The synopsis is quite simple: Good Grief is a story of a recent widow, who lost her husband to cancer. This is about her struggles, as she goes through the five stages of grief.And then some...
Review: I picked this book up, not really expecting much from it. But I have to say, I really liked this book. I enjoyed it a lot, and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys women's fiction. I mean, yes, it is nothing inspirational, or life-changing, but not every book has to be one to be a good read, right?
To me, this book is funny, sad, and uplifiting all at the same time, with good writing -- all I could ever really ask for.
Like I mentioned, one of the best parts about this book is the writing. It was entertaining, and the words flowed easily, making its pace just right.
The main premise is simple, but intriguing. Also, while there were a lot of sub-plots involved, and even though I thought I wouldn't like them at first, I actually liked them all. I thought they all fit and made sense. It didn't seem as if any was contrived at all, or that the author was trying too hard to fit all these stories in one book. Every sub-plot contributed to the main idea, and supported the characters involved.
Speaking of the characters, I have to say, I also enjoyed learning about them all. The development of each of them was just perfect -- not rushed, not too slow either.
I think though, my favorite would actually be the main character herself. She was a multi-layered character who was believable, was easy to relate to, and was easy to empathize with. The way the author wrote about her thoughts, emotions, and the actual events happening to her was just perfect. I found myself rooting for her, wanting to tell her, 'No rush, you're doing a great job.' Again, it's probably the 'believability' factor that made me feel for her.
Overall, I just really enjoyed the entire thing as a whole. And in the end, Good Grief has a simple story, simple writing, and simple -- but complex -- characters. But put them together, and what we have is a fascinating and believable take on a woman struggling with grief.