The Lace Reader: A Novel
by Brunonia Barry
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Book Reviews of The Lace Reader: A Novel
Book Review: Good story, but some clunky writing
Summary: 4 Stars
Summary, no spoilers:
This is the story of Towner Whitney, who returns to Salem Mass. after the death of her beloved Aunt Eva, a reader of lace, or "witch". It turns out the town is full of these witches, and that Whitney has inherited this skill.
We go back and forth in time with this novel, and our narrator is usually Towner, although we also hear from some other characters, including Rafferty, the local policeman who is romantically interested in her.
There are many mysteries to solve, including sorting out what really happened to Eva, and how Towner's twin sister, Lindley, met her fate. We also wonder what caused her Aunt Emma to suffer brain damage. Add into this mix a fearsome and evil character, Uncle Cal, who is married to Emma, and who may be to blame.
The story is entertaining enough, especially the last third which was quick paced and hard to put down. The problem for me was that the first 2/3 could be a slow-go - not because of the plot, but because of some clunky writing.
The other problem for me was the resolution - no spoiler here, but suffice it to say that if you've read a lot of psychological suspense stories, the denouement may not be all that shocking.
Still, I recommend this novel because it became a page-turner at the end, and there are many unique aspects to the story. It is also moody and eerie, and if you read it before you go to bed, beware of weird dreams! At least for me....
Recommended, with the above reservations.
Book Review: I was left confused
Summary: 3 Stars
In many ways, this book left me confused. I read along, following the story closely and with great interest. It moved in strange ways, with different voices, but it all seemed to flow just fine. And then the ending brought me to an abrupt "huh?!?!"
I went back and read large portions of the book thinking I must have just missed something, but in the end it just confirmed that although some of the twist was in the text, a lot of it was not. Too much of the fiction was fiction, or otherwise left completely open ended. I could make sense of some of it, but in the end the reader is left to decide how much of the narrative was a figment of Sophya's mind, and how much was "real". It was pretty unsatisfying, I have to say, and I don't know that it was necessary to the story. I think some of it could have been explained better in the end.
I enjoyed Sophya's story, the hope and circle of life quality of it and I enjoyed reading about her relationship with Rafferty (although I have to say that was telegraphed with the very first appearance of Rafferty in the story). The sense of place was well developed and I felt pulled in, just in the end the whole thing got very tangled and left me with more questions than the text could answer. I believe in leaving some things to the imagination, but I think this one went a bit too far.
In the end, I can't even clearly say whether I really liked it or not - is it a mess, or is it a forgivable twist in an interesting story? Maybe it's just a bit of both.
Book Review: Disappointingly Average - For Young Readers Only
Summary: 2 Stars
I'm so disappointed that I didn't like this. I had a very long train trip from the mid-Atlantic to New England recently and thought this book would not only be perfect given the location, but (thanks to the buzz) be compelling enough to make the hours fly by unnoticed. Imagine how disappointed I was to find it was so easy (and at times preferable) to put it down! Wow was this hyper-hyped. It was average enough of a read I suppose... the mystical bits about the lace and the idea of some of the Salem locations were interesting, but I was also stuck on a train and had little else to occupy my time. I'm sure I'd have put it down and never finished it if I'd been reading it at home. I disliked the main character almost immediately and found all the other characters one-dimensional and too numerous. It seemed in need of editing, and the constantly-alternating POV was annoying. In general I felt like I was reading a story written by someone in high school -- the romance was that immature/corny and predictable! I can't imagine any mature woman finding the relationship between the main character and the knightly cop intriguing; it was very "Nancy Drew and Ned" for the college-bound. And the worst part: I knew I was reading some tale within a tale given the first two lines in the book (an adolescent attempt at foreshadowing), so I had to force myself to pick it back up and finish the last quarter of it, only to be proven correct. I can't say this was a complete waste, but it's not something I'd recommend to anyone over 18.Book Review: Not What You Expect
Summary: 4 Stars
The author set the stage perfectly in this amazing book, "My name is Towner Whitney. No, that's not exactly true. My real name is Sophya. Never believe me. I lie all the time." Towner Whitney had a rough life, at seventeen her twin sister died leaving Towner hospitalized to undergo shock therapy. Soon afterward, Towner leaves Salem and moves cross-country to California. When she receives news of the death of her Great Aunt Eva, Towner makes the dreaded trip back home after a fifteen-year absence. Her return sparks lots of emotions and gossip and the story begins to unfold. The telling of a family history of the women in the Whitney family, who live life quite differently from everyone else and have a unique magical ability to read lace. Interwoven into the story is the background of Towner and her twin sister. Adding to the story is the random disappearance of a young woman tied to the family by strings unknown. The author manages to captivate the audience with her potent descriptions of Salem and its history. Layering and adding multiple stories, giving select information and perceptions to the reader, and throwing twists and turns around every corner, the final chapters explode into perfection. The Lace Reader is quirky and unique in its own way, but the style the author uses makes it a must read for anyone looking for something just off center. High praises for The Lace Reader and Brunonia Barry. Valerie Jones mrsvaljones@netzero.netBook Review: Not a good read...at all.
Summary: 2 Stars
I read this book because my mother-in-law said it had been on the NYT bestseller list. I haven't checked this, but that really surprised me once I read the book.
First, the author spends an inordinate amount of time discussing Salem, which gets to be very old after awhile. We get that the author's living in Salem. There is no point in describing every single street corner. The geography and her (bad) descriptions of the setting dominate the novel.
Then, the main character is horribly drawn up. All of the characters and their relationships are confusing, and how they are related makes no sense, even when you get to the end of the novel. There is a random "witch hunt" thrown in the middle, evidently to keep the plot moving, but it just serves to make the book more unbelievable. This book could benefit from a heavy editor. One of the worst parts of the novel absolutely had to be when the author was talking about visiting the grave of her sister, and she noted that they had spelled her sister Lyndley's name wrong. The editing was just beyond awkward.
Very disappointing as a first novel. Confusing, disjointed, unfulfilling, and ultimately just a bad story from a novelist possibly obsessed with the area she is from. I'll give her two stars because I feel bad for her that this is her first novel. I hope she gets better. I wish I could get back the time it took me to read. I will never have those hours back.