Reviews with content warning for Medical trauma - Sandwich

I can't say I really "liked" this book, but boy did I feel it. While I am not all Rocky, as a 60 year old woman, I really get her... and some of me IS in there.

Content Warnings

lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I heard about this book from someone I follow online and thought it sounded interesting.
"Sandwich" follows a woman, Rocky, in her fifties who is enjoying her annual vacation with her family. Every year, Rocky and her family enjoy a trip to Cape Cod where they can relax, enjoy the sun and sand, and build memories that will last a lifetime. This year, the trip is making Rocky reflect on her life and how she ended up with her two beautiful, adult children.
I really enjoy reading novels written from the perspective of an older character because I think it is important to have that voice heard. Rocky is going through menopause, and this novel unapologetically explores the unglamorous aspects of this and how Rocky is struggling with this new "normal".

An important and timely theme that this novel explores is abortion. When Rocky was younger, after she had her children, she got pregnant unexpectedly. Deep in the trenches of motherhood, she could not imagine adding another child to the mix, and unbeknownst to her husband, she got an abortion. Afterwards, she felt immediate regret, and desperately wanted to be pregnant again. Unfortunately, when she did get pregnant, she suffered a miscarriage. She has carried around the guilt of her decision for decades because she felt like because she chose abortion, she could not show regret for her decision. Abortion is not an easy decision, and most women do not take it lightly. Just because you made a decision, does not mean you cannot regret it. Rocky made the best decision she could at the time, and she has lived with that choice. It hurt her and it shaped her. Motherhood is not for the faint of heart, and no one should be forced into it if they have any doubts.
I really enjoyed how this novel was written. As Rocky is living her life in the present, there are things that her children are going through that are making her reflect on her own life and past. The narrative jumps between past and present, but it does so seamlessly. The story feels coherent, and the themes are strengthened by this type of storytelling. They may be separated by decades, but the characters are drawn together by such similar challenges and choices.

I highly recommend this novel, and I look forward to reading more from Catherine Newman in the future.

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alice_horoshev's review against another edition

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Outrageous.
That fact that she aggressively accused her father about grandparents death in concentration camp. How was it possible to think it was peaceful death in some place that has the same name as concentration camp?! Beyond me. Her rants about depression during and after pregnancy- they are not remotely funnt. Considering the fact she totally accepted and praised the girlfriend of her son on her carefree sex life and attitude towards consequences of her sex life - she should never had kids at all. Awful story.

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giselley's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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gwenswoons's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

One of my favorites ever ever. The words, the dialogue, the people — all of it is so heart-stopping, so beautiful, so human and poetic and precious, even as it makes you laugh wildly as you read. The details of the setting, the characters’ histories, the nuances of how they interact — truly, I’ve never read another book with more wondrous and personal shading, layers, and magic. I loved this. I will read it again, and I will go back and read Catherine Newman’s first book, her essays, her non-fiction, and then every word she writes forever.

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aliciavalenski's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Content Warnings

jfin54's review against another edition

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funny reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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