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The Jigsaw Maker
When stranger Jim walks into Lizzie's shop and proposes that she help him make his beautiful jigsaws, Lizzie agrees. It's a project that she can fit into her humdrum life without making too many changes. She's about to turn fifty - she could do with a distraction. This is the story of Lizzie's journey towards the truth.
307 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 8, 2009
I really enjoyed Adrienne's Soft Voices Whispering - but I thought this one was even better. Lizzie was a character I could totally identify with, concerned about advancing age and the rut she's fallen into, and her secret comes as an immense shock but a totally believable one. She's a vividly drawn, lively child in the historical parts - there's some lovely vignettes, the trip to the zoo in Dublin is particularly memorable. And I loved her naivety - particularly Bernie's tonsils!The book has an immense sense of place and time, and I really liked the structure of alternating chapters, the historical ones prompted by the pictures on the jigsaws. The whole story, and the way the secrets are revealed, was really excellent and this book has the same kind of endearing well-drawn small town Irish characters as her other. An excellent read, and I'm sorry there's no more lined up behind it at the publishers. Hope we won't have to wait much longer.
June 29, 2015
I found this a bit slow-moving at first. Lizzie is the main character; she’s middle-aged, and rather uptight. A younger man called Jim calls into her shop, explaining that he makes jigsaws, and is looking for some local memories...
The story switches between 2006, which is the present day of the novel, and 1969, when Lizzie was a mostly innocent child of ten. She recounts stories of the nuns who taught her, and the day trip they took to the zoo... and there's much that the reader learns through her misunderstandings of other more adult situations.
I had guessed some of the turns of the plot, but not all of them. By the time I was half-way through this book, I was so engrossed I could hardly put it down.
The writing is nicely-paced, and brings out the characters so that I could almost see them. I thought the plotting and gradual revelation of the ‘jigsaw’ of Lizzie’s life was cleverly done. Having said that, it wasn’t a warm and uplifting story, but shocking in places, and quite draining at times.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed it very much and would recommend it to anyone who likes powerful women’s fiction.
The story switches between 2006, which is the present day of the novel, and 1969, when Lizzie was a mostly innocent child of ten. She recounts stories of the nuns who taught her, and the day trip they took to the zoo... and there's much that the reader learns through her misunderstandings of other more adult situations.
I had guessed some of the turns of the plot, but not all of them. By the time I was half-way through this book, I was so engrossed I could hardly put it down.
The writing is nicely-paced, and brings out the characters so that I could almost see them. I thought the plotting and gradual revelation of the ‘jigsaw’ of Lizzie’s life was cleverly done. Having said that, it wasn’t a warm and uplifting story, but shocking in places, and quite draining at times.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed it very much and would recommend it to anyone who likes powerful women’s fiction.
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April 12, 2020A nice easy read. I went to a talk given by the author several years ag and purchased this book. I have only just got around to reading it but it did not disappoint.
It is set in Ireland Nd focuses on 2 sisters and switches between present day and 1969.
It is set in Ireland Nd focuses on 2 sisters and switches between present day and 1969.
January 3, 2026
When i started reading this book i was not overly impressed, it felt heavy and just plodding along, but then shifted and i was so pleased that i didn't give up on it, the reveal was not what i expected, some off it yes but not all .
June 1, 2021
Some good characters and the flashback stories within the main story line were some of the most entertaining parts of the book.
October 5, 2009
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4...
I read this quickly as I had just had to keep reading to see if my hunches were right as the plot unfolded. Some of them were but I certainly did not guess everything which made it even more intriguing! As in ‘Soft Voices Whispering’ the story is told via two time frames and it is also similar in that there are repressed secrets to be discovered.
Jim Nealon the Jigsaw Maker has questions that he wants answered and has worked out a very clever and subtle way of fitting the pieces of this particular jigsaw together. This will keep you guessing right up to the last paragraph.
One small thing that amused me was the author’s choice of names for the twins! I suppose their mother was about the right age to have been a fan of a certain Australian soap opera? Is this a little joke on the part of Adrienne Dines?
My review from 2007 as posted at Bookcrossing.
I read this quickly as I had just had to keep reading to see if my hunches were right as the plot unfolded. Some of them were but I certainly did not guess everything which made it even more intriguing! As in ‘Soft Voices Whispering’ the story is told via two time frames and it is also similar in that there are repressed secrets to be discovered.
Jim Nealon the Jigsaw Maker has questions that he wants answered and has worked out a very clever and subtle way of fitting the pieces of this particular jigsaw together. This will keep you guessing right up to the last paragraph.
One small thing that amused me was the author’s choice of names for the twins! I suppose their mother was about the right age to have been a fan of a certain Australian soap opera? Is this a little joke on the part of Adrienne Dines?
My review from 2007 as posted at Bookcrossing.
March 26, 2010
After a fairly slow start I really did enjoy this story. Lizzie began as a fairly bad-tempered, intolerant woman who seemed to be full of regrets and quite envious of people who had done just a little bit more with their lives.
The atmosphere of small-town Ireland was really well conveyed, with characters who were both likeable and believable.
As the story unfolds with flash-backs to 1969, the reader begins to realise just why Lizzie behaves as she does. Slowly, I thawed towards her and by the end of the story, after a twist that I certainly did not expect, I really quite liked her!
Enjoyable writing and a great plot - I look forward to reading her other books.
The atmosphere of small-town Ireland was really well conveyed, with characters who were both likeable and believable.
As the story unfolds with flash-backs to 1969, the reader begins to realise just why Lizzie behaves as she does. Slowly, I thawed towards her and by the end of the story, after a twist that I certainly did not expect, I really quite liked her!
Enjoyable writing and a great plot - I look forward to reading her other books.
August 15, 2009
A good book about an Irish family with far too man secrets. It kept me guessing to the end.
July 27, 2014
A tale of old Irish life and the impact on families of girls getting pregnant before marriage
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews