better as a film as the flashbacks I now believe they are, would work better and then I would be able to keep up with what is happening. Writing flashbacks, for me, don’t work unless it is either explained more or better still given titles in the same way with dates as with the rest of the book. This would be better as it would, for me, give this story better continuity despite swapping between timelines.

I can actually see that yes, a ringing phone would or could distract people from their train of thought to buy items from a store, in this case books. So I do like and agree with the part about no phones allowed.

Although this book is getting back on track and better I still think the way this story is it would work better as a film or TV series.

Chapter nine is an extremely hard hitting chapter to read, this isn’t for the faint hearted. I am glad however, that I read it as I have a better understanding as to why people ‘Hurt themselves’. Although, at the beginning I did think that I was intruding on a serious topic and

also wondered if I had made a mistake buying and reading this book. Now I know that I didn’t as I learnt a lot from this chapter.

It is good and signifies what I have said previously about needing to explain things/timelines to be clearer, that at the beginning of the part within chapter twelve entitled ‘September 3 2010 1.16pm’ which says about a ‘Memory’. It is not a lot but it made all the difference to me the story timeline all clicks into place at last. This book, it seems, has to be concentrated on clearly more than I have so far. This is not one of the best books I have read, although it is one of the saddest, this is probably why I lose the thread so easily. However, by chapter fourteen this book is, to me, making a lot more sense in it’s construction of the story. This book is getting much better now, still sad but clearer in the delivery of the story.

I like the start of Tully’s memoir, it is very profound and truthful. As I was reading about the mother and daughter relationship between Tully and her mother I couldn’t help remembering the ‘I wasn’t ready to be a mother’ relationship storyline in Victoria Wood’s sitcom Dinnerladies. Although this isn’t exactly the same Bren (Victoria Wood) did, I can only describe as, struggle with the relationship with her mother (Julie Walters).

This book shows the pitfalls of taking on parental responsibility but then acting as ‘Best friends’. I don’t know if Tully should have told Johnny or not? It is so sad to read of the result of Johnny not being told of the Marah situation.

When it says on the back of this book that Tully hits ‘Rock bottom’ whilst reading this book it is one, not kidding and two, couldn’t get much worse, surely.

The part about what happened to Cloud/Dorothy and how she had turned her life around was really interesting to read, so interesting, in fact, that I found that whilst reading it I couldn’t put this book down.

I am so glad Marah changed her situation. This part is nice to read as the other way of life was turning or had turned her into a person I didn’t like.

If ever there was a time for Dorothy to ‘Be a mother’ this, I would say, is it. I like this part especially as everyone there stepped up as well.

I do like that this book covers the/some difficulties that may be faced being a single father to young boys and especially a teenage girl. It does show that it isn’t easy for anyone and it isn’t just one family/isolated case.

I love how this book ends and who has the last word as it is very fitting and heartwarming to read.

After my initial thoughts on this book this is actually a brave book and quite a good one afterall.

Thank you for reading

Sandra