Never Coming Back started out to be promising, but then dropped off. I just could not get into this book. The transitions were choppy and confusing. The main character would have conversations with herself in the midst of a paragraph and I did not care for the format.

Having dealt with a family member with Alzheimer's disease I was intrigued by this book. I found it to be difficult to read as anyone dealing with a degenerative disease must address so many emotional issues. I thought the pace was a bit slow but I did enjoy reading this and would recommend it to anyone who may have a loved one with Alzheimer's, particularly meaningful between a mother and daughter.

This was a good read, the style of the book was different than any other I’ve read before. The conversations would change not by chapters, but by paragraphs, you could be reading along on a conversation with Brown and Sunshine, the next paragraph would be a conversation with the bartender, making it sometimes hard to follow. The storyline is about Clara, a writer and musician, 30ish year old daughter, raised by a single mother, whom she never considered nor viewed as an actual person until it was almost too late. The story covers her search of trying to know and find out more about her mother and her idiosyncrasies. At times I felt that Clara was very self-centered, but her love for her best friends shown through and she did care immensely for her mother. At one point the book brought tears to my eyes when she finally understood why her life had taken the turns it had. I would recommend this story. The writing style made you care about all the characters, the descriptions of the places and people, made you envision you were there, all the way down to the big white car and the trailer with the music blaring. I did find it repeated itself multiple times saying the same things over and over every once in a while but it didn’t take away from the story. Other than that, I would highly recommend.

Words are powerful with those left unspoken often the most powerful. This is a tale of Clara Winter and her mother Tamar who has been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's that is progressing rapidly. Clara realizes there is much she doesn't know or understand about her mother and their shared past and the clock is ticking.

Never Coming Back is a very emotional book about a daughter who moves back home to take care of her mother who has Alzheimers. This book jumps into the story and does not let up until the end. There were times throughout the book where it felt like the sentences were running together regarding two different subjects. The base line of the story is heart wrenching and yet .helpful in getting people to understand somewhat of what people go through when an Alzheimer patient.

My kids have many of Alison McGhee's fantastic children's books, so truth be told, I was a fan of hers before diving into Never Coming Back. This powerful novel was my first read from Alison McGhee's adult fiction genre and boy did it pack an emotional punch.

Never Coming Back centers around Clara Winter's who is the only child of her single mother, Tamar. After Clara notice a couple red flags, Tamar is diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Being that Tamar is in her early fifties, Alzheimer's isn't something Clara thought she would have to deal with as a daughter so soon. Trying to manage her mother's care, Clara uproots herself and moves closer to Tamar's memory care facility. There are many unanswered questions from her childhood/teen years that Clara desperately wants answers to, but her mother's memory is spotty at best and the likelihood of actual answers is very uncertain. With the help of amazing best friends, Clara tries to find a new normal and true closure!!

Being that I have someone I'm close to currently suffering from Alzheimer's, I was a little weary of the subject matter because I thought it may touch too close to home, but I'm SO glad I read Never Coming Back!! I thought Clara's experiences were very realistic and spot on! I definitely needed a tissue or two and thought Alison McGhee did a fantastic job with storyline-- so moving!! Never Coming Back is a 5 star read that everyone should read! I am looking forward to reading more from Alison McGhee in the future!

I couldn't put this book down. It is a fascinating read about Clara returning to her small rural Adirondack Mountain home to care for her mother, Tamar , diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's. They women aren't close, Tamar sent Clara away to college and had a hand in her boyfriend Asa breaking up with her before joining the military. Clara decides to accept life for what it is and tries to get answers to some questions before her mother forgets everything. This is a heart warming story that really gives insight to family's facing this degenerate disease. When you begin reading you think the title refers to Clara never coming home but it really refers to her mother's downward spiral into forgetfulness and not returning to today. A winner for young and old.

So so read, I am not usually into mysteries. : It kept my interest for a while then I skimmed the last few chapters to finish it. Would not recommend.

I devoured this book. It's one you carry around with you and pick up at every spare moment. Just be careful that you're somewhere where you won't be embarrassed if you suddenly start crying, as I did many times throughout. What a beautifully told, bittersweet tale. Highly recommend.

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