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Lisa Jewell
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Making of Us Paperback – January 1, 2011

by Lisa Jewell (Author)
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 6,441 ratings
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In a hospice in Bury St Edmunds, a man called Daniel is slowly fading away. His friend Maggie sits with him every day; she holds his hand and she listens to the story of his life, to his regrets and to his secrets. And then he tells her about the children he has never met and never will. He talks of them wistfully. His legacy, he calls them. Lydia, Dean and Robyn don't know each other. Yet. And they are all facing difficult changes. Lydia is still wearing the scars from her traumatic childhood and although she is wealthy and successful, her life is lonely and disjointed. Dean is a young man, burdened with unexpected responsibility, whose life is going nowhere. And Robyn wants to be a doctor, just like her father - a man she's never met. But is her whole life built on an illusion? Three people leading three very different lives. All lost. All looking for something. But when they slowly find their way into each other's lives, everything starts to change ...
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  1. Print length
    400 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Century
  4. Publication date
    January 1, 2011
  5. Dimensions
    6.02 x 1.14 x 9.17 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1846055741
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1846055744
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Century (January 1, 2011)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1846055741
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1846055744
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.16 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.02 x 1.14 x 9.17 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 6,441 ratings

About the author

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Lisa Jewell

Lisa Jewell

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LISA JEWELL was born in London in 1968.

Her first novel, Ralph's Party, was the best- selling debut novel of 1999. Since then she has written another twenty novels, most recently a number of dark psychological thrillers, including The Girls, Then She Was Gone, The Family Upstairs, The Family Remains and The Night She Disappeared, all of which were Richard & Judy Book Club picks.

Lisa is a New York Times and Sunday Times number one bestselling author who has been published worldwide in over thirty languages. She lives in north London with her husband and two daughters.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
6,441 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

PiperMD
5.0 out of 5 stars Such a great book!
Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2023
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This is the fourth book that I’ve read from this author and I intend to read them all. I love the comprehensive chapters detailing each character, the descriptions of quaint little villages throughout England, and of course, the stories. They are all so wonderful and certainly deserving of 5 stars! So I’m off to book 5!
2 people found this helpful
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Holly
4.0 out of 5 stars Great beach book or when in the mood for lighter fare.
Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2017
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Lisa Jewell caught my attention with  The House We Grew Up In: A Novel  . That book really intrigued me and prompted additional reading on hoarding disorder and is a book that has stayed with me long after I finished it. I didn't realize this was one of her previous novels until I did some research, but it makes sense now that I know.

I won't go into detail and spoil the book for you, and the product description does just enough to give you a general sense of the novel.

Here is my reaction after reading it: The book is a good read but not nearly as good as "The House We Grew Up In". The characters are less developed, the writing not quite as crisp, but mostly the lighter chick-lit/romance roots of the author show through. There are gaps in the story that left me wondering why and how, particularly in Maggie's storyline. Things are little too pat with little to mar the rosy outcome of the story and (my biggest complaint) deep emotions are felt immediately by everyone.

Bottom line: If you are looking for lighter reading but want some exposure to a story line not dependent on romance, this would be a great choice. If you what more substance in your next selection, I would pass on this one until in the right frame of mind. Would have been a great beach book, just not one that holds up against her later efforts.
9 people found this helpful
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D Martinez
5.0 out of 5 stars really great book
Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2024
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excellent story, very well written.
One person found this helpful
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StoryAddict
3.0 out of 5 stars Not Jewell's best book, but still worth the read
Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2017
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Lisa Jewell is an author that started reading a couple of years ago. I enjoyed her latest 2 books and felt it was time to dive into her back list. I'm not exactly sure where this falls in the order of her books, but I do think that Jewell is an author who improves with each books.

Which, I guess is a nice way of saying that this isn't her best work. There is much I like about it, but I can't say it was a wholly successful book.

There was much I liked about it. It was the premise that drew me into this book--a group of people who are brought together because their biological fathers were all the same sperm donor. For some reason, the maternal tie always seem to be celebrated in books (and movies...and TV...) while the paternal one is sometimes forgotten. Plus, the idea of a sperm donor seems so much less personal than, say, a mother who gave up her children for adoption or a woman who donated her eggs. I applaud Jewell for taking the road less traveled, so to say, on this topic.

One thing that has always impressed me about Jewell is her ability to create characters. Lydia is especially fascinating, probably because we get the most backstory for her. I also found the convention of telling Daniel's story--Daniel is the father--through the eyes of another person. I think that was an important facet of this story and added a necessary wall between the siblings and the parent.

Now, here is the flaw that kept me from thoroughly enjoying this book. I'll admit that this is something that might not bother other readers, but was an obstacle that I could not overcome. This story seemed very unbalanced. Much time was spent on Lydia and almost as much on Dean, but significantly less was spent on Robyn. In fact, there were times that I forgot she was even part of the story. There is also a 4th sibling who is dealt with a bit too casually for my taste and, as much as I enjoyed Daniel's story through Maggie's eyes, I felt Maggie's arc was wrapped up too easily.

While this wasn't Lisa Jewell's best book in my opinion, it did keep my interest enough that I would still read more of her back list, as well as her new books as they are released. I would still recommend this book and I'm sure that what I found lacking would not bother many other readers.
18 people found this helpful
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Ashley Maconeghy
5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite of her book
Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2024
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This is by far my favorite of Lisa Jewell’s books that I have read so far, and I’ve finished 17 out of 19. I was on the edge of my seat from page 1. I don’t know how she keeps doing it but she does time after time. The ending of this book was the most awe inspiring!
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Savanna F.
4.0 out of 5 stars Lots of POVs
Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2024
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There was a lot of POV changes which made it somewhat hard to follow
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Angela M
5.0 out of 5 stars one of Jewell's best in a long while
Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2015
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I fell in love with Lisa Jewell's first few books more than a decade ago, and have continued to follow her writing but to be quite honest I have read a few of her more recent titles that left me flat ('Before I Met You' comes to mind). The Making of Us is more of the caliber I expect from Jewell. It is a twisting, turning story with some unexpected surprises and best of all, brilliant characterization that made me truly care about its characters. That is the primary reason I've found this author so intriguing, well rounded and fleshed out characterization and people who have a bit more of an "edge" compared to what is found in typical chick lit. Because of this, I am back to considering Jewell one of my all time favorite authors. I can't believe I almost did not read this one - it's such a great book!
One person found this helpful
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Caroline A.
4.0 out of 5 stars Quick, Enjoyable Read
Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2022
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Of the 3 Lisa Jewell novels that I have read so far (The Third Wife, Before I Met You, and this one), The Making of Us has been my favorite. Not wasting your time recapping the book’s plot, as you can read that above, I really feel each character is well developed and interesting, even including such side characters as the parents and the Welsh uncle. Nobody read like a caricature. I especially think Jewell did well with slowly and naturally portraying the emotional growth of new, young dad Dean. I hope her other books are this consistently well written from start to finish.
4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Book Lover
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic read
Reviewed in Canada on October 25, 2022
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Although this book doesn't have the terrifying elements that are present in her more recent novels, The Making of Us showcases the sutures talent for weaving together a beautiful story of love, loss, heartache and happiness.
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Pauline Boundy
5.0 out of 5 stars Heart Warming
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 13, 2024
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Lisa is such a remarkable author, she gives such a deep insight into each & every character & makes them seem real & relevant to us readers. This book tells of joy, sadness, hope & more than anything, love of a good family - the most important thing of all.
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Another great book!
Reviewed in Australia on April 20, 2024
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Love Lisa Jewell. Every book is different. And an adventure. This one is sweet and quite emotional. I highly recommend it.
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M. Bennett
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
Reviewed in Spain on October 5, 2016
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Lisa writes so beautifully. The reader is transported effortlessly from chapter to chapter, exploring the lives of the colourful characters. Highly recommended.
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Ingelore Müller
5.0 out of 5 stars The making of us by Lisa Jewell
Reviewed in Germany on August 16, 2013
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This novel is once more a very well constructed story by the British bstselling Auhor. It is compassionate and sensitive Sand very up-to-date,, as there are more and more sperm Donors . To recommend
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