book review: As Sure As The Sun

As Sure As the Sun by Anna McPartlin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I really liked this. Picked it up on a whim but I'll look for more by her after reading this one.

A story of a woman who has a twin brother, and parents who have quite the secret they've been keeping for 30 years. Two of the woman's friends and their families also fit into the story. Alongside the current narrative are the diary entries of a 17 year old girl, written about 30 years ago.

It's very well done. Suspenseful and satisfying. She writes well, her dialog rings true, the plot was original. I totally recommend it as an enjoyable read.



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book review - Barn Blind by Jane Smiley

Never was an author so in-aptly named. I love the way this woman writes but her books are not easy to live with after you've read them. They're depressing and they stay with me for days as I think back on what happened and how she told the story. Both this book and A Thousand Acres are stories about everyday people whose secrets and desires and unflattering thoughts lead them thru a plot that pulls you in quietly. And they end so softly, like a fading note on the breeze, that you can't really believe it's over.

Kate in Barn Blind is often referred to as 'obsessed' in the reviews. To me, because I share some personality traits with her, she seems less obsessed than simply very driven to achieve her goals. The sub-story of her marriage is played softly in the background, and the children's interactions with each other rang very true to me, often consisting of only a few paragraphs.

It is a book for intelligent readers, I think, because she doesn't fill in every blank, explain every action. You're left to infer a lot, which I enjoy. I have two more Jane Smiley books on the shelf but won't be picking them up real soon. I need a break with something foolish - David Sedaris, maybe? But she has become a favorite author of mine because her books reach out and grab you by the throat.