Sunday, May 2, 2010

Every Last One by Anna Quindlen

Oh, but this novel made me bite my cuticles. Mary Beth Latham, mom of three teenagers, landscaper by trade, sails along happily in her life, focused on her perfect children, yet sensing that one of her sons may be heading toward what could be depression. Directing so much attention towards her son, in fact, that she's blind-sided when a violent act of such unthinkable measures occurs to turn her life inside out. Anna Quindlen is such a strong writer. I never feel like I've entered into classic 'chic lit' territory when I read her stories. This one is no exception. The characters could be living next door to me, they feel so real...and this tragic story, although heartbreaking, leaves you with the realization that there is always hope, even when that seems an impossibility. Well done.

2 comments:

Andy said...

I call bluff! You just told me that you were in a reading rut, and that you couldn't finish White Noise. Plus, I'm in your home at this very moment, and haven't once seen you pick up a copy of this supposed "Every Last One." So explain mother. Something real fishy is going on here.

Dorothy said...

Dearest Sonny-Boy,

I finished this last week and only last night decided I should write a review of it. Prior to that, I was too busy eating cookie dough, Cape Cod Reduced Fat potato chips, and left-over stale cookie parts that even your dorky youngest brother wouldn't touch. (Nor his friends.) And since last week, I have picked up and put back down no less than 3 books...thus the reading slump, so mind your own bees-wax (great lip balm, by the way...marketed as Burt's Bees, of course. I like the mentholated) and go back upstairs into your man cave like a good son or I won't do anymore of your laundry! And speaking of fishy!!!