The Good Part

Sophie Cousens

Published 2023

★★★★★

Status: Completed in 2026
Dates: Jan 11 – Jan 20, 2026
Read by: Kaleb
Format: Audio
Time: 10h 19m
Genre: Fiction
Challenge: New Author to You

ISBN 9781638089810 · Open Library

My take

I listened to this with Alejandra on our little road trips in January (to Carson City to go skiing and to Bodega Bay for a day trip). It was really fun to be doing the story with her. I enjoyed the story until the end. I wasn't even thinking of it as a time travel story. And then at the end she chooses to time travel back in time and that made me mad. Not for the time travel confusion normal reasons for me, but just because I wanted her to learn the same lesson, but just without going back. Meaning enjoy each day and love the place you're in for all its good and bad. Which would have been true if she stayed or if she went. But the lesson she didn't get to learn by going back was that your actions have consequences and that you can make a wonderful life out of whatever (or whenever) you are given it. And I hated that it meant that universe disappeared (here begins the hatred for time travel) - you create this husband and set of friends and kids and then the end of the book you literally rip them out of existence? Uncool author! Uncool! I also find the first person present tense just a teensy bit annoying and juvenile. I don't think that's me being snobby. I just don't love it. Not enough to avoid it like I actively avoid time travel. But I prefer against it. And after all that, why did I rate it a 3 instead of a 2? Because I really came to care about these characters. Not just the main ones, but all the secondary and side characters.