Escape

by Anna Fienberg

Rachel Lambert can escape from a Bohemian Torture Crib, but she can't leave her marriage. Her whole life she's tried to be a good girl—she considers others first and she's never missed a deadline. Now her family's doing a vanishing act, her book on magic is a year late to the publishers, and Rachel's losing her grip on reality. She's even taken to fantasizing about Harry Houdini in the grocery aisle at the supermarket. Guido, her husband, is spending more and more time with his star pupil, Silvia, and her daughter, Clara, has run off to Italy, seeking independence and adventure. From Florence, Clara sends news like mysterious puzzle pieces, forming a disturbing picture of Guido's past and exploding her mother's illusions. Yet sometimes truth is the key to freedom—and possibly our salvation

438 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Anna Fienberg grew up in a house filled with books. Her mother was a teacher librarian who relished stories as much as chocolates. 'On Sunday mornings we'd all lie in bed with our books, lost in magical wardrobes, witches’ spells, genies’ magic… What we were going to read next was just as important in our family as what was for lunch!' says Anna.

Anna started writing stories when she was eight, but never imagined being an author. She studied psychology, fascinated by the dark world of dreams. She gave up counseling after an unfortunate incident with an enraged man and a chair (he missed!), began writing and scored the best job in the world. 'Working for School Magazine was a treat,' Anna says. 'I couldn't believe you could get paid for sitting back comfortably in your chair, cappuccino in hand, reading over a thousand books a year. Heaven!' Of course, as an editor she also had to write reviews and articles, stories and plays. One of those stories for School Magazine later became her first book.

Reviews

[Kendra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Picked this book up because it is by the author of some of the most beloved kids books in this house. The premise is pretty straightforward...soon to be empty nester mother and wife, dealing with her child moving to another continent for a year, whilst simultaneously suffering her wanker of a husband. I am happy this woman has parents, and her magic..lshe is a writer, and modern-day, suburban housewife Houdini, definitely an interesting facet of this main character, though it remains to be seen if the author can pull this one off. The last line on the jacket description says "this is a book for every woman who has ever wished, even just for one day, that her husband would vanish into thin air." By that description, this is *not* the book for me, however, the writing is good, and I am hoping that the rather dickish husband in this book will vanish, forever...

...this book took forever to read. I just didn't care for the main character - I didn't see a transformation.

I still like the author, but I will stick with Tashi.

[Kerry Hennigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rachel is a successful author of children's books, a wife and a mother. "Escape" is the story of her relationship with her husband Guido, whom she met because of her fascination for magic and magicians. Years later the magic is gone - Guido is now a self-obsessed poet, and their daughter is flying off overseas to study in Italy. Rachel's love of magicians - and Harry Houdini in particular - becomes a metaphor for her dream of escaping her life with Guido. Her struggle to find the strengh to be herself (rather than just Guido's doormat) makes surprisingly hypnotic reading. This could be another diary of a 'mad' housewife, but Rachel is a survivor, and her story is a triumph.

[Kathi O'Donnell · Rating 2 out of 5]

The main characters were quite unlikable. She for her lack of self-affirmation and he for his self-absorption. Add in that this book could have been 1/2 as long and still achieve the same goal, and you get something that doesn't make a satisfying read.

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book 108 for 2011. It was randomly chosen this evening from some library books at my disposal. My aim is to read 133 this calendar year. We will see if I make it. Regards, T