Author: Emily Giffin
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Publication Year: 2016
Language: English
Format: Paperback
Pages: 390
Growing up, sisters Josie and Meredith Garland shared a loving, if sometimes contentious, relationship. But when tragedy strikes, their delicate bond is splintered.
Fifteen years later, Josie and Meredith, now in their late thirties, follow very different paths. Josie, a first-grade teacher, is single, but what she wants more than the right guy is to become a mother. Meredith, a successful attorney, has a wonderful husband and young daughter, yet lately she wonders if she chose the life that was expected of her rather than the one she truly desired.
As the anniversary of their family tragedy looms and secrets from the past surface, Josie and Meredith discover they need each other more than they knew- and that in the search for true happiness, love always comes first.
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Josie and Meredith Garland are sisters who have very different
personalities. Meredith is the one who follows the rules, the responsible
one. While Josie is more of a fun type. Despite their differences, they got
along well until a tragedy befell their family. Their relationship becomes
strained. Years later, they are in their thirties and lead separate lives.
As the anniversary of the tragedy is nearing they discover some secrets
behind the tragedy which they have to confront so they can finally move on
with their lives.
First Comes Love told from alternate point of view between Josie and
Meredith. From each we’ll learn more the personalities and the struggles
that these two are facing. Early on, we learn that their brother, Daniel,
died in an accident. It happened so unexpectedly that their family didn’t
deal with it properly. That’s where most of the conflicts in this book
come from. People deal with grief differently but in my opinion, I think
you still need support from people around you especially family. In this
book instead of communicate with each other and share their burden, some
decide to keep secrets and this dragged on for so long that it’s finally
come out in the open and blow up in their faces.
Meredith, the one who the family can count on, realizing that up until
then her decisions have been driven by her brother’s death. She married
her brother’s friend then move back to her hometown because she thinks
that’s the right thing to do. From her chapters we’ll learn that she’s
an uptight person, a bit judgmental largely towards her sister. She’s
not an easy character to sympathize with. Although through her narrative
I understand a bit more why she’s the way she is. To be honest, I could
relate to her doubts in her life choices because those choices are the
ones I’m afraid to make and regret later on. It’s scary to see what
Meredith becomes in this book. Her life seems perfect on the surface but
deep down her life is full of resentment.
Josie is the character that I dislike the most out of the sisters. I
couldn’t relate to her at all. I think she’s childish, irresponsible,
and annoying. She keeps on saying that she keeps those secrets out of
love, to protect the people she loves. I think it’s because she’s a
coward. She doesn’t want to face the consequence of her telling the
truth. True, there’s a thing or two qualities that we can learn from
Josie such as sometimes it’s okay to trust your heart and follow it
but still, do it responsibly.
As I wrote earlier, people deal with grief differently. It presents in
the way Meredith and Josie handle the lost of their brother. With
Josie, she lets her grief steer her life and hide behind it.
Meanwhile, Meredith seems like she could handle it and move on when in
actuality she lets it sit in her and subconsciously make decisions
based on her grief. Personally, I think I wouldn’t be able to
understand the kind of loss they’re facing because I haven’t
experienced it myself. However, the fact that a loss of someone could
give so much impact in people’s lives still baffle me. Moreover, we
don’t get to know Daniel properly in this book. Daniel often mentioned
by the sisters in this book but it could be the idealized version of
him. More like who they want to remember him as instead of who he
actually was. The downside of this book is I couldn’t see Daniel as a
person so it’s difficult for me to relate to their grief.
I read many of Giffin’s books and I enjoyed them. Her books are my
comfort books. The one I seek for when I want to feel a certain
emotion. Even though her books might not be the best books out
there, I’ll still read them anyway. Fun fact, one of the characters
in this book is actually the main character in Giffin’s other book,
Love the One You’re with, which of course I’ve read previously. If
you’re a first timer of Giffin’s writing though, I suggest you to
start with Something Borrowed; but if you’re familiar with her works
and feel like the premise of this book sparks some interest, you can
try picking up this book.
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