Disappointing!
I look forward to the annual release of Sarah Jioââ?¬â?¢s new book. I settled into a comfy chair looking forward to becoming immersed in Insignificant Others. Unfortunately, this failed to happen. Insignificant Others is different from Sarah Jioââ?¬â?¢s other novels. The story kept jumping from one potential life to another. There were too many characters and settings. The story felt rushed, which made it hard to relate to the characters. I was not a fan of the main character, Lena Westbrook. She was not a likeable character. Lena is a woman who has mapped out her life (work and personal). Her focus is on herself, though, she does love her aunt. Lenaââ?¬â?¢s self-discovery journey was more about Lena finding the right guy instead of her becoming a better person. I did not understand how some of the men qualified as romantic partners when they were random men that she had only met once. I can understand wondering ââ?¬Å"what ifââ?¬Â? with a man you had known for years (a friend, some with whom you had worked with, a member of your book club, etc.), but not just once (that is more dream material). The ending was not believable and anti-climactic (it was a letdown). The story felt long and there were repetitive details. I felt that Insignificant Others lacked substance (it reminds me of a bread dough that failed to rise). I found myself skimming to reach the end. Insignificant Others didn't appeal to me, but I'm looking forward to Sarah Jio's next novel.
