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The Stopping Place
At the door she was hemmed in by his hands. On her face, in her hair. At her neck. I had seen what he had not; I had seen her flinch.
Ruby Robinson drifts through life stacking shelves at the library, quiet, solitary, invisible.
Invisibility lends itself to collecting secrets, though, and Ruby has always valued the importance of knowledge. She watches the world go by from her place amongst the shelves. The bored students, the domestic dramas, and her colleague Martha – vivacious, wild, enchanting.
Drawn in by Martha’s light, Ruby finds herself watching, observing… which is why she notices the cracks in Martha’s shiny new relationship before anyone else.
Forced to intervene, Ruby is drawn out of the shadows, but all actions have consequences, particularly for someone with a past she’d rather forget.
Ruby spends her days among books. She should have known that every story has a history and that secrets don’t stay hidden for long…
Ruby Robinson drifts through life stacking shelves at the library, quiet, solitary, invisible.
Invisibility lends itself to collecting secrets, though, and Ruby has always valued the importance of knowledge. She watches the world go by from her place amongst the shelves. The bored students, the domestic dramas, and her colleague Martha – vivacious, wild, enchanting.
Drawn in by Martha’s light, Ruby finds herself watching, observing… which is why she notices the cracks in Martha’s shiny new relationship before anyone else.
Forced to intervene, Ruby is drawn out of the shadows, but all actions have consequences, particularly for someone with a past she’d rather forget.
Ruby spends her days among books. She should have known that every story has a history and that secrets don’t stay hidden for long…
Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
11 people are currently reading
116 people want to read
About the author
Helen Slavin
25 books21 followersHelen Slavin was born in Heywood in Lancashire in 1966. She was raised by eccentric parents on a diet of Laurel and Hardy, William Shakespeare and the Blackpool Illuminations. Educated at her local comp her favourite subjects at school were English and Going Home.
After The University of Warwick she worked in many jobs including, plant and access hire, a local government Education department typing pool, and a vasectomy clinic. A job as a television scriptwriter gave her the opportunity to spend all day drinking tea, living in a made-up fantasy world and getting paid for it (sometimes).
Helen has been a professional writer for fifteen years. Her first novel The Extra Large Medium was chosen as the winner in the Long Barn Books competition run by Susan Hill.
A paragliding Welsh husband and two children distract her and give her ample opportunity to spend all day drinking tea, nagging about homework and washing pants for England. In the wee small hours she still keeps a bijou flat in that fantasy world of writing.When not working with animals and striving for world peace, Helen enjoys the music of Elbow and baking bread. Her favourite colour is purple and if she had to be stranded on a desert island with someone it would be Ray Mears ( alright, George Clooney is very good looking but can he make fire with a stick? No. See?)
She now lives, with her family, in Trowbridge, Wiltshire where, when she’s not writing, she’s asleep. Or in Tescos.
After The University of Warwick she worked in many jobs including, plant and access hire, a local government Education department typing pool, and a vasectomy clinic. A job as a television scriptwriter gave her the opportunity to spend all day drinking tea, living in a made-up fantasy world and getting paid for it (sometimes).
Helen has been a professional writer for fifteen years. Her first novel The Extra Large Medium was chosen as the winner in the Long Barn Books competition run by Susan Hill.
A paragliding Welsh husband and two children distract her and give her ample opportunity to spend all day drinking tea, nagging about homework and washing pants for England. In the wee small hours she still keeps a bijou flat in that fantasy world of writing.When not working with animals and striving for world peace, Helen enjoys the music of Elbow and baking bread. Her favourite colour is purple and if she had to be stranded on a desert island with someone it would be Ray Mears ( alright, George Clooney is very good looking but can he make fire with a stick? No. See?)
She now lives, with her family, in Trowbridge, Wiltshire where, when she’s not writing, she’s asleep. Or in Tescos.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
September 7, 2019
*thank you to Netgalley, Ipso Books and Helen Slavin for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
1 star.
I couldn't get through this. I tried. I got to 34% and just couldn't keep going. It was so slow. Too slow really. I really really wanted to like this one as it was set in a library! That sounds like a perfect 5 stars right there. I get that this was probably ment to be a slow storyline but it just dragged and there were parts that I didn't particularly care to read about. So unfortunately this one is not for me. I wish it had been. My 1 star is because it was a DNF/Did not finish.
1 star.
I couldn't get through this. I tried. I got to 34% and just couldn't keep going. It was so slow. Too slow really. I really really wanted to like this one as it was set in a library! That sounds like a perfect 5 stars right there. I get that this was probably ment to be a slow storyline but it just dragged and there were parts that I didn't particularly care to read about. So unfortunately this one is not for me. I wish it had been. My 1 star is because it was a DNF/Did not finish.
January 7, 2018
A book set in a library? Oh yes, try and stop me! The rest of the synopsis really caught my eye too. Unusual, thrilling, exciting. A compelling plot with intriguing characters. As it progresses we see the very worst that humanity has to offer. The dark atmospherics ratchet up the tension yet further. Main character Ruby is a loner whose only social interaction is at work and who immerses herself in the past to avoid thinking about the here and now. That changes when she is visited by the police while working at the library one day.
Slavin structures the novel in such a way that it falls into two distinct halves. The first section builds the tension and continues to add different threads to the mystery and the second is where everything unravels until Ruby is in extreme danger. Despite the overwhelming struggle Ruby has she does not quit. There were so many questions to be answered and as the truth emerges you get those answers.
Emotionally challenging and featuring sensitive themes that the author deals with admirably, The Stopping Place is a great read that is deeper than other thrillers out there with a unique, impactful storyline with fantastic use of observational humour.
I would like to thank Helen Slavin, Ipso Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 18, 2018
The stopping place by Helen slavin.
Ruby Robinson drifts through life stacking shelves at the library, quiet, solitary, invisible.
Invisibility lends itself to collecting secrets, though, and Ruby has always valued the importance of knowledge. She watches the world go by from her place amongst the shelves. The bored students, the domestic dramas, and her colleague Martha- vivacious, wild, enchanting.
Drawn in by Martha’s light, Ruby finds herself watching, observing… which is why she notices the cracks in Martha’s shiny new relationship before anyone else.
Forced to intervene, Ruby is drawn out of the shadows, but all actions have consequences, particularly someone with a past she’d rather forget.
Ruby spends her days among books. She should have known that every story has a history and that secrets don’t stay hidden for long…
Good read although it was slow I did read it. 4*.
Ruby Robinson drifts through life stacking shelves at the library, quiet, solitary, invisible.
Invisibility lends itself to collecting secrets, though, and Ruby has always valued the importance of knowledge. She watches the world go by from her place amongst the shelves. The bored students, the domestic dramas, and her colleague Martha- vivacious, wild, enchanting.
Drawn in by Martha’s light, Ruby finds herself watching, observing… which is why she notices the cracks in Martha’s shiny new relationship before anyone else.
Forced to intervene, Ruby is drawn out of the shadows, but all actions have consequences, particularly someone with a past she’d rather forget.
Ruby spends her days among books. She should have known that every story has a history and that secrets don’t stay hidden for long…
Good read although it was slow I did read it. 4*.
Want to read
November 16, 2017Has it ever happened to you that you read blurb of some other book and end up requesting some other from netgalley? Well, same thing happen to me....but since I got this from NG, I'll give it a try regardless...
October 31, 2019
Ruby works as a librarian and the library is basically everything she currently has in her life. She gets obsessed with working in the archive and sorting through century-old photographs and journals as well as with observing her colleague named Martha, who has an affair with a married man. That is pretty much all that happens in the first part of the book; it relies heavily on the characters, descriptive writing style and the atmosphere of the microcosmos that is the library.
Unfortunately, I didn't feel any connection whatsoever to Ruby, although the first part was told in first person. The writing style made her feel very distant and detached (also weird not in a good way), and although the second part, in which we learn about Ruby's past, may serve as an explanation for that, it's just not something I enjoy in books, especially when there is little plot to distract me from the fact that I don't care about the main character or any other characters.
The second part is told in third person and it basically turns into a domestic thriller that wasn't very thrilling - it felt quite formulaic and frustrating instead. Similarly, as in the first part, there were some subplots that weren't interesting and didn't seem to have much significance for the story either. Although the pace picked up a little bit near the end, the ending felt pretty far-fetched and I still didn't care about the main character very much.
Overall, I can see why some people might enjoy this book but I was not one of them. The only things I somewhat enjoyed were the library setting and maybe Ruby's perseverance but there were too many things that I didn't click with: the writing style, the characterization, the plot itself and even the structure. The incredibly slow pacing made it even harder to get through so unfortunately, my reading experience with this book was not a pleasant one.
Unfortunately, I didn't feel any connection whatsoever to Ruby, although the first part was told in first person. The writing style made her feel very distant and detached (also weird not in a good way), and although the second part, in which we learn about Ruby's past, may serve as an explanation for that, it's just not something I enjoy in books, especially when there is little plot to distract me from the fact that I don't care about the main character or any other characters.
The second part is told in third person and it basically turns into a domestic thriller that wasn't very thrilling - it felt quite formulaic and frustrating instead. Similarly, as in the first part, there were some subplots that weren't interesting and didn't seem to have much significance for the story either. Although the pace picked up a little bit near the end, the ending felt pretty far-fetched and I still didn't care about the main character very much.
Overall, I can see why some people might enjoy this book but I was not one of them. The only things I somewhat enjoyed were the library setting and maybe Ruby's perseverance but there were too many things that I didn't click with: the writing style, the characterization, the plot itself and even the structure. The incredibly slow pacing made it even harder to get through so unfortunately, my reading experience with this book was not a pleasant one.
November 2, 2017
One thing can be said for certain about this book, Ruby, the main character, is not a quitter! Overall, this was a fantastic book that told a very compelling story. There were so many questions that needed answers and as you read along the truth began to emerge. The only thing I can add as a criticism is that the writing was a bit overdone at times. I could read the sentence a few times and still not quite understand what the author was saying. Other than that small negative, the story was unique and it was fast paced. The questions I had were all answered by the end of the book.. Kudos to Ms. Slavin for an interesting read and for creating a heroine that she should be proud of.
Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the chance to read and review
Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the chance to read and review
November 21, 2017
Ruby is isolated and dissatisfied with her life. Her only real social interaction is at work. However, most of her colleagues at the library have problems of their own, and Ruby likes to detach herself from the others, sitting in the staff room on a chair by the window, looking out across the park opposite. The working environment is a microcosm of society, reflecting many of it's ills, and Ruby appears to want to distance herself from that world. Indeed, given the opportunity, she spends most of her days independently in the archive, immersing herself in the minutia of the everyday lives of the people who inhabited the local manor, Kite House, during the culminating years of the nineteenth century. It's a welcome relief. Here she can escape from the workplace undercurrents of aberrant husbands and the machinations of illicit love affairs. It's also a release from the uncomfortable knowledge that a pervert prowls the town, seeking unattended washing lines decorated with bunting of woman's underwear.
As the plot progresses we are given a view of humanity's underbelly as seen through Ruby's eyes. The narrative drawing the reader into Ruby's world with well-rounded characters and expertly crafted atmospherics of place. However, all the while there is a pervading suspicion that Ruby is guarding a distasteful secret herself. It's an uneasy equilibrium, and when a police detective visits the library one day and starts asking questions, Ruby is toppled from her precarious pedestal.
Helen Slavin has divided her novel into two distinct halves, and it is a very effective way in which to tell Ruby's story. The first section builds to create a multi-threaded mystery which, in itself, is the consequence of the frightening tale that unfolds over the passage of the second-half. Gradually you'll begin to realise the immense danger of Ruby's situation. And as the tension ratchets up, and blackness engulfs Ruby's past, you'll struggle alongside her, willing her to resist the overwhelming sense of the futility of resisting.
Carefully avoiding titillation and sensationalism, the author’s unique approach gives fresh insight into sensitive themes that will be familiar to many readers. This definitely isn’t an all-is-wonderful, sunshine and blue-sky novel.
If you like an emotionally challenging book, I definitely recommend it.
As the plot progresses we are given a view of humanity's underbelly as seen through Ruby's eyes. The narrative drawing the reader into Ruby's world with well-rounded characters and expertly crafted atmospherics of place. However, all the while there is a pervading suspicion that Ruby is guarding a distasteful secret herself. It's an uneasy equilibrium, and when a police detective visits the library one day and starts asking questions, Ruby is toppled from her precarious pedestal.
Helen Slavin has divided her novel into two distinct halves, and it is a very effective way in which to tell Ruby's story. The first section builds to create a multi-threaded mystery which, in itself, is the consequence of the frightening tale that unfolds over the passage of the second-half. Gradually you'll begin to realise the immense danger of Ruby's situation. And as the tension ratchets up, and blackness engulfs Ruby's past, you'll struggle alongside her, willing her to resist the overwhelming sense of the futility of resisting.
Carefully avoiding titillation and sensationalism, the author’s unique approach gives fresh insight into sensitive themes that will be familiar to many readers. This definitely isn’t an all-is-wonderful, sunshine and blue-sky novel.
If you like an emotionally challenging book, I definitely recommend it.
November 17, 2017
All reviews can be found on my blog at https://thewritinggarnet.wordpress.com
Stepping out of my comfort zone once again with 'The Stopping Place' by Helen Slavin. Having not read (or heard of) Helen Slavin and her books, I was intrigued to see what awaited me beyond the front cover of 'The Stopping Place'. Seeing as I'm not really one for reading blurbs, I went into this book 'blind' so to speak, my decision based on the cover of the book and the title alone.
What peaked my interest at the start of the book was how the storyline was set in a library. As nerdish as people may think, you cannot beat a book which is set in a library if you're a bookworm. End of. There really is no better setting. However, when the storyline seemed to point in the direction of invisibility for the main character, I knew straight away that 'The Stepping Place' was a different style of book to what I'm used to. I continued reading as I didn't want to give up purely on the basis of the storyline being 'different', that wouldn't have been fair on the author at all.
The main character, Ruby, seemed to play all of her cards close to her chest and, weirdly enough, I actually found myself becoming more and more intrigued by Ruby's personality as well as the traits which were being kept hidden. What was Ruby hiding?
As the story went on, it became clear exactly what Ruby's life was all about and whilst the author did write the story well, I have to admit that I spent a lot of time waiting for the 'Big Bang' part of the book to happen. And it didn't.
There is a lot about 'The Stopping Place' which made me stop and listen, especially the way in which the author produced the storyline itself. Whilst this book didn't blow me away, I can still appreciate the thought behind it, including the historic features which Ruby came into contact with.
Very different.
Thanks IpsoBooks.
Stepping out of my comfort zone once again with 'The Stopping Place' by Helen Slavin. Having not read (or heard of) Helen Slavin and her books, I was intrigued to see what awaited me beyond the front cover of 'The Stopping Place'. Seeing as I'm not really one for reading blurbs, I went into this book 'blind' so to speak, my decision based on the cover of the book and the title alone.
What peaked my interest at the start of the book was how the storyline was set in a library. As nerdish as people may think, you cannot beat a book which is set in a library if you're a bookworm. End of. There really is no better setting. However, when the storyline seemed to point in the direction of invisibility for the main character, I knew straight away that 'The Stepping Place' was a different style of book to what I'm used to. I continued reading as I didn't want to give up purely on the basis of the storyline being 'different', that wouldn't have been fair on the author at all.
The main character, Ruby, seemed to play all of her cards close to her chest and, weirdly enough, I actually found myself becoming more and more intrigued by Ruby's personality as well as the traits which were being kept hidden. What was Ruby hiding?
As the story went on, it became clear exactly what Ruby's life was all about and whilst the author did write the story well, I have to admit that I spent a lot of time waiting for the 'Big Bang' part of the book to happen. And it didn't.
There is a lot about 'The Stopping Place' which made me stop and listen, especially the way in which the author produced the storyline itself. Whilst this book didn't blow me away, I can still appreciate the thought behind it, including the historic features which Ruby came into contact with.
Very different.
Thanks IpsoBooks.
August 31, 2024
Helen Slavin’s The Stopping Place is a horror novel, at least for women readers. It isn’t terrifying at first. The first part of the novel is unsettling, sure, especially as protagonist Ruby starts to become a vigilante for women who have problems with men who don’t listen to the word “no.” But when the second part, in which Ruby reveals where she came from and why she is so profoundly afraid of men, that The Stopping Place turns into a story so chilling that I had a hard time getting through it. Thankfully, the ending (not to say too much) delivers justice for Ruby and other women victimized by men...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley for review consideration.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley for review consideration.
April 8, 2013
c2010. This book started off as a 4 star for me but then moved between 2 or 3 stars. Each chapter in the beginning had a surprising ending and I kept thinking that still waters run deep. I especially loved Ruby's relationship with the bicycle. So many beautifully crafted sentences and so many that rang true. I think that, for me, the "mystery" dragged on a bit too much in the middle of the story - but it could be that I was being too impatient. Recommended as a "something different" kind of read. FWFTB: invisible, library, cover, hiding, history, forget. FCN: Ruby, Martha, Mrs Atkinson, Nathan, Jeanie Gaffney. "Mrs Atkinson has her archive all sewn up. There's only one pair of gloves."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2018
This book is one of those rarer finds where you’d enjoy reading it the second time rather than first. It also specialises in being unique. My interest in this book sped up after halfway through, when the story was actually on Ruby’s past. Helen Slavin showed us what shaped Ruby’s personality into what it is at the moment. The author’s voice is different to others I’ve read, yet strangely familiar. Some of Ruby’s monologues go exactly how mine does sometimes, especially when I’m emotional. At these times, it’s unnerving to read my thoughts written by a stranger.
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a copy via Netgalley
Read full review on Bookmarks & Blue Lights
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a copy via Netgalley
Read full review on Bookmarks & Blue Lights
September 29, 2020
Ruby works at the library. Shelving, mainly. She'd rather be in the archive, but Martha's the one being groomed for greatness. Martha of the flamboyant bohemian style and russet-toned beauty, and the affairs with unsuitable men. Ruby can see the appeal of the affairs. The heat, the danger. Ruby sees a lot, loitering there behind Geography 910-maybe even enough to bring her out of hiding. And that could be a problem. Because everyone has history, especially someone who's trying desperately to hide from it.
Enjoyed this one . Hidden stories not just on the bookshelves but in the staff.
Twists and turns and dark humour. Liked the connections with the Gypsy community and their stopping places and traditions.
Enjoyed this one . Hidden stories not just on the bookshelves but in the staff.
Twists and turns and dark humour. Liked the connections with the Gypsy community and their stopping places and traditions.
July 20, 2019
Meet Ruby Robinson, a librarian and self confessed people watcher. The quite unobtrusive woman that no one really notices, but she notices them and when you blend into the background it is surprising what you see and hear. So it is Ruby that notices her coworker Martha is having relationship problems. She can see the tail tale signs that things are wrong, very wrong. She knows the signs and excuses of domestic violence but how far dare she become involved in Martha’s relationship at the cost to herself? Because Ruby has a secret of her own, one that she desperately wants to remain exactly that – a secret! With the arrival of the police at the library Ruby’s past catches up with her, shattering her quiet life and secrets are revealed.
The book is set in a library which being a book geek I absolutely loved! Set in two parts, present day and Ruby’s past it is certainly a rollercoaster of a ride, packed full of suspense and emotions, one that will surprise you and ultimately delight you!
For me it was Ruby’s past that made this book for me, she is a great protagonist who’s inner dialogues were so realistic that I could hear myself saying and thinking the same things, I swear her voice became and sounded like my own at times, and if nothing else, Ruby is certainly not a quitter.
This book deals with an emotional theme that is portrayed perfectly and handled with care. The setting of the book is fairly unique to this genre which is great, the characters are all well fleshed out, personable and relatable. It may not be the fastest paced book to begin with but the second half of the book makes it completely worth it. This is the first book I have read by this author and after reading this one I will definitely keep an eye out for in the future.
The Stopping Place was published back in Jan 2018 so i am a bit late in discovering it but i am glad that I did. You can grab a copy now and it is even available at the moment to read for free with Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited!
The book is set in a library which being a book geek I absolutely loved! Set in two parts, present day and Ruby’s past it is certainly a rollercoaster of a ride, packed full of suspense and emotions, one that will surprise you and ultimately delight you!
For me it was Ruby’s past that made this book for me, she is a great protagonist who’s inner dialogues were so realistic that I could hear myself saying and thinking the same things, I swear her voice became and sounded like my own at times, and if nothing else, Ruby is certainly not a quitter.
This book deals with an emotional theme that is portrayed perfectly and handled with care. The setting of the book is fairly unique to this genre which is great, the characters are all well fleshed out, personable and relatable. It may not be the fastest paced book to begin with but the second half of the book makes it completely worth it. This is the first book I have read by this author and after reading this one I will definitely keep an eye out for in the future.
The Stopping Place was published back in Jan 2018 so i am a bit late in discovering it but i am glad that I did. You can grab a copy now and it is even available at the moment to read for free with Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited!
September 22, 2022
I recently decided to read through all the books in the “unread” category on my Kindle. I can’t remember why or when I bought this one. I can only assume someone recommenced it but sadly it was a disappointing read that I struggled to finish and ended up skim-reading through the last few chapters.
The book fell into two distinct halves. In the first we meet Ruby, a disturbed, reclusive young woman with a troubled past. In the second half we learn Ruby’s story as she tells it to a group of women in the library where she works. The first half was intriguing, but slow and overwritten. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it way better than the second half which was over-complicated and verging on farfetched.
For me, the book was trying too hard to be a work of literary genius and contained far too much detail and description. There were some nice metaphors but much of the text was awkward and stilted and didn’t flow in a way that brought the story to life. At times it just wasn’t clear what was going on. There were a lot of superfluous plot threads, actions and details that didn’t contribute to the overall story. I didn’t ever seem to get under the skin of the characters in a way that engaged me in their lives and made me care about what happened to them.
After recently finishing the wonderful Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel the old idiom “less is more” rang over and over in my head as I trudged through The Stopping Place.
The book fell into two distinct halves. In the first we meet Ruby, a disturbed, reclusive young woman with a troubled past. In the second half we learn Ruby’s story as she tells it to a group of women in the library where she works. The first half was intriguing, but slow and overwritten. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it way better than the second half which was over-complicated and verging on farfetched.
For me, the book was trying too hard to be a work of literary genius and contained far too much detail and description. There were some nice metaphors but much of the text was awkward and stilted and didn’t flow in a way that brought the story to life. At times it just wasn’t clear what was going on. There were a lot of superfluous plot threads, actions and details that didn’t contribute to the overall story. I didn’t ever seem to get under the skin of the characters in a way that engaged me in their lives and made me care about what happened to them.
After recently finishing the wonderful Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel the old idiom “less is more” rang over and over in my head as I trudged through The Stopping Place.
October 26, 2022
For those who have trouble with the slow pace of this book, I recommend skipping over to Part 2, then back to Part 1, and finishing with Part 3.
The reader doesn't know why Ruby has difficulty sleeping and is keeping distant from her coworkers. There are three parts to the story: the present time at the library, her past growing into adulthood, and the repercussions.
Ruby is scared I got the sense that she was hiding from a stalker, especially when she started spying on a coworker and noticed that she flinched when her current boyfriend hugged her. She keeps watch over the female coworker and protects her.
At the end of the first part of the book, the stalker finds her. The second part is her telling her coworkers her life story, and the last part is what they do with the information.
I liked this book, but not the slowness of the first half of the book. There was also the side story of her archiving the photographs taken by Lady Beck a hundred years before. I found it intriguing.
The reader doesn't know why Ruby has difficulty sleeping and is keeping distant from her coworkers. There are three parts to the story: the present time at the library, her past growing into adulthood, and the repercussions.
Ruby is scared I got the sense that she was hiding from a stalker, especially when she started spying on a coworker and noticed that she flinched when her current boyfriend hugged her. She keeps watch over the female coworker and protects her.
At the end of the first part of the book, the stalker finds her. The second part is her telling her coworkers her life story, and the last part is what they do with the information.
I liked this book, but not the slowness of the first half of the book. There was also the side story of her archiving the photographs taken by Lady Beck a hundred years before. I found it intriguing.
November 20, 2017
The setting for The Stopping Place is a library and that sparked my interest. I couldn’t think of a more perfect place to set a story. The main character Ruby is definitely unique. We really spend the book trying to figure out why she is the way she is.
This was my first Helen Slavin book, it is written in a style I haven’t ever read before and I don’t quite have the best words to describe it. It’s almost lyrical the way it flows. It was a special reading experience for me.
As I got further into the book I was waiting for something extraordinary to happen and it didn’t. Although the book has some thought-provoking topics throughout there is a certain pace to it that just wasn’t for me, I found all the crying and weirdness with the library staff a bit much and I couldn’t’ connect with Ruby at all. However, others readers will love the storyline and unique writing style.
This was my first Helen Slavin book, it is written in a style I haven’t ever read before and I don’t quite have the best words to describe it. It’s almost lyrical the way it flows. It was a special reading experience for me.
As I got further into the book I was waiting for something extraordinary to happen and it didn’t. Although the book has some thought-provoking topics throughout there is a certain pace to it that just wasn’t for me, I found all the crying and weirdness with the library staff a bit much and I couldn’t’ connect with Ruby at all. However, others readers will love the storyline and unique writing style.
December 20, 2017
The Stopping Place' by Helen Slavin was not an easy read though I stuck with it and felt satisfied in the end. From the first page, there is a sense of unease pervading the narrative. We feel that something sad has happened to Ruby in the past,who,when we first meet her, is working as an archivist in the local library. She tries to make herself invisible with her clothes and her manner but is a shrewd observer of her colleagues and tries to support them when their lives unravel. In Part 2 we go back to the past and read about Ruby's life, which is not a comforting read. I really enjoyed the sub-plot in which Ruby is researching old photos of the area and journals that have been stored away but never looked at. The story that she uncovers is a heartening end to this well-written but unsettling novel.
March 16, 2019
Slavin at her best
I love a book that makes,me think. I love a story with its own magic that doesn't read like a pale attempt at the fantasy genre but casts a spell with skill using words to weave a tale. In my opinion, you can give the rather feeble Way sisters fairy tales a miss, but enjoy reading Helen Slavin's better books. This is one of them.
I love a book that makes,me think. I love a story with its own magic that doesn't read like a pale attempt at the fantasy genre but casts a spell with skill using words to weave a tale. In my opinion, you can give the rather feeble Way sisters fairy tales a miss, but enjoy reading Helen Slavin's better books. This is one of them.
January 30, 2018
The Stopping Place tells the story of Ruby who works in a library. Ruby is somewhat of a loner who has a checkered past. This is my first Helen Slavin novel and I enjoyed the premise of the story as well as the library characters. This is definitely a read that I would recommend.
August 14, 2020
Powerful
Ms. Slavin's work took me to never imagined places. Sure, it seemed a little slow in parts, but as soon as I let myself be taken into the world of how Helen Slavinv links profound insight with rich narrative and description, I could not put this book down.
Ms. Slavin's work took me to never imagined places. Sure, it seemed a little slow in parts, but as soon as I let myself be taken into the world of how Helen Slavinv links profound insight with rich narrative and description, I could not put this book down.
November 19, 2017
Did not Finish
February 18, 2018
Wonderful!
Such a great read, laced with dark humour and a twisty turny story, with a background necessary to understand Ruby's predicament.
Loved this book!
Such a great read, laced with dark humour and a twisty turny story, with a background necessary to understand Ruby's predicament.
Loved this book!
January 16, 2019
I don't know, it could've gotten good. It felt like I'd been reading it for years and I was only 20% through. Nope, can't even.
March 26, 2012
The Stopping Place by Helen Slavin was a surprise from what I expected. Well written and compelling it tells the story of Ruby who works in a library. All we know about Ruby is that she takes foreign language lessons and tries to be invisible. She eavesdrops on her fellow workers and follows them around. We know something happened in the past to Ruby but we are only given the occasional hint. Then Ruby starts working in the archives and discovers a hidden story, this coincides with her actually taking action with another employees life. I'm impressed enough to see if I can get my hands on other books that Slavin has written and I would recommend it as a bookclub read.
December 23, 2014
Ruby is the quiet mouse who works in the local library, usually stacking the shelves. She's unobtrusive and thinks that if she stays under the radar no-one will notice she's there at all. Living alone, she has no outside interests apart from her intermediate Japanese class where she sits at the back hoping the tutor won't question her (she hasn't taken the beginner's class). However there are hints that Ruby is not what she appears to be, and in the second half of the novel the real Ruby is revealed. It's a shocking, but believable revelation, and only a too-good-to-be-convincing ending mars the quality of this impressive effort.
October 10, 2008
This was an unusual book superficially about a woman who works in a library and behaves in a strange manner. It was a bit like the Librarians TV show in its extreme quirkiness.
But midway it changed entirely and became a thriller. I enjoyed it and certainly was keen to keep reading through to the end.
But midway it changed entirely and became a thriller. I enjoyed it and certainly was keen to keep reading through to the end.
November 12, 2012
I really enjoyed this book. It started out to be a pleasant book about the lives of the people working in a small library, and our heroine in particular. But, there was a much darker story hidden within, one which at times terrified me and made me think, well, some people are living this life. This is a book which stays with you long after you've read it.
November 11, 2014
I didn't like this book in the beginning but persevered and it redeemed itself slightly. Getting dropped into Ruby's strange,mediocre life that hints at the sinister,then halfway through the book reverting to her earlier,ugly life,then back to the present seemed to leave a thread or two untied at the end.
July 28, 2012
This was a bit of a 'meh' book. Not particularly memorable, not particularly interesting, just good at plugging the gap between two pageturners. The front cover asks 'how far would you go to cover your past?' yet, in my opinion, Ruby didn't go particularly far... it wasn't great...
September 15, 2013
Helen Slavin might be one of my favourite authors ever I think. This book t like the others of hers I have read was dark but so engrossing that it kept my attention right to the end. I can't recommend her highly enough. Great storyteller.
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