All My Puny Sorrows: Miriam Toews

The subject matter was very delicate and was dealt with quite well. However I found the book unnecessarily very long and drawn out. I would have liked to have the father's suicide explained far more. It was barely touched upon and might have given some much needed clarity into Elf's situation even if it was purely genetic. Having lost my sister (not through suicide) I could empathize wholly with these gentle conversations which take place between the two sisters prior to an impending death. Their poignancy is sometimes unbearable and this is displayed vividly in the book. Elf's great gift as a concert pianist was also not given much accolade. Where were the great descriptions of magnificent piano recitals given in prestigious venues across the world? That again would have padded out this book enormously and this is sadly an essential missing element.

This has rapidly become my favourite novel. Deals with hugely distressing subjects of depression and suicide and you'll definetly cry, but also funny, provocative and deeply humane.

Grief and humour sit side by side in this story of sisters, suicide and family. The intense relationship between Yolandi and Elf (Elfrieda) resonates on every page. The story is attacked full-tilt as no speech marks separate out the dialogue so we are swept along in the torrent of emotions. I thought this was really clever. At heart this is a beautifully written birds eye view on the desire to die which lies starkly beside lifelong/last-breath loyalty, love and heartache.And..in the midst of mental illness and crisis there are amazing laugh out loud phrases"Living with my mother is like living with Winnie the Pooh"

Miriam Toews explores the strength and frailty of women as they face the mind blowing frustration of choosing to be held in impossible situations -- by men in church, by nurses and doctors in hospitals, by the pressures of an adoring public -- where the people who hold power over them have no understanding of them at all, and make ignorant, harmful decisions that impact their lives in fundamental ways. Love keeps them together and tears them apart in a complex and very real story of the fight to be heard amidst modern day pressures, from religious oppression to fame. Miriam's sister finally takes the ultimate stand in a moving and admirable conclusion.There is no end to my admiration for this book and this author, they have taken hallowed position next to 'To Kill a Mockingbird' and Harper Lee, my other favourites of all time.

A wonderfu heart-wrenching thought-provoking book about sisters, suicide and whether life is always worth living no matter what.Beautifully and subtly written, Toews does not deliver the usual life-affirming pap, but the best combination of dark truth and humour.

Quite the most unusual book I've read , a topic not often broached by authors,- but this brings out the sadness the pain and the real life sorrow of living with depression and the horror of being unable to help a loved one . Watching the person suffer and being totally helpless is covered so well in this rather lovely book . Sad moving and rather wonderful. I urge you to read it.

I love the people in this book. They are like no one else. They are intelligent but not pompous and really funny in an original way and they are all very kind. Despite the sad subject it has some incredibly hilarious one liners. I don't think I can do it enough justice with my words. It is exceptionally well written.

Good value for a second hand book.