lola425's review against another edition
3.0
I thought this would be more compelling than it turned out to be. I was with her for the first two thirds but she lost me at the end. Worth a read, however, if only for her writing which I thoroughly enjoyed.
jmcphers's review against another edition
3.0
This book's cover promised that it combined thoughtful literature with the compelling plot of a page-turner.
It was a good deal more well-written and introspective than your average thriller--can you imagine a scene from a Stephen King novel in which female prisoners take great pleasure in swinging and throwing clots of weeds during community service, reveling in the distance and accuracy they can achieve, or Michael Crichton describing a therapist's voice as a "soft path through the woods"? Didn't think so.
It was also more a more compelling read than the aimless, artistic drone you find in some post-modern literature.
In the end, though, I failed to really get caught up in the story or care for the characters. The story is told dispassionately, and while it succeeds in not coming across as overly precious, it also fails to really connect the reader to the characters. The lovely metaphors seemed almost out of place in the otherwise plain prose. And the plot bumbled and skipped erratically through the life of the protagonist, glossing over major events and skipping through years when I wanted more detail, then carefully spending a whole page describing who came to the barbecue that night. The story seemed aimless--and so did the protagonist's life, I suppose, and that's part of the premise of the book.
It was a good deal more well-written and introspective than your average thriller--can you imagine a scene from a Stephen King novel in which female prisoners take great pleasure in swinging and throwing clots of weeds during community service, reveling in the distance and accuracy they can achieve, or Michael Crichton describing a therapist's voice as a "soft path through the woods"? Didn't think so.
It was also more a more compelling read than the aimless, artistic drone you find in some post-modern literature.
In the end, though, I failed to really get caught up in the story or care for the characters. The story is told dispassionately, and while it succeeds in not coming across as overly precious, it also fails to really connect the reader to the characters. The lovely metaphors seemed almost out of place in the otherwise plain prose. And the plot bumbled and skipped erratically through the life of the protagonist, glossing over major events and skipping through years when I wanted more detail, then carefully spending a whole page describing who came to the barbecue that night. The story seemed aimless--and so did the protagonist's life, I suppose, and that's part of the premise of the book.
ebgould's review against another edition
5.0
I picked this book up on a whim... and am glad I did. This is one of my new favorite books. I have already recommended it to a number of people.
As someone who has recently begun the process of reevaluating her life, I have found this book refreshing, full of hope. It is always interesting to watch a character grow into maturity, from late twenties to early fifties. Patsy MacLeemore, from beginning to end, is a character I can relate to, although my actions have not been anywhere near as dire as hers, I understand the need to grow and change ones perspectives. I thought Ms. Huneven did a wonderful job in changing and maturing her characters (not just Patsy, they all evolved from immature points-of-view to varying degrees of adulthood) and will most likely read this book again in the future. This is a book I can take something new from each time I read it.
As someone who has recently begun the process of reevaluating her life, I have found this book refreshing, full of hope. It is always interesting to watch a character grow into maturity, from late twenties to early fifties. Patsy MacLeemore, from beginning to end, is a character I can relate to, although my actions have not been anywhere near as dire as hers, I understand the need to grow and change ones perspectives. I thought Ms. Huneven did a wonderful job in changing and maturing her characters (not just Patsy, they all evolved from immature points-of-view to varying degrees of adulthood) and will most likely read this book again in the future. This is a book I can take something new from each time I read it.
ljjohnson8's review against another edition
3.0
I really loved the first half of this book, but then the story meandered a bit and lost some of its edge. Patsy is a successful published professor and a drunk. She kills a mother and daughter Jehovah's Witness pair dropping off a Watchtower as she drives drunk and without a license in her own driveway. The first half - about Patsy's early life and her time in prison - is fascinating and compelling, but her later years drag on and the novel becomes a little shallow after a very promising and interesting beginning.
sortabadass's review against another edition
3.0
Just one thing, one evening, can shape our entire lives. In Blame, party girl Patsy MacLemoore wakes up from a night of drinking in a prison cell with a hangover and two manslaughter charges. The book details her atonement and coming to terms with her horrific actions.
The most aggravating thing about this book was the publisher's description--it completely gives away the last few pages. If you haven't read the description above on Goodreads yet, don't! Massive spoilers.
Otherwise, it was kind of a dreamy, meandering journey through one woman's life. Despite the title, I think Huneven could have made MacLemoore's self-punishment a little more front-and-center. At times it was difficult to empathize with MacLemoore, because she gave up so much control in her life to those around her.
The most aggravating thing about this book was the publisher's description--it completely gives away the last few pages. If you haven't read the description above on Goodreads yet, don't! Massive spoilers.
Otherwise, it was kind of a dreamy, meandering journey through one woman's life. Despite the title, I think Huneven could have made MacLemoore's self-punishment a little more front-and-center. At times it was difficult to empathize with MacLemoore, because she gave up so much control in her life to those around her.
kclever's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
courtthebookgirl's review against another edition
2.0
I want to rate this book higher, I really do. It was a good story, and the writing was excellent. The problem is that I genuinely felt nothing for any of the characters, other than one who dies early own (I won't put a spoiler in here). I want to take nothing away from the author- she is talented, beyond a doubt- or the book- some might love it. For me, it was just okay in the end.
tmdavis's review against another edition
3.0
What happens when a woman accused and convicted of killing two Jehovah's witnesses while pulling into her driveway drunk discovers that maybe she didn't really do what she thought she did? Patsy, a college professor, can't remember what happened that day because she was in a blackout caused by her alcoholism. She pleads guilty and is convicted and sentenced to several years in prison. After she serves her time and straightens herself out she discovers that maybe she wasn't really responsible for the deaths of these two people like she thought she was.
Very interesting but not really as good as I was expecting.
Very interesting but not really as good as I was expecting.
minvanwin's review against another edition
4.0
Although the description of this book sounds a bit like a Lifetime original movie, Huneven skillfully weaves a sophisticated tale of guilt and redemption. A note on the audio: Hillary Huber is fantastic. She is pitch-perfect as Patsy and really excellent as each character. Her voice work is subtle and nuanced. While I think I would have liked reading this in print, Huber brought a lot of richness to the text that I appreciated.