nikkimcgee 's review for:

A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore

3.0

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This book is without doubt beautifully written, I read it wishing that I could speak or write with such wit, power and emotion. If I were to rate the quality of the writing or even the individual sentences contained within the book it would get 5 stars however in this case the parts really are greater than the total . I failed to connect completely with this book and care for the characters, perhaps you are so absorbed by the beauty of the writing that you miss the actual story.

I think I would prefer to read an essay by the authors rather than her attempts to create characters which do not feel real. Her write style is so distinct that her voice overpowers the characters .

I am pleased I read the book and maybe this should be a 4 star but it did feel like a collection of very good short essays forced together to make a novel.