"The Wasp Eater has an uncanny precision about love and forgiveness . . . It is one of the best narratives I have ever read about those who are unf...
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reviews
Jun 23, 2010
Becca
rated it: 
I chose a smaller book this time, simul-reading this with The Godfather, not sure I’d be able to finish both in the loan time.
The story tracks that of a young boy and his parents after his mother finds out his father cheated on her. She throws him out the house. The remainder of the book has the boy feeling torn between the adults, wanting them back together, wanting to be with one or the other and feeling guilty.
For as simply told as The Godfather was, this was far more More...
The story tracks that of a young boy and his parents after his mother finds out his father cheated on her. She throws him out the house. The remainder of the book has the boy feeling torn between the adults, wanting them back together, wanting to be with one or the other and feeling guilty.
For as simply told as The Godfather was, this was far more More...
Jun 18, 2009
Karen
rated it: 
THE WASP EATER is a story about a young boy who is caught in the middle when his parents split up. It's a dark story, yet the prose reads like poetry. I'm not sure if I enjoyed it so much, or I just kept reading because I wanted to see what would happen at the end.
I don't feel like I really knew the characters...... Yet I felt for the boy, Daniel. I felt his pain. That feeling of humiliation when you are doing the wrong thing in front of adults....because you don't know what the More...
I don't feel like I really knew the characters...... Yet I felt for the boy, Daniel. I felt his pain. That feeling of humiliation when you are doing the wrong thing in front of adults....because you don't know what the More...
May 25, 2009
Kate
rated it: 
Despite the fact that I found there to be way too many similes in the imagery, I still liked the underlying honest struggle of a 10 year old boy trying to reunite his parents. The book improved greatly as the story unfolded-- I would have rated this 2 stars early on, but my rating is based more on the perfect pitch of the ending.
Jan 08, 2012
Andrew
rated it:
A lovely book, written in a spare style, with a lot of underlying emotion that just barely ripples the surface ... Reminds me a bit of the delicate touch of Penelope Fitzgerald, nicely captures the feel of 1970s Connecticut, of a family falling apart, of a father who is kind of charming but more importantly a scoundrel, of a ten-year-old boy who doesn't know whether he wants his father back in his life (after the father cheats on the mother) or permanently out .... Definitely worth reading ....
Mar 24, 2011
Christine
rated it:
It was a good read, but I found the lack of knowledge about the situation a little annoying. However, since he was trying to tell the story in the child's point of view, then maybe he did a great job, since children are good at 'sensing' things and not necessarily knowing the full details.
Apr 19, 2010
Larryh
rated it: 
A must read if you wish to be bored. Or perhaps if trapped in earthquake rubble with it and a source of light.
If you wish to learn something, pick up a biography or if you want to be entertained grab any of the zillion technothriller action mysteries.
If you wish to learn something, pick up a biography or if you want to be entertained grab any of the zillion technothriller action mysteries.
Jun 20, 2009
Tinytextiles
rated it:
An engrossing and very tender story about a young boy trying to reunite his parents failed marriage. I liked the book's theme but the story did not always ring true. It would be interesting to see how a male reader feels about this story.
Mar 31, 2009
Natalie
rated it:
While I enjoyed the tone of this quiet book, I found I felt too removed from the characters. The ending however was pitch perfect.
Apr 08, 2010
Marjorie
rated it:
One day, quick read. The descriptions were very well done. It was like watching a movie in my head.
Aug 27, 2010
Amos
rated it: 
A ten year old boy tries to process his parents seperation, and what that means for life as he's come to know it, in this slim yet profoundly touching tale. A story I'll remember from an author I'll be keeping an eye on....
May 14, 2010
Victoria
rated it:
What a strange and sad little book. I liked this novella, but didn't really love it. I am not quite sure why, though. Mostly because there just seemed like something was missing, or lacking, though I am not exactly sure what it was... The father's character was the focal point of the whole book but he seemed more like a shadow of a man than a real man. Perhaps it was this character flaw that made me feel like there was something lacking in the book... Still, it was a fascinating and engrossing b
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Jan 16, 2010
Emily
rated it:
This book was really hard for me to get through in a day. I found it confusing, and the transitions were poor. It was a good story, but the characters aggravated me and the plot didn't flow. It was not a horrible book, but definitely not one of my favorites. I suspect that it may be one of those books that you can only enjoy if you've lived through a similar experience, but I'm not sure of that either.
Jan 16, 2010
melissa/missy
rated it:
Books like this make me rethink my "five stars only go to books that I've read multiple times" policy. I finished it thinking, how could I reasonably expect a novel to be better than this?! It seems unfair :) The writing in the Wasp Eater is so descriptive and beautiful, and the tale is so moving.
Apr 23, 2008
Colleen
rated it:
Dark and often confusing, just like life for a child during an crisis in a marriage. Many adults feel children should not be told of such matters between adults. Those adults should read this book.
May 06, 2008
Chad
rated it:
This is a truly amazing short novel about a child in the middle of a divorce. The novel does a great job of capturing the general helplessness of childhood. It's a nice short book.
Jul 04, 2008
Laura
rated it:
If you're at Lesley you must read this, if you're not, you also must read this. A book you want to gulp down all at once.
Feb 07, 2012
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Nov 27, 2011
Oct 09, 2011
