Books & Chocolate

After finishing Home Front, I went back and looked over my list of Kristin Hannah books I've read. I noticed a pattern -- while I enjoyed some more than others, in general her books fall in the 3-star range for me. Not bad, but not exceptional. It also seems my issues fall into similar categories -- characters I can't connect to or don't like and a plot that drags on longer than necessary. 

Home Front was no different for me. While I appreciate all attention Hannah brought forward for PTSD, I felt it could have been more powerful if at least one less issue had been included. I listened to the audiobook version (which I did not like, by the way) and there was an interview with Hannah at the end. One comment she made was she wanted readers to take away that this was a book about a family trying to come back together. I personally wish the drama between Jo and her husband, Michael, had been a little less than it was. Michael's comment before Jo leaves for the war made me dislike him almost instantly. I think the challenges of deployment and PTSD that Hannah was reaching for still could have been achieved without going that far. They were both characters who didn't communicate with each other well - I can understand that and it should have stopped there and it still would have been enough to create a challenge when Jo returned home.

Side note - I wanted to slap Betsy, Jo and Michael's 12-year-old daughter. I find it difficult to believe either would have let her walk all over them the way she did. Complete disrespect -- both before and after Jo left for war. Michael finally started to step up but it was just a half effort. I have a 10-year-old. I get it. They push limits and test their boundaries. They are hormonal. But sweet baby Jesus, enough is enough. Be the parent.