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book_concierge's review against another edition
3.0
Book on CD narrated by Kimberly Schraf.
With the help of an advocate group, Frances Benedeto leaves her abusive husband, Bobby (a New York city detective), and takes her son to a new state with new names and new backstories. It’s not much different from entering the Witness Protection Service, in that she has to cut all ties with her family and friends in order to avoid being found out. Now she’s Beth Crenshaw, living in a small apartment, walking to work as a home healthcare aide, and trying her best to explain to her son why they have to do what they are doing to stay safe.
Okay, there’s a nugget of a good story here, and I started out completely engaged in the story. But as the book moved along I found that I couldn’t really believe in Fran/Beth. I get that women who are repeatedly abused and controlled by animals like Bobby lose what self-confidence they started with pretty quickly. That they become full of self-doubt and take on the blame for what has happened. That they become immobilized by fear and the certainty that they are all alone and no one will believe and/or help them. That they lose the ability to trust.
But Beth keeps saying she’s never going back and then doing things that will clearly make it easier for Bobby to find her. And when, after her new identity is compromised, she’s offered additional help and another relocation, she refuses … more than once. I was just so frustrated by her behavior. While I was interested enough in the book to keep reading/listening, I don’t think I’ll remember it for long.
On the positive side … Quindlen gives the reader a reasonably suspenseful story arc. She also gives us a new group of friends that will obviously help Beth and her son, Robert, move forward in a new life. And she resists the impulse to give us a happy ending. These kinds of cases rarely end happily, and Beth will face these issues for years to come. I applaud Quindlen for shedding some light on the issue.
Kimberly Schraf does a fine job of narrating the audiobook. She sets a good pace and gives the many characters sufficiently unique voices to help differentiate them. Her rendition of Bobby is oily and just gives me the shivers.
With the help of an advocate group, Frances Benedeto leaves her abusive husband, Bobby (a New York city detective), and takes her son to a new state with new names and new backstories. It’s not much different from entering the Witness Protection Service, in that she has to cut all ties with her family and friends in order to avoid being found out. Now she’s Beth Crenshaw, living in a small apartment, walking to work as a home healthcare aide, and trying her best to explain to her son why they have to do what they are doing to stay safe.
Okay, there’s a nugget of a good story here, and I started out completely engaged in the story. But as the book moved along I found that I couldn’t really believe in Fran/Beth. I get that women who are repeatedly abused and controlled by animals like Bobby lose what self-confidence they started with pretty quickly. That they become full of self-doubt and take on the blame for what has happened. That they become immobilized by fear and the certainty that they are all alone and no one will believe and/or help them. That they lose the ability to trust.
But Beth keeps saying she’s never going back and then doing things that will clearly make it easier for Bobby to find her. And when, after her new identity is compromised, she’s offered additional help and another relocation, she refuses … more than once. I was just so frustrated by her behavior. While I was interested enough in the book to keep reading/listening, I don’t think I’ll remember it for long.
On the positive side … Quindlen gives the reader a reasonably suspenseful story arc. She also gives us a new group of friends that will obviously help Beth and her son, Robert, move forward in a new life. And she resists the impulse to give us a happy ending. These kinds of cases rarely end happily, and Beth will face these issues for years to come. I applaud Quindlen for shedding some light on the issue.
Kimberly Schraf does a fine job of narrating the audiobook. She sets a good pace and gives the many characters sufficiently unique voices to help differentiate them. Her rendition of Bobby is oily and just gives me the shivers.
tophat8855's review against another edition
3.0
When I was a freshman in high school, I was on the speech team and my speech for the year was a portion of Anna Quindlen's commencement address at Mount Holyoke. I gave the driest and most pathetic version of this address imaginable. I also knew she was a writer but hadn't read any of Quindlen's books. I found this one on the side of the road recently and decided I should probably read one.
Pace-wise, this was great. I expected it to slog more because of the size of the book, but it kept moving and that was good. I think the ending was a little too quick to wrap everything up, though. But it's really hard to wrap things up nicely in a story about domestic abuse.
I'll probably read more Quindlen in the future.
Pace-wise, this was great. I expected it to slog more because of the size of the book, but it kept moving and that was good. I think the ending was a little too quick to wrap everything up, though. But it's really hard to wrap things up nicely in a story about domestic abuse.
I'll probably read more Quindlen in the future.
devansbooklife's review against another edition
4.0
I read this book at work. It is written with an easy flow of words that quickly make you feel like you are living the story. I was broken hearted at the end, I guess I am typical girl, and love happy endings. But it was a good book. A book that outlined the devastation and hurt that abuse brings. At the same time it was motivating and empowering.
pollyannapitbull's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
kahkmyers's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
4.0
I’ve never read a book that dealt with domestic abuse this way. It felt like The author really knew how twisted the mind of the abused could be and she portrayed it well without the abused seeming like a complete pushover. Loved everything about this book. …except the ending.
lovesresqdogs's review against another edition
A truly chilling story of what the ultimate horror is of being in an abusive relationship.
abarkmeier's review against another edition
4.0
What is best about this novel, and perhaps all of Quindlen's works, is that her writing drives the book. Rather than the plot propelling us through the pages, as seems to be the norm in contemporary literature, we have the opportunity to ruminate on the characters' lives and choices with a sensitivity and self-consciousness that Quindlen narrates beautifully. This is not to say that this book is devoid of plot, of relationships, of happenings: indeed, it is full. I prefer Every Last One, but this was an enjoyable and beautiful read.