64. A Mother and Two Daughters

by Gail Godwin (544 pgs)

Rating: 3

Nell is the mother, Cate and Lydia are the daughters. When husband and father, Leonard Strickland, dies suddenly the three women are thrown back together and forced to change. Lydia, who is always correct but nevertheless divorcing her husband Max, Cate the hippie/activist that never slows down, and Nell the mother who's never lived for just herself.

Mom and I read A Mother and Two Daughters back in August or so. (Sorry the post is so late.) Mom observed, and I agree with her, that it seems like nothing much happens. This observation is true in a way and false in others. Many things happen in this novel. Many shocking, wonderful, horrible, elating things. What doesn't happen, is all this things being pulled into a single story. The narrative is very 'day in the life of' and I don't think that the author did this by mistake. I don't much enjoy it though. The writing, itself, is masterful and there were many points in the book that I enjoyed.

recommended to people who like slice of life narratives.

63. Lovely Bones

by Alice Sebold (352 pgs)

Rating: 4

Susie is dead. She dies horribly and, after she dies, she watches her family come to terms with her death. She sees her family struggle not to fall apart and she follows the affect she had on two friends from school as they grow and become adults. Susie is dead.

The Lovely Bones is a novel that is very interesting for the way that it is told. The perspective of a child's ghost is a bit strange and intriguing. I do have to agree with some of my friends that the voice is somewhat more mature than expected but I find this did not disturb me. The characters are interesting and the family is believable. I'm glad that I read this but I doubt that I will ever read it again.

Generally recommended for those who enjoy reading fiction. Not recommended for young audiences as the first chapter is pretty hard to take.