Hi Book Lovers, The book did not bring the elated reaction from me that it did from even the reviewer for the Christian Science Monitor. It seemed a bit too much like a valentine to book clubs, (thus accounting for its touted popularity?) It was informative in some areas. I had known about the occupation from a previous dramatic series on PBS, but not that there were Polis and other slaves brought there to be worked to death. As to the characters, they were likable, but seemed, particularly Dawsey, to be two dimensional. There was also a hint of patronizing in the portrayal of eccentric sweeties who peopled the island. I wondered if Juliet should have come across a diary of Elizabeth, the only complex, i.e. mysterious, character in the book. Overall, I didn't hate it; it had some charm; but, I'm left wondering why everybody seems to love it soooooo much. KC
I agree with Karen, that it felt the authors were pandering to book clubs. I enjoyed the book until the last fourth when it felt like it devolved into more of a romance.
I did appreciate it more after our book club discussion, which often happens for me.
One of the revelations that occured during our discussion was that Juilette actually takes the place of Elizabeth at the end. I like this idea, but it kind of flies in the face of what the tenor of the book felt like -- that this was the story of a woman finding her true self through history of others. She actually ends up filling the ghost Elizabeth's world -- her friends, her daughter, her house. I, too, do not understand why this book has become such a darling of the book club ilk. Perhaps we should distrust them all.
Hi Book Lovers,
ReplyDeleteThe book did not bring the elated reaction from me that it did from even the reviewer for the Christian Science Monitor. It seemed a bit too much like a valentine to book clubs, (thus accounting for its touted popularity?)
It was informative in some areas. I had known about the occupation from a previous dramatic series on PBS, but not that there were Polis and other slaves brought there to be worked to death.
As to the characters, they were likable, but seemed, particularly Dawsey, to be two dimensional. There was also a hint of patronizing in the portrayal of eccentric sweeties who peopled the island. I wondered if Juliet should have come across a diary of Elizabeth, the only complex, i.e. mysterious, character in the book. Overall, I didn't hate it; it had some charm; but, I'm left wondering
why everybody seems to love it soooooo much.
KC
I agree with Karen, that it felt the authors were pandering to book clubs. I enjoyed the book until the last fourth when it felt like it devolved into more of a romance.
ReplyDeleteI did appreciate it more after our book club discussion, which often happens for me.
One of the revelations that occured during our discussion was that Juilette actually takes the place of Elizabeth at the end. I like this idea, but it kind of flies in the face of what the tenor of the book felt like -- that this was the story of a woman finding her true self through history of others. She actually ends up filling the ghost Elizabeth's world -- her friends, her daughter, her house. I, too, do not understand why this book has become such a darling of the book club ilk. Perhaps we should distrust them all.