After watching the movie and reading "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood," I felt sympathy and compassion for Viviane, whose upbringing left a lot to be desired. However, after reading this book, all that compassion has evaporated. Viviane is a horrible, small-souled women who beats and humiliates her children at every turn. There are a few loving memories included in this book, but they are by far overshadowed by the verbal, physical, and sexual abuse detailed in this novel.Rebecca Wells is a truly talented writer, who brings her characters to life. Her gift is such that I read this entire book, despite my feelings of loathing and disgust toward Viviane. I would have been better prepared for this novel if it was portrayed as less of a "feel good, humorous" book, and more of a "dark, emotional, and deeply felt" book.