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2.9 AVERAGE
2.9 AVERAGE
This is the pour-and-bake brownie of books: easy, junky, tasty, fast, and fun. And like those insta-brownies, this book was kind of a weekend lifesaver for me.
My mother went to the hospital on Thursday and this book spent the weekend with me, alleviating two long nights sleeping in a hospital chair and two chaotic and stressful days. It was the diverting, engrossing, easy to dip in and out of distraction I needed. (This review might not convey my grateful relief as I'm still a bit sleep-deprived.)
Set in pretty, bucolic, suburban Haven Woods (in my head I made it a town in Connecticut, but I think it's sort of ambigu-East Coast), the story follows, loosely, two families: Audra, Paula, and Rowan Wittmore and Izzy and Marla Riley. Pretty quickly, we learn something is seriously wrong with the suburban royalty, the matrons and their families, but it's not until we're about 100 pages in does the action really pick up. (Perhaps my only complaint.) Paula's mother, Audra, is hospitalized with a vague, unspecified illness that makes Paula very suspicious; her daughter Rowan is even more put off by the odd way her grandmother's friends pry in to her life. The town's history is littered with horrible tragedies -- grotesque murders and shocking accidents -- that no one seems to find shocking until Paula and Rowan find themselves the focus of the women's murderous interest.
The writing style reminded me a bit of Stephen King -- parenthetical asides and vaguely stream-of-consciousness-y threads interspersing the narrative -- as well as the themes of the story -- the things we're willing to trade for our heart's desires, the secrets a town will keep even to its detriment, and I really enjoyed Moloney's exploration of mother-daughter relationships and parental sacrifices (in some cases, literally).
A perfect summer beach read, this is also a fun book to consider for October: creepy, over-the-top, a little bit gross (but not over-the-top), with a tiny bit of romance to add sweetness to the story.
My mother went to the hospital on Thursday and this book spent the weekend with me, alleviating two long nights sleeping in a hospital chair and two chaotic and stressful days. It was the diverting, engrossing, easy to dip in and out of distraction I needed. (This review might not convey my grateful relief as I'm still a bit sleep-deprived.)
Set in pretty, bucolic, suburban Haven Woods (in my head I made it a town in Connecticut, but I think it's sort of ambigu-East Coast), the story follows, loosely, two families: Audra, Paula, and Rowan Wittmore and Izzy and Marla Riley. Pretty quickly, we learn something is seriously wrong with the suburban royalty, the matrons and their families, but it's not until we're about 100 pages in does the action really pick up. (Perhaps my only complaint.) Paula's mother, Audra, is hospitalized with a vague, unspecified illness that makes Paula very suspicious; her daughter Rowan is even more put off by the odd way her grandmother's friends pry in to her life. The town's history is littered with horrible tragedies -- grotesque murders and shocking accidents -- that no one seems to find shocking until Paula and Rowan find themselves the focus of the women's murderous interest.
The writing style reminded me a bit of Stephen King -- parenthetical asides and vaguely stream-of-consciousness-y threads interspersing the narrative -- as well as the themes of the story -- the things we're willing to trade for our heart's desires, the secrets a town will keep even to its detriment, and I really enjoyed Moloney's exploration of mother-daughter relationships and parental sacrifices (in some cases, literally).
A perfect summer beach read, this is also a fun book to consider for October: creepy, over-the-top, a little bit gross (but not over-the-top), with a tiny bit of romance to add sweetness to the story.
This was an interesting read. I wouldn't compare it to Stepford Wives because that sets up an idea of an ending that the book doesn't deliver. I like Paula, the main character, and her daughter Rowan is as close to not being annoying that a twelve-year old girl can be when stuck in a house with only her mother for company.
I wish to see a revival of stories like Stepford Wives and Rosemary's Baby where it doesn't have the sort of happy ending that you expect, but it's happy in its own way. This is not one of those stories.
I wish to see a revival of stories like Stepford Wives and Rosemary's Baby where it doesn't have the sort of happy ending that you expect, but it's happy in its own way. This is not one of those stories.
This book was okay.
The beginning was a bit boring. The characters were relatively flat. The story was more or less predictable.
I really felt that the author couldn't write a 12 year old girl very well. It was kind of annoying.
The parenthetical commentary in the book was annoying. Sometimes it felt like it was coming from the author, other times it felt like it was supposed to be coming from the character. It was written in third person, so these additions really didn't make much sense.
There were some good bits near the middle end that kept me going. They were few and far between though. Sometimes the build up to things was so great, but then when it actually happened it was disappointing.
I wish the creepy cats had been explained a bit better.
The beginning was a bit boring. The characters were relatively flat. The story was more or less predictable.
I really felt that the author couldn't write a 12 year old girl very well. It was kind of annoying.
The parenthetical commentary in the book was annoying. Sometimes it felt like it was coming from the author, other times it felt like it was supposed to be coming from the character. It was written in third person, so these additions really didn't make much sense.
There were some good bits near the middle end that kept me going. They were few and far between though. Sometimes the build up to things was so great, but then when it actually happened it was disappointing.
I wish the creepy cats had been explained a bit better.
The Stepford Wives comparison is apt. Creepy witches and fine writing.
It took me a while to get used to her writing style, but once I did I couldn't put the book down.
I really enjoyed the story.
It was a bit like the cliche about Chinese food - great while I was reading it, but I was hungry for more an hour later.
I recommend it for a fun, fast read.
I really enjoyed the story.
It was a bit like the cliche about Chinese food - great while I was reading it, but I was hungry for more an hour later.
I recommend it for a fun, fast read.
Just how far are you willing to go to secure your family’s happiness, health, and prosperity? Would you go as far as selling your soul to achieve your heart’s desire? This is just one aspect of Susie Moloney’s latest, The Thirteen. Not only does she explore the lengths to which a woman will go to achieve her dreams, she explores its aftermath as well. Just how low will a person crawl in order to maintain the status quo and avoid losing everything? Therein lies the mystery and the drama.
The biggest issue with the The Thirteen is that no one character is particularly fresh. Each of the characters appears more as an archetype rather than a uniquely new character. There are the guilt-ridden friends who are torn between doing their duty versus doing what is right. There are the clueless ones, the shallow blind followers, the ruthless do-anything-necessary types, the charming and attractive love interest/savior, the strong rebellious daughter, and everything else readers would expect in such a novel.
At the same time, the plot follows a similar story arc as The Craft or even Witches of Eastwick. However, the differences from these stories are where The Thirteen shines. The Thirteen is not about beginnings but about endings. Rather than showcasing a new group of witches and how they let their power go to their heads, the group in Haven Woods have been comfortably using their power for two decades. It is their need/desire to maintain their power source that is the cause of all the mystery. The resulting drama is fresh and interesting. Unfortunately, even the look towards the future is not enough to prevent the story from being overly predictable.
That being said, Ms. Moloney’s writing is what saves The Thirteen from becoming just another copycat novel about witches. She is able to take these very familiar elements and combine them in such a way that makes them just as exciting and nerve-wracking as they were the first time. She captures the reader’s interest with the first hint of something insidious within the confines of Haven Woods. In addition, Paula’s plight keeps readers turning the pages, as they anxiously await to uncover whether she is going to figure out the mystery in time even as they can already surmise the answer. The tension built throughout the novel is formidable and extremely enjoyable.
The Thirteen presents the idea of a mother’s willingness to do anything for her family’s happiness taken to the extreme. Izzy is deliciously complicated, garnering a reader’s combined wrath and empathy, while Paula is the heroine to which every (female) reader will relate with her desire to seek a better future for her daughter while trying to help her ailing mother. The ending is a touch bit too predictable but satisfying all the same. The Thirteen is a fun, thrilling, and quick read – perfect for those stormy summer nights.
The biggest issue with the The Thirteen is that no one character is particularly fresh. Each of the characters appears more as an archetype rather than a uniquely new character. There are the guilt-ridden friends who are torn between doing their duty versus doing what is right. There are the clueless ones, the shallow blind followers, the ruthless do-anything-necessary types, the charming and attractive love interest/savior, the strong rebellious daughter, and everything else readers would expect in such a novel.
At the same time, the plot follows a similar story arc as The Craft or even Witches of Eastwick. However, the differences from these stories are where The Thirteen shines. The Thirteen is not about beginnings but about endings. Rather than showcasing a new group of witches and how they let their power go to their heads, the group in Haven Woods have been comfortably using their power for two decades. It is their need/desire to maintain their power source that is the cause of all the mystery. The resulting drama is fresh and interesting. Unfortunately, even the look towards the future is not enough to prevent the story from being overly predictable.
That being said, Ms. Moloney’s writing is what saves The Thirteen from becoming just another copycat novel about witches. She is able to take these very familiar elements and combine them in such a way that makes them just as exciting and nerve-wracking as they were the first time. She captures the reader’s interest with the first hint of something insidious within the confines of Haven Woods. In addition, Paula’s plight keeps readers turning the pages, as they anxiously await to uncover whether she is going to figure out the mystery in time even as they can already surmise the answer. The tension built throughout the novel is formidable and extremely enjoyable.
The Thirteen presents the idea of a mother’s willingness to do anything for her family’s happiness taken to the extreme. Izzy is deliciously complicated, garnering a reader’s combined wrath and empathy, while Paula is the heroine to which every (female) reader will relate with her desire to seek a better future for her daughter while trying to help her ailing mother. The ending is a touch bit too predictable but satisfying all the same. The Thirteen is a fun, thrilling, and quick read – perfect for those stormy summer nights.
It took me a while to get used to her writing style, but once I did I couldn't put the book down.
I really enjoyed the story.
It was a bit like the cliche about Chinese food - great while I was reading it, but I was hungry for more an hour later.
I recommend it for a fun, fast read.
I really enjoyed the story.
It was a bit like the cliche about Chinese food - great while I was reading it, but I was hungry for more an hour later.
I recommend it for a fun, fast read.
This is a book I won from the giveaways (thank you!). The Thirteen is a very unique book. I haven't ever read anything like it. It's about a group of witches who live in this small town. There's only one problem--they've just lost one of their members and must have thirteen in their group to keep their powers. Without a thirteenth, they also start to have awful things happen to them (severe aging, fingers falling off, etc). When one of the witches becomes ill, her daughter and granddaughter come to stay until she recuperates. The mother is a perfect candidate for the thirteenth, and the daughter is also important. The group of witches use everything in their power to keep the mother and daughter in town, ready to have things return back to normal.
Pros:
The beginning scene really grabbed my attention, as did meeting Paula and Rowan (the mother and daughter), but after that, I admit the book began to drag. It got better once you began to see more of what these witches were going through, and the last section of the book was especially gripping. Overall, the characters are good. I enjoyed Chick, Paula, Sanderson, Rowan, and Audra. I even ended up liking Marla. I also adored Old Tex and Gusto. They were nice additions to the story. Most of the witch characters aren't very nice though, especially Izzy. They make great villains, though they are so complex that they aren't truly evil.
Cons:
I enjoyed this book, but it took me a while to read because it was hard to get into at times (I tend to be a fast reader so this is a problem). I didn't really enjoy the writing style. I'm mostly talking about parts like this:
They were still gabbing, dark heads bent together like crows
(pecking at something interesting and dead)
She went from the window to the closet, found her school blazer with the St. Mary's crest
(Semper Vigilans)
and put it on.
I was also annoyed at how many unanswered questions I had at the end. You never hear what happens to most of the characters, and I had hoped it would be wrapped up in the epilogue.
Overall:
However, the characters and overall story was pretty entertaining. This book definitely shows the lengths some people will go to keep themselves happy. 3 stars.
Pros:
The beginning scene really grabbed my attention, as did meeting Paula and Rowan (the mother and daughter), but after that, I admit the book began to drag. It got better once you began to see more of what these witches were going through, and the last section of the book was especially gripping. Overall, the characters are good. I enjoyed Chick, Paula, Sanderson, Rowan, and Audra. I even ended up liking Marla. I also adored Old Tex and Gusto. They were nice additions to the story. Most of the witch characters aren't very nice though, especially Izzy. They make great villains, though they are so complex that they aren't truly evil.
Cons:
I enjoyed this book, but it took me a while to read because it was hard to get into at times (I tend to be a fast reader so this is a problem). I didn't really enjoy the writing style. I'm mostly talking about parts like this:
They were still gabbing, dark heads bent together like crows
(pecking at something interesting and dead)
She went from the window to the closet, found her school blazer with the St. Mary's crest
(Semper Vigilans)
and put it on.
I was also annoyed at how many unanswered questions I had at the end. You never hear what happens to most of the characters, and I had hoped it would be wrapped up in the epilogue.
Overall:
However, the characters and overall story was pretty entertaining. This book definitely shows the lengths some people will go to keep themselves happy. 3 stars.
Moloney is careful to lay the groundwork for her main characters, allowing us to better sympathize with the mother/daughter team as they move back to a neighbourhood of weirdly cheerful citizens. At times, Moloney evokes the subtle satire and horror of Ira Levin at his best (Rosemary's Baby, The Stepford Wives); there is true creepiness in many scenes, especially when the cabal meets to woo Paula over, with inane promises of "It's great. You'll love it. Your hair will be thicker, your skin so clear and smooth." There is the promise that The Thirteen could become an incisive satire of the forced domesticity of the suburbs, of the need to stay young and beautiful forever and the lengths we travel to keep themselves in comfort.
Alas, it was not to be. Despite such ripe possibilities, Moloney barely grazes the satire and instead amps up the horror. There's nothing inherently wrong with this, and she proves herself again a terrific talent when it comes to gruesomeness. She certainly does not shy away from some of the more unsavory aspects of witching, rewarding the reader with scenes of unsettling carnality and violence.
Read the rest of the review here.
Alas, it was not to be. Despite such ripe possibilities, Moloney barely grazes the satire and instead amps up the horror. There's nothing inherently wrong with this, and she proves herself again a terrific talent when it comes to gruesomeness. She certainly does not shy away from some of the more unsavory aspects of witching, rewarding the reader with scenes of unsettling carnality and violence.
Read the rest of the review here.