Customer Reviews: Read 137 more reviews...
 Spellbinding August 20, 2008
Missie M (uk)
I loved this book; i couldn't put it down, couldn't stop thinking about it, and when i got close to the end, i didn't want it to end. I liked the style in which it was written, and would like to read more by this writer.
 Secrets can't be kept forever. August 5, 2008
laineyf (warwickshire)
I wasn't sure whether I would really like this book or not. I had a horrible feeling it was going to be sickly sweet and patronising. I read some of the reviews, and decided to leave it alone. However, after a time, I thought I'd try it, and surprisingly, I enjoyed it. I think it was a very brave thing to write about the dilemmas facing the families of Downs Syndrome children, as it is, obviously, an emotional and challenging situation. I think that we all assume that we will give birth to healthy children, and it must be absolutely devastating when that doesn't happen. However, your child is your child, and I am not sure what I would do if I found myself facing that dilemma. I do know, though, that I would not want to be told that my child had died - to spare me pain!!
I see why David told this terrible lie, and of course, I think that he was wrong to do so. Norah was a grown woman, and capable of making her own decisions, it was not just David's decision to make. The thought that Phoebe was sentenced to life in an institution, without ever having contact with her Mother, Father, and twin, just horrifies me! Had Caroline not decided to look after her, Phoebe would have been forgotten about. So David kept his secret, and much good did it do him. Far from protecting his wife and son, he made the situation much worse, as they could not deal with the grieving process, never having seen Phoebe, and so they could not let her go. The disintegration of the family is very sad to observe, and I couldn't help feeling sympathy with everyone involved, even when I didn't agree with their actions. There are some weighty issues raised in this book, such as marriage for Downs Syndrome people, and I was outraged when people insisted upon treating Phoebe as a child, though part of me could understand why.
There's a lot of food for thought in this book. It is very well written, but ultimately very sad. People have so many pre-conceived ideas and prejudices, and until we overcome these, nothing will change. As I say, lots to think about in this book, but well worth a read.
 In the end, tiresome and a waste of time August 5, 2008
L. Stewart (London, UK)
There was another review that said it had a promising start, and I agree. However i think it got bogged down in its own preciousness. It seemed as if the author was writing to impress with her use of prose, not to move the story along. The book - 400 pages - could have been reduced by 100 pages and not lose a thing. It actually was a page turner but for the wrong reasons - you just thought it would get better but in the end you just wanted it to be over. It just became terribly tiresome. When i think about it, it's actually an entire book about selfishness because although the actions of most were on the surface altruistic, in reality they were just working to their own agenda. The ending was too pat and somewhat predictable and the book actually didnt contribute anything to my understanding of people or life. I'm actually sorry that i wasted my time with this when there are so many really good books out there to read.
not worth the effort July 29, 2008
Hamish_Cat (UK)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The start of this book was quite promising - I liked the use of language, the vivid sense of place and the themes being raised. However, as the novel progressed, it became increasingly mundane in both style and content. By the end, I wished I hadn't bothered to complete it. Rather a disappointment!
 Disappointing July 17, 2008
Ms. R. Stevens
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
The read-up on the back of this book promised the sort of novel that you can really sink your teeth into. However I found myself skim reading the bulk of it. The characters spent too much time gazing out of windows at daffodils and the book was overly sentimental. I felt that not enough time was spent on the actual storyline.
|
