At a Glance

Title: Goodbye, Vitamin

Author: Rachel Khong

Published: July 11, 2017 by Henry Holt & Co.

Page: 208

Genre: Fiction, Contemporary Fiction

Goodreads Rating: 3.73

Synopsis

“Goodbye, Vitamin is the wry, beautifully observed story of a woman at a crossroads, as Ruth and her friends attempt to shore up her father’s career; she and her mother obsess over the ambiguous health benefits – in the absence of a cure – of dried jellyfish supplements and vitamin pills; and they all try to forge a new relationship with the brilliant, childlike, irascible man her father has become.”

My Thoughts

It took me roughly 150 of the 200 pages to really get into this book. It wasn’t bad per say but it’s written as a personal journal. While the plot of the story revolves around life with a loved one with Alzheimer’s there isn’t a main focus for the plot line itself besides daily life. It’s simply a book about the year in the life of Ruth, who’s comes home for a year to help with her father who is starting to lose his memory.

The way the story is written is interesting and if I’m being completely honest not really my cup of tea. It all felt very random. One minute it’s Ruth at her parents house and then next thing you know they’re building a gazebo, and then she’s cooking. I get what Khong is trying to do but it didn’t work for me.

There is suppose to be some humor in the book and some reviews found the book funny, as in comedic relief for such a serious topic. I found basically nothing funny in the book so I’m not sure where that piece comes in, but that is just my opinion.

I will say my favorite thing about the book is the extra entries where Ruth’s dad reads her memories he has. My parents similar to Ruth’s, use to write down funny things we said, asked, or did as children in a little book. They share them with us occasionally and I found that this really added a level of endearment to the book for me.

Goodbye, Vitamin wasn’t my favorite book and I only give it ★★★. The third start is for hitting me in the feels at the end plus it’s a quick read that deals with a difficult topic. The book also left me sad mainly because it makes me think of my own parents who are aging and wandering what it would be like for them to forget about me? If you think this book is for you though, get it HERE!