"Life is not a paragraph, and death is no parenthesis."
-from the novel
This novel had been on the bestseller list for so long I figured it HAD to be good. With agreement from a few others in our Page Turners group, I chose it for our first selection of 2016. A mistake? It remains to be seen. We don't meet for a few more days but I already have some negative feedback; however I really liked the book. I found it to be a true page-turner! I am giving it a solid 4 rating.
Rachel is "the girl on the train" mentioned in the title. She certainly has some emotional problems including drinking in excess and lying frequently. Rachel takes turns telling this story with Megan, whose disappearance drives the plot and Anna, now married to Rachel's ex. At first this back and forth between the characters is confusing but the author does provide dates and even times of day along with who will narrate each section.
Two other primary characters are Tom, Anna's husband and Rachel's ex, and Megan's husband, Scott. Add in a male psychotherapist and we have a gripping who-dunnit. Somebody is responsible for Megan's disappearance but the author keeps the reader in suspense until very near the end. Not wanting to be a spoiler, I can't say much more. I was struck by a line in a quote on the book jacket from author Kimberly McCreight: "...clever structure and expert pacing will keep you perched on the edge of your seat, but it's Hawkins's deft, empathetic characterization that will leave you pondering this harrowing, thought-provoking story about the power of memory and the danger of envy." If you read it, I think you will understand the part I italicized.
I will revisit after the group meets on Thursday.
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Fourteen in the group rated The Girl on the Train and the average was 3.4; votes ranged from 5 down to 2. The rating was pretty good considering people I had talked to about the book, both members of our group and others, seemed to either love it or hate it! Several participants didn't like the main character, Rachel, very much, while others were sympathetic. Someone wondered if the ending showed a change in her and another suggested it might point to a sequel. More than a few of our members were disappointed in The Girl on the Train because they had heard it compared to Gone Girl, but it was not as good. We pretty much agreed it was a novel you didn't want to put down.
Most of us said if the book becomes a movie, we would go see it. It would be particularly interesting to see how it is cast. Next month's selection is The Wright Brothers by David McCullough. Should be quite a contrast.
Would love to know your opinion if you care to share!
Sunday, January 24, 2016
Thursday, January 14, 2016
A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler
"The disappointments seemed to escape the family's notice, though. That was another of their quirks: they had a talent for pretending that everything was fine. Or maybe it wasn't a quirk at all. Maybe it was just further proof that the Whitshanks were not remarkable in any way whatsoever."
-from the novel
I found enough reason to finish this novel but I can't say I really enjoyed it. The chapters were long and the sequence was confusing at times. Both factors kept it from being a page-turner, in my opinion but the characters were well-developed and the writing style was clear. I will rate it a 3.
The story involves the Whitshank family, 1994, at a time when the mother is acting strangely and the family descends on her and her husband to "help out." Of course there is sibling rivalry, disagreement and some deep-seated resentment among the siblings. This includes the "black sheep" of the family, but not the one you think! All this was a little too close for comfort since my husband and I are about the ages of Abby and Red Whitshank!
Flashbacks to 1959 take the reader back to the beginning of Abby and Red's relationship and even as far back as Red's father and mother in the 1920's. So basically we meet four generations with the same affection and jealousy, celebration and tragedy, and occasional dysfunction of many families, but with one big secret underlying it all.
-from the novel
I found enough reason to finish this novel but I can't say I really enjoyed it. The chapters were long and the sequence was confusing at times. Both factors kept it from being a page-turner, in my opinion but the characters were well-developed and the writing style was clear. I will rate it a 3.
The story involves the Whitshank family, 1994, at a time when the mother is acting strangely and the family descends on her and her husband to "help out." Of course there is sibling rivalry, disagreement and some deep-seated resentment among the siblings. This includes the "black sheep" of the family, but not the one you think! All this was a little too close for comfort since my husband and I are about the ages of Abby and Red Whitshank!
Flashbacks to 1959 take the reader back to the beginning of Abby and Red's relationship and even as far back as Red's father and mother in the 1920's. So basically we meet four generations with the same affection and jealousy, celebration and tragedy, and occasional dysfunction of many families, but with one big secret underlying it all.
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