This book's slowly unraveling mystery drew me in immediately - because almost each sentence had a purpose or a clue as to what exactly is going on. And honestly, there were inklings, but I never thought it would turn into what it eventually did. I don't want to spoil it - don't read any descriptions or other reviews before reading: enjoy trying to figure out what these characters are talking about and alluding to; and how the minor details to them reveal some of the biggest plot points.

Okay, besides me trying to be cryptic so as not to spoil anything - the characters are rich, the plot is beautifully constructed, and it's a bit heartbreaking.

I don't read a whole ton of police procedural mysteries, and maybe now I know why. I liked parts of this novel, and it did surprise me since my theory was way off from what ends up happening, but there was a lot of police-jargon sludge that could have been edited out to be a cleaner novel. However, that may just be me. I really can't remember reading a police procedural before (do the Thomas Harris novels count?)... anyway, those who enjoy procedural mysteries may enjoy this! I wanted to like it more, and I feel as though there's a lot of good in the novel but it's hiding a bit.

This novel was beautiful from start to finish. Henriquez's descriptions of landscapes, emotions, and even geological phenomena are exquisite. I was completely enthralled in this entire book, and not just because of how much I related to Miraflores, the protagonist caught between two cultures. I simply can't wait for more writing from Henriquez; everything I've read I've loved and been impressed with.

Part of the reason I love Hispanic authors so much is that their novels seem like cultural examples of my Latina heritage; I feel closer to the half of my family that lives in Panama.

However, [a:Cristina Henriquez|84994|Cristina Henriquez|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1239313892p2/84994.jpg] wrote this book of short stories that take place specifically in Panama. I've never read any stories or books with a Panamanian setting and revolve around Panamanian characters. The stories are beautifully written, and I plan on keeping up with Henriquez and her works.

As someone who is Panamanian-American, I've never read anything with a narrator that is actually, like me, Panamanian-American. One of the stories is from this point of view and it was unbelievable how much I related to it and how I'd never actually experienced that kind of connection to a character before; a complete cultural connection.

The titular novella, "Come Together, Fall Apart" ends the collection and I experienced quite a catharsis on finishing it & the book - I called my mother right away to talk to her about Panama and about teh book. And these opinions focus on my personal attachment, but I would recommend this book to everyone, if just to dive into a foreign country and relish in Henriquez' lovely prose.

What an emotional journey. I loved Armie Hammer's beautiful and feeling narration, but I know that I also want to read the words because there was so many lines I wanted to save. I'll probably buy the print book for my personal library. Loved this so much.

This book took quite the turn for me in the last quarter. I was so highly enjoying the audiobook and Kathleen Wilhoite's wonderful, distinct voice as our protagonist Eleanor Flood (I laughed out loud during my roadtrip), but then all the build-up and zany antics and questions leads to something that feels like it does not quite fit. The last hour of the audiobook kept making my face scrunch-up. Eleanor's funny in the beginning, exhausting by the end. Which I suppose is how her husband feels, but there were a few things that really brought the book down a few notches.

(I absolutely loved Where'd You Go, Bernadette?, so this was so very disappointing!)

I forgot to review this when I finished it a couple of weeks ago...probably because I was so excited to throw it aside and never think about it again. Stein's "experimental" writing style is simply outdated, as are much of her ideas, and I don't understand why it continues to be on lists like Jezebel's List of Books Every Woman Should Read, if it's completely irrelevant. I know at the time it was new for a woman to write about the lives of three working-class women, but it's also entrenched with racism. Yes, that was commonplace in her time, but why do I have to read it now? Her repetitive writing style was annoying, grating, and was used to such a point that it did nothing for the story, narrative or characters--except to make them sound idiotic and unthinking. Perhaps the most unenjoyable book I've ever read.

A brutal novel that slowly unveils a terrifying crime and its ramifications within a family. The horror continues long after the initial crime, and questions of justice echo long after the book is done. I can't stop thinking of Joe.

Pretty fantastic stuff from Mr. King. The last time I read a King novel was I think The Green Mile in high school, and I liked it a lot. My dad would pass along the latest volume after he was done reading it. It was a fun way to read a book. Before that, I'd just read some things in middle school and while scary, tended to gravitate towards different kinds of books as I got older.

Many people recommended this book to me over the years, and I shied away from it because for some reason I figured since I hadn't read that much of his books, why should I read what he knows about writing? Well, I was wrong.

The memoir part of the book was plenty interesting, and I admire how much his wife mattered to the writing process. The parts actually about writing were great for me to read, and I became almost blindingly happy at one point when he describes how he'd find "holes in the story so big a train could fit through them" (paraphrasing) in his first drafts when coming back to them. As someone who has had a first draft sitting by, and finding those holes as well, I became disenchanted and threw it back in the drawer. King, making me feel much less alone with my words, says not to do this, don't get down on your writing, and just fill in those holes and keep going. And now I will.

It was definitely inspiring, and I've sat at my desk writing a bit every day since finishing it. Think maybe I'll go back and read a couple more of his novels, too.