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Circle of Stones
Nik is an eccentric art student obsessed with painting his dancer girlfriend, Jennifer. When one day she inexplicably disappears, Nik's world is shattered. Determined to find her, he embarks on a cross-country journey following a trail of scant clues. He doesn't anticipate how far he'll have to travel, or that an intimidating stranger from Jennifer's past is looking for her, too.
Nik and Jennifer fade into the background of their own tale, surfacing now and again like ghosts as the rest of their mysterious story unfolds through a series of chance encounters with intricately linked strangers: An English professor coping with a dying mother, a rebellious teenage girl, a debt- ridden civil servant, a disillusioned ex-anarchist documentary filmmaker, and others.
Circle of Stones reveals as much about the grief and the grinding frust- rations of contemporary life as it does about the pursuit of love at all costs.
Nik and Jennifer fade into the background of their own tale, surfacing now and again like ghosts as the rest of their mysterious story unfolds through a series of chance encounters with intricately linked strangers: An English professor coping with a dying mother, a rebellious teenage girl, a debt- ridden civil servant, a disillusioned ex-anarchist documentary filmmaker, and others.
Circle of Stones reveals as much about the grief and the grinding frust- rations of contemporary life as it does about the pursuit of love at all costs.
- GenresMysteryContemporary
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 21, 2014
About the author
Suzanne Alyssa Andrew
1 book21 followersSuzanne Alyssa Andrew is the author of the novel Circle of Stones (Dundurn Press) and a novel in progress. She is an editor for Taddle Creek literary magazine.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 29, 2015
Thank you to Dundurn and Netgalley for an opportunity to read an advance copy of Circle of Stones. This was a lovely and promising first novel. Circle of Stones is a series of interconnected short stories that revolve around the relationship between Nik -- a young painter from Vancouver Island -- and Jennifer -- a young dancer who leaves him early in the book without any explanation. Each story focuses on a character somehow connected to Nik and Jennifer -- sometimes very tangentially -- and through these stories we trace what happened to them and their relationship. The "circle of stones" after which the book is titled plays a central role as a theme and organizing principle -- I won't say more but it's quite clever and works well. But the reason I enjoyed the book the most are the individual stories themselves. The characters depicted feel real and are generally given a lot of depth and texture. Some of the stories are especially moving. My very favourite one is at the beginning and involves Nik's grandmother and the depth of her unconditional love for Nik. It's important to not get too caught up in trying to figure what's going on with Nik and Jennifer -- the stories don't reveal much and you will find out in the end. Rather the best way to appreciate this book is to enjoy each story on its own terms. And for me one of the extra bonuses is that Circle of Stones takes place in a number of places across Canada which are very familiar, and that Andrew captures really well. A short book that was well worth the read. I would be happy to read Andrew's next novel.
November 7, 2014
When I first finished this book I thought to myself, "what a good book". Yet, the more I really thought about the book, the more faults I found in the book.
This story follows Nik and Jennifer, along with a barrage of other characters who interact with the main characters or are in some way related to Nik and Jennifer's story. While Nik, an extremely talented art student, is in Vancouver visiting his grandmother, a heavy drinker with Parkinson's disease, he receives an urgent message from the love of his life, Jennifer. Nik is forced to cut his visit short and fly back to see Jennifer, but when he arrives home he finds Jennifer, a beautiful and talented dancer, missing leaving no trace of where she went. Thus begins the story of Nik, searching across Canada for the love of his life.
As the reader follows Nik and Jessica's story, they meet a host of other characters, big and small. Each chapter is from a different characters perspective, whether it's Nick's grandmother or a misunderstood teenage artist. While I thought that the array of characters was really interesting and unique, I also found it very frustrating. It's not often that authors choose to have the story of the main character told through the eyes of someone they met on the street or through brief glimpse and incomplete story lines, so I thought that was incredibly interesting. I loved being able to glimpse the actions of the main characters through the eyes of other, minor characters who would only portray their view for the chapter. The part that I found so incredibly frustrating about that style was that not enough closure within the minor characters' stories. I would have liked to have read more about each minor characters story, or had less of their personal stories to begin with so that I was not left wanting more.
The main reason that I wanted more from each minor characters' chapter was because Suzanne Andrew did such an amazing job of creating relatable characters. Many of the characters within the story are facing real life challenges that impact many real life people throughout the world and they react to the situations in ways that I would expect most people to act. I loved reading about the struggles the characters were facing and how they overcame or coped with those struggles.
This is one of those books that reads like a Hallmark movie, so Hallmark take note, this would make a fabulous movie for your channel. And please have it end the same way because (not giving anything away) the ending was lovely.
In the end, if the author writes another book that continues the stories of the minor characters, I will gladly pick it up and read it, but if the authors next books are similar in style to this one with no closure for the minor characters, I will be staying well away.
I received this book for review purposes via NetGalley.
This story follows Nik and Jennifer, along with a barrage of other characters who interact with the main characters or are in some way related to Nik and Jennifer's story. While Nik, an extremely talented art student, is in Vancouver visiting his grandmother, a heavy drinker with Parkinson's disease, he receives an urgent message from the love of his life, Jennifer. Nik is forced to cut his visit short and fly back to see Jennifer, but when he arrives home he finds Jennifer, a beautiful and talented dancer, missing leaving no trace of where she went. Thus begins the story of Nik, searching across Canada for the love of his life.
As the reader follows Nik and Jessica's story, they meet a host of other characters, big and small. Each chapter is from a different characters perspective, whether it's Nick's grandmother or a misunderstood teenage artist. While I thought that the array of characters was really interesting and unique, I also found it very frustrating. It's not often that authors choose to have the story of the main character told through the eyes of someone they met on the street or through brief glimpse and incomplete story lines, so I thought that was incredibly interesting. I loved being able to glimpse the actions of the main characters through the eyes of other, minor characters who would only portray their view for the chapter. The part that I found so incredibly frustrating about that style was that not enough closure within the minor characters' stories. I would have liked to have read more about each minor characters story, or had less of their personal stories to begin with so that I was not left wanting more.
The main reason that I wanted more from each minor characters' chapter was because Suzanne Andrew did such an amazing job of creating relatable characters. Many of the characters within the story are facing real life challenges that impact many real life people throughout the world and they react to the situations in ways that I would expect most people to act. I loved reading about the struggles the characters were facing and how they overcame or coped with those struggles.
This is one of those books that reads like a Hallmark movie, so Hallmark take note, this would make a fabulous movie for your channel. And please have it end the same way because (not giving anything away) the ending was lovely.
In the end, if the author writes another book that continues the stories of the minor characters, I will gladly pick it up and read it, but if the authors next books are similar in style to this one with no closure for the minor characters, I will be staying well away.
I received this book for review purposes via NetGalley.
March 21, 2015
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
This book is in many ways a circle of stones. It pulls of an incredibly interesting - but sometimes confusing - way of telling the story and makes it work better than I expected it to.
Every chapter is told from another POV of someone who's in one way or another related to the last person. This gives insights in many lives while still telling the bigger picture of Nik, a young artist, who's travelling all around Canada to find his girlfriend Jennifer, a dancer. For a long time it was unknown what happened, did Jennifer leave Nik, or did something happen to her. As it was no longer Nik's perspective we're following, it was impossible to know just how much he knew about it.
Normally, I'm not known for liking multiple POVs. It's one of the tropes I've seen a time too many in YA. This was however something else and it felt like it was done really well. More importantly so, I enjoyed it. Every character struggles also with his/her own problems (instead of focussing only on the main story as I've seen in this kind of setting before). It was almost a shame when a chapter would end as it meant this character's life would be left and certain things would never become clear.
Nik's and Jennifer's story in total, was less impressive. It remained unclear for a long time, perhaps because the side stories were offering so many distractions. I did like the style though and would pick up her next book.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This book is in many ways a circle of stones. It pulls of an incredibly interesting - but sometimes confusing - way of telling the story and makes it work better than I expected it to.
Every chapter is told from another POV of someone who's in one way or another related to the last person. This gives insights in many lives while still telling the bigger picture of Nik, a young artist, who's travelling all around Canada to find his girlfriend Jennifer, a dancer. For a long time it was unknown what happened, did Jennifer leave Nik, or did something happen to her. As it was no longer Nik's perspective we're following, it was impossible to know just how much he knew about it.
Normally, I'm not known for liking multiple POVs. It's one of the tropes I've seen a time too many in YA. This was however something else and it felt like it was done really well. More importantly so, I enjoyed it. Every character struggles also with his/her own problems (instead of focussing only on the main story as I've seen in this kind of setting before). It was almost a shame when a chapter would end as it meant this character's life would be left and certain things would never become clear.
Nik's and Jennifer's story in total, was less impressive. It remained unclear for a long time, perhaps because the side stories were offering so many distractions. I did like the style though and would pick up her next book.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
October 28, 2014
ARC for review.
This author takes a conceit, interconnected stories in which a character from the previous story becomes the focus of the next, and makes it work. This takes skill to pull off and is even more impressive when I found myself anxious to see what character Andrew would pluck from each story and where we would go next. It brings to mind the excellent Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Stroudt only with a much broader scope. Not only that, as the book goes on Andrew manages to bring back some of the earlier characters to make brief, seamless appearances. Did I mention this was done really well?
Plot - Nik, a ne'er do well and girlfriend Jennifer are living the life of poor artists in the city. Jennifer leaves, and Nik is desperate to find her, encouraged by his wonderfully supportive grandmother. There is intrigue and twists and turns and the story itself is quite engaging, so, when combined with the structure it's a thoroughly satisfying read. Good on you, Ms. Andrew!
This author takes a conceit, interconnected stories in which a character from the previous story becomes the focus of the next, and makes it work. This takes skill to pull off and is even more impressive when I found myself anxious to see what character Andrew would pluck from each story and where we would go next. It brings to mind the excellent Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Stroudt only with a much broader scope. Not only that, as the book goes on Andrew manages to bring back some of the earlier characters to make brief, seamless appearances. Did I mention this was done really well?
Plot - Nik, a ne'er do well and girlfriend Jennifer are living the life of poor artists in the city. Jennifer leaves, and Nik is desperate to find her, encouraged by his wonderfully supportive grandmother. There is intrigue and twists and turns and the story itself is quite engaging, so, when combined with the structure it's a thoroughly satisfying read. Good on you, Ms. Andrew!
November 3, 2014
ARC for review via NetGalley.
Circle of Stones is an intriguing character-hopping tour of Canada's outcasts, that takes the reader through a very unconventional journey of perspective. At the center of the metaphorical circle is the intense (even when separated) relationship between painter Nik and dancer Jennifer, whose bond is so intense that its gravity endures great separations of time, space, and health.
Vivid imagery such as the improvised memorials that Nik's grandmother and her friend decide to maintain, which gives the book its title, are probably the book's biggest attribute, and help carry it through the interludes from the core plot, and the sometimes tenuous connections. Some characters also have a very unique style, such as punk-turned-journalist Tim and his misguided documentary film intervention against scenemates decamping to the suburbs that doesn't quite follow his script.
Circle of Stones is an intriguing character-hopping tour of Canada's outcasts, that takes the reader through a very unconventional journey of perspective. At the center of the metaphorical circle is the intense (even when separated) relationship between painter Nik and dancer Jennifer, whose bond is so intense that its gravity endures great separations of time, space, and health.
Vivid imagery such as the improvised memorials that Nik's grandmother and her friend decide to maintain, which gives the book its title, are probably the book's biggest attribute, and help carry it through the interludes from the core plot, and the sometimes tenuous connections. Some characters also have a very unique style, such as punk-turned-journalist Tim and his misguided documentary film intervention against scenemates decamping to the suburbs that doesn't quite follow his script.
October 15, 2014
I truly enjoyed this book. The narration and characterization are intriguing. I was prepared to give it five stars, but I felt as though the last 20% or so of the book dragged on just a bit too much for my tastes. It was, however, a very enjoyable and quick read overall.
I foresee fans of Gone Girl and other relationship based
dramas and thrillers being drawn to Andrews' work. Though this book is not as gritty and thrilling, it also contains the suspenseful story of a damaged couple
I foresee fans of Gone Girl and other relationship based
dramas and thrillers being drawn to Andrews' work. Though this book is not as gritty and thrilling, it also contains the suspenseful story of a damaged couple
May 6, 2021
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 3.0 of 5
This is a story of Nik, an art student, and his girlfriend Jennifer, a dancer. Like many eccentric artists, Nik is obsessive - especially when it comes to painting his dancer girlfriend. On the day Jennifer goes missing, Nik's world falls apart.
With few clues to Jennifer's past, Nik begins a cross-country trip to find her and encounters a Dickensian cast of characters and a little Truth about Jennifer, himself, and love along the way.
My first reaction was - this was a fast read! I'm not sure if that's a good reaction or not, but at least it wasn't a slow, dragging read.
My second reaction was - I enjoyed this. Author Suzanne Alyssa Andrew's writing is crisp and gentle and her language just pulls a reader in.
Although Nik and Jennifer are the focus of the story, the book is told from the point of view of the people Nik meets on his journey. Thus, the 'circle of stones' are the people we meet.
This is a 'concept' book and I generally don't like concept novels where the unique form is more important to the story, but Andrew keeps the story in focus. Still, there is something almost uncomfortable about this concept. We're getting the story from minor characters who come in for a moment, seem important because of what they have to share, but then they're gone. There becomes too many characters for such a tight story.
While I enjoyed the book and found it a quick read, ultimately it was a bit unsatisfying. I might normally suggest that this is a good beach read, but because of the rotating character/narrators it needs more attention than what a beach read usually gets. Perhaps this makes a good fireplace read.
Looking for a good book? Circle of Stones by Suzanne Alyssa Andrew is a well-written book but the unusual narrative format makes it just a little harder to recommend.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
This is a story of Nik, an art student, and his girlfriend Jennifer, a dancer. Like many eccentric artists, Nik is obsessive - especially when it comes to painting his dancer girlfriend. On the day Jennifer goes missing, Nik's world falls apart.
With few clues to Jennifer's past, Nik begins a cross-country trip to find her and encounters a Dickensian cast of characters and a little Truth about Jennifer, himself, and love along the way.
My first reaction was - this was a fast read! I'm not sure if that's a good reaction or not, but at least it wasn't a slow, dragging read.
My second reaction was - I enjoyed this. Author Suzanne Alyssa Andrew's writing is crisp and gentle and her language just pulls a reader in.
Although Nik and Jennifer are the focus of the story, the book is told from the point of view of the people Nik meets on his journey. Thus, the 'circle of stones' are the people we meet.
This is a 'concept' book and I generally don't like concept novels where the unique form is more important to the story, but Andrew keeps the story in focus. Still, there is something almost uncomfortable about this concept. We're getting the story from minor characters who come in for a moment, seem important because of what they have to share, but then they're gone. There becomes too many characters for such a tight story.
While I enjoyed the book and found it a quick read, ultimately it was a bit unsatisfying. I might normally suggest that this is a good beach read, but because of the rotating character/narrators it needs more attention than what a beach read usually gets. Perhaps this makes a good fireplace read.
Looking for a good book? Circle of Stones by Suzanne Alyssa Andrew is a well-written book but the unusual narrative format makes it just a little harder to recommend.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
June 13, 2022
I just finished A Circle of Stones by @suzannealyssawriting and I loved it. I am not a big fan of short stories. I do not know without a doubt that it is due to endless Alice Munro short stories during my English Literature undergrad. So, it could be that, or my commitment issues: I don’t like getting excited about a character only to let it go a few pages later. Circle of Stones did a masterful job of presenting a gorgeous collection of a short stories threaded together by a sweet love story and mystery. I loved searching the character chapters for the connection to Nik or Jennifer. There were several characters that I really enjoyed, such as Nik and his grandmother and there were several that I let stay by the wayside of my mind as I wasn’t ready to commit. It was so fun to read about Vancouver Island and Vancouver as I know these places well. Overall, I was very intrigued by the structure of the book and I think it would be a really creative and enjoyable way to write a novel. Thank you @suzannealyssawriting for such a great book.
March 23, 2018
I won this book in a giveaway, & I always try to do a "good" review of them. This book centers around Jennifer & Nik, who live in Canada. Nik is an artist, Jennifer is a dancer who aspires to the professional stage. They have a falling out & she disappears while Nik is out. The book "circles" around them via a chain of people in different cities, places, etc. that make up random pieces and parts of a tapestry of life. The circles of stones appear in the coastal community where Nik's widowed grandmother lives in a senior condo, which she notices on her beach walks with her neighbor & companion, Charles. They are memorial circles. Nik goes on a quest to find Jennifer, no matter where she is, with only the clothes on his back & what he can carry in a backpack. Will they eventually find each other? You have to read it to find out.
January 12, 2020
An enjoyable, quick read. I liked the different stories and characters and how they fit together. I felt there was something missing related to their respective motivations. I really didn't understand their various obsessions, which seemed a tad too teen angsty to really take seriously if not for the lengths they went to to get closer or farther away from them. Some of it was a bit far-fetched, but overall I liked it.
March 15, 2017
I love it when I have no expectations about a book and I end up really enjoying the few hours I spend reading it. This novel follows, in very small scenes, the story of Nik and Jennifer, but really it's a collection of short stories. Not immediately apparent, each of these stories are about work - the jobs, careers, vocations we choose or choose not to follow. And how our work informs our lives and affects the people around us. Nik has the most compelling story and yet we hear his pov the least. His character is worth thinking about. He is the truly gifted artist in the novel - those closest to him know that - and yet he is hardly a character in the novel; he's a ghost, no one sees him, he even exclaims as much himself. What does this say about the artists in our world and the art that they create?
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March 15, 2017Super book! It has everything. Mysery, intrigue, love, lust and a great story. Beautifully written. I could feel the magic of the locations and fell in love with the characters, imperfections and all.
November 7, 2014
Circle of Stones
I'm still not certain how I feel about this novel. I found it hard to feel attached to many of the characters, whose lives seemed suspended or disconnected, as if their personalities were in abeyance or underdeveloped. The main characters are college students, but what is described is not the lack of depth one typically expects of college students wrapped up in new experiences and still searching for deeper meanings in their first experiences living away from home. It felt more like a refusal to engage.
Now that may sound strange since Nik was totally engaged with his art and Jennifer with her dance. The title is apt--in addition to the physical circle of stone, the story is circular. Continuing the stone metaphor, think of the ripples caused by a stone tossed in the water.
Nik is an art student desperately in love with Jennifer, who is as committed to dance as Nik is to his painting. When Jennifer disappears, Nik eventually goes in search of her, and as Nik travels across Canada following clues that may lead him to Jennifer, he encounters a number of other characters who share a brief moment in the spotlight. All of the characters have tenuous connections; a gauzy sort of spider web of connections in the six degrees of separation vein.
My favorite character was the grandmother, not Nik or Jennifer or Tim or any of the other characters encountered throughout the journey. In fact, the grandmother is the only character who felt grounded and substantial.
Is the novel a parable of contemporary life, illustrating the feelings of isolation and disengagement that so many people experience? I'm not sure what I was supposed to get from the book. I liked the writing, but the story didn't fully engage my interest and the pace was slow, perhaps appropriately so. Nik and Jennifer felt more like illusive ideas than real people. The love story is a strange one, and not only in the way Nik always painted pieces of Jennifer rather than the whole.
Read in Oct.; blog post scheduled for March 16
NetGalley/Dundurn
Contemporary Fiction. March 28, 2015. print length: 272 pages.
I'm still not certain how I feel about this novel. I found it hard to feel attached to many of the characters, whose lives seemed suspended or disconnected, as if their personalities were in abeyance or underdeveloped. The main characters are college students, but what is described is not the lack of depth one typically expects of college students wrapped up in new experiences and still searching for deeper meanings in their first experiences living away from home. It felt more like a refusal to engage.
Now that may sound strange since Nik was totally engaged with his art and Jennifer with her dance. The title is apt--in addition to the physical circle of stone, the story is circular. Continuing the stone metaphor, think of the ripples caused by a stone tossed in the water.
Nik is an art student desperately in love with Jennifer, who is as committed to dance as Nik is to his painting. When Jennifer disappears, Nik eventually goes in search of her, and as Nik travels across Canada following clues that may lead him to Jennifer, he encounters a number of other characters who share a brief moment in the spotlight. All of the characters have tenuous connections; a gauzy sort of spider web of connections in the six degrees of separation vein.
My favorite character was the grandmother, not Nik or Jennifer or Tim or any of the other characters encountered throughout the journey. In fact, the grandmother is the only character who felt grounded and substantial.
Is the novel a parable of contemporary life, illustrating the feelings of isolation and disengagement that so many people experience? I'm not sure what I was supposed to get from the book. I liked the writing, but the story didn't fully engage my interest and the pace was slow, perhaps appropriately so. Nik and Jennifer felt more like illusive ideas than real people. The love story is a strange one, and not only in the way Nik always painted pieces of Jennifer rather than the whole.
Read in Oct.; blog post scheduled for March 16
NetGalley/Dundurn
Contemporary Fiction. March 28, 2015. print length: 272 pages.
January 9, 2017
My reading collective, Books of Longing (Leonard Cohen shout out!), chose this book because a few of the members know the author, Suzanne. I only knew Suzanne through her journalism work (I inherited her position at a magazine years ago), so I was interested in reading her fiction and seeing her work told in a totally different voice. I was delighted to discover that every chapter is told using a different (and sometimes surprising) character/perspective. Every member of the Books of Longing was impressed by the variety of characters we met along the journey of the novel. I thought Suzanne pulled an "Orphan Black" on the reader by showing us how she can convincingly tell stories from different perspectives without sounding kitschy or comical. From a rebellious, dreamy Gothic teenager in Ottawa to a B.C. grandmother discovering romance for the first time, Suzanne's characters felt incredibly authentic, never like insulting caricatures. While I think age, class, gender, sexuality was represented in the different characters that appear, I did wonder why all of the characters read as white.
I enjoyed this story because it felt like an odd Oz journey only across Canada. If you are familiar with Canadian cities and want a short road trip that hits some of the country's major urban areas (in all of their grit and glory) as well as a small coastal town, I'd recommend this book.
I enjoyed this story because it felt like an odd Oz journey only across Canada. If you are familiar with Canadian cities and want a short road trip that hits some of the country's major urban areas (in all of their grit and glory) as well as a small coastal town, I'd recommend this book.
May 31, 2015
I found Circle of Stones to be quit confusing at the start at first. It made me think that the story was going to be more about Nik’s Grandma more than Nik. As we move along in the story the disappearance of his girlfriend Jennifer and his need to find out what has happened to her unfolds.
Each chapter is from someone else’s point of few that somehow ties in with Nik along his Journey. His Granma and friends all tie in with the story as it is going on this is where as I say at the beginning that it confusing all the other characters point of view seem to take away from the Story of Nik.
For me Circle of Stones was a slow read it and took some time to get the flow of the book. I persevered and read to the end.
Would I recommend the book to others? If you like multiple people’s point of view then you will love this one. Over all book was an interesting read and I would be happy to read more of Suzanne Alyssa Andrew work.
I will happy to give this book a rating 4 stars.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Dundurn Group for allowing me to review this
Book.
Each chapter is from someone else’s point of few that somehow ties in with Nik along his Journey. His Granma and friends all tie in with the story as it is going on this is where as I say at the beginning that it confusing all the other characters point of view seem to take away from the Story of Nik.
For me Circle of Stones was a slow read it and took some time to get the flow of the book. I persevered and read to the end.
Would I recommend the book to others? If you like multiple people’s point of view then you will love this one. Over all book was an interesting read and I would be happy to read more of Suzanne Alyssa Andrew work.
I will happy to give this book a rating 4 stars.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Dundurn Group for allowing me to review this
Book.
October 22, 2014
This novel feels very young to me, about a damaged couple who somehow link to all the characters and in this way it's a spider web of a story. It is strange, and the reader often feels exasperated, just like Nick. Love is complicated and life chews you up. There were times my interest waned as the story crawled but the other characters lend enough meat to keep the reader chewing. I am having a hard time pinning the novel down, because it isn't quite dark in a disturbing sense but it isn't light like a love story. It is an unraveling of love. I've been stewing in this story, letting it soak in before I gave a review and I am still scratching my head. I liked it well enough, the writing I think a younger audience, those in their 20's, would enjoy. I would be interested in reading other stories by the author.
What this is, complicated, messiness of a screwed up couple with really interesting characters throughout.
What this is, complicated, messiness of a screwed up couple with really interesting characters throughout.
June 2, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. The novel is structured much like a set of interlinked short stories that drive forward the main suspenseful plot. Part mystery (a young woman disappears), part angsty love story (her lover almost loses himself in his search for her) and something else I found compelling: each of the "minor characters" who tell the lovers' story also have their own complex struggles and desires that I found delightful (there is a woman who is an Extreme Ironer, for example) and tender (a middle-aged man must deal with his shopping addiction and the death of his relationship, an elderly woman comes to terms with ageing and her hopes for new love).
June 3, 2014
Loved the different characters and the nifty way they are all cleverly connected.
February 6, 2017
Beautiful, heartbreaking at times, magical, fascinating...a great novel to start off the year.
Review to come.
Review to come.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews