Alice

There's some very important information in this book about how the need to be perfect fails us, how recognizing our weaknesses and failures is valuable, and generating self-compassion activates healthy physiological processes (compared to self-judging). However, I wonder if the average reader can pull those ideas out of the writing. I'm a therapist, and I have recommended this book to clients, but I spend some time outlining and preparing clients about the points above.

I've read Neff's research on resilience, and it's informed my therapy practice, as well as my own life. I'll continue to look for her work for sure.

Where many books have one or two strengths, including character develoment, plot development, language, tone, etc., this story has everything. Absolutely perfect!

Several memorable moments, key to the story. Don't want to spoil, but there were many moments when characters made quick decisions that changed the direction of their lives.

Grandmother, Desdemona.

No, it was nice to listen to on my commute to work, and let the story steep for awhile.

This was a story that could have been full of the political and social aspects of gender, but was thankfully a beautifully told personal account that didn't pretend to represent an entire group of people. This is what distinguishes Eugenides, I think.