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3.09 AVERAGE
3.09 AVERAGE
An excellent read full of mystery and family history.
This book is about Lucy Jarrett who came back to her hometown The Lake of Dreams after leaving for college and working aboard. Her father's death has haunted her since she left of the what ifs. I didn't like her as a main character, instead I was more interested in the background characters. She finds letters of a relative they don't know much about named Rose. After running around she pieces together this great-aunt's tragic life and how she was part of the suffrage movement. It was odd she wanted to find out more about his great-aunt but was reluctant to tell those that could have helped her!
Her b/f is back in Japan and she's only gone a few days but they start having issues of being long distance. Then she reconnects with an old flame from high school, she hangs out with his son, and they kiss. There's more buildup and story telling with the old flame than the actual b/f. With the actual b/f there's obvious problems there and he seems controlling over her. And she admits that she kissed the other guy when her b/f comes, but he's ok with it? And they wind up married.
Like I said I found her research of her past relatives more interesting than what was happening in present day Lucy's life.
Her b/f is back in Japan and she's only gone a few days but they start having issues of being long distance. Then she reconnects with an old flame from high school, she hangs out with his son, and they kiss. There's more buildup and story telling with the old flame than the actual b/f. With the actual b/f there's obvious problems there and he seems controlling over her. And she admits that she kissed the other guy when her b/f comes, but he's ok with it? And they wind up married.
Like I said I found her research of her past relatives more interesting than what was happening in present day Lucy's life.
I hate to say this, but this book needed more editing. I listened to the audio and it was just.so.long. I just kept hearing paragraphs that could have been edited down into like a sentence. Honestly.
The story was interesting. At least the part of the story that had to do with Lucy's past. She was back home to help take care of her mom and had a ton of free time on her hands. She stumbled upon some papers that lead her in this huge story arc about a relative no one knew about. This relative ended up being a part of the Women's Rights movement. Completely interesting. How ridiculous to think that at the beginning of the last century, it was illegal for women to know basic anatomy. Makes me incredibly thankful for the society I live in.
Parts of this story were interesting but others, I just did not care about at all. I was really looking forward to reading a meaty adult novel, but honestly, I've read better young adult novels.
The story was interesting. At least the part of the story that had to do with Lucy's past. She was back home to help take care of her mom and had a ton of free time on her hands. She stumbled upon some papers that lead her in this huge story arc about a relative no one knew about. This relative ended up being a part of the Women's Rights movement. Completely interesting. How ridiculous to think that at the beginning of the last century, it was illegal for women to know basic anatomy. Makes me incredibly thankful for the society I live in.
Spoiler
However, Lucy's present was also boring and predictable. I saw from a mile away that she and her old high school boyfriend would reconnect. I'm thankful for the turn that storytime took though. Otherwise, it would have been one cliché after another. Also, I just found Lucy so very immature. She is two years younger than I am and honestly, I would be appalled at myself if I acted the way she does. Ruining the surprise of her brother's girlfriend's pregnancy? C'mon. Totally rude. Running back into the arms of the high school boyfriend? Really? You have a boyfriend. Don't be 16. And I really thought the way she acted about her dad's death was also somewhat unbelievable. I have watched my husband lose his mother and brother. Grief is messy for sure. But Lucy's reaction to a lot of it- just ridiculous.Parts of this story were interesting but others, I just did not care about at all. I was really looking forward to reading a meaty adult novel, but honestly, I've read better young adult novels.
This book made me think. Lucy is very focused on her past and very confused on who she actually is, but the last chapter made my shoulders relax in a way that a book never has done before. Very impressed. Beautiful work!
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A disappointing follow up to The Memory Keeper's Daughter. I bought this in hardback as soon as it came out (oh the joys of working in a book shop), and couldn't wait to start reading it. The Memory Keeper's Daughter is one of those books that you still think about long after reading it, and I have to admit, I was expecting the same again.
Instead I got a lack lustre attempt at chick lit, but with some added history thrown in. Nothing that hasn't been done a million times before already, and I ended up plodding along, thinking it was surely going to get better. Unfortunately, it seems like Kim Edwards has produced a book that is instantly forgettable and not worth mentioning in the same breath that is her amazing debut book.
Instead I got a lack lustre attempt at chick lit, but with some added history thrown in. Nothing that hasn't been done a million times before already, and I ended up plodding along, thinking it was surely going to get better. Unfortunately, it seems like Kim Edwards has produced a book that is instantly forgettable and not worth mentioning in the same breath that is her amazing debut book.
Wow, this book was a hunk of junk. I find it hard to believe anyone liked it. I admit I had high hopes since I enjoyed the Memory Keeper's Daughter, but I was sorely disappointed. There were so many things wrong with this book, it's hard to know where to start.
First of all, the characters were boring. Seriously boring. The only person I was interested in at all was Keegan, and he wasn't even that interesting. Lucy, the main character, was seriously snoozeville.
Second, there were too many little storylines in the book, and again, none were interesting. The whole "drama and mystery about what happened in the past" was so boring, I felt myself not caring in the least who these people were, why they did what, or what happened to them. Honestly, family genealogy is only interesting to the person who is in the family tree.
Finally, it was really tacky that the author gave one of her own books a cameo in the story. At some point, Lucy's mother was described as reading a book that was so obviously "The Memory Keeper's Daughter". Strange.
Overall, this book sucked. I will not be recommending it to anyone.
First of all, the characters were boring. Seriously boring. The only person I was interested in at all was Keegan, and he wasn't even that interesting. Lucy, the main character, was seriously snoozeville.
Second, there were too many little storylines in the book, and again, none were interesting. The whole "drama and mystery about what happened in the past" was so boring, I felt myself not caring in the least who these people were, why they did what, or what happened to them. Honestly, family genealogy is only interesting to the person who is in the family tree.
Finally, it was really tacky that the author gave one of her own books a cameo in the story. At some point, Lucy's mother was described as reading a book that was so obviously "The Memory Keeper's Daughter". Strange.
Overall, this book sucked. I will not be recommending it to anyone.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
So I really liked the story within the story (her ancestors), but didn't like the main story or the main character. So I will give it a 3.....barely.
The author did a very good job describing the setting. I was fascinated with the stained glass windows and the choice of subjects and symbolism in the windows. I could almost see them for myself. While I was very interested in the characters of Iris and Rose, I was not so interested in Lucy. I also wish that the character of Yoshi could have been fleshed out more. The ending also kind of felt dumped together.