June
I picked this book up because I loved Miranda Beverly-Whittemore's previous book, Bittersweet so much, and because I am a sucker for, in order:
1) old houses
2) 50s Hollywood
2) artists' stories
In many ways, it did not disappoint. The house plays a front-and-center role, as does the 50s Hollywood story. Beverly-Whittemore is also especially strong at playing with the idea of what family means — in the best and the worst ways.
Though I found it a good read, I also found it to drag in several places. Maybe the multiple narrators and the switching back and forth between 1955 and 2005 were just too much. Maybe the whole premise was just a little too unbelievable. Maybe the characters never developed enough to care about them as much as I did the storyline or the house.
In any case, I'm glad enough that I read it, but I can already tell the story is to going to stick with me for long.
(as usual, book provided free from Blogging for Books in exchange for an unbiased review)
1) old houses
2) 50s Hollywood
2) artists' stories
In many ways, it did not disappoint. The house plays a front-and-center role, as does the 50s Hollywood story. Beverly-Whittemore is also especially strong at playing with the idea of what family means — in the best and the worst ways.
Though I found it a good read, I also found it to drag in several places. Maybe the multiple narrators and the switching back and forth between 1955 and 2005 were just too much. Maybe the whole premise was just a little too unbelievable. Maybe the characters never developed enough to care about them as much as I did the storyline or the house.
In any case, I'm glad enough that I read it, but I can already tell the story is to going to stick with me for long.
(as usual, book provided free from Blogging for Books in exchange for an unbiased review)
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