I'm giving this 5 stars. It might not be a book I'll read again and again, but it was really, really good in my opinion. The lead-in storyline was interesting - husband's been stowing money away all his life, fantasizing about the "after life" scenario where he would escape to a tropical island and leave his old life behind. Then his wife reveals she's been battling mesothelioma, which changes everything.

But where it goes from there....the secondary relationships are loaded with snippets of people we all call family or friends. Shriver does such a beautiful job describing how things look, how people feel, the reasons why we do what we do, etc. Just fantastic. There was a lull from about 25 - 50% into the book, but then a secondary story emerged that was quite unique and bizarre - it kept me reading.

Then there was a huge turning point that made me gasp out loud as I realized what was happening, and from there I was absolutely riveted for the rest of the book. And then I cried, which is so rare for me while reading a book. The description of an ailing person and the way their loved ones respond, was just so spot on and powerful.

All in all, I'd say this book was about the plans we make in an effort to fulfill ourselves, and the way those plans sometimes don't come to fruition - OR - they do, and we're still not satisfied. It's about the choices we make to try to achieve success or feel better about ourselves, and the way those choices can backfire in severe, lasting, even life-changing ways.

A great book is one in which I find myself wondering how the characters are doing after I've finished it. This was a great book.