Same as it Ever Was

[Anonymous]

Anyone else read this? I just finished it and loved it. Had it on Kindle so didn’t realize till partway through how very long it was… and I didn’t want it to end!

Really enjoyed the scenes featuring Helen, as well as (strangely) Anita and the mother-daughter relationship with the teenage daughter.

Would love to hear from others who’ve read it!

[Anonymous]

I was given this book by a friend who loved it.

I didn't love it - I liked it and enjoyed some of it, but I thought it was too long and I'm a working mom and just don't love depressing books about motherhood. I really prefer reading things that aren't so close to home and that book has kids close to my kids' ages and the struggles are a little too much.

Maybe it's just a reading choice -not my exact type of book.

[Anonymous]

I read it about a month after reading Sandwich by Catherine Newman. Similar family arcs, although I thought the language in Sandwich was more clever. At the same time, I liked how Same As explored mothers and mother figures and their impact.

I’m 60 with a young adult DD, so I appreciated having books that reflect more or less where I’m at in life now.

[Anonymous]

I absolutely loved it. I found myself getting very attached to the characters, and I loved seeing the way certain themes moved through the generations.

I read widely - sometimes for plot, sometimes for beautiful/compelling writing, sometimes for character. What I loved most in this book was the interiority, if that's a thing? I both related and did not relate to the main character, but no matter what, I was truly curious to hear more about what was going on in her head.

In contrast, I started Sandwich, by Catherine Newman, a few weeks after Same as it Ever Was, and just could not connect to it at all. The main character had some things in common with the one in SAIEW, but to me it all seemed far less interesting. Or maybe it was just too slow of a start? DNF.

[Anonymous]

Read them both, didn't really enjoy either of them - somewhat to my surprise since this genre usually appeals to me. I found both the main characters really annoying.

[Anonymous]

I loved it, one of my favorite books of the year. The way she was able to capture the feelings and interior life of a woman in her 50s was pitch perfect to me. It was a surprise to realize that Lombardo is in her 30s. I also appreciated the nuanced relationships between the characters.

[Anonymous]

I really enjoyed it as well and appreciated her perspective as a woman in her 50s. (I just turned 50.) I agree that it is surprising to me that the author is so young! While the main character was often not likeable per se I really appreciated getting to know her.

[Anonymous]

I liked it, but didn't love it and I think that was mainly just because I had too high of expectations. I had loved The Most Fun We Ever Had so intensely that I was hoping to relive that reading experience and this one didn't quite measure up, despite being a good read.

[Anonymous]

I started Same but just couldn't get into it so I gave up. Just read Sandwich and I was interested enough to finish it, but it wasn't a favorite. I'm 52 and thought I'd enjoy reading about women my own age...I like reading fiction as an escape and maybe books about middle-aged women hit too close to home for me.