August 2022 The Impossible lives of Greta Wells
The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells
Written by Andrew Sean Greer
About from Goodreads.com
1985. After the death of her beloved twin brother, Felix, and the break up with her long-time lover, Nathan, Greta Wells embarks on a radical psychiatric treatment to alleviate her suffocating depression. But the treatment has unexpected effects, and Greta finds herself transported to the lives she might have had if she'd been born in a different era.
During the course of her treatment, Greta cycles between her own time and her alternate lives in 1918, as a bohemian adulteress, and 1941, as a devoted mother and wife. Separated by time and social mores, Greta's three lives are achingly similar, fraught with familiar tensions and difficult choices. Each reality has its own losses, its own rewards, and each extracts a different price. And the modern Greta learns that her alternate selves are unpredictable, driven by their own desires and needs.
As her final treatment looms, questions arise. What will happen once each Greta learns how to stay in one of the other worlds? Who will choose to remain in which life?
Magically atmospheric, achingly romantic, The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells beautifully imagines "what if" and wondrously wrestles with the impossibility of what could be.
Review
The writing in this book is absolutely beautiful. Greer really knows how to use his words to his advantage, It is very poetic. I haven’t read a book that was this beautiful in a long time. The flow was even fabulous. I know 100% I will be reading his other books. As well as rereading this book in the future.
Another thing I love is when a writer adds maps at the beginning of the book. I always have enjoyed them, as they help with the immersion of the story.
I also loved that Greer actually did his research on the topics that are brought up and the different time periods. Some examples are electro convulsions, mental health and AIDS.As well as that German Americans could not fight in World War 1 and World War 2.
If I could ask the author two questions they would be, why did he choose those time periods? Like did he choose those time periods because he already knew about them or did he randomly choose what time period or was he just interested in those time periods?
The only thing is the use of the word ‘lover’ but, I’ve always hated that term so that is a personal preference. Other than that I’m in love with this book.
I don’t understand how this book hasn’t won any awards. It really flabbergasts me. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy time travel books or you like fiction books about mental health. I would also recommend this book to people that enjoy historical fiction.I gave this book 5 out of 5 because there are so many things I enjoyed and that this is a book I will reread( which is the only way I will give a book 5 stars)
Enjoyed
The maps at the beginning of the book
The poetic way this book is written
The research the author did
Disliked
The word ‘lover’ but, this is a personal preference
Quotes I love
If love has left us, well, then there is a world where it has not. If death has come, then there is a world where it has been kept at bay.
So why this one? Why not a perfect world in which nothing slipped from my fingers? For surely, there has to be a heaven. Perhaps it was my job to make one
5/5⭐️
Info
Trigger warning-
Spice level- 0 / 5 🌶
Numbers of pages- 304
Publish date-June 2013
Awards- NA
Genres- Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Romance
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