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Twilight
Award-winning novelist Katherine Mosby examines the complex landscape of adultery while depicting a woman's unlikely blossoming in the face of war. Lavinia Gibbs defies social convention and family expectations in New York in the 1930s when she breaks off a passionless engagement to a prominent banker. Instead of surrendering to an invisible spinsterhood, Lavinia moves to Paris, where, on the verge of World War II, her sexual and political awakening collide in an unforgettable tale.
304 pages, ebook
First published May 31, 2005
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96 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
November 22, 2013
Achei engraçado ser a primeira pessoa portuguesa a ler este livro no Goodreads, pois a versão que li (nacional) nem sequer lá está, é a primeira vez que tal me acontece....
Por isso gostava de dizer que gostei muito deste livro mas tal não é verdade. A história não me entusiasmou nem de longe nem de perto e o final deixou-me a pensar que faltava ali qualquer coisa.
Por isso gostava de dizer que gostei muito deste livro mas tal não é verdade. A história não me entusiasmou nem de longe nem de perto e o final deixou-me a pensar que faltava ali qualquer coisa.
June 10, 2009
Initially, I was drawn in by Lavinia. I felt sorry for her situation - forced into an engagement to a man she hardly tolerated, being stifled under the constant pressures of her family, their standing, and society - but once she broke free and moved to Paris, all sympathy melted away.
I get that she was breaking out of her shell and becoming somebody she never thought she could be, but getting involved with her married employer? That was a horrible decision, and it had me cringing throughout their encounters. Beyond that, once their affair started, that was the entire focus of the book. There was hardly mention of Lavinia's friends, associates, landlady, dog...it was just all about the lust and guilt she was feeling. Ugh.
Even the ending, which I've seen touted as reminiscent of Ethan Frome (which it really shouldn't be compared to), wasn't enough to elevate the book in my opinion.
I get that she was breaking out of her shell and becoming somebody she never thought she could be, but getting involved with her married employer? That was a horrible decision, and it had me cringing throughout their encounters. Beyond that, once their affair started, that was the entire focus of the book. There was hardly mention of Lavinia's friends, associates, landlady, dog...it was just all about the lust and guilt she was feeling. Ugh.
Even the ending, which I've seen touted as reminiscent of Ethan Frome (which it really shouldn't be compared to), wasn't enough to elevate the book in my opinion.
November 26, 2016
This book took me a few chapters to get into, but then I fell hard and fast... I thoroughly enjoyed Mosby's artistic description of Paris in the late 30's, the passionate and poetic love letters between Gaston and Lavinia, and the ever present emotional conflict within them that was captured so well. I felt humbly connected to the characters. So much so that one night I even made scrambled eggs with olives and mustard {which was terrible} just like Lavinia had, so she wouldn't eat alone.
The book left me understanding that not everyone experiences authentic passion. It is an erotic anomaly (similar to twilight) and if you are fortunate enough for it to cross your path ...you should savor it.
October 25, 2010
This novel should have started with its last chapter and proceeded from there.
March 3, 2019
“A filosofia era o melhor remédio para a insônia: ou nos da sabedoria, ou nos da sono. Todas as grandes cabeças já fizeram por nos o duro trabalho de pensar. Só por pura preguiça não nos damos sequer Ao trabalho de espreitar o que eles escreveram.”
March 13, 2021
Beautifully written literary adventure. Mosby weaves her character development and scenery quite eloquently.
August 11, 2022
Well written, but not a very good story.
August 30, 2011
She writes like a poet -- Mosby -- and I think she is that too. Would like to read more of her work. Lavinia, the protagonist here, is the "other woman" in a love affair with Gaston, a married man. Read this book and you will gain some insight into the loneliness and isolation that this kind of scenario will bring -- it may just make you run in the opposite direction when presented with the opportunity. Unfortunately, as a cautionary tale I think it will work both ways because this is actually a woman who grabbed happiness where she could find it.....and even with all the guilt and sadness interlaced with all the stolen moments with this man who is likely the love of her life...she did find it.
January 16, 2020
Full disclosure here:
I've had this book for well over a decade and only now did I pick it up. Why? Because I thought, quite stupidly, that I wouldn't like it. I never did go for love stories...
And now I curse myself for having left this just sitting on my bookshelf for so long.
In the years leading up to World War Two Lavinia finds herself, due to a series of events I won't spoil here, in Paris.
There she found several things- an apartment, loneliness, people, friends, and love. And how sweet love can be!
But as the war became more and more trying so did her relationship- small quarells became reason to break it off, mindless whispers in the night became lifelines and small kisses became raging fires.
I've had this book for well over a decade and only now did I pick it up. Why? Because I thought, quite stupidly, that I wouldn't like it. I never did go for love stories...
And now I curse myself for having left this just sitting on my bookshelf for so long.
In the years leading up to World War Two Lavinia finds herself, due to a series of events I won't spoil here, in Paris.
There she found several things- an apartment, loneliness, people, friends, and love. And how sweet love can be!
But as the war became more and more trying so did her relationship- small quarells became reason to break it off, mindless whispers in the night became lifelines and small kisses became raging fires.
September 24, 2010
This novel, according to the back cover, is supposed to be about an American woman's "sexual and political awakening" in Paris right before World War II. I thought she'd be hanging out with Sylvia Beach, Djuna Barnes, and that whole gang! But no. Instead, she hangs out with the same high-society people she did in the U.S. (even though she feels she doesn't fit in with them). She also has an affair with a married man and behaves immaturely for her age. But I can't hold the back-cover copy against the book itself, and the book on its own terms is definitely good, with vivid and interesting characters.
November 29, 2015
Really enjoyed the writing. The author paints a vivid picture of Paris pre-WWII. The main character expresses her feelings intimately and shows what it is like to be the "other" woman. I was very engaged with the story and looked forwarded to reading it when I could. Then I got 3/4 of the way through and it was as if the author was told to hurry up and meet a deadline and finish it. Felt like it was a completely rushed ending leaving me wanting to know what the heck just happened. Maybe there is a plan for a sequel?
May 31, 2011
There are no vampires in this Twilight. There's an American woman who breaks her engagement to a dull, passionless man, and moves to France in the mid 1930's. She falls head over heels for a Frenchman, of course. I enjoyed the writing style, but the story fell short for me. Yes, they were so in love, but Hitler was coming, and our heroine seemed too busy writing love letters to notice. The author made some interesting choices at the end.
March 30, 2007
Mosby is a poet first and novelist second, which makes her luminous prose jump achingly off the page. Set in 1930s New York and then Paris, she spins an evocative tale of self-discovery and forbidden love under the shadow of war. Hauntingly beautiful.
April 24, 2007
A book about a woman in the years surrounding World War II, experiencing a sexual awakening of sorts.
Read
August 10, 2007I only remember hints of this one, so not fair to rate, much less review, it.
(But it doesn't bode well if I can't even remember it.)
(But it doesn't bode well if I can't even remember it.)
November 7, 2007
Easy, nostalgic read.
July 21, 2008
I loved two of other books. What happened here? Horrible!
Read
July 20, 2009No, not that Twilight. (Although, that darn Robert Pattinson IS a hottie.) I came across a review of Mosby's novel in People magazine, and it sounds fascinating.
Want to read
June 22, 20101st edition, signed & inscribed by author; BookExpo 2005
June 13, 2016
Haven't started it yet.
April 10, 2011
Dull beginning, sappy middle, abrupt and unsatisfying ending. Some pretty interesting love notes are exchanged in the middle.
December 18, 2011
Loved this book.
July 9, 2012
beautifully written, looking forward to reading more from this author. loved this image of pre WWII Paris, but it was hard for me to empathize completely with a character who validated adultery.
December 31, 2012
Heroine and hero not too sympathetic, but powerfully written.
January 4, 2014
The prose in this novel reads like poetry.
January 3, 2015
Some beautifully written moments, and an interesting story that strays a bit (in a good way) from the stereotypical "American woman in WWII Europe" narrative.
April 26, 2015
Beautiful prose, Jane Austinish with a rebellious, passionate protagonist in setting of pre-WWII Paris. I very much enjoyed !
July 17, 2017
Did this book in our book club. Agree that some of her imagery is beautiful. But, I just didn't really like the characters or the story. Seemed to drag on.
October 13, 2009
Ugh... I could barely get through it. I guess it really was too much of a girl book, even for me.
October 4, 2009
Wonderful! This is not the Vampire book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews