Smashbomb

It's just another day in Mount Oanoke, Pennsylvania when the birds start to fall. Hundreds of dead starlings, dropping from the sky during a baseball game. It seems like the birds started it all, but really the secrets and lies began much earlier. Nate Winters, high school teacher and baseball coach, is beloved in the town. That is, until a reporter, in town to cover the birds, catches Nate hugging a student at a local motel. Suddenly, the birds are forgotten, and the story becomes much juicier: Nate; his student, Lucia; and their supposed affair. Lucia fuels the fire by affirming the affair and suddenly Nate and his wife, Alecia, are swept up in the story. The only who believes in Nate's innocence, even a sliver, is his friend and co-worker, Bridget. As Lucia's creative writing teacher, she has unique insight into the girl's mind. But when Lucia suddenly goes missing--with Nate as the prime suspect in her disappearance--not even Bridget may be able to save Nate. But is there more to Lucia's disappearance than an affair with her teacher?

Wow, I was really impressed by this novel. It's a complicated novel that is just as much a character-driven study as it is a mystery. It's incredibly well-written, and Moretti expertly embodies the voice of each of her characters, from beleaguered Alecia, who is worn down from mothering her autistic son, Gabe; to the cast of teenager characters; to Bridget, who lost her husband to cancer a year ago. It's so well-done that often with each chapter (which skip from various points of view -- Bridget, Kate, Lucia, Nate, etc.), I found my myself veering between whom I preferred or believed, constantly second-guessing my allegiances or what happened. This is very rare for me: typically I find my "person" in a novel and stick with them, no matter what.

But here, I was confused, wondering. Was Nate really a cad, who cheated on his wife every second he got, or was he the sweet, affable teacher and baseball coach that the whole town admired and adored? And Alecia--was she more than just a weary mom, broken down by years of staying at home with her autistic son, Gabe, unable to give to anyone beyond him? Did she push Nate away, into the arms of others? Or was the truth more complicated that all of this? I have to hand it to Moretti--she was excellent at creating confusion and doubt. In addition to different perspectives, the novel shifts in time (before the birds fell, after the birds fell, before Lucia disappeared, etc.). It's a little tough to keep track of, but it also keeps you on your toes and always wondering, as you piece various parts of the puzzle together.

For me--even more than the mystery of what exactly happened with Lucia--the strength of this novel was the writing and the characters. I felt for them, even when I was frustrated with them. Moretti captures the angst and meanness of high school extremely well, portraying the cliques of a small town quite superbly. (I was reminded of WHEN WE WERE WORTHY, which I just finished.) I loved the juxtaposition of this being a small town, so the idea is that everyone knows everyone and everything, and yet there are so many secrets, so much unknown. Being a witness to Alecia and Nate's marriage is amazing-- you see firsthand how the events affect them and how they've reached this point. It's an incredibly realistic portrayal of marriage and of motherhood.

As you probably tell, I just really liked this novel. It's very well-written, with quite compelling characters. I worked out some of the plot, but it didn't stop me from reading at all. I think some of the emphasis on character development slows the story at places, but not in any detrimental way. This one will make you think, as well as intrigue you with what happened to Lucia. Quite worth the read.

Kudos

ClareR (6062 KP) rated Ready Player One in Books

Aug 10, 2018

Ready Player One

Ernest Cline | 2011 | Fiction & Poetry

8.9

(161 Ratings)

Book Rating

Third time's the charm!

I started this book ages ago, then put it down and forgot about it. I started it again after I watched the film, but again, I stopped reading it for some reason. This was my third attempt, driven by having watched the film. I'm sure that it's pretty obvious that this book is nothing like the film (as is so often the case). The details in the book could never all be included in a film, and there are a number of places where the story has been completely changed, and I can see why. There is so much detail: from music, to TV programmes, to computer games, to characters' motivations. Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed both the book and the film. The book is both very exciting and very detailed. I have to admit to skimming some, feeling guilty, then going back and reading it properly!
I loved the references to 80's music, although some were a bit random even for me (this is probably the difference between a Brit and someone from the US reading it). I do find though, that Ernest Cline's writing is incredibly detailed, and this is probably the reason why my 14 year old son gave up halfway through. I'm impressed he got to the halfway point to be honest!

Kudos

Amy Curtis (49 KP) rated The Grapes of Wrath in Books

Dec 31, 2018

Cutting edge (0 more)

Felt like it wasn't going anywhere (0 more)

Still waiting for the rest of the story

Contains spoilers, click to show

I can't decide how I feel about this book. I must admit that it is heavy going and you really have to get used to the speech in the book. The novel is based around poor farmers that have had to borrow money from the bank in order to survive during a rough harvest. However when they can't pay the bank back, they are driven from their home along with many other families. Steinbeck explored the hardship of poor farming life as we transition into a modern era with machinery that is replacing jobs. Throughout the novel, it is very cutting to see their struggles to be able to find work and afford to feed their family. I did find that at time the book felt like it wasn't going anywhere but I guess that is the point of it. Steinbeck is describing a mundane hard life where finding work is a struggle. I did enjoy the book but at times found it very difficult to perservere with it. The ending was also a bit confusing and left me with a lot of questions as to what happened to the Joads family. I would recommend for you to read this book but proceed with caution because it is hard work!