'We Have Everything Before Us'
by Ester Yin-Ling Spodek
April 2020
Gibson House Press

I'd like to thank LibraryThing and Gibson House Press for sending this ARC.

A novel of disillusionment and loneliness that shares the unsettling dramas of love; in a sympathetic, yet unforgiving story of infidelity and emotional ambivalence. With a great sense of humor.

'We Have Everything Before Us' visualizes how love, relationships and fidelity intersect and interact in a sometimes sad, and uncontrollable way. A great story of humanity, relationships, and personal responsibility.

A fast but highly recommended read. ( )

I received this book from the publisher and librarything in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed reading this book. A totally exhilarating read that I really enjoyed. ( )

[We Have Everything Before Us] was a deceptive book. Though it clocks in at just under 200 pages, there is quite a bit of heavy material. There are three women at the center of the book who all have domestic problems and they each handle those problems in different ways. While I consider myself to be in a happy marriage, I think these portrayals of the women whose relationships are in turmoil were very realistic. I liked Spodek's writing style for the most part and her ability to generate sympathy for all of the characters, even though they were not all 100% likable. My biggest problem with this book is that I was not compelled to read it. I would read a little bit at a time, but then not want to continue after a chapter or so. When I finished it, I looked at my husband, said, "It was fine," and then immediately picked up another book. Maybe it strikes a more of a chord with other people, but it was only fine for me. ( )

Mid-life crises for the main characters...a group of late 40 somethings, that seems to come to a head when Eleanor contacts an old high school acquaintance prior to her 30 year high school reunion. This is the opening thread that seems to unravel, or bring to a head, events in several lives. The characters and story were well done and captivating. I read this in a day, not wanting to put it down. I wish it were longer, or there was a sequel. Would love to see a Readers' Guide to this. ( )

At the opening of the book, Eleanor was at a mid life crisis. Bored with her marriage, her husband, her two sons and with herself. An unfinished doctorate degree and still loosing a battle with pigeons. The pigeons caught my attention! Old houses have so great places for pigeons to enjoy and build nests. I am a bird lover she was at war them. Pigeons are fascinating to children and Eleanor is correct, they can carry disease. I have a defect in my eyes due to a disease that they can carry. Her war is written with humor and frustration and is favorite part of the book.

With Eleanor's high school reunion coming up, she remembers a very attractive footballer player that she never dated and makes contact with him through an e-mail.

Eleanor has a friend, Kaye, that she meets regularly with. The two share the good and bad of their lives. Kay's relationship with her husband and her daughter. They are starting to shut her out of their lives and she calms her anger and fear down with her drinking.

The high school football player is very handsome when Elaine meets him but he lets her know that his wife is leaving him. You can decide what kind of person he is after you know more about him. His wife is in my own opinion weird.

The author holds your attention throughout the story and takes into the lives of people who have real problems but some not dealing with them with maturity or they seem to really need psychological help. It is great writing but uncomfortable.

I received an Advance Reading Copy of this book as a win from LibraryThing from the publishers in exchange for a fair book review. My thoughts and feelings in this review are totally my own. ( )

We Have Everything Before Us by Esther Yin-Ling Spodek provides an unflinching, insightful and extremely relatable account of three intersecting lives at the crossroads of middle age. The connected stories of Eleanor, Phil and Kaye display different perspectives on this often-overlooked stage of life when the consequences of past decisions, actions (and inactions) come to fruition. Eleanor is bored, insecure and looking for validation and excitement when she contacts Phil, an old acquaintance from her high school days. Phil is in the middle of a messy separation as a result of some disastrous infidelities, and he suffers from an acute lack of self-awareness and a stunning inability to realize the destruction he leaves in his wake. Eleanor and Phil begin what may be the most stilted initiation to an affair imaginable, with some truly cringe-inducing interactions and scenes that Spodek skillfully portrays in all their agonizing awkwardness. Kaye, the third major character, is Eleanor’s friend who tries to dissuade her from this experimental dalliance. She is also struggling with her own ambivalence about leaving her family, lashing out by abusing alcohol and becoming increasingly aggressive in her expressions of discontent. All three characters are shown at points of crisis and are uncertain about how to proceed without causing further damage to themselves and those closest to them. Spodek captures their turmoil with inner monologues that are simultaneously lightly humorous, angrily barbed, soaked in regret, and yet still maintaining glimmers of hope. The result is a combination that makes for difficult but rewarding reading. The good news is that We Have Everything Before Us is more like a novella in length, each vignette is succinct, and the switching sections between characters help dissipate the tension. The bad news is that the characters are so wonderfully realistic and refreshingly honest that it leaves the reader wanting even more.

Thanks to the author, Gibson House Press and Edelweiss for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. ( )