Ann Packer's debut novel, "The Dive from Clausen's Pier, " was a nationwide best seller that established her as one of our most gifted chroniclers ...
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Jan 21, 2010
Sarah
rated it: 
This gets a four star rating because the story engaged me. That said, I was somewhat disappointed. After reading Packer's The Dive From Clausen's Pier I had high expectations and dove eagerly into her latest work. However, the story is not well written. Some of her phrasing, although grammatically correct is so awkward I had to reread certain sentences multiple times in order to extract the meaning. Far more perplexing is the "voice" element. Packer writes the novel in third person, al
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8 comments
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(6 people liked it)
Feb 10, 2008
Beth
rated it:
I listened to this on tape and made up tasks to do so I could keep listening. In fact, it's the kind of book I end up going around the block several times simply because I want to keep listening. That said, it definitely dragged in parts and there were times I wanted to slap the characters for their interminable internal monologues. So the question is: how can a book be both riveting and boring and at the same time?
Songs without Words is the story of a friendship between Liz and More...
Songs without Words is the story of a friendship between Liz and More...
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Jan 26, 2008
Amy (amyb2332)
rated it: 
I thought most of this book was pretty boring and slow. I kept waiting for something to happen or for the characters to stop feeling so sorry for themselves.
I liked Lillian's review of the book so much that I thought I would copy it to mine to say, I agree.
It took me forever to finish this book because it was so depressing. I loved The Dive from Clausen's Pier, so I was psyched to read Ann Packer's second novel. Songs Without Words, though, was just downright bleak with few r More...
I liked Lillian's review of the book so much that I thought I would copy it to mine to say, I agree.
It took me forever to finish this book because it was so depressing. I loved The Dive from Clausen's Pier, so I was psyched to read Ann Packer's second novel. Songs Without Words, though, was just downright bleak with few r More...
4 comments
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(3 people liked it)
Mar 24, 2008
Kendra
rated it: 
It all boils down to this: This book is dullllllllll. I feel like I just absolutely wasted several hours of my life. Honestly, I kept thinking something was going to happen to make it all worth my time, but no...it's just dull. The whole story revolves around the friendship of Sarabeth and Liz, who have been friends since childhood and who were brought even closer when Sarabeth's mother committed suicide. For most of the book, the two friends are grown women, and their friendship is tested
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Nov 29, 2007
Lillian
rated it:
It took me forever to finish this book because it was so depressing. I loved The Dive from Clausen's Pier, so I was psyched to read Ann Packer's second novel. Songs Without Words, though, was just downright bleak with few redeeming qualities. It was a well-written depiction of a depressed teen who cut herself and her family's efforts to cope in the face of this tragedy. But I felt little investment in the characters' recovery process mostly because I didn't like any of them very much. The one ch
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May 13, 2011
Kinga
rated it: 
I went from strongly disliking this book to liking it and to eventually becoming indifferent.
It was purposedly plotless and sometimes it worked but others times it didn't. First hundred pages got me wondering - will anything ever happen? As it turned out the first half of the book was building up to the book's only event and the rest of it was just the aftermath.
It was a very meticulous study of how people come close, fall apart, come close again.
I was impre More...
It was purposedly plotless and sometimes it worked but others times it didn't. First hundred pages got me wondering - will anything ever happen? As it turned out the first half of the book was building up to the book's only event and the rest of it was just the aftermath.
It was a very meticulous study of how people come close, fall apart, come close again.
I was impre More...
Mar 21, 2008
Lori
rated it:
I really enjoy Ann Packer's writing style. She goes into great detail of every aspect of her characters, their surroundings, and their thoughts. It can get tedious at times but most of the time I like it. It's easy to visualize exactly what her characters are doing, why they're doing it, and where they are when they're doing it.
There were some surprising moments in the book, some dramatic scenes, and a few revelations. Mostly though I found it a pretty slow-paced look into the li More...
There were some surprising moments in the book, some dramatic scenes, and a few revelations. Mostly though I found it a pretty slow-paced look into the li More...
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Nov 03, 2008
I couldn't get into this book at all. The thing that made me decide to quit? The author finding it necessary to tell me that Joe went to the kitchen, got a glass of milk, drained that, refilled the glass, and when that was gone, let out a huge burp.
I call that fluff. And the portion of the book I read had way too much.
How about this? Joe had two glasses of milk then went to bed. I already know he's a teenage boy, the burp reference was unnecessary. And I assumed he refil More...
I call that fluff. And the portion of the book I read had way too much.
How about this? Joe had two glasses of milk then went to bed. I already know he's a teenage boy, the burp reference was unnecessary. And I assumed he refil More...
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Feb 09, 2008
Allison
rated it: 
I have to say that I loved this book. I loved the characters Liz, Sarahbeth so much. I think what they went through was very realistic and written so well. Although I know some found the male characters in the book to be a little boring I actually felt that they were touched on enough to make it relevant except for maybe Joe as I never really felt I got to know him well. Although he was displayed as your typical teen but with much nicer manners! I actually found Brody interesting, his feeli
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(1 person liked it)
Sep 25, 2007
Angela
rated it:
I read this one pretty slowly; I didn't want it to end. It's not one of those books where you want to get lost in its little world, because it feels very real already. Sometimes it's the real side of life we want to escape by reading. Two characters in the book are very depressed, and their actions and thoughts are ones I recognized pretty well.
I was struck by Ms. Packer's dialogue. She has a very good ear for how people talk, to the point that a couple times I had to read passag More...
I was struck by Ms. Packer's dialogue. She has a very good ear for how people talk, to the point that a couple times I had to read passag More...
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Jan 15, 2008
Mai Ling
rated it:
For some reason, I couldn't put this book down. I was a big fan of Ann Packer's first book, "The Dive From Clausen's Pier," and this one was equally compelling. Both books have a similar mood, I guess some would call it sad, but I think they both capture the world as it is now. It's not like "Songs Without Words" told some amazing new story, it was just told in a way that was so real. A real family dealing with the real problems in a world that could be so much worse. It shou
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Mar 28, 2010
Kay
rated it:
This was a real keeper. If you've ever had a friend, a cousin, maybe even a lover who was once soooo close and then they weren't, you'll find this book hits the right notes. It's hard to get past some things and sometimes we do get past and sometimes we don't.
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Jan 30, 2009
Diane
rated it:
Synopsis of the book:
"Sarabeth and Liz grew up across the street from each other, their girlhood friendship deepened by the tragedy of Sarabeth's mother's suicide when the girls were in high school. Packer offers their history in a brief prologue, and the first chapter of the novel finds Liz married with two teenaged children and contentedly immersed in her roles as wife and mother.
Sarabeth, on the other hand, is still single, uncertain about her life and pursuing a care More...
"Sarabeth and Liz grew up across the street from each other, their girlhood friendship deepened by the tragedy of Sarabeth's mother's suicide when the girls were in high school. Packer offers their history in a brief prologue, and the first chapter of the novel finds Liz married with two teenaged children and contentedly immersed in her roles as wife and mother.
Sarabeth, on the other hand, is still single, uncertain about her life and pursuing a care More...
Dec 29, 2008
Heather
rated it:
More like a 3.5. I loved Dive from Clausen's Pier, and after reading a few reviews of this book, I wondered if I would actually like this one. I went for it anyway. I truthfully do think that her first book was much better of the two, but I still found myself intrigued by this book. A lot of reviews comment on this book being boring, or about her descriptions being too detailed, and I originally thought so, too. But once I got into it, I found myself less and less distracted by the details and m
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Apr 21, 2011
Tiny Pants
rated it:
I picked this again due to price, but also on the strength of The Dive from Clausen's Pier, which I was surprised to like as well as I did. This one I liked less, and not simply due to my almost irrational hatred of the Bay Area.
I simply didn't "get" either of the main characters, Sarabeth and Liz. Throughout the book, I felt I didn't understand either woman's motivation, but that a) the writer believed that I would and b) this was key to the entire book making sense. Ther More...
I simply didn't "get" either of the main characters, Sarabeth and Liz. Throughout the book, I felt I didn't understand either woman's motivation, but that a) the writer believed that I would and b) this was key to the entire book making sense. Ther More...
Nov 27, 2010
Min
rated it:
After Packer's debut novel (The Dive from Clausen's Pier, which I enormously loved and HIGHLY recommend), I was really looking forward to reading this book (her third book, second novel). What a disappointment.
The story starts with Liz and Sarabeth as adolescents. They live near each other and their relationship is like that of sisters, owing in part to Sarabeth's mother's suicide.
The novel quickly flashes forward to the pair in their adult life. Sarabeth is single and has More...
The story starts with Liz and Sarabeth as adolescents. They live near each other and their relationship is like that of sisters, owing in part to Sarabeth's mother's suicide.
The novel quickly flashes forward to the pair in their adult life. Sarabeth is single and has More...
Jul 21, 2010
Meredith
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Apr 29, 2010
Maria
rated it:
I found this book in my library and after I read the back blurb I thought it could be good. It started OK. Liz and Sarabeth were interesting characters. Friends since childhood. One of them just wanted a home and children to care for, the other more artsy, making lampshades.
But as the story progressed I got more and more depressed. I found the writing style a bit strange. There are four main characters in the book and you get the story from all of those persons viewpoints and sometimes More...
But as the story progressed I got more and more depressed. I found the writing style a bit strange. There are four main characters in the book and you get the story from all of those persons viewpoints and sometimes More...
Jan 21, 2008
Ann
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Mar 01, 2010
Tori
rated it:
Whine and Challah bread…
I rated but didn’t review this book right away, because I have been trying to word this review in a way that wouldn’t be…well, harsh.
But, I can’t think of anything nice to say about this book. It took me through chapter after monotonous chapter of depression.
It was painful.
Here is a 30 second synopsis, which may count as a spoiler alert:
Beginning: Everyone starts out pretty depressed
Middle: Everyone is really, really miserable
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I rated but didn’t review this book right away, because I have been trying to word this review in a way that wouldn’t be…well, harsh.
But, I can’t think of anything nice to say about this book. It took me through chapter after monotonous chapter of depression.
It was painful.
Here is a 30 second synopsis, which may count as a spoiler alert:
Beginning: Everyone starts out pretty depressed
Middle: Everyone is really, really miserable
More...
Jun 13, 2010
John
rated it:
Don't make the mistake I did and confuse Ann Packer with Ann Patchett. Ann Patchett wrote some very good books, including Bel Canto and Truth and Beauty. That's the author I thought I was getting when I checked out Songs Without Words.
I would call this "chick lit" except that it does a disservice to all the chicks I know and like. It probably would be better labeled as "writers workshop" lit. Some time, some place, someone told Packer that lots of detail enric More...
I would call this "chick lit" except that it does a disservice to all the chicks I know and like. It probably would be better labeled as "writers workshop" lit. Some time, some place, someone told Packer that lots of detail enric More...
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Oct 12, 2008
Tina
rated it:
The story of an old friendship, love and marriage, motherhood, depression, finding yourself - or at least accepting yourself.
The characters were well developed - so much that I found myself angry at them and was talking to them while reading the book!
I like the way Packer tells a story. I come away with a perfect picture of scenes and places and yet I realize that she doesn't give lengthy descriptions with every detail.
The characters were well developed - so much that I found myself angry at them and was talking to them while reading the book!
I like the way Packer tells a story. I come away with a perfect picture of scenes and places and yet I realize that she doesn't give lengthy descriptions with every detail.
Mar 02, 2009
Stephanie
rated it:
Read this book if you are interested in yet another detailed depiction of the lives of quiet desperation playing out in American suburbs.
Ann Packer was hailed as a gifted chronicler of the interior lives of women after her debut novel, The Dive From Clausen’s Pier (2002). In it, a young woman wrestles with feelings of guilt after her fiance, for whom she has lost any passion after an eight-and-a -half year courtship, becomes a quadriplegic when he breaks his neck in a diving acciden More...
Ann Packer was hailed as a gifted chronicler of the interior lives of women after her debut novel, The Dive From Clausen’s Pier (2002). In it, a young woman wrestles with feelings of guilt after her fiance, for whom she has lost any passion after an eight-and-a -half year courtship, becomes a quadriplegic when he breaks his neck in a diving acciden More...
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Feb 05, 2009
Ann Packer stunned critics with her debut novel, the acclaimed Dive From Clausen's Pier (2002). Songs inevitably raised comparisons to this first novel's exploration of how crises of untold proportions test love and lead to guilt, despair, and morally ambiguous actions. Critics agreed that Packer deftly unravels the emotional intensity that accompanies the love between two adult friends and offers shrewd insight into human behavior. However, Songs didn't garner quite the same praise as Dive. A f
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Jul 06, 2007
Marian
rated it:
I got this book free from ALA and, since I didn't like her last book I should have known I probably wouldn't like this either. Which I didn't. It's not that the writing is BAD, but Packer tells not shows, and the story seems overly wrought and the characters self-absorbed. Packer's depressed teenager character's thoughts and mannerisms seem to have been lifted from a primer on depression. Totally skippable.
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Apr 22, 2009
Erica
rated it:
When I started this book, I thought "oh my God, I've found my new favorite author!" Her writing is just amazing. But then the story really stalled about a third to a halfway through. I still enjoyed the writing, but I needed more plot. And I don't need a lot of plot! : )
In the beginning, it was a bit reminiscent of Jonathan Franzen's The Corrections, with her brutally honest and detailed description of family life, but then as it continued, the lack of story made the descriptive More...
In the beginning, it was a bit reminiscent of Jonathan Franzen's The Corrections, with her brutally honest and detailed description of family life, but then as it continued, the lack of story made the descriptive More...
Sep 02, 2008
Mary
rated it:
This book was BORING. I kept reading,waiting for something to happen and nothing did. It's the story of a friendship between two adult women. I really didn't like either character. So when their friendship was hanging in the balance the only thing I could think of was I hope these women drive off a cliff holding hands, or something, because otherwise I don't care if they stay friends.
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Jul 25, 2008
Holly
rated it:
Eh, I don't know -- it was pleasant enough, I suppose. But I didn't much care what happened to anyone. Actually, I found about 70% of the characters really whiny and irritating. And Packer's interpretation of how teenagers "talk" was a little cringe-worthy. I sort of just kept reading it because it was pretty inoffensive, but it did sort of go ON AND ON without much really happening.
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Mar 27, 2011
Carolyn
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As a former Bay Area resident, I loved the place name-dropping in this novel: the Cheeseboard, Berkeley Bowl, University Ave. I loved the book in the beginning - its careful realism, the focus on a very real-feeling family, the prose that was well-crafted but didn't get in the way of the story. For some reason, though, I was less enthralled as I moved on (with the caveat that I read it in a few days and wanted to be reading it when I was busy with other things). I think the Sarabeth-Liz relati
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May 11, 2011
CJ
rated it:
So many reviewers point to how "depressing" and "boring" this book is. Although I didn't find it so, I can see the "depressing" point. I actually found it a rather hopeful story, exploring how someone can be buried in profound despair and still find a way back up to the surface.
And boring? It's certainly character-driven and most of the action is internal, but I was never bored while reading it. I was sometimes annoyed when a character made a choice or More...
And boring? It's certainly character-driven and most of the action is internal, but I was never bored while reading it. I was sometimes annoyed when a character made a choice or More...
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