jenknox's Reviews (494)

An important and very accessible book that will keep a reader on edge in a necessary way. The writing herein is strong because of the author's candor, and there is a confidential tone that makes the reader feel as though she's being spoken to directly. I highly recommend this book, especially to teenagers and parents, who from either side of the abuse cycle may benefit from the author's story.

This is going to be a book to pick at. Didion has a subtle way of getting to me, but she gets to me like few other essayists can; this book is downright difficult/necessary for me to read in its entirety. Slow-going it will go.

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Beautiful, clean prose. A book that needs read at the right moments, but needs read. Joan Didion puts her rawest out there with grace and not a hint of grandiosity or self-pity. She's just crisp, clean, raw. It's what I love about her writing, and why it's so damn hard to read sometimes.

I've been listening to this in the car on my way to work, and I thought I'd have to stop given the subject matter. But the characters are endearing and hilarious, and their banter is so unexpected and quick, that it was surprisingly easy to stick with. It's subtle with the messages, and the narrators did such a great job with the delivery. It's a good book to listen to, and I'm sure it's a good book to read.

I kept forgetting about this book as I read it, then I'd return and enjoy the story in a passive sort of way. I really love Lorrie Moore, and this book was good--even if it is a little forgettable at times.

Echolocation took me over so that I had to regroup whenever I stopped reading. The main characters are immediately visible and distinct, tough and believable. And their dynamic is revealed smoothly, with both momentum and surprise.

Collins' consistently highlights the macro--the landscape. There are many short but unforgettable passages that establish character: "She wanted to follow the path of her mother, but not so that she would find her; instead, she wanted to know what it felt like to be the one leaving," or create scenic exhibitions: "Gray trees along the roadside creaked in the wind, bare branches scratching out the blue from the sky. A single crow let out a continuous, ornery caw, rippling the morning's stillness."

This story never hiccups and never meanders. It paints a world that is at the same time believably tough and graciously beautiful. It is about connections and relationships and hardships and so much more. Oh, and the title is perfect.

Read it.