Ask Again, Yes

Love, family relationships, mental illness, alcoholism, physical handicaps...Ask Again, Yes has it all and then some! This book has so much going on, but it all weaves together pretty seamlessly.

There are many things I really like about the book, but there are also some things that annoy me. On the positive side, the characters are complex and intriguing. Each of the main characters gets to narrate one or more chapters of the book, so the reader can see the thoughts of each person. This helps the reader to understand and relate to the characters. The number of characters, though, can be challenging. Just when you feel like you are getting into one character's story, the narration shifts to another character. It can be a little disconcerting at times.

This book does a good job dealing with the topics of mental illness and addiction. The portrayal of the characters that suffer from these issues is sensitive but also critical. The author does not sugar-coat any aspect of either struggle. She also does not demonize the characters for their flaws. I thought this aspect of the novel was very well done.

The pacing of the narrative is the main thing I do not like about the book. I felt at times that too much time was allowed to pass without enough detail. For instance, one chapter covers a time span of nearly 20 years. I felt like I was missing too much of the story. I would have preferred to experience some of those years with the characters. I especially feel that I did not get to see enough of Peter and Kate's relationship developing.

I also made the mistake of listening to this book on audio instead of reading a physical copy. The narration was often overdone and did not reflect the emotions the words were displaying. This, of course, is not the fault of the book. However, it did impact my reading experience.

Overall, I enjoyed more than I disliked about this book. In the end, I am giving it 3.5 stars. I plan to read it again instead of listening to it. I have a feeling my rating will go up when I do.