Kate Says: "Reading Is Fun!"

DISCLAIMER: This is the first book that I have ever read by Kim Edwards and it might be my last, let me explain...

First of all, this should of been a book that I enjoyed thoroughly. It's about a young woman named Lucy Jarrett who's about to turn 30 and is at a major cross roads in her life. When her mom gets into a car accident, she goes home to visit, and discovers a family secret that has never been uncovered before. Sounds good, right? I thought so too at the time.

Secondly, the book takes place in upstate New York around the Finger Lakes, Ithaca, and Elmira, and has a lot of references to Seneca Falls, which played a prominent role in the Women's Rights Movement. Since I grew up in this area I couldn't wait to read this book.

However, once I started reading I was sorely disappointed in the writing style and in Lucy Jarrett herself. The writing was heavy handed with a ton of unnecessary descriptions that to be honest, weren't that well done. Plus, I felt Lucy Jarrett wasn't a realistic character. She did a lot of things that were really very childish and just plain unacceptable for an adult of her age. I wished she would of butted out of everyone else's business - her mother's, her brother's, Keegan's, and Iris'- and figured out her own life.

Rose was the only character I was really able to relate to, and she was dead. I felt I learned more about her through her letters to her daughter, Iris and her brother Joseph, that were splattered throughout the book than any of the other characters. Rose was the character that kept me reading to the end because I wanted to know what happened to her.

All in all, a disappointing read that I should of gotten at the library instead of purchasing at the airport bookstore. However, a lot of people seem to be enjoying it (and I will give my copy to my mom since she enjoyed The Memory Keeper's Daughter and I might pick up that book at a later date just to see), so if it's your cup of tea go for it, but I can confidently say this book wasn't mine.