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davygibbs's review against another edition
3.0
Finally, a Graham Joyce book I didn't love without reservation. It's almost a relief. And even with this book, which I consider a mild disappointment, I was in danger of becoming obsessed. I felt like the progression towards the forbidden & inevitable & dangerous relationship between Jack and Louise was incredibly compelling, and it drove the middle third of the book for me. Unfortunately, that's not what the book was supposed to be about. For reasons that I don't believe are my fault, the indigo stuff never really came together for me. I felt like it amounted to a lot of false promise in the end, just a lot of vague and mysterious references that occasionally turned the plot. In my opinion, the real substantial stuff in this novel took place in the relationships -- both familial and otherwise, romantic & platonic, domestic & abroad. I felt like Billy, the fatherless child, was a brilliant addition, and it gave a lot of depth to the Jack & Louise sections. The love triangle was handled expertly, and the book did well by Chicago and Rome. Lots of choice passages. In the end, though, significantly less cohesive than the other Joyce novels I've read and loved.
roseparis's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
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