April 2, 2008
· Filed under Book Stuff & Reviews · Tagged Alice Sebold, heroin, Lucky, rape
This novel is an autobiographical account of Alice Sebold’s rape when she was a college freshman. In this novel, Sebold shares with her reader intimate details about being raped and how her life changed afterward. She describes the violence in such detail that you “see” it vividly occur as you read. Alice’s life was tainted by this rape. How could it not be? She returns to school and eventually graduates but not before more trauma and tragedy occur. She does win the case against her rapist which is extremely difficult to do, but this doesn’t really do anything for her emotionally. In some ways, I think it may have hurt her because it seems that after winning the case, she became somewhat of a celebrity and this damaged many of her relationships with peers and may have caused other problems.
However, she manages to finish her classes and obtain an education. She eventually becomes a college professor. She travels quite a bit. She also ends up with a nasty little heroin habit.
All in all it was an interesting read, meaning that you as the reader do want to know more about her life, so Sebold does capture her reader’s attention. However, I did feel a little bit cheated at the end because the last couple of chapters dealing with her drug habit and adult life, seem to have been written in a rush. It was like she needed a few more pages or something. There was not as much detail in these final chapters as there could have been. Her soul was not written into those final pages.
I am left wanting to know more about the man she was living with and how she happened to get involved with him. I also wanted to know exactly how big a drug habit she got into–when and how did she take her first hit? Did she like it? How did she feel? Why quit?
I also know she managed to find a great man, who she is married to and I would have liked to know more about that. I guess what I wanted was a happy ending but I could see why she would not put that part of her life in this book. This was more her own personal journey into an abyss and her struggle out of it. It was like a journal she decided to share with the world about a very bad part of her life.
It’s really difficult to rate an autobiographical account of someone’s life especially when it’s infused with such trauma. Please understand that this is my own personal opinion about the “story” not her life.
This book gets 4 tattered pages!
April 2, 2008
· Filed under Book Stuff & Reviews · Tagged adultery, drama, sisters, The Ex-Factor, Tu-Shonda Whitaker
If you want to read a book that you just cannot put down and makes you drown out the noise of the train engine on your commute to work–this is one of those. Admittedly, the storyline probably has more appeal to women than it will to men but this is a great read! It’s a soap opera style drama.
This story revolves around three sisters and the very different lives they live.
One sister, the youngest, has to learn the very hard lesson of letting go of a man that’s just not good, even if he is her baby’s daddy!!
The oldest sister has to learn that words can sometimes cut like a knife. She also has to learn that letting herself go is not the way to keep her family together.
The middle sister has to learn that no matter what, blood is thicker than water, and that you never ever ever, and I do mean never, no matter how fine he may be, go after your sister’s husband.
Oh yea! Did I say drama?? I meant it!! Could not put this book down. You aren’t going to find any of life’s mysteries revealed in this book but you will find some great entertainment. LOL
4 TATTERED PAGES!
April 2, 2008
· Filed under Book Stuff & Reviews · Tagged I Heard That Song Before, Mary Higgins Clark
Mary Higgins Clark hardly ever lets me down. The last book I read of hers was “Two Little Girls in Blue” and although it was OK, I found it lacking something. This book did not lack in anything at all!! This was a fabulous read. The characters were immediately captivating!
The main character–Kay Lansing–is a librarian, so at first I thought maybe I just like her because she likes books like I do! 
But no, it turns out I liked everything about the character. This was a strong heroine. She marries a rich man–Peter Carrington (and I’m talking millions and millions rich!!) and shortly after arriving from their honeymoon, he is arrested for murder!!
Of course she refuses to believe that her new husband is a murderer but as things keep coming up, she starts to doubt his innocence, especially since her own husband really believes he committed the crimes! Then there are twist and turns and honestly, they are all good!
I am not going to give anything away (you’ll have to read it!) but Mary Higgins Clark did it again with this one. She kept me wanting more and more and guessing right until the last page!!
This gets 5 tattered pages!!
