by Doris MortmanRating 4.5/5
This was the selection for my f2f bookclub. It's a chunkster with 626 pages, but it was good. I waffled about reading it because it looked like a romance and I really don't like romances. There was romance, but I would classify this book more as a drama.
The main character finds herself divorced, without a job, an aunt that is dying, and a son in boarding school. She is unskilled so she has a hard time landing a job. Eventually she uses her knowledge of antiques, move to NYC, and changes her name slightly and is hired by an antiques dealer. Her life spirals up and down from there.
The reason the book is so long is because there are several characters and each of their recent life histories are told. Their histories help me care more about the people and it complicated the plot, making the story more interesting.
I liked this book well enough to look for others titles Mortman has written. There were a few lines that I especially liked. This line came from the narrator during a scene with Gaby and her Aunt Simone. "Both of them knew that the page on which they had charted their life together was running out of space." I thought it was a beautiful way of expressing the simple idea that time together was growing short.
This line came when Gabby was asking Armand about the medieval banquets and why they didn't have dining room tables. Armand says, "The did have dinner parties, but the ones you're thinking of were held in the grand hall, not a dining room. And while the table may have been enormous, it was little more than a huge board on thick trestles. All the guests sat on backless stools, the one chair being reserved for the lord of the manor, who sat at the head of the table. He was the 'chair man of the board.'" I love finding out little tidbits of history and the origin of words and terms.
Another great line: "Like most opportunities, this one didn't knock as much as it slid into place, greased by timing and coincidence."
Last one: "Deceit, like nuclear energy could be contained, and yes, some of its uses were good not evil, but with something that continued to gain strength and momentum even in its confinement, there was always the risk of a leak, always the danger of a ruinous explosion."
8 comments:
Those are great lines.
And how interesting to learn where the term "chairman of the board" came from.
I may share that information with my fifth graders this morning.
Hope all is well with you and yours.
'allo, booklogged!
626 pages would have me quaking in my boots! :) However, it does sound like a good book and I am glad you enjoyed the read. I like it when you share your favorite lines and passages with us - I love that line about opportunity, so nicely expressed.
it does kind of look like the cover of a Danielle Steel book.
unlike lotus, i loooovvvve long, drawn-out books. right now i'm reading "outlander" per your request and savoring it.
Those are great lines! The book sounds good--thanks for the rec.
*groaning as she adds yet another title to the growing, overblown, Tower-of-Pisa to be read pile*
:-)
Library Mama, don't you just love learning the origin of everyday terminology?
Lotus, I was quaking believe me. Almost didn't give it a try.
Angela, I know. I'm almost embarrassed to post the picture on my blog. Silly, huh?
Melissa, I'm so happy you are reading Outlander. Are you falling in love with Jamie, yet? Gabaldon tells a good story, doesn't she?
Colleen, when the earth shakes I'll know it was your TBR pile toppling over!
It does have the look of a romance, but sounds like a good read - love the quotes. And, the fact that you used the word "chunkster". :)
I love that tidbit, chairman of the board genesis. I read The Word Detective (he's online) just for stuff like that. I might actually pick up that book.
Outlander was good and so were the next few, but I think I'll wait until she's done with the series before I read any more.
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