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467th out of 1,670 books
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4,418 voters
The Locket (The Locket Trilogy #1)
After the death of his mother, Michael Keddington finds employment at the Arcadia nursing home where he befriends Esther, a reclusive but beautiful elderly woman who lives in mourning for her youth and lost love. Michael faces his own challenges when he loses his greatest love, Faye. When Michael is falsely accused of abusing one of the Arcadia's residents, he learns impor...more
Paperback, 448 pages
Published
January 1st 2000
by Pocket Books
(first published 1998)
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I didn’t want to like this book. I was sure it was going to fit into my “sappy – happy – crappy” category. Okay, it is a little sappy, a little happy, but not at all crappy. I ended up liking it a lot. Sure, it is a bit of a fluff and really fast (I mean really fast) reading. But, it made me cry. I guess I’m a sucker for stories about old people, which this is. The protagonist is a young man who recently lost his mother to cancer. He takes a job at a nursing home and ends up being charged with m...more
Another thing I love about Richard Paul Evan's books is how reading them lets you put on someone else's shoes and dive into their story--for the duration of the book, I see things from the narrator's perspective and feel like I am that person--their hopes, fears, dreams, fate are my own and I care deeply about how the story turns out. It was cool how Michael's friendship with Esther grew and how much he learned from her.
This book made me think about how God is at work in my life and how God use...more
This book made me think about how God is at work in my life and how God use...more
Evans writing irritates me. He throws in a big word every once in while which makes his writing feel disjointed to me. It's like he's telling a story and then remembers he wants you to know that he knows big words. Also irritating, his trite use of "romantic" places. Tuscany and France have nothing to do with the plot of this book, nor with it's setting which is Ogden, UT. The book was in no way a crime or trial novel, but he threw those into the mix without much finesse.
Even though I thought Ev...more
Even though I thought Ev...more
If memory serves me correctly (and that's a big IF), when I read The Christmas Box many years ago I decided I wouldn't read any more Richard Paul Evans books because that one was too sappy and predictable. However, my RS book club will be discussing The Locket and sometimes you need a little fluff. So I listened to it while I worked in my yard and made dinner. (Several days actually, after all it was 9 tapes.) I was pleasantly surprised to find that even though there were similarities in the boo...more
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I loved this book!!! I was going through the TV guide the other day and saw this as a movie. It had already started and I thought I think I have this book. After going to the bookcase, I found it and started reading it right away. My sister is in a nursing home and I understood how important it is to have friends there. Two things that caught my eye 1--on page 40 there is a reference to cross stitch(my other love)"On the wall above her head was a framed cross-stitch that read, Old Age Ain't for...more
Dec 01, 2011
Raine
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone looking for a good warm drama set in Christmas, doesn't mind to get tugged at the heart,
It's a story about love reflected by Michael and Faye, a young couple facing challenges brought about Faye's affluent background, a story about old love lost experienced by Esther Huish and her Thomas and lastly, a story about forgiveness to initiate the road of healing.
I like the way author Richard Paul Evans weaved the words quite flawlessly that you can hear them sing in his prose. Even though it was set in Michael's POV, I wasn't bored reading the book, which was a surprise for me. Usually,...more
I like the way author Richard Paul Evans weaved the words quite flawlessly that you can hear them sing in his prose. Even though it was set in Michael's POV, I wasn't bored reading the book, which was a surprise for me. Usually,...more
I thought this might be somewhat sappy and/or sentimental, but to my delight, this story was tinged with sadness - one person's loss teaching another to not make the same mistake. I loved it. The way the elderly were portrayed is a lesson in hope, passion and dignity. The way the young were sketched, particularly in relation to how the old and the young interacted, gave me a lot to think about. One character loathed the elderly (why she would choose to work with them is beyond me) but many other...more
Jul 10, 2011
Grace
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Anyone who loves a sweet love story.
Recommended to Grace by:
Eve Cournoyer
Shelves:
secular-fiction
A clean sweet easy to read story filled with disappointments, hopes, fears, forgiveness, trust and ends with undying love.
The Locket centers on the friendship between Michael Keddington, a young man working at a nursing home, and Esther Huish, a reclusive but beautiful resident who deeply regrets her missed opportunities and unfilled dreams. In Michael she finds a confidant, and slowly she begins revealing the source of her deep anguish: her foolish rejection of the one man she truly loved. Whe...more
The Locket centers on the friendship between Michael Keddington, a young man working at a nursing home, and Esther Huish, a reclusive but beautiful resident who deeply regrets her missed opportunities and unfilled dreams. In Michael she finds a confidant, and slowly she begins revealing the source of her deep anguish: her foolish rejection of the one man she truly loved. Whe...more
so...after reading the christmas box last week and not liking it one bit at all...i picked this book up not expecting anything different. especially when the locket first came up in the story and it was described differently than it's drawn on the cover...i mean, come on!
but then?
i fell in love with this book.
can't tell you why. i just did. had a difficult time putting it down. like, i was sitting on my bathroom floor until 1:00am and then had to force myself to put it down so i could get some...more
but then?
i fell in love with this book.
can't tell you why. i just did. had a difficult time putting it down. like, i was sitting on my bathroom floor until 1:00am and then had to force myself to put it down so i could get some...more
This was a quick read and though predictable in its outcome, I liked the characters and the story line. I especially enjoyed the little gems of wisdom related as journal/diary entries at the beginning of each chapter.
“There are those who clutch to resentment like it were a treasure of great worth. This is foolishness. The question to be asked is not how badly we were wronged, but what are we profited by our unforgiveness?” (page 202)
“ … Now that I’m old, I understand that, and I love him for th...more
“There are those who clutch to resentment like it were a treasure of great worth. This is foolishness. The question to be asked is not how badly we were wronged, but what are we profited by our unforgiveness?” (page 202)
“ … Now that I’m old, I understand that, and I love him for th...more
Michael, a young man who nursed his mother through her last illness, found a job as an assistant in a nursing home, where he met Esther, an elderly patient who was uncommunicative to almost everyone. At the same time, he was in love with Faye, a daughter of a wealthy family from the “other” side of town from Michael. Evans blends Esther’s story of her lost love with the story of Michael and Faye in this sweet and somewhat inspirational novel. It filled the time when I was waiting for someone on...more
This book has been on my bookshelf since I lived in Des Moines (I must have purchased it between 1998-2000), but I have no recollection buying it.
I thought it would be an overly sentimental sappy chick lit book and have avoided reading it. I put it on my GoodReads list "to read" simply to remind myself to read it and get it off my shelf.
I did and it was surprisingly interesting. The main character, Michael Keddington is dealing with the recent death of his mother, after taking care of her (he'...more
I thought it would be an overly sentimental sappy chick lit book and have avoided reading it. I put it on my GoodReads list "to read" simply to remind myself to read it and get it off my shelf.
I did and it was surprisingly interesting. The main character, Michael Keddington is dealing with the recent death of his mother, after taking care of her (he'...more
"If the errors of my life have profited me one great truth it is this:
BELIEVE.
Believe in your destiny and the star from which it shines."
- Excerpt from Esther Huish Diary
One thing that caught my attention in picking up this book from the shelf is the title itself and the photo of the man on the front page. I like vintage things and stories that have come from the past. Such stories of love that have blossomed during the past and depicted and illustrated through the sentiments and pages of th...more
After the death of his mother, Michael finds employment at the Arcadia nursing hom where he befriends an elderly woman who mourns her youth and lost love. He too has recently lost a great love ...but then he is falsely accused of abusing someone in the nursing home. I loved this book and even if you don't want to, you will see (if you read the other reviews) that it is difficult not to love it.
Inspiring and about believing and friendship. I am not religious at all but found this so inspiring.
Inspiring and about believing and friendship. I am not religious at all but found this so inspiring.
I read this book years ago and still remember it, as it was recommended by a good friend of mine.
After the death of his mother, Michael Keddington finds employment at the Arcadia nursing home where he befriends Esther, a reclusive but beautiful elderly woman who lives in mourning for her youth and lost love. Michael faces his own challenges when he loses his greatest love, Faye. When Michael is falsely accused of abusing one of the Arcadia's residents, he learns important lessons about faith and...more
After the death of his mother, Michael Keddington finds employment at the Arcadia nursing home where he befriends Esther, a reclusive but beautiful elderly woman who lives in mourning for her youth and lost love. Michael faces his own challenges when he loses his greatest love, Faye. When Michael is falsely accused of abusing one of the Arcadia's residents, he learns important lessons about faith and...more
I read this years ago, so even with the summary, I still only vaguely remember this book ... therefore, I'm rating it 2.5 stars, because I can't remember if I liked it, and I don't think I hated it. Richard Paul Evans is often compared to Nicholas Sparks, and while I haven't read any of Mr. Sparks's books yet, I have seen the "Dear John" movie based on his book, and from that, I'd have to say they may be right ... so if you like Nicholas Sparks books, you might want to give Mr. Evan's novels a t...more
4.5. If you have ever had a broken heart, you can relate somehow to the characters in this book. I loved the compassion Michael displayed to the residents at the nursing home. I sympathized with the sacrifice of quitting school to take care of his dying mother. The Esther character was wonderful, and I thought the letter she wrote was amazing, defending her friend but also sending a strong message that the elderly are still human beings with brains and a right to voice their opinions.
A touching story that takes an unexpected, but welcome turn halfway through, The Locket sees Richard Paul Evans improve his craft to tell a tale that is both poignant, like The Christmas Box, but also fictionalized, bringing in the elements of a legal thriller. The Locket doesn't turn into your standard John Grisham novel, but Evans falls back on seeds he's planted in the early sections of the book to bring Michael, Faye and Esther to a satisfying conclusion. It's all pretty predictable, but tha...more
This might be one of my most favorite books of all times. I started reading it this week one night when I couldn't sleep. Then I found most nights ever since, I didn't want to sleep, but would rather be reading! It was really, really good. There were points along the way, twists I didn't see coming, outcomes I didn't expect in any way. I found myself marking pages that just had great thought provoking truths. Great book I will likely read again & again.
When I picked this book up, it sounded and looked like two love stories that spanned different generations. It sounded like a nice sappy book. The relationships weren't described deeply enough, the "crime novel"esque part of it was too quick and unrealistic, and most of the characters annoyed me. I cried a tear or two in one part, but for the majority of the book I was just waiting for it to be over. Not a great book but maybe if you want to fill in the holes that the author left, maybe you woul...more
Richard Paul Evans never fails to disappoint! After having read several of his books, I picked this one up, not knowing it was Book 1 of a trilogy. I will definitely be looking for "The Looking Glass," Number 2. He says all of his books are love stories, but I found the most heart-warming parts of this book to be the love story between Michael and Esther, an elderly resident of the nursing home where Michael works. Their growing relationship, and Esther's declining reluctance to tell him of her...more
Mar 23, 2008
Charity
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
people who love Hallmark Channel movies and/or The Notebook
Recommended to Charity by:
a 'fluffer-nutter'
I was given this book by a friend who really loves 'fluff'. I must say that when a read it (a long while back), I did not think that I would like it at all. In fact, I didn't want to like it, but this book is like a Hallmark Channel movie...you want to stop watching because you know it is cheesy, predictable, and something you wouldn't want to admit to your friends that you enjoyed, but you just can't stop!
I'm ashamed to admit that I stayed up all night just to finish it (maybe because I wanted...more
I'm ashamed to admit that I stayed up all night just to finish it (maybe because I wanted...more
This was a pass me down from my Grandmother, so I honestly did not expect it to be very good.
But I was wrong. It was an enjoyable short read, but I would have like to see more of Esthers life. My favorite parts were her journal excerpts at the beginning of each chapter. So this book would have been more "up my ally" if it had been strictly Esther's life. But Micheal was a sweet young man, and as stated by other characters, we could use more like him.
But I was wrong. It was an enjoyable short read, but I would have like to see more of Esthers life. My favorite parts were her journal excerpts at the beginning of each chapter. So this book would have been more "up my ally" if it had been strictly Esther's life. But Micheal was a sweet young man, and as stated by other characters, we could use more like him.
The Locket and its sequel, The Carousel, are by far my favorite RPE books. Michael Keddington, the main character, is one of my favorite characters of all time and one of the few believable men in a somewhat romantic story :) Most of Evans' books are pretty short, very easy reads. Which is good because once I start I never want to put them down. This is my go-to book when I've lost faith in humanity and my glass is less than half full.
Excellent book - Richard Paul Evans writes books that are an easy read and keep my attention - something that I don't find in many books these days. I get bored with books very quickly, but his books suck me in and I can't put them down. Yes, they are "fluff" - easy reads and good entertainment. However, sometimes that's what I need out of a book - just to escape from reality and get lost in a book. If that's what you're after, then I highly suggest reading some of his novels.
Our book club chose to read this trilogy by Evans. The Locket is the first book in the trilogy. I wasn't looking forward to reading it, but I enjoyed it. We have so much to learn from the elderly and so often they are tucked away in nursing homes. Michael's discovery of Esther was special. The little life lessons from Esther Huish's diary were a nice addition. I'm not sure if I'm going to finish the trilogy.
What a sad, but joyful story! I can't imagine my life without the geriatric population that I work with. The main character has so much quality to him and he demonstrates core values that aren't seen as often these days. As the story progresses, my heart is filled with joy as I see the relationships established with those in the care facility that he works with. Love this book!
I typically pick more uplifting books than this. I suppose I found the courage to read The Locket because I watched the hallmark movie based on this book a few years ago and enjoyed it. While there is death and heartache in this story, love and goodness triumph in the end. I smiled and cried pretty much on and off throughout the book, which didn't take too long to complete - I was hooked from pretty early on. Evans is a discriptive author and does a nice job of pulling one into the story and mak...more
Another heart-string tugger from Richard Paul Evans. I've never read one of his books that I didn't appreciate. The Locket isn't written as well as some of his others -- I think he has grown as a writer over the years, as should be the case. Nonetheless, I liked it, and found it generally uplifting and occasionally inspiring. Despite being over 400 pages long, it is a quick read.
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When Richard Paul Evans wrote the #1 best-seller, The Christmas Box, he never intended on becoming an internationally known author. His quiet story of parental love and the true meaning of Christmas made history when it became simultaneously the #1 hardcover and paperback book in the nation. Since then, more than eight million copies of The Christmas Box have been printed. He has since written ele...more
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“We are chained to that which we do not forgive”
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“That which we expect of life is indeed all that it ever can be.”
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Apr 22, 2011 05:12pm