Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Book Reviews of At Weddings and Wakes

At Weddings and Wakes
At Weddings and Wakes
Author: Alice Mcdermott
ISBN-13: 9780440215233
ISBN-10: 0440215234
Publication Date: 3/2/1993
Pages: 307
Rating:
  • Currently 3.5/5 Stars.
 17

3.5 stars, based on 17 ratings
Publisher: Dell
Book Type: Paperback
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

11 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

bookaddict avatar reviewed At Weddings and Wakes on
Helpful Score: 3
A really marvelous book. The story of a family, told from different points of view, with some deft time-shifting. Beautifully written.
reviewed At Weddings and Wakes on + 20 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
A female "Angela's Ashes."
reviewed At Weddings and Wakes on + 51 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Try to read this when and where you will be free of distractions, because in order to grasp fully the beauty of McDermott's style, you have to pay attention. She writes a bit like Henry James, with long and somewhat complicated sentences. Nevertheless, the story and the way it is told is both moving and memorable. You will feel right at home identifying with the children through whose eyes the tale develops.
reviewed At Weddings and Wakes on + 8 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Life in an Irish family as seen and told by the children.
Kind of a comfy read,and very interesting.
Characters are real and at the end you don't want to let them go
reviewed At Weddings and Wakes on
NY Times Best Seller
Book of the Month Club selection.
MediumDebbi avatar reviewed At Weddings and Wakes on + 92 more book reviews
I started this because I read Charming Billy and really enjoyed it. This one just didn't grab me. It seemed very stilted and choppy.
reviewed At Weddings and Wakes on + 51 more book reviews
Wonderfully written story of adult life from a child's perspective. Many varied and interesting characters.
reviewed At Weddings and Wakes on + 88 more book reviews
The author writes with beautiful flowing words. The story is told from the point of view of the Dailey children but, for me, that didn't work well. I would have expected more childlike thoughts & feelings. I feel like I didn't get to know the characters well. However, there is a lot of praise for the book so maybe it just wasn't my cup of tea. So it goes.
reviewed At Weddings and Wakes on + 39 more book reviews
"A moving evocation of life's inexplicaable calamities and a magical celebration of childhood and familial love...the story of three generations of an Irish-American family through the eyes of its youngest members.
reviewed At Weddings and Wakes on + 4 more book reviews
Enjoyable reading.
mandyf-ctrs avatar reviewed At Weddings and Wakes on + 23 more book reviews
This book is one of THE WORST BOOKS I have ever read! It took some time to get into McDermott's writing style as it was different from most books as well as others I have read by her. I initially credited my dislike of the book to this, however as I continued reading and got used to this style, I kept asking myself "where is the plot?". It was also very difficult to really get to know the characters and there were many points in the story when I had no idea who's point of view was being expressed. Of course, I have a rule to always finish reading a book once I start...so I kept reading and reading thinking it would get better, until finally I reached the end...and what a complete let down!!! I am truly disappointed with this story & it was not at all what I was expecting.