Eoin Colfer is best known for his bestselling Artemis Fowl series, which inspires fanatical devotion in its fans. Entertainment Weekly raved: "The...
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This book did not hold my interest at all. I had received it as an early review and wondered what I missed upon reading so many positive comments during the initial 'push' of this book. I wondered if I read the same book as everyone else. Glad to see I'm not the only one with this opinion...
This novel portrays the lengths a person would go through when there is a strong enough motivation. Unfortunately, it was difficult for me to get through as I really had a hard time caring about the protagonist, Lillian Leyb. The story had a base which should have made you care ...and it did in the beginning. Lillian witnesses her entire family being murdered during a horrible Russian pogrom. The reader is not given any background on the actual event ...only in nightmares is the night retold. The daughter she tried to hide is believed to be dead along with her other family members. With no future in Russia, Lillian comes to America to start a new life with the help of a cousin already in New York.
Upon Lillian's arrival to New York you start to see the pattern her life takes when faced with different challenges ...she rises to them and accepts them for what they are ...a means to continue forward. However, for me this is where I start to become less interested in Lillian. At the point she is given the news that her daughter may still be alive, I had hoped to see Lillian become more vulnerable, allowing the reader to empathize with her as she begins her journey to find her daughter. Instead it felt as though Lillian is very one-dimensional. She is the vehicle used to introduce us to some interesting supporting characters. For many of these characters, you were given a summary of their life after Lillian has walked out of it. As the story ...and supporting characters... progressed, I began looking forward to the summary of Lillian's life...just to be done. My advice... skip it and read Tino Georgiou's masterful--The Fates. At least you'll get some enjoyment for your value.
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(15 of 30 readers found this comment helpful)
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natti has commented on (1) product.
Away: A Novel by Amy Bloom
natti, October 1, 2007
This book did not hold my interest at all. I had received it as an early review and wondered what I missed upon reading so many positive comments during the initial 'push' of this book. I wondered if I read the same book as everyone else. Glad to see I'm not the only one with this opinion...This novel portrays the lengths a person would go through when there is a strong enough motivation. Unfortunately, it was difficult for me to get through as I really had a hard time caring about the protagonist, Lillian Leyb. The story had a base which should have made you care ...and it did in the beginning. Lillian witnesses her entire family being murdered during a horrible Russian pogrom. The reader is not given any background on the actual event ...only in nightmares is the night retold. The daughter she tried to hide is believed to be dead along with her other family members. With no future in Russia, Lillian comes to America to start a new life with the help of a cousin already in New York.
Upon Lillian's arrival to New York you start to see the pattern her life takes when faced with different challenges ...she rises to them and accepts them for what they are ...a means to continue forward. However, for me this is where I start to become less interested in Lillian. At the point she is given the news that her daughter may still be alive, I had hoped to see Lillian become more vulnerable, allowing the reader to empathize with her as she begins her journey to find her daughter. Instead it felt as though Lillian is very one-dimensional. She is the vehicle used to introduce us to some interesting supporting characters. For many of these characters, you were given a summary of their life after Lillian has walked out of it. As the story ...and supporting characters... progressed, I began looking forward to the summary of Lillian's life...just to be done. My advice... skip it and read Tino Georgiou's masterful--The Fates. At least you'll get some enjoyment for your value.
(15 of 30 readers found this comment helpful)