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What book did you just start?
By Stephanie · 3501 posts · 467 views
By Stephanie · 3501 posts · 467 views
last updated Feb 27, 2024 08:11PM
What Members Thought
I liked some things about this book, but overall I didn't care for it.
In a small town in Vermont, an apparent murder/suicide takes place. It seems George Hayward has murdered his wife (whom he was abusing) and then committed suicide...or IS this what happened??
Each section of the story is narrated by a different person: the town pastor, who is struggling with his faith, a woman who writes books about angels (whose own parents killed themselves in a murder/suicide), law enforcement, the only chi ...more
In a small town in Vermont, an apparent murder/suicide takes place. It seems George Hayward has murdered his wife (whom he was abusing) and then committed suicide...or IS this what happened??
Each section of the story is narrated by a different person: the town pastor, who is struggling with his faith, a woman who writes books about angels (whose own parents killed themselves in a murder/suicide), law enforcement, the only chi ...more
Bohjalian skillfully intertwines different narrators and their conflicting perspectives on the same events to build tension and suspense. While the critics agreed that each voice is distinct, they did not consider the narrators equally convincing--particularly Reverend Drew (too detached and self-centered) and Catherine (too clich̩d as the tough-as-nails attorney). Additionally, the Washington Post found Bohjalian's portrait of domestic violence somewhat flat and formulaic. Others, however, thou
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Yikes. I really wanted to like this one. Unfortunately, I just didn't like it. It was readable but missed the mark in so many ways that it was distracting. Perhaps its my years of working with domestic violence victims but I felt that that aspect was not done well in this novel. It was very 'vanilla' and typical of most domestic violence stories. There wasn't anything interesting or compelling about this particular story.
Even worse than the domestic violence aspect being done badly, the charact ...more
Even worse than the domestic violence aspect being done badly, the charact ...more
I really liked this one. The ending was slightly predictable...but all the twists up to that point made it all the more interesting getting there. Nothing like finding out secrets about people...things you never would have guessed..LOL. I listened to this one on CD & it held my interest to play it to the end...and that's sayin' somethin'...normally I can't listen to books on CD w/o stopping at some point cuz' it bored me to tears or was just plain awful. I can't say that about 'Secrets of Eden'.
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He uses the technique of writing in various characters voices. Jodi Picoult does this too and it is very effective, especially for mystery. I do have to say, I saw the end coming and I'm not particularly astute about those things. Overall a good fictional account of what atrocities can transpire in an environment of domestic violence.
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I have always been a fan of Chris Bohjalians' works, but this murder mystery was not one of his best efforts.
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It is so comforting to never be disappointed by Chris Bohjalian. Once again he writes a story that just had me from page one. This is a great book and one I will recommend again and again. My idea of heaven is where all of my favorite authors can sit down with me and I can tell them how wonderful they are. Can't wait for the next one Chris!
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Jan 12, 2010
Julie
marked it as to-check-out
Feb 04, 2010
Amanda
marked it as to-read
Feb 11, 2010
Belinda Burkhart
marked it as to-read
Feb 22, 2010
Janelle
marked it as to-read
Jul 10, 2010
Kathleen
marked it as to-read
Jul 16, 2010
Vanessa
marked it as to-read
Aug 17, 2010
Rebekah
marked it as wishlist
