Exuberant ... Hughes’s prose is like a virtuosic jazz number — loose, free and surprising. Despite the boundless spirit of the narrative, her authorial command rarely wavers ... A funny novel. Wit and humor percolate, like a simmering pot, throughout the scenes. On the sentence level, rhythm and cadence propel Hughes’s effortless prose ... A bold, beautiful, complex novel, and I can’t wait to read what Hughes writes next. She, too, is an unstoppable force.
Hughes switches to a playscript format, but even so, as the narrative is overtaken by sisterly squabbling, a kind of merry chaos overwhelms what originally seemed like a novel of ideas ... Concerned with the duties of caring for the planet and one’s loved ones. The fact that these responsibilities are often in conflict makes this lively novel’s sense of confusion feel well-earned.
Despite some head-scratching narrative slowdowns, The Alternatives rarely fails to impress and, frequently, even to wow ... The Alternatives contains multitudes. Its mysteries and complexities reward a second reading. Its weaknesses render it human. The book's ending is a stunner. And Olwen, Maeve, Nell and Rhona make it unforgettable.
Hughes’ writing is simply brilliant ... The dynamics of the sisters’ interactions and the easy way they anticipate each others’ needs while slipping into decades-old roles are the novel’s highlights. Frustratingly, the sisters come together and part again without really solving Olwen’s crisis. But perhaps that’s the point; in their years of functioning as a collective unit, they know that sometimes the best remedy is to know the limits of your own influence.
...yet another example of her gift for illuminating the dark places in the lives of dysfunctional, but deeply sympathetic, families ... If all this sounds a bit chaotic, it's anything but that in Hughes's assured hands. The Flattery sisters, a 'faulty batch,' as Olwen regards herself and her siblings in all their charming chaos, are vivid and appealing characters in this bighearted, wise, and frequently sharply funny novel.
Hughes slowly reveals the shared childhood trauma that forged the Flattery sisters’ convictions, and their resentments toward each other. Her moving, richly detailed portraits of their personal struggles give emotional depth to Hughes’ underlying theme: when we stop caring—for ourselves, each other, and the world—disaster will surely follow. Intelligent, impassioned, and wholly satisfying.
...an intriguing story of complex family connections, highlighting the diversity that often exists among siblings, and underlining the commonalities that tie them together.
The inconsistent tone can be jarring, but "...intelligent if uneven ... Hughes shines when weaving the dense intellectual material of the three academic sisters’ work into their dialogue ... This one perplexes and stimulates in equal measure.
