I'm relishing knowing that all these lovely words are waiting in my near future. Anyway, this was book number one - December by Elizabeth H. Winthrop.
The story focuses on the Carter family - mum Ruth, Dad Wilson and eleven year old Isabelle. Isabelle has not spoken in nine months and her parents are increasingly desperate to help their daughter as her school and countless therapists give up.
I liked that each character's viewpoint and struggles with the situation were given - you can see how their actions and reactions, words and silences affect those who love them. This is definitely a story about families, how you can love them even when they are hurting you or you them, how sometimes you can have the same goal but be on totally different wavelengths about how to get there. It's also about the little joys of being a family, the things you notice and appreciate, the things you would miss if one day they weren't there.
If you're looking for something that will draw you through its pages, make you think and make you smile this is a good option. It's not my favourite book ever but I will be keeping it on my shelf and will probably pick it up and read it again in the future. It's not light fluffy reading but it's well written and well worth a few hours of your summer.
While I am away this week I have taken...
What are you reading? Any recommendations to add to my rapidly deteriorating stack?
I'm intrigued - I'd seen this book in a few shops and had for some reason discarded it in favour of something else, but now I think I'll find a copy - sounds like a pretty good read!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE "Human Traces" (the Sebastian Faulks novel on your pile) - though that's probably my psychology geek coming through more than anything...! Have you read "The Other Hand"? I can't remember who it's by, but I thought it was really well written and a very compelling read...you'd probably get through it quite quickly.
Hope you had a good holiday! x
Have you read Nicole Krauss' "The History of Love"? It's one of my absolute favorites for its writing. I re-read and re-read passages hoping to absorb every single word!
ReplyDeleteOooh thanks, I'm going to have to add this to my "to read" list.
ReplyDeleteI'm currently reading 4 books right now... although technically only 3.
I started Wicked about a month ago, read it for one day and never picked it back up. I should finish it... I'm also reading Julie & Julia but I'm not enjoying it that much. And on my iPhone I'm reading Let The Great World Spin and What I Thought I Knew. I'm not far enough into either of those 2 to know how I feel about it.
I need to finish a book now. :p