I read this book on the weekend I wasn’t supposed to be reading a book.
I had decided to take about a week off from my TBR list in order to concentrate on revising my query letter and pitching my novel to literary agents. (I can’t become a published author if I don’t actually try to publish my book, right? Right.)
However, in true CJ fashion, I woke up super early on Saturday morning and couldn’t get back to sleep. I didn’t think that editing my query letter at 5:30am was a stupendous idea, so I thought, Well, I’ll just start the next book on my list. I’ll read a few chapters, just until it’s time to go to Zumba.
So, I grabbed my copy of All We Ever Wanted, climbed back into bed, and began reading. By Monday morning, I had finished the entire book. #sorrynotsorry.
Emily Giffin always manages to surprise me with the depth of her writing. I’m not sure why I expect a certain type of writing from her, but I’m definitely sure that fault lies entirely with me and not her. For years now, she has given us stories with real problems, real people, and real emotion. And, she has a knack for telling these stories in a very accessible way.
All We Ever Wanted tackles a lot of sensitive issues. Our current political and social climate is tense as hell right now, and Giffin confronts all of the major hot topics head-on: sexual misconduct, elitism, misogyny, white male privilege, social media abuse, racism, cultural insensitivity, social injustice, morals and ethics, and, of course, good ol’ fashioned assholery.
Amazingly, she also manages to address all these volatile subjects in an extremely non-aggressive way — which, in today’s highly charged climate, is no easy feat. Even though the subject matter of this book can raise a lot of tension, I never really felt tense or anxious while I was reading the book. The story was very enjoyable, despite the fact that it deeply affected me on many levels, and I kept trying to find snippets of time in which I could sneak just one more page in.
I also appreciated the unique angle she used to address these issues. The inciting incident occurs early on, and the novel is devoted to detailing the aftermath of the incident — as well as questioning the veracity of the claim in the first place. Giffin pretty much covers the entire spectrum of reactions that might pop up (do pop up) when such a situation occurs. You see how the victim and her family are affected, as well as how the alleged perpetrator and his family and friends react to the incident. Some reactions are surprisingly admirable, some are disappointingly predictable. Some are heartbreaking, and some are downright disgusting.
All We Ever Wanted isn’t my favorite Giffin novel — that honor will forever be reserved for Something Borrowed — but it’s a very, very good read. The story is a social commentary, and a very clear one at that. It’s timely, but it’s also disturbingly classic; the problems it addresses may have recently become center stage in our newsfeeds, but they’ve been roosting in the shadows for decades. While this novel offers you something (a great story), it asks something of you, too. It asks you to take into account your own set of beliefs and morals, and to really examine the situation presented in the book from all sides. It’s impossible not to ask yourself what and who you believe as you’re reading this book. And, perhaps if you weren’t quite sure what your answers might be, All We Ever Wanted‘s honest, raw, and emotional depiction of a life-changing situation may help you realize where you truly stand.
For those of you who have read this book — what was your reaction to Lyla and Finch’s situation in this novel? Did you start out siding with one party and then switch to another, or did you side with one character throughout the book? And, which character, if any, did you identify with the most? Sound off below!
And, of course, stay tuned for my book-inspired recipe — Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwiches!
I’m glad that you have the same feelings about Giffin. She always surprises me too. I expect complete chick lit, but then she throws in some heavy hitting issues. I think as she writes more and more, she gets deeper into the bones and even better. I haven’t read a Giffin book in awhile, though. This review reminds me that I should go back to her. I also struggled with doing what I was ‘supposed to’ this weekend. I just didn’t have it in me to write a blog post. I think I just needed a break. I picked up one of my historical fiction novels for review, My MacArthur, which has been great. Definitely not the original plan. I hope you get published! I want to learn more about the writing and publishing process–I truly want to write a novel one day.
Right?? I’m glad I’m not the only one who has those absurd expectations of Giffin novels, lol. I think I just still see her as the author of SOMETHING BORROWED, which I adored but was definitely less heavy (I guess…not that stealing your best friend’s fiance is something to take lightly!), and I expect all of her other books to follow suit. But, you’re right — her writing style and topics have definitely evolved, and she’s only gotten better with time. Annother novel of hers that I really liked was THE ONE & ONLY, which is about a football-obsessed woman who has a thing for the much older, much revered college football coach at her alma mater — who also happens to be her best friend’s dad. It delves into many awkward situations, and I really like how GIffin handled such difficult topics. Plus, it was different; not just another romance. And, even though I wasn’t a football fan at the time I read it, the heavy sports talk didn’t bother me a bit. I recommend that one for a bit of a different read.
I hear ya about struggling with what you’re “supposed to do” for the blogger life. I spent all this past weekend cooking, baking, and writing, and it was wonderful — and now I think I’m a bit tapped out. I had great plans to take the Pinterest world by storm this evening, but I think it’s a better time to catch up on others’ blogs and comments from the past few days. I’m slowly learning my limits. 🙂 I hope you get back into your groove soon! I’m glad you found a good book to help distract you a bit. That always helps!
Last year a friend recommended Emily Griffin books, but I never looked into getting one. This review is changing my mind, think I will look into start reading her books. Thanks, great review.
That’s so great! I’m glad that this review helped you decide on something new to try. If you’re looking for a lighter read, I would try Something Borrowed to start. If you want something that tackles more than navigating romantic relationships, give All We Ever Wanted a shot. Happy reading!!