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    The Good Daughters: A Novel
    The Good Daughters: A Novel
    The Good Daughters: A Novel
    Audiobook9 hours

    The Good Daughters: A Novel

    Written by Joyce Maynard

    Narrated by Joyce Maynard, Rebecca Tuttle and Jeff Woodman

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    “A story of choices and events so intimate I felt I was part of it. The novel is wrenching, the emotions radiant, and it will leave readers transformed”
    —Luanne Rice, author of The Deep Blue Sea for Beginners

    “Joyce Maynard has outdone herself in this beautifully written story you’ll find hard to put down and impossible to forget.”
    — Elizabeth Berg, author of The Last Time I Saw You

     

    Bestselling author of the critically acclaimed Labor Day, Joyce Maynard now brings us The Good Daughters, a spellbinding novel about friendship, family secrets, and the strange, unexpected twists of fate that shape our lives. The story of two women born the same day in the same hospital, but raised in vastly different emotional environments, The Good Daughters is another high note in Maynard’s already distinguished writing career.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateOct 12, 2010
    ISBN9780062006950
    The Good Daughters: A Novel
    Author

    Joyce Maynard

    Joyce Maynard is the author of twelve previous novels and five books of nonfiction, as well as the syndicated column, “Domestic Affairs.” Her bestselling memoir, At Home in the World, has been translated into sixteen languages. Her novels To Die For and Labor Day were both adapted for film. Maynard divides her time between homes in California, New Hampshire, and Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.

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    Reviews for The Good Daughters

    4/5

    130 ratings57 reviews

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    • 5/5
      I don't know what I expected from a book with this title but not what I got. This proved to be a great warm-hearted saga with a satisfying ending. Highly recommended.
    • 3/5
      I liked this book though I did know where it was leading from very early on.The story is told in the alternating chapters and voices of Ruth and Dana. Each giving through their own words what was happening in their lives and how they understood it.For me, I found myself identifying with Ruth the most. The relationship she had with her beloved father was very much the same as the one I had with mine. I relived out walks, our talks and how it didnt matter where he went as long as I could go with him.While I dont understand the reasons of why the families choose to do things the way they did, it was interesting to try to understand. Short chapters made it very easy to read just one more.Recommended for anyone who likes a family story that will touch you and make you laugh at the same time.
    • 4/5
      Sometimes a book isn’t about the dramatic unveiling of mysteries and secrets.When I picked up this book, when I read the back of it, that short summary that talked about “birthday sisters”, I guessed immediately what the “twist” of the story would be – so it was with a bit of a sigh that I opened up the book.Then I was blown away by how the world came to life with just that opening scene.Here is what The Good Daughters taught me. It taught me that a good story is told in the small scenes that chronicle the lives of two very different girls/women. It taught me that a tragic mistake, or circumstance, or “mystery” isn’t the story, it’s just a piece of the puzzle. It taught me that love always finds a place to manifest itself, even if it’s unexpected.So while I could do the obvious and berate Joyce Maynard for writing a book with such an overused story, I won’t.. because it wasn’t used as a plot device – instead it was just part of the story tat helped tie things together, and I loved it for that.I loved the descriptions, both of the country and the people. I felt connected to both Ruth and Dana, but never intimately involved in their lives, more as an outsider watching through a window as the story developed. It was a strange feeling for me, because I usually want to be so emotionally invested, but I didn’t need to be with this book, because I knew how the story ended. But that didn’t make it any less interesting and that is the mark, to m
    • 5/5
      Started out slow but then became very exciting. Lots of twists and turns!
    • 3/5
      Good storyline and likable characters, but unfortunately also a strong element of predictability.
    • 4/5
      A lovley story, slightly melancholy. Lots of twists and turns.
    • 4/5
      Family secrets. The messiness of secrets. Mostly a story about love and feeling connected to family.
    • 5/5
      Loved this book with all its twists and turns, especially the surprise at the end. The gist of the surprise wasn’t so hard to figure out, but all of the details were necessary to put the pieces in place.
    • 5/5
      Such a lovely story. So heartfelt and descriptive I felt I was there observing everything. The insights to farming very interesting. Well done. :)
    • 3/5
      This book is a tale of family relationships, acceptance, finding yourself, and, most of all, love. When two babies born on the same day and in the same hospital are switched at birth, the lives of the 'birthday sisters' are impacted dramatically as each one grows up feeling like she doesn't belong. Since there are numerous hints that neither girl resembles her parents or siblings, it's not hard to suspect where the plot is heading. Even though the story is heartfelt and, at times, very emotional, the text is a little boring in places as the entire story is told in first-person narratives by Ruth and Dana in alternating chapters. In my opinion, the author could have used more dialog to make some of the scenes more real and move the story along at a faster pace. All-in-all, I found it a warm, thought-provoking book, even if predictable.
    • 4/5
      Though it seemed I knew the ending way up front, I really enjoyed the book. The story of 2 "birthday sisters" born on the same day, in the same hospital, in the same small town, both who never quite fit in with their families. What was intriguing to me, was the lack of actual conversation Maynard seemed to have in the book. What set both these girls apart was the amount of quiet they were both surrounded by. Absent families one way or the other. The meat of the book was the internal conversations and thoughts that Ruth and Dana both had. I found this captivating, and though I guessed at the ending I couldn't quite figure out how the author would pull it off. Interesting and worthwhile read, especially for those who feel they have trouble fitting in.
    • 3/5
      This book is a bit more of a literary style than what I usually choose to read. The basic story is that two girls were born on the same day at the same hospital and that, through the years, the one mother kept trying to keep the two families in touch with each other. I guessed the plot twist before it was revealed, and before the daughters in the book figured it out. The first family (the Planks) is a farming family with 5 girls--only the youngest daughter feels out of place in her family. She likes art but also seems to be the only one of the daughters who cares much about the farm. This family runs a roadside stand to sell items produced on their farm, particularly strawberries. The father even works at creating a new variety of strawberries. The mother insists on a yearly visit to the second family (the Dickersons), in particular to see how the "birthday sister" is getting on.The Dickersons consist of a mother who is an artist (who often seems to ignore her children for her art) and a father who is always seeming to have a get-rich-quick scheme that never quite works out (who eventually leaves the family). The children are a son (who eventually ends up attracted to the Planks youngest daughter) and a daughter born on the same day as the Planks' youngest daughter. For a while, the Dickerson family visits the roadside stand to buy strawberries. The Dickerson daughter is interested in growing things and raising animals (vs. the Barbies her mother is buying her at every opportunity). Eventually, the Planks father passes his strawberry project on to the Dickerson daughter. In the end, the two "birthday sisters" unite over the Plank family farm.
    • 4/5
      I was drawn into this story and read it in one day! I thought I had it all figured out and then there was a final twist. Good fodder for the nature vs nurture discussion.
    • 4/5
      When I first read the summary of The Good Daughters I figured it would end up being a 'switched at birth' plot, but really it turned out to be a story that focuses on two girls lives as they struggle trying to find their places in the world. The chapters alternate between Ruth and Dana, through love, secrets, and loss, as we follow them through their adult lives.Ruth Plank was born into a family that owned a lucrative farm. With just her and her sisters, her parents no longer had any hope of passing the farm down to a son as was the custom with previous Plank generations. Her father accepted this outcome and loved all of his girls equally and was not shy in showing his pride for his lovely family of daughters. Ruth just cannot understand why her relationship with her mother is such a struggle through her whole life.Dana Dickerson is born to a family that cannot seem to put roots down in any one area. She finds herself longing for stability and a place to call home. The Plank family seems to show up at their doorstep for a visit at least once a year and although the Dickerson's don't look forward to these visits, Dana does enjoy spending time with Edwin, Ruth's father, as he is always generous in sharing agricultural information with her.As much as Dana enjoys agriculture, Ruth finds an artistic side of her just waiting to burst out of her skin. She has no desire at all to join her sisters in the farmwork, except for managing the small roadside vegetable stand. Through the work that she does in the stand she finds a special place in her heart for the farm that helps her develop a closer relationship with her father.As truths and secrets are revealed in the book I found myself getting angry with Ruth's parents, Edwin and Connie Plank. Before I knew it, I was all upset with the story as I couldn't imagine the path that Edwin and Connie decided to take. Connie especially frustrated me as she appeared to be such a God-fearing and strong-willed woman, but then I came to understand why her character reacted the way that she did. Everything did come full circle for me in this novel that let me find the appreciation that this book deserves.I think this book would make a great book club selection with themes of love, family, secrets, and loss. As I was reading it I could only imagine the different comments that would be made from various members of my group. I did enjoy this novel and I'm confident that many of you would also!
    • 4/5
      The depth of information about the growing of fruit and veg. "plank" on the farm was delightful. Amazing descriptions.
    • 4/5
      This is the first book that I've read by this author, although I have several more on my "to read" list. I was glued to this book. I suspected I knew what was going on, but I couldn't wait to see if it would be confirmed, and really to find out WHY??? I'm not going to spoil this, so you'll have to read it yourself to find out if they answers were ever revealed. The story was of two girls born in the same town on the same day. One from a large farming family and the other from a highly disfunctional family that could never stay in one place and set down roots. Neither of these girl's mothers ever bonded with their daughters, which was the reason for some life changing decisions that changed the course of their lives. Very good ending too! I won this book in the Early Reviewers contest.
    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed this novel. It was realistic and took me down me down memory lane with the world events and music.
    • 3/5
      I'm so disappointed that I didn't care for this book more, because I find Maynard's writing to be very engrossing. Her words can swallow me up and take me wherever she wants me to go. And, she did that with this novel as well; however, the book just felt like it had a cloud hanging over it - just too much gloom. Also, I didn't care for the way in which the details were revealed, because it seemed to never reach a climax. Well, it did, but I already knew it, so it felt like it just plodded on. Disappointing for me, but others will love it. Especially if you are a Maynard fan.Originally posted on: Thoughts of Joy
    • 3/5
      Maynard's story of two linked families covers too much time in too few pages. Not that the book should have been longer; the big "reveal" of just how closely the families are entwined, had it been made known to the reader from the outset, might have informed a more interesting read with more accessible characters.
    • 3/5
      This would make a good airplane read. Not too taxing, but with enough going on to keep you reading. I found the story predictable and the characters pretty flat and hard to believe in. There was also repetition - not of themes, which might be good, but of pieces of the story. Not in that cool way where you see different parts of the story from the perspective of multiple characters, but in that way where you're saying to yourself, "Wait, I already know about that. That happened just a page or two ago." Sometimes those moments revealed inconsistency in the plot, which can be distracting.
    • 4/5
      This was a pleasure to read. It was smooth. I don't know if that makes sense to anyone but me, but smooth is the best word I can come up with. The words just flowed together. The relationships were described so naturally and every situation, feeling, and event just fit. Beautiful style. I don't know if it matters that I guessed the ending about a quarter of the way through the book. It didn't matter to me, this isn't a mystery novel. Even though I was quite sure of the ending, the journey to get there was great.
    • 3/5
      My mother and her cousin had daughters born on the same day, at the same hospital. We lived parallel lives, not great friends, but cordial friends, until she passed away. So the premise of this book attracted me to it.Ruth Plank and Dana Dickerson are "birthday sisters," born on the same day at the same hospital. The story switches back and forth between these two as narrators, beginning at their youth and moving into late middle age, chronicling their lives, and leading up to what I think was supposed to be a "shocking" revelation.I found the chapters to be too short to keep my interest, and the "revelation" was obvious to me very early on in the book. The story and characters never connected with me, although I can see how it would be appealing to a different kind of reader. Ultimately disappointing to me.
    • 5/5
      I received this book as an early review copy and loved it. The story chronicled the lives of two "neighbors" beginning from birth and ending very late in their lives. Each woman had her own hardships and faced loss in one way or another. From the very beginning, the book alluded to the eventual plot twist so it really didn't come as a surprise. Even so, the book was a great read.
    • 3/5
      Throughout Part 1 of the good daughters I was giving this book 5 stars for character development. Watching the two daughters pretty much raise themselves and delve into their interests was fascinating. Following the development of Dana both professionally and personally, through the rest of book maintained the promise of the beginning. I especially liked the development of the agricultural symbolism of the good daughters of both the strawberry and human variety. Unfortunately, early in part 2 a strange blight seemed to effect Ruth, stunted her growth, and turned her into a specimen not worth reproduction. In accordance with the agricultural symbolism, Maynard places heavy emphasis on the importance of nature versus nurture in the maturation, and lack of maturation of the girls. Perhaps Ruth's strange blight is a manifestation of sexual schizophrenia. Unlike plants, however, people have personalities and schizophrenia is not manifested in only one area of the personality, so I have no idea what Maynard was trying to do with the character. One star deducted for inconsistent character development of one of the main characters.Then I had to deduct one big star for the tiresome use of The Big Secret plot device. Why, oh why do authors insist on scooping up a big dose of secret and plopping it on characters who remain clueless while the reader grows more and more nauseated trying to work her way through it? Thus a book that should have been 5 star if it had matched Dana's story with something equally consistent from Ruth and, at the least, greatly diluted The Big Secret effect ended up with a disappointing 3 stars. Maynard thanked her editor for all her help. I think she needed a great deal more.
    • 3/5
      I usually enjoy Maynard's writing, but this felt predictable and boring. I was disappointed. If you've not read any of Maynard's latest novels, read Labor Day instead.
    • 4/5
      With the odd twist in this novel, which is easy to spot from the beginning, it would have been easy to turn this book into a voyeuristic tale. Instead Maynard creates an interesting and engrossing character-focused story. I couldn't put it down.
    • 3/5
      A beautiful interweaving of the stories of two girls, Dana and Ruth, who were born on the same day in the same hospital. Going back and forth between the two girls' lives as they experience childhood, relationships and marriage, Joyce Maynard provides insight into the emotions of these two likeable characters. Each experiences a very different childhood, yet there are similarities as well - each girl is missing something important. I won't give away the twist here, although I saw it coming early on in the book. Altogether a good read with characters I cared about.
    • 3/5
      This book would have been helped with another couple rounds of editing. The facts of these women's lives were interesting but too much foreshadowing of most of the major events deluded any surprise element. That a big reveal happens in a letter from a minor character is fairly weak and the explanation of the letter is unneccesarily complicated.
    • 4/5
      Maynard's premise in this book is an interesting one. Unfortunately, her efforts to be coy about that premise result only in heavy-handed foreshadowing that really leaves very little to the reader's imagination. Given how much she gives away, it seems that what was really important was not what the big secret was, but how the characters would react once they found out. That being the case, I wonder why Maynard chose to frustrate the reader by giving away almost the whole thing through less-than-subtle hints rather than just telling the reader what happened in the beginning and letting the story focus on the characters and how learning the truth changes (or doesn't change) their lives.
    • 3/5
      Ruth Plank and Dana Dickerson are born on the same day...July 4, 1950. Ruth's mother (Connie) declares that they are "birthday sisters" and maintains contact with the Dickersons even as the Dickersons move every year to another town or state. This need for contact is somewhat baffling to Ruth, who feels no attachment to Dana. The story spans about six decades in the lives of the two "sisters".It's an good book even though the big mystery is very easy to figure out. The characters are interesting and that's what kept me reading. I wanted to know how their lives played out....even if there had been no mysterious connection.