Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This was one of the worst books I have ever read. First of all, the description alone should be tagged as MISLEADING, because I am still waiting for the Big Secret that prompted all the ridiculous suffering and overdone emo self-hatred that Lillian (hereby known as the most annoying character in fiction) heaps onto herself. The lack of realism in this book is extremely disappointing. The characters themselves (emerald eyes? Really? Gag) as well as their interpersonal relationships are so one sided and black/white that it undermines real human connections. The relationship between Dave and Lillian is so built up from the beginning that the fall out from it seems tepid and halfhearted. When it happens, I was like FINALLY... and then it gets snuffed out so quickly that I never end up caring about them as a couple. **** SPOILERS **** **** SPOILERS **** **** SPOILERS **** The Big Secret(s?) turn out to be Entirely Excusable Things that each spouse immediately forgives them for (or has already forgiven them). That made the ending very anti-climatic. Neither character is ever held accountable to their poor decisions - of which they make many, and all AFTER they get off the island! Imagine that! I'm just going to go over the ending in basic terms, because it was so unbelievable that the saccharine, "inside" jokes between the characters still have my head reeling - and for all the wrong reasons. - Lillian's husband has her followed by a private investigator when she's with David, instead of having a normal confrontation like most married couples would. "Hey, how about that fertility clinic?" seems to be a perfectly reasonable question, given the circumstances. Her husband then excuses this behavior by explaining how much he loves her. - When Lillian tells him the whole truth about everything he ALREADY KNOWS, which turns a Big Reveal into a small "been there, done that" moment and ends with them ordering Chinese food. - David, the other main character, seems to think it's entirely ethical to impregnate his wife with his ex-lover's (Lillian) eggs without telling her that Lillian is the donor. Men out there: don't do this. Trust me.Your wife will not be happy when you tell her that the baby she's carrying is the biological child of the woman you had an affair with. - Beth, David's wife, is mysteriously okay with this (or is by the end of the book. Disappointingly, we never get her actual reaction, but apparently it's a positive one?) What? Beth, wtf? - Realism fail. Anonymous donors are anonymous for a reason. How in the world did David even orchestrate the anonymous donation as anonymous when he knew the donor and she knew them? I'm pretty sure that isn't legal, unless they gave Beth some phony paperwork to sign, patted her china doll curls and sent her on her way. - The terrible weakness of the main female character was incredibly disappointing. Lillian is saved at least 8 or 9 times from near death. She is the most pathetically written character, but COOL, because she enjoys potty humor. I got a migraine because I rolled my eyes so much. - Lillian, come on. If a man tries to rape me and then ALSO tried to kill someone I care about, I would not feel one iota of guilt for killing him. Sorry, but most people wouldn't. Lillian does, because it has to be drilled into our heads that she's a Good Person. However, her turmoil falls flat because she really hasn't done anything that bad, UNTIL she returns and donates her eggs without having a conversation with her husband about it. Yeah yeah, it's her body, I get it, but there is a thing called respect, and it's frightfully lacking between the two main characters and their actual spouses. Yet..............all is forgiven? And that's what I'm coming to. These characters didn't do that badly while they were on the island. It was the treatment of these secrets that blasted them as the terrible, selfish people they were, because they both lacked the courage to be honest. But instead of being confronted, challenged or criticized, they are excused as having done this "for their families", and the big climax is maybe a half a page of an anger vein popping. Huh. I forced myself through this book for that? I actually wanted Lillian to be exposed as not being as Good-Hearted as she wanted to be, as she was exalted as being throughout the book by David, but it didn't happen. In case you couldn't tell, I really didn't like her - but I especially didn't like David. His wife needs to sue him for rigging a fake anonymous donation of eggs and move to Paris. Side note: The interview with Genevieve whoever? What respected journalist would do an interview like that? Genevieve was way too invested in the personal tragedies of these characters and exposing them as - what? Morally corrupt? Her interest in their day to day living and the story of being on an island? Yes, realistic. Her disgust and suspicion and not-at-all thinly veiled insinuations? Lol. That would never happen in real life. Her theory was an interesting conclusion to come to, based on what she "knew", but it still didn't explain why ANY journalist would risk their reputation by verbally barraging and confronting two people who have been through what most people would consider a terrible tragedy. Journalists know better than to filet victims. That's career-ending. Terrible novel. Terrible characters. I would have liked to see an ending where the two spouses realize how badly they've been mistreated and hook up with each other, but the two main characters are too devastated to continue normal life and they spiral down into an abyss of alcoholism and despair. Realism.