5th Sept 2010: I am really struggling with this book. The fact that it is in pdf doesn't help but I read Burnt Shadows on myPossibly 2 1/2 stars but...
5th Sept 2010: I am really struggling with this book. The fact that it is in pdf doesn't help but I read Burnt Shadows on my PC and loved it. No, unfortunately, it is the writer's style that is causing me problems. I find him really facetious and sarcastic. He always expects the worst - and gets it. Some of the things that have happened to him already, have the potential to be quite amusing but I haven't laughed yet, cracked a smile occasionally perhaps. It's not a dreadful book, worth 3 stars, and I will finish it. I hope the second half, where Dolley discovers the identity theft, will pick up.
To be continued.............
Updated 6th Jan 2012: Now that I have a Kindle I have finally finished this book. As I had hoped, the second half did pick up a bit. The Identity theft and the fact that the author solved the question as to who had stollen his identity (while the police in four countries just dragged their feet), made for interesting reading. The author remained as annoying as ever though, so my star rating remains unchanged.
Merged review:
Possibly 2 1/2 stars but...
5th Sept 2010: I am really struggling with this book. The fact that it is in pdf doesn't help but I read Burnt Shadows on my PC and loved it. No, unfortunately, it is the writer's style that is causing me problems. I find him really facetious and sarcastic. He always expects the worst - and gets it. Some of the things that have happened to him already, have the potential to be quite amusing but I haven't laughed yet, cracked a smile occasionally perhaps. It's not a dreadful book, worth 3 stars, and I will finish it. I hope the second half, where Dolley discovers the identity theft, will pick up.
To be continued.............
Updated 6th Jan 2012: Now that I have a Kindle I have finally finished this book. As I had hoped, the second half did pick up a bit. The Identity theft and the fact that the author solved the question as to who had stollen his identity (while the police in four countries just dragged their feet), made for interesting reading. The author remained as annoying as ever though, so my star rating remains unchanged....more
This book didn't really gel for me. It was rather disjointed and seemed to lurch its way between being a memoir and a faFalls a bit short of the mark.
This book didn't really gel for me. It was rather disjointed and seemed to lurch its way between being a memoir and a farewell to his family. In addition, I had a problem with Imtiaz's motivation for becoming a suicide bomber - he seemed more worried about belonging and being a part of something than actually convinced by the ideology of Islam. He preferred to listen to Islamic stories than to study the Koran, although he was very devout about attending the prayers.
Imtiaz was born in Sheffield, of Pakistani parents. He studied in a British school and progressed to university, where he met Becca. When Becca fell pregnant they married and his daughter Noor was born. He seemed on course to live a normal life as husband and father, until his own father died and he travelled back to Pakistan with the body. There, in his desperation to belong, he got into a fundamentalist crowd and committed himself to the ultimate sacrifice.
As my motivation for reading this book was to understand what drives a young man, with a wife and daughter, to kill himself and others for his cause, I was ultimately a bit disappointed. 3 1/2 stars from me and although I would try this author again, I wouldn't particularly recommend this book. ...more
I think the overall feeling I have, having finished this book, is that Radhika is one of the (lucky?) few who have sAn horrendous story, bravely told.
I think the overall feeling I have, having finished this book, is that Radhika is one of the (lucky?) few who have survived the horrors and found a life after the terrible abuses she suffered. But, according to the figures at the back of the book, "Adults and children in forced labour, bonded labour and forced prostitution around the world: 12.3 MILLION", she was very much in the mninority. It is the reality of this huge number that is haunting me now, such phenominal suffering just to bring satisfaction to violent, inadequate men. It leaves me speechless.
Radhika was typical of so many naiive, trusting, young girls who want nothing more than to better themselves from a life of poverty. In this position they are easy prey to the traffickers who appear so caring and present such convincing offers that they would be hard to refuse. Although we hear of such things happening, this book was an eye-opener for me in several ways. Firstly, I was shocked by the theft of Rahika's kidney; I had assumed that these organs were bought from the donors - marginally better, but at least the donor stands to earn much needed cash from the transaction. Secondly, I was horrified by the tratment of Rohan, Radhika's son, who was used a bait to keep his mother obedient, but was himself atrociously treated. The organisation that is helping her and Rohan to recover, Maiti Nepal, is doing wonderful work in many fields, from recuperation and education, to legal advice and prosecution of the guilty, but the response of the police to Radhika's own personal complaint was woefully inadequate. This book needs to be widely read to publicise the plight of these suffering millions and eventually to bring about change.
My main problem with this book is not the book itself but the excess of information we are given on theRural life in Ireland vs high life in New York.
My main problem with this book is not the book itself but the excess of information we are given on the back cover. I would have preferred to have been left wondering what decision Ellie would make - whether to embrace her newfound life in New York or return to her childhood sweetheart and the hardships of her native Ireland. If you feel the same way then read no further and don't read the back of the book!
Unfortunately, we knew from the start that Ellie is drawn back to "the power of home and blood and old love", and for me, that was the wrong decision - I wanted her to stay in New York. Perhaps I am influenced by my own past - having left UK for a new life in Dubai I could relate to the excitement of New York and was frustrated by John's refusal to give it a go and at least make an informed decision. Of course, the money she'd made in US did help alleviate many of the hardships they had suffered in the early days, so she wasn't entierly returning to the old life.
The characterisations were good but sometimes a little shallow; Ellie's mother, in particular, frustrated me. Having said that, the descriptions of the hardships of Ireland, contrasted to the bright life of NY, were excellent - and perhaps contributed to my feeling that she should have stayed. The book is worth the read for these images alone. I was also fascinated by the lack of class distinction in 20's New York, the fact that an intelligent, hard working young girl could raise herself from servitiude to wealthy, independent living with such apparent ease - and I think it will be that image that stays with me from this book. ...more
Last year I did not abandon a single book, unfortunately, this is the second book to bite the dust since January 2011 stared, just 14 dAbandonded p75.
Last year I did not abandon a single book, unfortunately, this is the second book to bite the dust since January 2011 stared, just 14 days ago. I was supposed to be reading The Elegance of the Hedgehog for a reading group and I really tried to get into it. I nearly gave up on p45 and set myself a target of 75 pages for the book to improve, I think it got worse.
I do not have a degree in philosophy, have never read Tolstoy, and have absolutely no interest in Phenomenology nor Determinism (whatever they may be). There didn't seem to be much else to the book, certainly nothing aproximating to a story in the first half, and I was not prepared to spend another week getting to the allegedly improved secong half.
Of the storyline, I gleaned no more than was explained on the back of the book - a self taught French concierge (autodidact!), is hiding her intelligence from the residents of the appartment block (why? Wouldn't her life have been more interesting if she could have had a few stimulating conversations with them?) and a 12 year old girl with profound thoughts, well beyond her years, has decided to commit suicide because she doesn't want to have to conceal her intelligence any longer.
If I still had the book I could have quoted one of the unbelievably meaningless paragraphs, but unfortunately I have given the book away to someone who loved it so much that she wanted her own copy - each to their own!!!!!!!! ...more
It does not make me proud that the British were involved with detaining these war-weary people who had suffered so much. SA shameful piece of history.
It does not make me proud that the British were involved with detaining these war-weary people who had suffered so much. Survivors of WW II concentration camps, women forced to prostitute themselves to the enemy to survive, others who had been forced into hiding, freedom fighters who had lived in the hills helping others to safety - they had made it as far as "The Promised Land", yet still they found themselves behind barbed wire, interned and deprived of their freedom. Whatever your feelings about the current Israeli / Palestinian situation, you can't help but feel for the individuals who found themselves trapped.
Anita Diamant did a good job of highlighting this slice of history but I didn't feel particularly involved with the four main characters who she choses as her protagonists. I agree with the reviewer who felt they were a bit shallow; I found them rather disjointed and sparse. Shayndel, Leonie, Tedi and Zorah were thrown together in the internment camp of Atlit after WW II, herded into the 'delousing shed' and then housed in dormitories while the authorities decided what was to become of them. The lucky ones had family in Palestine and were allowed to join them but many knew no-one and had followed the dream of a new life, only to find something rather more like what they had escaped.
This was certainly worth the read but falls short of the supremely high standard Ms Diamant set herself with The Red Tent. ...more
This was not an easy read. There was something about the style in which it was written, almost poetic in pAn illuminating insight into forbidden love.
This was not an easy read. There was something about the style in which it was written, almost poetic in places, that made to mere 260 pages feel like a tome. I chose to read the book because it is written by a Zanzibari author and I was visiting Zanzibar at the time. From this perspective I found I could relate more to the second half of the book, set in the 50's in the capital, Stone Town. Many of the buildings mentioned I had walked past or visited and this lifted the book for me. The first half was set at the turn of the previous century and some of the historical detail was quite dense.
There are five main characters in Part I; the shop keeper Hassanali, his sister Rehana and his wife Malika are all natives of Zanzibar but with Indian descent. Martin Pearce, an English adventurer stumbles into their lives after being abandoned in the desert by his Somali guides and falls for Rehana. Frederick Turner, a representative of the British colonial rule, houses and befriends Martin. Apart from a lot of background description and rambling, not a lot happens. The move to part II is jerky, without explanation, and involves a family in Zanzibar; mother, father, daughter Farida and two sons, Rashid and Amin. Amin falls for Jamila, an older woman with a chequered history. At the time we are not told that she is the grand-daughter of Martin and Rehana but I don't think it would hurt to mention that here as it makes the story more comprehensible and I would have prefered to have known how the characters were significant. This was a less historical section which gave a strong feel for the importance of shame and appearances in the Muslim community and I felt for the lovers in their trials. Finally the parts are brought together and the background story revealed.
I had previously read By the Sea and found it hard going so the style was no surprise this time around. If you are travelling to Zanzibar, however, then I would highly recommend this book. ...more
I had already read this book a few years previously but that did not dampen my enjoyment at having this book narrateReview for the Abridged Audiobook.
I had already read this book a few years previously but that did not dampen my enjoyment at having this book narrated to me, complete with authentic accents provided by Kerry Shale.
As a Booker nomination, I found this a light relief. In recent years I have avoided Booker prize winners as they have been either too dense or weird. This was definitely a move in the right direction.
We first meet Balram as he is composing a letter to the Premier of China who is due to visit his home town of Bangalore, India. By this time he has crawled his way up from a background of poverty and deprivation in 'The Darkness' to wealth and esteem in 'The Light', but it has not been an easy journey. As Balram describes, via in his letter, his rise from rags to riches, Adiga paints a vivid picture of the two sides of India and the strings that connect them. Richly atmospheric, The White Tiger brings forth the smells and sounds of India in a highly readable novel. I have to admit I would love to visit the great second-hand book market of Darya Ganj (P 215)!
If you haven't already read/listened to this, it's certainly worth the effort....more
I have read all of Tracy Chevalier's books and am a great fan of her work. I have given most of her books 5 stars, withoAnother Chevalier masterpiece.
I have read all of Tracy Chevalier's books and am a great fan of her work. I have given most of her books 5 stars, without hesitation, but this is the one that I enjoyed the least - 'only' 4 stars for the book, 3 1/2 for the abridged audio version.
The narrative begins with artist Nicolas des Innocents being called upon by nobleman, Jean Le Viste, to design some beautiful tapestries for his wife. As a portrait painter, he is rather surprised by the commission but takes it on enthusiastically. When Nicholas meets Le Viste's daughter, Claude, he is instantly smitten, though the Le Viste family is horrified when they hear.
Nicholas is then called away to Brussels to meet the man who will weave the tapestries. For me, this was the better part of the book. The struggles the weaver and his family go through to get the work finished on time and the descriptions of the weaver's blind daughter, really had me rooting for them. Nicholas des Innocents was being far from innocent in Brussels and I didn't have much respect for his character, probably resulting in the dropped star in my rating.
I was lucky enough to be reading from the hardback version with beautiful illustrations of the tapestries in both frontspieces, which greatly added to my pleasure in the book.
If you are new to this author I'd recommend starting with The Virgin Blue or Falling Angels, but it's a hard choice! ...more
Oh dear, this book was such a disappointment. The narrative had barely enough content for a short story and even that was repAn elongated short story.
Oh dear, this book was such a disappointment. The narrative had barely enough content for a short story and even that was repeated in several versions. We were subjected to one version by Adamine Bustamante, the Warner Woman herself and then another, boringly similar version, by the writer who was apparently narrating her story. I had hoped for much more detail and character analysis of the inhabitants of the leper colony but they were merely a passing phase.
The story started with The Original Pearline Portious, followed later by her daughter, Adamante, also known (incorrectly) as Pearline Portious. TOPP made knitted doilies but refused to submit to convention and make them white; she was knitting in rainbow colours. Having failed to sell them at the market she found herself at a leper colony where she obtained an order for knitted bandages. So began her journey away from home and into independence. Adamine is born in the leper colony and the book is really about her rather than her mother as she relates her life to the Writer Man and learns that she has the ability to tell the future - or 'Warn'. But here, again, I felt there was little substance, as she never really used her skills to any effect other than realising what effect her departure from the leper colony had had.
I found the narrative pretty slow, with little to redeem it. If I hadn't been reading the book to review it I think I would have given up, and having now finished, I don't think I'd have missed much. I enjoyed reading the reviews by other Amazon.co.uk reviewers, however, as I can see now where the book was heading, I'm only sorry I didn't get so much out of it. I would therefore say it might be worth a read - hopefully you will enjoy it as much as others have. ...more
It took me a little while to get into this book. The ending is at the beginning so we know from the start that Goerge's loA steamy tropical paradise.
It took me a little while to get into this book. The ending is at the beginning so we know from the start that Goerge's love of Trinidad wins over Sabine's desperate need to return home. My interest was sufficiently piqued, however, to find out what went on in the intervening years, why Sabine was writing unsent letters to Eric Williams and who he was. But I think, at the end of the day, that I too, fell under the spell of the island, I didn't want Sabine to persuade George to return home - I could hear the call of the cycadas, feel the moisture in the air, and wanted to stay.
When Sabine and George arrive at Port of Spain, they are newly wed and ready to spend a couple of years having an 'adventure', before starting up home in Britain. George has a short term contract and they intend to return when it is completed. It is not long, however, before Sabine starts to suspect that George has other ideas, may even have had them before he arrived. His contract is renewed and he starts to build a house, he even adopts Trinidadian nationality. Sabine doesn't stand a chance.
I could really identify with their first impressions - their first home, the hot weather and the strangeness of it all - it reminded me so much of my early days as an expat in Dubai. And expat life does not suit everyone; Sabine was an excellent representation of that.
In addition this was a work of historical fiction, covering the period of time from the 1950's when Trinidad and Tobago became independent of Britain and underwent the awkward, tense, transition into a new country. The majority of expats returned home but still Sabine and George never quite managed to leave.
A very atmospheric book with excellent characters. Well worth a read, especially if you enjoy international fiction. ...more
I listened to the Audible version of this book, beautifully read by Charlotte Stevens. I wonder if I would have enjoyedReview for the Audible version.
I listened to the Audible version of this book, beautifully read by Charlotte Stevens. I wonder if I would have enjoyed it less if I had read the hard copy.
The story is basically that of Alice Fonseca who is 9 years old when we meet her at the start of the book. She is living in Sri Lanka with her parents; a Singhalese mother and a Tamil father. Unfortunately this cross cultural marriage causes problems as Sri Lanka heads towards civil war in 1983. The problems are poiniantly illustrated by the loss of Alice's baby sister who is still-born due to a lack of adequate medical care, soley because the baby's father is Tamil. Alice's mother never really recovered from this event, leaving Alice with only her Grandfather - Bee, as moral support within the family. When Alice and her parents leave Sri Lanka for England and safety, she feels entirely alone. Brixton Beach is quite a depressing story. In spite of the wonderful descriptions of Sri Lanka in the first half, the general mood of the book is more akin to the correspondingly drab descriptions of life in England in the second half. I would have liked a little more joy in the book.
In my opinion Alice ended up with the wrong man (won't say more for fear of spoilers). I would also have preferred that the book had not started with the London bombings of 2005 - they could have been more effectively simply added at the end. In addition, I didn't particularly like Simon and didn't really see the point in the reference to the opera-loving beauty that he saw in his youth and subsequently searched for at future operas.
A good read but overall I preferred Bone China by the same author. ...more
I really enjoyed this well balanced novel - set in both India and America, it is narrated by several of the characters but never becAn excellent read.
I really enjoyed this well balanced novel - set in both India and America, it is narrated by several of the characters but never becomes confusing or dull. Many complex issues are covered, including adoption from third world countries into affluent Western families and the extreme poverty that can force a family to dispose of female offspring. I found the issues sensitively handled throughout and admit to crying towards the end. (The sure sign of a good book!).
There are several main characters who all form part of the narrative; Kavita and Jasu from a poverty stricken area of India, and American Somer and her Indian husband Krishnan from San Fransisco and California. Their daughter Usha/Asha binds the future of the two families when she is adopted and moved to US. The journey that Kavita and Jasu make to Bombay, to search for their hope of a better life, was an eye opener, and the wealthy family that Krishnan comes from was also interesting, with the matriach, Dadima holding everything together. There were some interesting contrasts - the slum life of Mumbai vs the riches of America, and the strength of the arranged marriages in India vs the stresses of modern life on the love matches of the West. It certainly provided food for thought.
Although the overall feel of the book was that the women were frequently the stronger characters, the men also played a vital role but their characters had less chance to speak.
I was fascinated to read that the author spent a summer as a volunteer in an Indian orphanage; being of Indian descent and living in America, I felt that it was a book written from the heart.
Certainly an author I will read again. Recommended. ...more
We read this book for a book group and although I would normally avoid short stories for such discussioFive harrowing stories about Africa's children.
We read this book for a book group and although I would normally avoid short stories for such discussions, these were sufficiently similarly themed to make for an enlightening evening. The universal subject of horrors witnessed or experienced by Africa's children was a harrowing topic, however, and some readers did not manage to complete all the stories.
Personally, I thought some were better than others and had a big problem with the language in 'Fattening for Gabon'. It didn't seem to me that it was necessary to make the speach so inaccessible, we would have achieved the same, if not better, understanding with more comprehensible language. The other story that caused me to drop a point in the star rating was 'Luxurious Hearses'; it was just too slow and drawn out. Having said that, generally the author was spot-on in tugging at our heart strings and it was certainly a collection that will stay with me for many months. It is a wonder that children can ever recover from such horrors and it is a poor refection on us as adults that they should ever have to.
Another book that I read recently on a similar theme was The Go-Away Bird by Warren Fitzgerald, set in Rwanda, also recommended reading. ...more
I listened to the unabridged audio version of this book during a recent long journey and the miles flew by. The author has hWonderfully balanced book.
I listened to the unabridged audio version of this book during a recent long journey and the miles flew by. The author has hit just that perfect balance between putting across a serious message and making a book entertaining. For a book set in Afghanistan it has some wonderfully humorous momnents too.
Fawad is an 11yr old boy, living with his mother in an aunt's house. His father and two brothers are dead and no-one knows what has become of his sister since she was abducted by the Taliban. They have barely enough money to feed and clothe themselves, with nothing remaining to pay rent. Fawad runs with the local children, begging and stealing money from unsuspecting foreigners. Their luck changes dramatically when his mother gets work as housemaid to a group of foreigners who share a house. She does all their cleaning and cooking and Fawad is allowed to live there with them. Georgie, James and May are wonderful characters and the interactions are great fun. Fawad gets work in a local grocery store run by a blind man who is a constant source of insights into life and interactions between people; he has an opinion on everything. As time passes over a period of about 18 months, there are both happy and sad moments but the book is ultimately uplifting.
The audiobook was beautifully read by Mark Meadows, bringing all the characters to life and I would thoroughly recommend either the written or audio versions. ...more
I was completely engrossed in this book, which I listened to on Audible (unabridged). The book I was supposed to be reading for a booTotally gripping.
I was completely engrossed in this book, which I listened to on Audible (unabridged). The book I was supposed to be reading for a book group was only half read by the day of the discussion and I was looking for jobs around the house that I could do with my headphones on!!
Unfortunately a couple of niggling annoyances left it as a 4 1/2 star read. Firstly the constant reference to Frazer Melville rather than Frazer - who uses their whole name all the time? References to him as 'The Physicist' weren't much better. In addition I cringed at the repetition of the lengthy Spanish (Portugese?) phrase related to the painting in Gabrielle's house.
Gabrielle Fox is an Art Therapist on the rebound from a crippling accident that has left her confined to a wheelchair, paralysed from the waist down. This leaves her very vulnerable when she is confronted by Bethany Crawl, a psychotic teenager who killed her own mother by repeartedly stabbing her with a screwdriver. Gabrielle makes a noble attempt to behave professionally with Bethany but the teenager is wise to all the 'psychobabble' and soon sees through her. Bethany claims to be able to predict environmental disasters and when she is repeatedly correct it becomes more and more difficult to fob it off as coincidence.
The only date that I spotted as I listened to the book was 2012, a date that has been linked to current apocalyptic predictions, making the book even more topical. In addition there is a love interest, in the person of Frazer Melville and a Christian viewpoint, depicted as the Faith Wave, whose members believe the increase in catastrophic events heralds The Rature, when they will be whisked off to heaven and non-believers will be left to suffer.
I couldn't predict how the author was going to end the book but it was spot on from my point of view. It's a shame that so many people have not enjoyed it so much and it does have its flaws but I'd recommend it without hesitation - off to read more of Ms Jensen's books :) ...more
I started to read this three years ago and it has loitered on my unfinished books pile ever since. I managed about half, as the readable chaAbandoned.
I started to read this three years ago and it has loitered on my unfinished books pile ever since. I managed about half, as the readable chapters were quite enjoyable, but then I'd hit the chapters full of local jargon and have absolutely no idea what was being said. Having lived in Dubai for many years I'd assumed I'd be able to untangle a lot of the Indian colloquialisms, but I was wrong - whole chapters were completely indecipherable. Hitting these chapters was like trying to drive into sand and eventually I admitted defeat. Regretfully, I have given away the rest of the trilogy....more
I cannot believe the glowing reviews these audio CDs have recieved from Amazon.co.uk reviewers. I was really disappointed, I have now listened tAwful!
I cannot believe the glowing reviews these audio CDs have recieved from Amazon.co.uk reviewers. I was really disappointed, I have now listened to 3 of the 6 and I really don't think I can face the rest. I find the narrator annoying - repeatedly emphasising the wrong word or even several words in each sentence so that I feel patronised and talked-down-to. The inserts in old English are pompous and aggravating. The musical interludes are simly awful, I cringe until they end. In short there was no aspect of the narration that I enjoyed and I learnt very little. My 24 year-old son was with me on a journey while we listened to discs 2 and 3 and he wholeheartedly agreed with me, so I am not totally alone. Definitely not recommended. ...more
This would have been a pleasant enough read but it was the humour embodied in the story that raised it to a 5 star book. At only 172A delight to read.
This would have been a pleasant enough read but it was the humour embodied in the story that raised it to a 5 star book. At only 172 pages, it was a delight; I don't often say this but I'd have loved it to have been twice as long.
Luo and his friend, the narrator, are teenagers in 1971 when they are sent to a remote Szechuan village for 're-education'. From the moment they arrive with a violin which they rescue from its fate of burning by announcing that one of the songs it plays is "Mozart is thinking of Chairman Mao" it was obvious that this was not your usual cultural Chinese fiction. The boys are expected to perform the most mundane and unpleasant tasks but their upbeat attitude carries them through and provides the reader with an insight into this aspect of the Chinese cultural revolution without the usual misery. Luo's ability to tell wonderful stories results in their being sent on regular two day trecks to a neighbouring town just to watch cinema and report back. His versions of the films are a resounding success in the village. It is while on one of these trips that they meet The Chinese Seamstress and both fall madly in love. They also meet Four-Eyes, owner of an illicit collection of banned books - and they will stop at nothing to get their hands on these.
The author was, himself, sent for 're-education' in the 1970s and this knowledge adds real authenticity to the narrative. There's a lot packed into this short novel, don't miss it. ...more
I had heard so much about Sarah Dessen that perhaps I came to this book with too much expectation. It was a light summer read but Summer by the beach.
I had heard so much about Sarah Dessen that perhaps I came to this book with too much expectation. It was a light summer read but it didn't blow me away, maybe it's one of those YA books that doesn't cross over to adult literature so well.
Auden is introvert, she spends all her time studying to impress her accademic parents but doesn't realise that her social life is important too. She shies away from groups, parties, anywhere that she might feel uncomfortable. Her parents are divorced and dating back to the trauma that caused, she stopped being able to sleep at night, instead she tours the town, driving to all night cafes where she is allowed to make a single coffee last for hours. In the last summer before starting Uni she decides to stay with her Dad, his second wife, Heidi, and their new-born. She takes all her study titles with her, intending to prepare for the classes in the next term (does anyone really do that!!??). I'm glad to say she gets distracted in the seaside town where her Dad lives and starts to live a little. And she falls in love.
There are quite a number of characters, all fairly well drawn. I think what I had a problem with, however, was the interactions between the characters; sometimes they seemed a bit cardboard, a bit clunky together. The baby, spending most of its time crying, was an interesting touch and I certainly felt for Heidi as she struggled to care for it without the support of her husband. In fact Auden's Dad was an altogether creepy character! The yougsters that Auden befriends were an interesting bunch, with a lot more depth than they initially seemed to have, particularly Maggie. And Eli was kind of cute :)
All in all a readable book but not earth shattering. Loved the cover art! ...more
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