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3.16 AVERAGE
3.16 AVERAGE
Well written and interesting but just too depressing for me!
Shallow, stupid characters. Back and forth for no reason
As others have remarked, this seems like a failed attempt to be a Jeffrey Eugenides novel. I continuously wondered if the author has ever actually interacted with other people, because each character seemed like an alien’s disturbing interpretation of a person. It came across as both disjointed and contrived in my reading. Do not recommend.
This story revolves around the obsessive thoughts of a group of high school boys surrounding the disappearance of their sixteen year old classmate Nora. The boys imagine several scenarios over what happened to Nora that Halloween night and the possibilities grow as they age into their forties.
The premise of the story is intriguing as is the weaving of the events of their lives as the boys grow into men. What holds them together is this common event in their lives.
Here's where the book fell terribly short for me. The entire book is written as a narrative by one of the guys. You never know his name. A narrative approach may have worked, however the author had so many characters going on over the span of 20+ years, so there was essentially no character development that went deeper than surface level. This made it impossible for me to connect with and care about any of them. Also, over this 20+ years, why is this group of guys still so incredibly pre-occupied with Nora's dissapearance. It would be understandable for their to be lingering thoughts, but obsession?
Another area of difficulty was that the author seemed to find a way to throw in nearly every tragic event possible, rape, molestation, the early death of a parent, terroist bombing, etc. Instead of being a book about the collective musings over the missing Nora, it was a bombardement of the worst of society.
I enjoyed the concept of the book, but not the execution.
The premise of the story is intriguing as is the weaving of the events of their lives as the boys grow into men. What holds them together is this common event in their lives.
Here's where the book fell terribly short for me. The entire book is written as a narrative by one of the guys. You never know his name. A narrative approach may have worked, however the author had so many characters going on over the span of 20+ years, so there was essentially no character development that went deeper than surface level. This made it impossible for me to connect with and care about any of them. Also, over this 20+ years, why is this group of guys still so incredibly pre-occupied with Nora's dissapearance. It would be understandable for their to be lingering thoughts, but obsession?
Another area of difficulty was that the author seemed to find a way to throw in nearly every tragic event possible, rape, molestation, the early death of a parent, terroist bombing, etc. Instead of being a book about the collective musings over the missing Nora, it was a bombardement of the worst of society.
I enjoyed the concept of the book, but not the execution.
From The Book Wheel:
I love when I pick up a book and just fall right into it. I was a little wary when I picked up The Fates Will Find Their Way because the Goodreads rating is only so-so, and I try not to read anything that has less than a 3.5 star rating. But this one, with its little 3.18, was fantastic.
If you’re a fan of The Lovely Bones and The Virgin Suicides, then you will love this book. The basic premise is this:
At 17, a well-like girl named Nora Lindell went missing. Over the next couple of decades, a group of boys in her class concoct various stories about what may have happened to her. In some, she’s married and happy, and in others she’s a long-time dead. But in all of them, the details are vivid and the longing palpable. Even as they grow up, get married, and have kids, the boys from Nora’s childhood can’t seem to let her go.
For the full review, click here.
I love when I pick up a book and just fall right into it. I was a little wary when I picked up The Fates Will Find Their Way because the Goodreads rating is only so-so, and I try not to read anything that has less than a 3.5 star rating. But this one, with its little 3.18, was fantastic.
If you’re a fan of The Lovely Bones and The Virgin Suicides, then you will love this book. The basic premise is this:
At 17, a well-like girl named Nora Lindell went missing. Over the next couple of decades, a group of boys in her class concoct various stories about what may have happened to her. In some, she’s married and happy, and in others she’s a long-time dead. But in all of them, the details are vivid and the longing palpable. Even as they grow up, get married, and have kids, the boys from Nora’s childhood can’t seem to let her go.
For the full review, click here.
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I found parts of the book a bit frustrating as the story teller makes up his own story within the story. But it wrapped up nicely, which I have to admit I wasn't expecting.
A great tale about how a group of boys stay friends after high school. Its told from a very different perspective than other books I have read and it was a nice change.
A great tale about how a group of boys stay friends after high school. Its told from a very different perspective than other books I have read and it was a nice change.
I think this would be a lovely book had I not already read Jeffrey Eugenides' The Virgin Suicides.
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes