The Lace Reader

Staff Pick

Charming and unusual, but also dark and full of suspense, The Lace Reader is beautifully written. The women of modern-day Salem, Massachusetts can read the future in a piece of lace. With a complex story, original characters, and a magical slant, you will be hooked. Highly recommended — I loved it!
Recommended by Dianah, Powell's Books at PDX

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techeditor, October 21, 2011 (view all comments by techeditor)
THE LACE READER by Brunonia Barry begins with the narrator, Towner Whitney, calling herself a liar and warning the reader to suspect everything she says. So you have to wonder as the book progresses if any of her first-person accounts are true. But, at times, the book does switch its point of view with the accounts told in third person and from another perspective.

The setting is Salem, Massachusetts. Towner has been gone for the last 15 years but has retuned to Salem because her great aunt is missing. Turns out, though, Towner is there for her great aunt’s funeral.

Now come pages and pages of character description, each reminding Towner of her history with them: her twin sister, who committed suicide and the mysterious reason; her mother, who doesn’t go to the funeral because she’s so solitary and the mysterious reason she gave up Towner’s twin; the circle of lace makers, abused women who her mother leads; a policeman who’s interested in Towner and usually has a hard time coming up with the right words; her brother and his fiancé; her uncle who makes her sick and the mysterious reason; and the rest of the mixture of Christians and Calvinists and witches who inhabit the town.

In keeping with the notorious locale, Towner’s family all have some degree of paranormal ability, at least according to Towner. She reads minds whether she wants to or not. She mostly doesn’t want to. But there it is anyway.

This is a relatively short book, but more than 70 pages of it are character introductions. Little by little, Towner is reminded of the history she tried to forget by escaping to California 15 years ago.

Later, though, THE LACE READER finally gets interesting, then un-put-downable. Mysteries are upon mysteries are upon mysteries, the biggest one being Towner, herself. Another big one is the reason Towner’s twin committed suicide. And there are the mysteries of why Towner’s mother won’t leave the island and why she gave up Towner’s twin. Or is Towner misunderstanding? And did Towner’s uncle kill her great aunt? And what went on between him and Towner’s twin? Or was that just Towner’s imagination? And what went on between Jack and Towner’s twin and between Jack and Towner?

There are so many more questions, and they’ll keep catching you up. But you have to be careful when you try to figure the mysteries; remember, Towner is a liar (and, as you will come to see, somewhat crazy) and the policeman’s opinions are partly based on Towner’s writings.

While I like Nancy Pearl’s “Rule of 50” (read to the bottom of page 50 and then give up if the book still isn’t good), I obviously read further, and it turned out to be the right move. Although Berry’s writing style, divulging facts in a scattered manner, slowly and little by little, was sometimes hard to follow, it also perpetuated mystery and finally sucked me in.

It seemed to me that when the story confused me, when I wasn’t sure whether it was in the past or present, Massachusetts or California, Towner, herself, was confused.

Although Barry tried to wrap up the story in the end, she still left some unanswered questions. You'll have to figure them out. I was still thinking about it long after I finished the book.

The first 70 pages rated two stars; the rest rated four. So I guess that makes three.

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Matona, January 1, 2011 (view all comments by Matona)
I really enjoyed this book. It started out a little slow, but the more I read, the more I couldn't put it down. Then, towards the end, the resolution blew me away!

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stitchy, July 5, 2010 (view all comments by stitchy)
Fascinating story. Couldn't put it down until I reached the last page. The main character's life is defined by her family's history and personality. And yet she is not free of it until she finds out about a secret that everyone has kept from her.

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Product Details

ISBN:

9780061624773

Author:

Barry, Brunonia

Publisher:

Harper Paperbacks

Author:

Kephart, Beth

Subject:

Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths

Subject:

Mystery & Detective - Historical

Subject:

General Fiction

Subject:

Medical

Subject:

Mystery-A to Z

Copyright:

2009

Edition Description:

Trade PB

Publication Date:

20090831

Binding:

TRADE PAPER

Grade Level:

General/trade

Language:

English

Pages:

416

Dimensions:

9 x 6 x 1.25 in 19.36 oz