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tashreads2manybooks's Reviews (1.06k)
3.5 Stars
Shelley Parker has a gift. She is able to see people after they crossover into the next life. She lives with her mother and brother on Black Mountain in North Carolina in the 1930’s and they work for the malevolent Rev. Dobbins and his family. Shelley has never liked Faith Dobbins, the Reverend’s daughter. But after a persistent spirit in a yellow dress asks Shelley to ‘finish her story’, she realizes she may have more in common with Faith then she realises.
The Storycatcher is a dark, brooding tale of the search for truth and justice in politically unjust times, and to uncover a family secret that links all the characters together.
Ann Hite writes simply, yet eloquently and creates a realistic voice for her characters. At first I found it quite difficult trying to keep up the all the different narrative voices. I found myself flicking back to the beginning trying to find out how they were all connected. But as I continued through the book I realised this was unnecessary; Hite explains all eventually.
The Storycatcher is a female dominated story. The women are strong, although it takes time for them to stand up to the Pastor. Most of the men (with the exception of Will) are mean and tyrannical, or play minor roles.
My biggest quarrel with the book is that too many characters had ‘special gifts’. And if everyone has one (sight, spells, clairvoyance, ability to predict the future) then the gift doesn’t seem so special anymore. There were also, in my opinion, way too many ghosts. There only needs to be one or two mysterious ones to have me hooked.
Hite, very successfully, creates a sense of time and place. The language and the descriptions transport you to the Depression-era South. Her story is very ‘visual’; you can picture the mysterious Black Mountain and the spooky cemetery.
The Storycatcher is a hauntingly beautiful tale and worth a read if you like a bit of the supernatural with your historical fiction.
Shelley Parker has a gift. She is able to see people after they crossover into the next life. She lives with her mother and brother on Black Mountain in North Carolina in the 1930’s and they work for the malevolent Rev. Dobbins and his family. Shelley has never liked Faith Dobbins, the Reverend’s daughter. But after a persistent spirit in a yellow dress asks Shelley to ‘finish her story’, she realizes she may have more in common with Faith then she realises.
The Storycatcher is a dark, brooding tale of the search for truth and justice in politically unjust times, and to uncover a family secret that links all the characters together.
Ann Hite writes simply, yet eloquently and creates a realistic voice for her characters. At first I found it quite difficult trying to keep up the all the different narrative voices. I found myself flicking back to the beginning trying to find out how they were all connected. But as I continued through the book I realised this was unnecessary; Hite explains all eventually.
The Storycatcher is a female dominated story. The women are strong, although it takes time for them to stand up to the Pastor. Most of the men (with the exception of Will) are mean and tyrannical, or play minor roles.
My biggest quarrel with the book is that too many characters had ‘special gifts’. And if everyone has one (sight, spells, clairvoyance, ability to predict the future) then the gift doesn’t seem so special anymore. There were also, in my opinion, way too many ghosts. There only needs to be one or two mysterious ones to have me hooked.
Hite, very successfully, creates a sense of time and place. The language and the descriptions transport you to the Depression-era South. Her story is very ‘visual’; you can picture the mysterious Black Mountain and the spooky cemetery.
The Storycatcher is a hauntingly beautiful tale and worth a read if you like a bit of the supernatural with your historical fiction.
Never judge a book by its cover. We all know the idiom well. However, I am afraid, that on this occasion I did judge the book by its cover. A beautiful and interesting image and a title that really appealed to me: The Book of Someday. How much possibility lay in that title, yet how disappointed I was with just about everything else.
There are three narrators in this story. First there is Livvi; an introverted writer who comes from an abusive background. Next, Micah; a world famous and renowned photographer who finds out she has breast cancer, and finally, AnnaLee, a Long Island housewife who is slowly selling off family heirlooms to help support her family because her husband can’t hold down a job.
I have read reviews describing The Book of Someday as ‘intriguing’ and ‘fascinating’, but I felt it was predictable and rather unoriginal. The mystery of the story is supposed to be that there is a connection between these women. However, I figured it out rather early on in the book. The only reason I kept reading (and the only reason this has an extra star) is not that I wanted to find out WHAT happened, but to find out HOW it happened.
Livvi drove me nuts with her neediness (and I realise she was damaged and abandoned, but so were a lot of great characters in literature.) She also develops an unhealthy obsession with basically the first child she meets.
The saga felt rather overdone and melodramatic. It could fit right in with Days of Our Lives. Dixon’s methods of concealing ‘the truth’ also grew a little tiresome as the story progressed SPOILER! (was nobody known by their birth name in 1986?)
There was nothing particularly clever about the writing either. There was no turn of phrase that took my breath away. Nothing I wanted to add as a quote. When I read a novel I want the author to wow me; to make me see and experience the world they created, to love or loathe the characters, but Dixon left me feeling indifferent.
I am sure some people will really like this book. Just like some people (a lot in fact) like Danielle Steel. And there is nothing wrong with that. It just wasn’t for me.
There are three narrators in this story. First there is Livvi; an introverted writer who comes from an abusive background. Next, Micah; a world famous and renowned photographer who finds out she has breast cancer, and finally, AnnaLee, a Long Island housewife who is slowly selling off family heirlooms to help support her family because her husband can’t hold down a job.
I have read reviews describing The Book of Someday as ‘intriguing’ and ‘fascinating’, but I felt it was predictable and rather unoriginal. The mystery of the story is supposed to be that there is a connection between these women. However, I figured it out rather early on in the book. The only reason I kept reading (and the only reason this has an extra star) is not that I wanted to find out WHAT happened, but to find out HOW it happened.
Livvi drove me nuts with her neediness (and I realise she was damaged and abandoned, but so were a lot of great characters in literature.) She also develops an unhealthy obsession with basically the first child she meets.
The saga felt rather overdone and melodramatic. It could fit right in with Days of Our Lives. Dixon’s methods of concealing ‘the truth’ also grew a little tiresome as the story progressed SPOILER! (was nobody known by their birth name in 1986?)
There was nothing particularly clever about the writing either. There was no turn of phrase that took my breath away. Nothing I wanted to add as a quote. When I read a novel I want the author to wow me; to make me see and experience the world they created, to love or loathe the characters, but Dixon left me feeling indifferent.
I am sure some people will really like this book. Just like some people (a lot in fact) like Danielle Steel. And there is nothing wrong with that. It just wasn’t for me.
I have a confession to make. Despite studying English literature for 3 years, and being an obsessive reader, I have not read any Edgar Allan Poe. I was obviously aware of him, and know of his love of the macabre, “The Raven” and “Nevermore”, but he was just another writer I would eventually get to. Then along came Mrs Poe by Lynn Cullen, and my curiosity was piqued.
Turns out Mr. Poe had a rather strange life. He was orphaned at an early age and ended up marrying his 13-year-old first cousin. He was rumoured to have romantic links to fellow poet Frances Osgood, and this is the relationship Cullen explores in her book.
Frances Osgood is trying to provide for her daughters after her scoundrel of a husband runs off with one of his many mistresses. She is considered a mediocre poet by the New York literati and is tolerated, but not truly respected at their gatherings. It is at one of these soirees that she encounters the celebrated Mr Poe and his pretty young wife Virginia. There is an immediate mutual attraction and respect between Osgood and Poe and the novel follows their growing affection for each other. This affair has not gone unnoticed by Mrs Poe, and it seems she has her own sinister ways of punishing Frances and reclaiming her husband’s affections.
At first I detested Mrs Poe (the character, not the book). She comes across as jealous, possessive, childish and vindictive. It was probably the first time I actually hoped for a successful affair. But as the novel progressed I realised that she was the best part of it. Although she is described as a fragile, sickly girl, her part of the story always came with a dark edge.
The romance between Frances and Poe was far too clichéd for my liking. I found myself rolling my eyes during every desperate encounter and cringing at the cheesy dialogue.
The story is teeming with literary references – Louisa May Alcott, Dickens, Melville, Whitman etc - and interesting historical details. Cullen has obviously carefully researched this period in history, and it shows.
Overall, the story is a bit contrived; Cullen is trying too hard to get the reader to like Poe. Also, it is important to remember that this is a work of fiction. Poe purists may not agree with the author’s interpretation. However, it is well written and worth a read.
Turns out Mr. Poe had a rather strange life. He was orphaned at an early age and ended up marrying his 13-year-old first cousin. He was rumoured to have romantic links to fellow poet Frances Osgood, and this is the relationship Cullen explores in her book.
Frances Osgood is trying to provide for her daughters after her scoundrel of a husband runs off with one of his many mistresses. She is considered a mediocre poet by the New York literati and is tolerated, but not truly respected at their gatherings. It is at one of these soirees that she encounters the celebrated Mr Poe and his pretty young wife Virginia. There is an immediate mutual attraction and respect between Osgood and Poe and the novel follows their growing affection for each other. This affair has not gone unnoticed by Mrs Poe, and it seems she has her own sinister ways of punishing Frances and reclaiming her husband’s affections.
At first I detested Mrs Poe (the character, not the book). She comes across as jealous, possessive, childish and vindictive. It was probably the first time I actually hoped for a successful affair. But as the novel progressed I realised that she was the best part of it. Although she is described as a fragile, sickly girl, her part of the story always came with a dark edge.
The romance between Frances and Poe was far too clichéd for my liking. I found myself rolling my eyes during every desperate encounter and cringing at the cheesy dialogue.
He caressed me with a grateful gaze. “How well you understand me. I cannot say I have ever felt this from another person – I knew it the minute I met you. Thank you”
“For what?”
“For brightening my life”
The story is teeming with literary references – Louisa May Alcott, Dickens, Melville, Whitman etc - and interesting historical details. Cullen has obviously carefully researched this period in history, and it shows.
Overall, the story is a bit contrived; Cullen is trying too hard to get the reader to like Poe. Also, it is important to remember that this is a work of fiction. Poe purists may not agree with the author’s interpretation. However, it is well written and worth a read.
