Download PDF Whiskey and Charlie Annabel Smith 0760789249488 Books

Product details Paperback 336 pages Publisher Sourcebooks Landmark (April 7, 2015) Language English ISBN-10 149260786X

Whiskey and Charlie Annabel Smith 0760789249488 Books Reviews

• I think I was the only one in our book club who did not like this book. I forced myself to finish reading it. I found it rather mundane and annoying. Charlie, the stuffy main character, was a poor Communicator, passive-aggressive, and prone to selfish outbursts of anger. He tended to create his own negative drama. I also felt the author continued for paragraphs on points that had already been made.
  This book will make you think about the need for a living will or a "Do Not Resuscitate" order.
  The story did make a good redeeming point near the end in a comment Charlie made to his mother, finishing the story on a good note.
• Charlie always regarded his older (by minutes) brother William as being the Alpha sibling. Always the more daring, ostensibly more charismatic, more attention-garnering of the two, it is clear from the beginning that this rivalry is the impetus that has always driven William. The boys are given a set of walkie talkies, and use the International phonetic alphabet as their code. When he points out Charlie's name is already a part of this code, William accepts when Charlie starts calling him Whiskey, which becomes his given name. As adults, they have become estranged, yet Charlie goes to hospital when summoned to his brother's bedside where Whiskey lies in a coma, and much of the book is about him coming to terms with his complicated feelings about his brother. Much is revealed, and Charlie, while the central character, does not always act in a manner to receive sympathy. His perceived relationships with both his brother and his girlfriend are not as straightforward as usual in books of this kind, making it a more complex story and initially thought.
• This book was a lot better than I thought it would be. It was beautifully written and the storyline was excellent. I would have actually given it 4.5 stars if I could have. The only reason I gave it 4 stars is because Charlie was predictable as a character. I felt like he could have been fleshed out a little bit more. He was irritating all the time and couldn't seem to make up his mind. I wanted to see more of the times when whiskey and Charlie were best friends--there was a lot that was left out of that part of the story and it made it a little harder to relate to why Charlie was having such a difficult time with his brother's accident.
• I read it because I started it, but quite honestly did not enjoy the book. I don't think the author did a good job of developing the characters other than Charlie, a character was plagued with envy and jealousy. Not being likable was obviously the idea, but I just felt frustrated at how he behaved and because the other characters really didn't have any substance there was no one to call him out. I don't even know what to say except I felt frustrated with the story, with the characters, with the ending, etc. Just not something I would recommend as a good read.
• As someone who has always wished I had a twin, I was intrigued when this title came up in an ad on my . I'm glad I acted on the impulse and bought this book, as it was well worth it. Although I could not relate (thankfully) to the situation in this book, I could relate to Charlie, one of the twins. With this instant connection, I was taken in immediately and wanted to cheer him on to the end, hoping he would learn and grow.
  
  The story is told in a very creative way, using the phonetic alphabet as chapter titles. It takes us from the twins' childhood, through their youth, and into adulthood up to the point of one of the twins being in a coma. The twin not involved in the accident, Charlie, must come to grips with the relationship he has (or doesn't have) with his brother, Whiskey. We become involved in their lives as we visit different events in their past that explain what has led up to things being the way they are. There are several surprises along the way that complicate matters, which makes the book even more interesting.
  
  In many areas of the book, the author starts speaking of event or a person as though they have been mentioned before. For example, the accident itself is referred to as an accident, but it's not until later in the book that we find out what kind of accident it was. I like this literary device - I soon discovered that unexplained things would be explained soon enough, and I looked forward to finding out the missing piece.
  
  I recommend this book to anyone, especially to those looking to heal a rift between family or even friends. And even more to those who have had to deal with (or are dealing with) a loved one in a coma. However, even if you don't fall in one of these categories, you will still enjoy this read.
• I loved this little gem of a book. Bought it on sale, and I'm so glad I took a gamble on whether I'd like it. Well written, interesting characters, very creative use of the phonetic alphabet to structure the chapters and move the narrative. The ending is a bit open, but I liked that, too....in my own mind I'm writing a HEA (happily ever after) for Whiskey and Rosa, and Charlie and Juliet💗
• Whiskey and Charlie is a thought provoking story and touches the inner soul of the reader. Steadily we move from young brothers to young adult brothers, estranged, and in a dire situation. While you only discover what has lead up to many of the story lines on an "as need to know" basis, I found myself consistently looking forward to what was going to happen next. While I could not empathize with Charlie, I definitely could sympathize with him as he faced the unknown outcome of his brother's accident. The only drawback to the entire book for me was the ending. While it was not bad, I felt it was "flat". Still, I highly recommend the book. If it doesn't cause you to think and consider how our words and actions shape our lives, you will have missed the point of this book.