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jenbsbooks's review against another edition
4.25
I joined a book club, and this was the book being read for the next meeting ... in three days. I was able to grab the audio immediately from the library (LVCC Hoopla) and Amazon had the kindle copy on sale for $2.99, so I added it to my cloud.
I was able to finish the book by bookclub, but it was a little rushed. I started looking over the kindle copy to see if I had missed much in my listen, but didn't have as much time as I would have liked. My initial thoughts were that - I liked it, 3 maybe 3.5 stars. Had a little discussion at the gathering, and afterward I looked up some addition "book club questions" and spent a little more time in the Kindle copy going over things again before writing my review. The more I looked at it (and practically re-read a good portion) the more my appreciation of it grew. Some things you just miss with a quick read for entertainment (which IS basically what most of my reading is) but when you stop to take some notes, make comparisons and connections, and "study" a book a bit more, it is just a different experience. While I don't love school/required reading, the questions asked and discussions about book often do help with understanding and appreciation.
The tag line states this is "A novel about an unlikely friendship, a wise librarian and a mysterious book" ... and yes, that is a pretty good small summary. But it started off a little oddly, to me. The librarian doesn't even come into the picture until much later, and then is still a bit on the perifery. Chapter 1, There is a picture of a newspaper article (about a lottery winner - the lottery continues to come up throughout the book) but then talking about a memorial service ... as Harry (the deceased's husband) has a moment, he slips into the past, which was had me a little on edge, because we know this is likely going to reveal how Beth died (I was waiting for it). Was there any connection to the name Harry CRANE and a demolition CRANE killing Beth? There continues to be a bit of present/past in Harry's storyline for the next chapter.
In chapter 3, new characters (Amanda Jeffers). Dates aren't listed as they often are in books. This day, is the same day Beth died in chapter 1. Like with Harry's story, there is some present/past to introduce the characters/setting/relationships. Dealing with a death.
Soon, the two storylines come together.
It's all past tense/3rd person. The POV shifts, Harry/Amanda being the main, but also Oriana (Amanda's daughter) ... and then others, Olive (the librarian), Ronnie, Cliff, Stu, Wolf, and more (even a dog at one point). Honestly, during some of these shifts into different POVs, I was thinking "what does this have to do with anything?" but all the little outliers came together in the end. There's also a portion/peek at the little book that is talked about "The Grum's Ledger" and even a "fairy-tale retelling" of the main plot of THIS book to that point (I loved that -ahhhh).
While TREES are a main subject of the book, and definitely are talked about throughout, I think it's the fairytales all the way through that I noticed. Little allusions to Red Riding Hood, mentions of Cinderella and Rapunzel, Rumpelstiltskin, bread crumbs ala Hansel and Gretel, and of course, the big bad WOLF and piles of gold. Â A couple statements by the characters in the book "you know what's even more magic than a fairy tale? Real life" Â And another statement "To every story we bring the story of ourselves ..." and then it reviews how the Grum tale impacted everyone differently.Â
While I enjoyed the audio, and the narration was good, I think I gained a little more when I was taking the time to read it myself, take some notes, make highlights. The book talks about "symmetry. Beth in her red coat. Oriana in her red jacket" and right after as it story shifted between two parts ...
"Drive faster" Harry said.
*****
"Drive faster" Wolf said.
I don't know that I totally picked up on the identical statement/shift in the audio ... it was easy to see in print, and just interesting and notable to me. There were the initials carved into trees by a variety of characters, and initials in a heart drawn on a window. I remember studying "The Great Gatsby" and needing to note the use of color throughout ... and I couldn't help but remember that and notice all the color references in this book, especially surrounding the gold, and how it would glow and shine every time it was revealed. The red-tailed hawk appearing throughout. Some picturesque statements like "Harry in the headlights" which was both literal and figurative.Â
At bookclub, someone mentioned it was a little "Hallmark" in the ending, and I have to agree. A bit too HEA for almost everyone, a "change for the better" in almost everyone, which is "ahhh" but ... realistic? And despite the Hallmark feeling at the end, there was proFanity and some sexual content.Â
I was able to finish the book by bookclub, but it was a little rushed. I started looking over the kindle copy to see if I had missed much in my listen, but didn't have as much time as I would have liked. My initial thoughts were that - I liked it, 3 maybe 3.5 stars. Had a little discussion at the gathering, and afterward I looked up some addition "book club questions" and spent a little more time in the Kindle copy going over things again before writing my review. The more I looked at it (and practically re-read a good portion) the more my appreciation of it grew. Some things you just miss with a quick read for entertainment (which IS basically what most of my reading is) but when you stop to take some notes, make comparisons and connections, and "study" a book a bit more, it is just a different experience. While I don't love school/required reading, the questions asked and discussions about book often do help with understanding and appreciation.
The tag line states this is "A novel about an unlikely friendship, a wise librarian and a mysterious book" ... and yes, that is a pretty good small summary. But it started off a little oddly, to me. The librarian doesn't even come into the picture until much later, and then is still a bit on the perifery. Chapter 1, There is a picture of a newspaper article (about a lottery winner - the lottery continues to come up throughout the book) but then talking about a memorial service ... as Harry (the deceased's husband) has a moment, he slips into the past, which was had me a little on edge, because we know this is likely going to reveal how Beth died (I was waiting for it). Was there any connection to the name Harry CRANE and a demolition CRANE killing Beth? There continues to be a bit of present/past in Harry's storyline for the next chapter.
In chapter 3, new characters (Amanda Jeffers). Dates aren't listed as they often are in books. This day, is the same day Beth died in chapter 1. Like with Harry's story, there is some present/past to introduce the characters/setting/relationships. Dealing with a death.
Soon, the two storylines come together.
It's all past tense/3rd person. The POV shifts, Harry/Amanda being the main, but also Oriana (Amanda's daughter) ... and then others, Olive (the librarian), Ronnie, Cliff, Stu, Wolf, and more (even a dog at one point). Honestly, during some of these shifts into different POVs, I was thinking "what does this have to do with anything?" but all the little outliers came together in the end. There's also a portion/peek at the little book that is talked about "The Grum's Ledger" and even a "fairy-tale retelling" of the main plot of THIS book to that point (I loved that -ahhhh).
While TREES are a main subject of the book, and definitely are talked about throughout, I think it's the fairytales all the way through that I noticed. Little allusions to Red Riding Hood, mentions of Cinderella and Rapunzel, Rumpelstiltskin, bread crumbs ala Hansel and Gretel, and of course, the big bad WOLF and piles of gold. Â A couple statements by the characters in the book "you know what's even more magic than a fairy tale? Real life" Â And another statement "To every story we bring the story of ourselves ..." and then it reviews how the Grum tale impacted everyone differently.Â
While I enjoyed the audio, and the narration was good, I think I gained a little more when I was taking the time to read it myself, take some notes, make highlights. The book talks about "symmetry. Beth in her red coat. Oriana in her red jacket" and right after as it story shifted between two parts ...
"Drive faster" Harry said.
*****
"Drive faster" Wolf said.
I don't know that I totally picked up on the identical statement/shift in the audio ... it was easy to see in print, and just interesting and notable to me. There were the initials carved into trees by a variety of characters, and initials in a heart drawn on a window. I remember studying "The Great Gatsby" and needing to note the use of color throughout ... and I couldn't help but remember that and notice all the color references in this book, especially surrounding the gold, and how it would glow and shine every time it was revealed. The red-tailed hawk appearing throughout. Some picturesque statements like "Harry in the headlights" which was both literal and figurative.Â
At bookclub, someone mentioned it was a little "Hallmark" in the ending, and I have to agree. A bit too HEA for almost everyone, a "change for the better" in almost everyone, which is "ahhh" but ... realistic? And despite the Hallmark feeling at the end, there was proFanity and some sexual content.Â
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing
More...