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3.35 AVERAGE
3.35 AVERAGE
I really enjoyed this book. I was kind of surprised to see all the negative reviews about it. I like the way the author flipped back and forth through characters and the varying length of chapters made it a very quick read (mostly because I had to keep reading to find out what happened next). I loved the background of Salem, MA and thought the author did a good job painting a picture of what the town was like in the late 1990's. The idea of the lace reading was fascinating to me, even though it's fictional. I got a little confused by the ending and it certainly wasn't very evident to me what was going on (although I guess I should have caught on w/ the grave misspelling early on). I wish I could have had more resolution with the characters and what life was like after the end. I'd definitely read another book by this author, though.
I liked the writing of this book, but thought the end was confusing and not entirely satisfying.
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A quick read with interesting plot twists. I never connected with the main character though and found her and some other characters not credible.
Fresh and innovative of premise, and enchanting of prose, The Lace Reader initially presented itself with great promise. However, with the final few chapters, Brunonia Barry managed to take each carefully spun strand of story that she had woven over the course of the book and grind it under her heel in a way that effectively nullified the worth of the rest of the novel. Although initially captivating, the ending to this story unfortunately ruined the effect entirely, leaving the reader without any sense of closure or purpose.
The main character of The Lace Reader, Towner Whitney, comes from a line of Ipswich women who can read someone’s future in the patterns of lace. A troubled woman, Towner returns to Salem when she learns of the death of her great-aunt; she soon dredges up the ghosts of the past—from which she left town to escape years ago—the longer she stays. She refers to herself at the start of the book as an unreliable narrator, and she does indeed assume this role with an abandon the likes of which I’ve not read since Holden Caulfield. The problem is, as the reader, her narrative voice comes across as so genuine (and, of course, she is the main point of view in this book) that we are tricked into thinking about things like she does, and seeing things through her eyes. It is this skillful deception that lies underneath the entire narrative, waiting for the opportune moment to reveal itself. And when it does, it is an emotional punch to the gut. Kudos to the author for making me care so deeply about this character, despite her flaws.
Although an excellent narrator, Towner, as a character, falls flat. At no point in the story did I get a sense of her as a person (for example, she is never described physically, which can be a bit disconcerting to a reader used to envisioning the protagonist). Instead, I felt like she was parroting back to the reader how other people in the book saw her. Her actions and her life were all defined by the actions of others and not herself. Towner is a passive character in an active role, and it is an ill fit. Even her interactions with the other characters in the book felt one-note. A lot of that probably had to do with the numerous psychological problems Towner had. While I did enjoy her interaction with Rafferty, who was her somewhat love interest, I more enjoyed her relationship with her twin sister, Lyndley, and how Towner feels like she can never measure up to her prettier, smarter, more mature and worldly sister.
Brunonia Barry is a bit of a revelation to me. I honestly purchased this book because of the semi-intriguing cover and more so because of the extremely intriguing bargain book price. I was expecting a light little beach read, but got something else entirely. Barry truly is a wordsmith. The Lace Reader read like a waking dream, with poetic prose that unpacked itself little by little in a way that seemed familiar, like a friend telling you a story. That much I enjoyed greatly about Towner’s narrative. I felt like I was there with her, seeing what she saw and feeling what she felt.
Another part of the book that was unexpected and lovely was the setting. Having been born in Boston and gone to school in Salem, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of detail that Barry put into her books about the North Shore. I was even more delighted to be able to picture exactly what Towner was referring to when she mentioned certain landmarks, like the Salem Willows or the farmer’s market. Even without this prior knowledge, I feel like Barry did an excellent job creating a fully actualized backdrop for her story. I truly enjoyed reading about it.
Now that I’ve had more time to reflect on the ending of this book (which I am still wholeheartedly disappointed in), I understand why it happened how it did. However, I felt like Barry couldn’t decide what she wanted her book to be, and instead of selecting one or two plot avenues and pursuing those more fully, she threw them all together in on bucket and tried to see what she came up with. The ending was a complete letdown because it took everything that had been established, crumpled it up, and threw it in the trash. Overall, the plot was there, the intrigue was there, but the execution failed.
The main character of The Lace Reader, Towner Whitney, comes from a line of Ipswich women who can read someone’s future in the patterns of lace. A troubled woman, Towner returns to Salem when she learns of the death of her great-aunt; she soon dredges up the ghosts of the past—from which she left town to escape years ago—the longer she stays. She refers to herself at the start of the book as an unreliable narrator, and she does indeed assume this role with an abandon the likes of which I’ve not read since Holden Caulfield. The problem is, as the reader, her narrative voice comes across as so genuine (and, of course, she is the main point of view in this book) that we are tricked into thinking about things like she does, and seeing things through her eyes. It is this skillful deception that lies underneath the entire narrative, waiting for the opportune moment to reveal itself. And when it does, it is an emotional punch to the gut. Kudos to the author for making me care so deeply about this character, despite her flaws.
Although an excellent narrator, Towner, as a character, falls flat. At no point in the story did I get a sense of her as a person (for example, she is never described physically, which can be a bit disconcerting to a reader used to envisioning the protagonist). Instead, I felt like she was parroting back to the reader how other people in the book saw her. Her actions and her life were all defined by the actions of others and not herself. Towner is a passive character in an active role, and it is an ill fit. Even her interactions with the other characters in the book felt one-note. A lot of that probably had to do with the numerous psychological problems Towner had. While I did enjoy her interaction with Rafferty, who was her somewhat love interest, I more enjoyed her relationship with her twin sister, Lyndley, and how Towner feels like she can never measure up to her prettier, smarter, more mature and worldly sister.
Brunonia Barry is a bit of a revelation to me. I honestly purchased this book because of the semi-intriguing cover and more so because of the extremely intriguing bargain book price. I was expecting a light little beach read, but got something else entirely. Barry truly is a wordsmith. The Lace Reader read like a waking dream, with poetic prose that unpacked itself little by little in a way that seemed familiar, like a friend telling you a story. That much I enjoyed greatly about Towner’s narrative. I felt like I was there with her, seeing what she saw and feeling what she felt.
Another part of the book that was unexpected and lovely was the setting. Having been born in Boston and gone to school in Salem, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of detail that Barry put into her books about the North Shore. I was even more delighted to be able to picture exactly what Towner was referring to when she mentioned certain landmarks, like the Salem Willows or the farmer’s market. Even without this prior knowledge, I feel like Barry did an excellent job creating a fully actualized backdrop for her story. I truly enjoyed reading about it.
Now that I’ve had more time to reflect on the ending of this book (which I am still wholeheartedly disappointed in), I understand why it happened how it did. However, I felt like Barry couldn’t decide what she wanted her book to be, and instead of selecting one or two plot avenues and pursuing those more fully, she threw them all together in on bucket and tried to see what she came up with. The ending was a complete letdown because it took everything that had been established, crumpled it up, and threw it in the trash. Overall, the plot was there, the intrigue was there, but the execution failed.
The author wrote well and it was an interesting plot idea, but I guess I didn't get it. There wasn't too much lace reading going on and Towner's "mental illness" was convoluted and misdirected. I guess I didn't understand she needed to solve her own family mystery while avoiding her ability to lace read.
However, having lived in Salem, I enjoyed reading about places I was familiar with.
However, having lived in Salem, I enjoyed reading about places I was familiar with.
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Physical abuse
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, Alcohol
Minor: Incest, Infertility, Mental illness, Vomit, Suicide attempt
From the very beginning of The Lace Reader, the main character tells us she is a liar. The first time I read this book, I paid attention to that comment, but I could not detect any lies and eventually I forgot about that statement. As it turns out, Towner is not really lying, but Brunonia Barry’s novel is an outstanding example of the use of an unreliable narrator, and a haunting story.
The Lace Reader is a wonderful book, layered with secrets, an exploration in the difference between perception and reality. With an atmospheric setting, characters to care about, and a compelling plot, the book is a real page-turner. The last few paragraphs made me re-evaluate everything I had read.
See my complete review here:
http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/tag/the-lace-reader/
The Lace Reader is a wonderful book, layered with secrets, an exploration in the difference between perception and reality. With an atmospheric setting, characters to care about, and a compelling plot, the book is a real page-turner. The last few paragraphs made me re-evaluate everything I had read.
See my complete review here:
http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/tag/the-lace-reader/
When I got to the end I felt like I needed to reread the book to understand what had happened clearly. It was pulled into the story from the beginning and even though I was watching for clues to the twists and turns I was quite surprised by the ending. *quite a bit of language
I learned that every book needs a good editor. This novel was self-published and you could tell. The story - while interested and sort of etheral - could have definitely benefited from the sure hand of an editor. I'll be curious to see how the author's next novel turns out.