Page 3 of 4
There are currently 27 member reviews
for Dandelion Is Dead
-
Maureen C. (Ridge, NY)
Beautiful Debut
This is a book that just draws you in from the cover. It is a story about love, grief and deception. Dandelion is a beautiful person who looks out for her little sister Poppy. Poppy is devastated of Dandelion's death. She lived in her shadow all her life. She discovers Dandelion's phone and an unanswered message from a man named Jake. She contacts him pretending to be her sister. One lie leads to another. She really likes Jake, but she has a boyfriend who's looking for marriage.
This is a beautifully written story. Poppy's grief to meet Jake on the anniversary of her sisters birthday is mesmerizing. But Jake is also grief stricken as his marriage is falling apart. Sounds like a match made in heaven. But will the truth be known. "Oh what a tangled web, we weave, when we practice to deceive" It is a compelling story about grief and how we hold onto it. A wonderful debut novel.
Thank you to Book Browse and NetGalley and Berkeley Publishers for this advanced readers copy.
-
Louise E. (Ocean View, DE)
working through grief and finding love
Dandelion is Dead is a very interesting title which caused confusion for me at first but as I kept reading, I was pulled into the story. And once I was pulled in, I wanted to know how it would end. I was rooting for Poppy and Jake to get together. Poppy's reaction to her sister's death seemed realistic to me, wanting to wear her clothes, use her phone, and live in her home. Despite her parents and others keeping secrets Poppy was able to find a way out of her grief to become herself and live her life without her sister.
I would definitely recommend this book to my family and friends.
-
April C. (Rochester, MN)
Dandelion is Dead
Poppy Greene can't seem to move on after the unexpected death of her older sister Dandelion. Even now, she feels like she's still living in Dandelion's shadow. How can she live without the sister she can't imagine living without?
Dandelion is Dead boldly confronts themes like grief, love, loss, lies, and the accompanying complexities with honesty and grace. In turns, funny, witty, and wise it fearlessly allows for all the messy emotions.
-
John A. (Ashland, OR)
A Wild Ride
Dandelion is Dead is a very original and convoluted psychological romance novel featuring two emotionally scarred individuals whose individual psyches and attachment developments are on a prolonged roller coaster ride. These two talented and attractive characters are very likeable but intermittently exasperating as they face their own emotional demons, the problems of online dating and clubbing, and their own plus other past and present relationships. My fondness for the book was also an oscillating ride with ultimately a feeling of satisfaction for having taken this literary journey.
-
Claire M. (Wrentham, MA)
The Only Way Out is Through
Losing a sibling is a devastating loss and, in this frank, contemporary novel the loss is compounded by family secrets. The pain of loss has taken over the life of Dandelion's sister Poppy. Trying to gain her bearings as she navigates adult life without her sister, Poppy is challenged to move forward by her longtime boyfriend. Resisting the pressure, she resorts to an unusual way to escape and meets her seeming dream match in Jake.
Her fantasy life is bound to catch up with her, though, and Jake has secrets of his own. Secrets and lies compound and the painful memories of childhood and final moments with Dandelion push Poppy to the brink. Rosie Storey crafts a compelling frame around the devastating loss of a loved one and the overwhelming nature of profound grief. As a writer of a book of nonfiction about grief I find the emotional journey of her characters authentically portrayed. The grief of loss never leaves us, yet Poppy will find a path of growth and restored hope.
-
Susan T. (Kerrville TX, TX)
A Little Gem
Dandelion is Dead is more than a romantic novel. It has psychological depth, exploring themes of complex grief and abandonment. The author also shows the cost of settling for a safe and familiar relationship due to fear of the unknown. The main characters are wonderfully flawed and human. Poppy's and Jake's struggles make them all the more likable. I was rooting for both of them to find the peace and happiness they deserved. The book is well written, with pockets of wisdom. For example, when Poppy is in a world of hurt, her mother says "The best advice I ever received is to forgive. Regardless of if the othe person is sorry. Or whether they've apologized or ever will apologize. Forgiveness is something we must do because our own soul deserves the peace." This was an immensely readable and enjoyable book.
-
Melissa R. (SPRINGFIELD, PA)
Dandelion Is Dead - Loss and Those Left Behind
I was up and down on this one. I found myself really loving it at some points and frustrated with it at others. My heart wanted to rate it higher, as this was obviously a labor of love for the author, but I just couldn't give it more than a 3-star rating from my own personal perspective. I think others who have had different experiences with death may feel differently.
At its core, this story is about loss and how those left behind deal with it. I have experienced loss in my life, but as an adult, I have not had to endure losing someone close to me the way Poppy did. That may be why I struggled a bit with understanding her journey - I could not put myself in her shoes. That said, her arc was told with wonderful prose - the descriptions of how she felt, and how her sister really shadowed her life, even while she was alive, but especially in death, were so well-written.
It's really Jake that bothered me the most. I suppose that he saw parallels to his mother's early death in Dandelion's - or at least he imagined that there were parallels. But there were not; he created the ties in his own mind, and I am not sure that his character was in any way sane. His arc made very little sense to me, and I found him very unlikeable as a character. I think that I would have rated this book much higher if I understood what his character was supposed to be. I really just did not get him at all.
Overall, this was a well-written novel. I would read others by this author in the future. I didn't really connect with the characters on a personal level, but I believe others may.
