The Other Side of the Bridge
by Mary Lawson
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Book Reviews of The Other Side of the Bridge
Book Review: A much, *much* better effort than 'Crow Lake'. MUCH.
Summary: 4 Stars
As my review for her début shows, I was not impressed with the final result there. This however, is a far more accomplished novel.
For one, she got the narrator right; third-person omnicient. First-person was beyond her abilities as a rookie (I'm not excusing her editor in the debacle). Here, she tells the story with a far more confident voice, laying everything out for the reader in a way befitting the setting, and the times.
Her characterizations are richer, are drawn with a little more clearly, and their connections are more finely wrought. There's more opportunities creating for dovetailing and synergy...and she makes the most of these. Finally, her storytelling is coming into its own. Clearly, she does not aim for 'epic', and maybe that's never going to be her goal, but I suspect that were she to take this tack down the road, she'd be up to the challenge.
This was a far more gratifying read, leaps and bounds beyond what 'Crow Lake' delivered. 'Brava!' to the author. I'm looking forward to her next offering.
Book Review: skillful descriptive writing, but a very predictable plot
Summary: 3 Stars
I purchased THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BRIDGE based on the positive reviews here at Amazon. I was very disappointed. Lawson does an effective job of creating and describing a memorable setting and of linking her characters to real historical events and attitudes. However, the book disappoints because of the "stock" characters--dumb, loyal, ham-fisted but goodhearted son vs. bright, attractive, self-absorbed, mean son. The best parts of the novel involve the third main character, Ian, and particularly memorable and well-written are the scenes in which his relationships with his father and his friend Pete are revealed and developed. However, those scenes and are not really important for moving the plot along. And, when, toward the end of the book, the secret conflict is finally revealed, every reader has had ample hints to figure it out on his/her own. There were some skillful elements at work here, but I really feel the book could have been greatly improved through the attention and scalpel of a careful and experienced editor.Book Review: Uneven effort
Summary: 4 Stars
Although a well-constructed novel, The Other Side of the Bridge feels rushed. Beautiful scenes are followed by maddeningly hollow ones, full of seemingly meaningless conversations or actions. Lawson is an adept story teller, there's no doubt of that. I can't help but feel, however, that this effort was rushed, perhaps to quickly capitalize on the success of Crow Lake. There are two parallel storylines interweaving throughout this novel, one with a young Arthur who deals with an irresponsible younger brother, the responsibilities of the family farm, and an unrequited teen love. The second story line focuses on Arthur as an adult, now married to the young woman who had so tormented him. Both story lines build to crucial climaxes, both involving the triangular relationships between Arthur, wife Laura, and younger brother Jake. Although a thoroughly enjoyable read, Lawson would have been better served by a good editor and a more subtle approach to scene writing.Book Review: a lovely coming of age in rural Canada
Summary: 4 Stars
The Other Side of the Bridge alternates between two timeframes in the same small town in Canada. The first set of chapters focuses on a young man and his very different brother growing up on their father's farm while the second set focus on the son of a doctor who works on the same farm (now owned by the elder brother).
This was a simple, quick read but a lovely trip into the world of a rural Canadian town. It shows two different young men coming of age and how the journey can be very different but also very much the same for two youths of different times and circumstances. The characters were well-constructed and fully fleshed out and the prose was lovely. I definitely recommend Lawson's novel for a reader looking for a simple, transporting bildungsroman (bonus points for the English major word).
Book Review: Kept me reading but...
Summary: 3 Stars
I kept waiting for it to get better. Although I didn't dislike this book, I never felt completely satisfied by it. Something was lacking, I never felt emotionally connected with the characters enough to cry or feel much of anything. They were a rather boring bunch and I kept wanting to know more about how Julie felt in the story...I guess I got tired of the mostly male cast.
I thought too it ended rather abruptly and just didn't have enough substance for me. I think it had a good foundation at the beginning but like most of the characters, it just didn't go anywhere.