Belinda’s Review: Sister Mother Husband Dog (Etc) by Delia Ephron

Sister Mother Husband Dog (Etc)
written by Delia Ephron
published by The Penguin Group

find it here: (affiliate links) Barnes & Noble, Amazon, iBooks, Book Depository, Goodreads

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange  for an honest review.

Did I enjoy this book: NO.

The title really describes the book perfectly. It’s an odd blend of stream of consciousness, disjointed subjects, and rambling stories. The book opens with, “Two weeks after my sister died, I took my dog to the doggie dermatologist. It was a hot day – nearly every day that summer of 2012 was drippingly, tropically humid . . .”

First, ‘drippingly’ isn’t a word. Secondly, WTF? I don’t see the connection between her sister’s death, her dog’s skin condition, and the weather.

From there, the story continues in the same style. I’m not sure if this is supposed to be humorous and I’m just not getting it or if it’s really that bad.

Here’s an excerpt:

“Actually, in fact, I have three remote controls, and I have been told several times that I can have them consolidated into one remote control. I dread everything about this –buying the remote, hiring a techie genius or begging a fifth grader to explain how to use it, and then immediately forgetting how approximately one second after he leaves my apartment.”

I really want to offer some meaningful comments to this review. But Sister Mother Husband Dog (etc.) is the weirdest, most random, discombobulated string of words I’ve ever seen.

Zero Stars

 

Would I recommend it: Read some other reviews. Maybe I’m way off base. As for me, fall is just around the corner. I think the paperback is the perfect size and weight to get a good s’mores fire going, but I can’t recommend it for anything else.

About the book – from Goodreads: In Sister Mother Husband Dog, Delia Ephron brings her trademark wit and effervescent prose to a series of autobiographical essays about life, love, sisterhood, movies, and family. In “Losing Nora,” she deftly captures the rivalry, mutual respect, and intimacy that made up her relationship with her older sister and frequent writing companion. “Blame It on the Movies” is Ephron’s wry and romantic essay about surviving her disastrous twenties, becoming a writer, and finding a storybook ending. “Bakeries” is both a lighthearted tour through her favorite downtown patisseries and a thoughtful, deeply felt reflection on the dilemma of having it all. From keen observations on modern living, the joy of girlfriends, and best-friendship, to a consideration of the magical madness and miracle of dogs, to haunting recollections of life with her famed screenwriter mother and growing up the child of alcoholics, Ephron’s eloquent style and voice illuminate every page of this superb and singular work.