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colleenlovestoread's review against another edition
2.0
For whatever reason I could not get into this book. It had a good plot and storyline and the writting flowed relatively well. Even with that, I kept putting the book aside to do other things and just hoped it would end soon (which is very unlike me). I felt bad for every single character in this book as they had all been mistreated in one way or the other. Would probably be a great read for book groups as I could see many people having strong feelings about it one way or the other.
mochagirl's review against another edition
2.0
With only about 200 pages in its entirety, The Cradle has a rather immediate opening with Matt's very pregnant wife, Marissa, insisting he find her long-lost antique cradle from childhood. We quickly discover, via a series of flashbacks, that both Matt and Marissa have unresolved issues from their youth, stemming from Matt's adoption and foster care experiences and Marissa's mother's unexplained abandonment. In the first of many "coincidences," Marissa's father recalls the last known address of her mother and sets Matt on an adventure toward reclamation. Without divulging too much of the plot, Matt's journey uncovers more than just the cradle.
The story suffers from being too predictable (even with the inclusion of some very quirky characters) and too one-dimensional which subtracts from the suspense. Despite the author's efforts, the lead characters came across as flat and somewhat dull compared to the others. The pacing stalled with elongated passages that did not really promote the plot or develop the characters much. I really wanted to enjoy the story because the description on the back cover piqued my interest; unfortunately, I was left a bit disappointed.
The story suffers from being too predictable (even with the inclusion of some very quirky characters) and too one-dimensional which subtracts from the suspense. Despite the author's efforts, the lead characters came across as flat and somewhat dull compared to the others. The pacing stalled with elongated passages that did not really promote the plot or develop the characters much. I really wanted to enjoy the story because the description on the back cover piqued my interest; unfortunately, I was left a bit disappointed.
lpercy17's review against another edition
3.0
I liked the book, but it read more like a short story writer (having practice reading such things). It was packed with too many characters all of whom seemed unbelievable, and too many things happening, many far-fetched. Nice story overall. I could see it as a movie.
nataliecherne's review against another edition
3.0
This book was a fairly quick read. It could be hard to follow, but the author had good intentions. I wish it delved deeper into some relationships, but I understood what Somerville wanted to do.
canadianbookworm's review
4.0
This novel was shortlisted for the Centre for Fiction First Novel Prize. It has two storylines. The first is around young Matthew Bishop and his wife Marissa. Marissa is eight months pregnant with their first child and expresses a sudden need for the cradle used for her own infancy. The cradle was taken by her mother years ago when she left Marissa and her father. Matthew takes on the quest to find the cradle, following lead after lead on its trail, and discovering something completely unexpected at the end.
The second storyline, set decades later is around children's author Renee Owen, who finds difficulty dealing with her son's deployment to Iraq. She is drawn back to memories of an lost love, and past secrets.
I was entirely caught up in the novel, and found Matthew a sympathetic character. I had some inklings of some of the books developments before they happened, but was still surprised. A very enjoyable read.
The second storyline, set decades later is around children's author Renee Owen, who finds difficulty dealing with her son's deployment to Iraq. She is drawn back to memories of an lost love, and past secrets.
I was entirely caught up in the novel, and found Matthew a sympathetic character. I had some inklings of some of the books developments before they happened, but was still surprised. A very enjoyable read.
northstar's review
4.0
The Cradle follows two stories a decade apart. In 1997, Marissa sends her husband, Matt, on a quest to find the cradle in which she was rocked as a baby. She is about to have their first child and wants the cradle, which disappeared in a burglary not long after her mother abandoned her and her father. Ten years later, Renee and her husband seek ways to cope with anxiety and fear after their son, Adam (!), deploys to the Middle East.
The characters' lives are intertwined but this is not a case of bizarre coincidence: author Patrick Somerville created a connection and then used the alternating viewpoints to build the story. He is a skilled writer and provides exactly the right amount of detail--nothing feels overwrought or undertold. It is a mystery, a family tale and a meditation on the past and how we weave the loose ends into our present. Highly recommended.
The characters' lives are intertwined but this is not a case of bizarre coincidence: author Patrick Somerville created a connection and then used the alternating viewpoints to build the story. He is a skilled writer and provides exactly the right amount of detail--nothing feels overwrought or undertold. It is a mystery, a family tale and a meditation on the past and how we weave the loose ends into our present. Highly recommended.
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