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Secrets of Eden
by
Chris Bohjalian (Goodreads Author)
From the bestselling author of The Double Bind, Midwives, and Skeletons at the Feast comes a novel of shattered faith, intimate secrets, and the delicate nature of sacrifice.
"There," says Alice Hayward to Reverend Stephen Drew, just after her baptism, and just before going home to the husband who will kill her that evening and then shoot himself. Drew, tortured by the cryp...more
"There," says Alice Hayward to Reverend Stephen Drew, just after her baptism, and just before going home to the husband who will kill her that evening and then shoot himself. Drew, tortured by the cryp...more
ebook, 400 pages
Published
February 2nd 2010
by Crown
(first published 2010)
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Feb 08, 2012
Barbara
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Barbara by:
CHRIS BOHJALIAN!
I have been an avid follower of Chris Bohjalian's writing for a long time. It pains me to say that this novel was a disappointment to me. My first introduction to this author was "Skeletons at the Feast", which so impressed me that I followed it with many more of his boooks. This could not compare with that first book, or others. The story weaves around the apparent murder/ suicide in a small town in Vermont. It is a tale of wife battering and alcoholism and the effects of these abuses on famil...more
This book was totally disappointing. I have enjoyed many of Chris Bohjalian's previous books as he chooses such diverse topics that you learn a lot about as you read the book. I guess the topic he chose to be "interesting" in this book was angels and auras. While angels and auras have no particular appeal to me, I expected that I would "learn" something. In reality, that element was just superfluous fluff that was "filler" rather than a topic you could build a story around--something he did well...more
Audio book performed by Mark Bramhall, Susan Denaker, Rebecca Lowman and Kathe Mazur.
When Alice and George Hayward die in a murder/suicide, Reverend Stephen Drew suffers a crisis of faith. He is tormented by his inability to stop the tragedy, and tortured by a sense of guilt. In despair he leaves the small Vermont town and seeks consolation with a wildly successful new-age author of “angel” books. But the medical director’s autopsy findings aren’t consistent with suicide and the state prosecutor...more
When Alice and George Hayward die in a murder/suicide, Reverend Stephen Drew suffers a crisis of faith. He is tormented by his inability to stop the tragedy, and tortured by a sense of guilt. In despair he leaves the small Vermont town and seeks consolation with a wildly successful new-age author of “angel” books. But the medical director’s autopsy findings aren’t consistent with suicide and the state prosecutor...more
Some of my favorite books are those that I wasn't expecting. Stumbled across my library's Kindle version of this while looking for something else -- and I'm damn glad I did. I'll be intentionally looking for the rest of Bohjalian's catalog now.
It's hard not to compare it to Gone Girl, but that's probably not fair to either book. Gone Girl is voyeuristic in a fun way. It's like a roller-coaster -- you know you're going to end up with your stomach in your throat, and you eagerly await each curve a...more
It's hard not to compare it to Gone Girl, but that's probably not fair to either book. Gone Girl is voyeuristic in a fun way. It's like a roller-coaster -- you know you're going to end up with your stomach in your throat, and you eagerly await each curve a...more
1 like · like · see review
Chris Bohjalian is one of my favorite authors too, but I am not loving this book. It's OK, but nothing more so far. I just started disc 7 out of 9 and unless something terrific and out of the ordinary happens I am going to be disappointed. The narrations are good, and since there are multiple characters that are multiple people sharing the reading, but the book just doesn't pop. I knew how the story was going to end after the first chapters. We'll wait to see if I was right or not. Chris, you're...more
5.0 out of 5 stars SECERTS OF EDEN, July 23, 2012
By
desi reilly (ozark mo) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Secrets of Eden: A Novel (Paperback)
wow this book is great. I could not get the book done quick enough.Here you got the country folks and the people all now each
other and usually now what goes on in the home form word of mouth or groups they are in.What happen in town stay in town or they
say it will you have a couple who has a daughter is only a high school kid.the daughter is dys...more
By
desi reilly (ozark mo) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Secrets of Eden: A Novel (Paperback)
wow this book is great. I could not get the book done quick enough.Here you got the country folks and the people all now each
other and usually now what goes on in the home form word of mouth or groups they are in.What happen in town stay in town or they
say it will you have a couple who has a daughter is only a high school kid.the daughter is dys...more
The author is well known and respected, but I wasn't won over. The story opened with a lot of detail about the violent deaths of a married couple. The gore was carefully detailed--bits of brain embedded in the window screen, etc. This part is narrated by an unmarried minister who does not seem to inhabit his body, only his brain. He occasionally connects with his physical self. There is the occasional affair.
The DA is heard from briefly. She is sure she has the solution. She's got her guy.
Then...more
The DA is heard from briefly. She is sure she has the solution. She's got her guy.
Then...more
Chris Bohjalian is one of those authors who are consistently entertaining, and when I opened the book and read the first page I was immediately stuck into the story, which I love. I want to be in love in page one, not page twenty or one hundred.
Reverend Steven Drew begins the story by telling us how a local girl is orphaned after her mother and father are killed in a murder suicide. This begins to make him question his faith, and life changes for him. I would have preferred to follow one narrat...more
Reverend Steven Drew begins the story by telling us how a local girl is orphaned after her mother and father are killed in a murder suicide. This begins to make him question his faith, and life changes for him. I would have preferred to follow one narrat...more
"Secrets of Eden," my third Chris Bohjalian book, reinforced why I'm such a fan of this author. Beginning with the deaths of Alice and George Hayward in an apparent murder-suicide, the story devolves into a mystery when it becomes apparent that George died by a hand other than his own.
Told from the perspectives of four characters who are very different from one another, the book reveals interesting personality traits of each, yet keeps each character enigmatic enough that I was pondering some o...more
Told from the perspectives of four characters who are very different from one another, the book reveals interesting personality traits of each, yet keeps each character enigmatic enough that I was pondering some o...more
I listened to the audio version of Chris Bohjalian's novel Secrets of Eden and want to recommend it highly. There are multiple readers who all do an excellent job. It's perfect for a long commute, although I found myself driving an extra block or two a couple of times when I couldn't stop listening.
Many writing instructors, especially those who are teaching beginning courses, tell writers to show rather than tell. It's a bit of advice that has always irritated me, because it simplifies the proce...more
Many writing instructors, especially those who are teaching beginning courses, tell writers to show rather than tell. It's a bit of advice that has always irritated me, because it simplifies the proce...more
A teenaged girl's parents are killed in an apparent murder-suicide. Soon after, comes a young-ish woman who has written a few new-age books about angels. She insinuates herself into the investigation, with no other background than that this same thing, parents killed in a murder-suicide, has happened to her and her sister. First she goes to the dead woman's pastor, then to the teenaged daughter.
It would seem that the girl's father has been murdered as well. Everyone implicates the pastor, who h...more
It would seem that the girl's father has been murdered as well. Everyone implicates the pastor, who h...more
"The Buffalo Soldier" was the first of Bohjalian's books I've read, which was followed by "Midwives" and "Double Bind"... and I feel as though I am on a slow downward spiral with Chris Bohjalian's books, although "Secrets of Eden" is, in parts, well written, it is equally torturous to read in others.
The character of the minister starts out with a somewhat weary-of-his-pathetic-excuse-for-parishioners recounting of the typical Sunday whinings mixed with more heartwarming stories told by recipien...more
The character of the minister starts out with a somewhat weary-of-his-pathetic-excuse-for-parishioners recounting of the typical Sunday whinings mixed with more heartwarming stories told by recipien...more
May 22, 2011
Jen C (ReadinginWBL)
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2011-read-in,
audio-books
Secrets of Eden by Chris Bohjalian raises awareness of the devastating effects of domestic violence on families. The story starts out with the deaths of George and Alice Hayward in a murder/suicide situation. A few members of the small town in Vermont are aware of the spousal abuse that Alice suffered at the hands of George, but many were not. There are many secrets that come to light throughout the book.
The story is told in four parts by four different narrators. Part one is told Stephen Drew,...more
The story is told in four parts by four different narrators. Part one is told Stephen Drew,...more
Secrets of Eden by Chris Bohjalian raises awareness of the devastating effects of domestic violence on families. The story starts out with the deaths of George and Alice Hayward in a murder/suicide situation. A few members of the small town in Vermont are aware of the spousal abuse that Alice suffered at the hands of George, but many were not. There are many secrets that come to light throughout the book.
The story is told in four parts by four different narrators. Part one is told Stephen Drew,...more
The story is told in four parts by four different narrators. Part one is told Stephen Drew,...more
Feb 18, 2011
Suzka
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Suzka by:
library reading group
This was the February selection for OLBC, and I read it because I'm committed to the OLBC.
What I enjoyed:
* The story was told from the point of view of four different characters, weaving perceptions into an interesting braid for the reader. Nice touch.
* The setting (small rural northern New England town) was fun, especially as it felt like the author was translating this specific flavor of Small Town (which is where I live) for the rest of the world.
What I didn't so much enjoy:
* The ending was o...more
What I enjoyed:
* The story was told from the point of view of four different characters, weaving perceptions into an interesting braid for the reader. Nice touch.
* The setting (small rural northern New England town) was fun, especially as it felt like the author was translating this specific flavor of Small Town (which is where I live) for the rest of the world.
What I didn't so much enjoy:
* The ending was o...more
This is the type of book that I want to discuss with a group after finishing. I've got questions. I read the literary guide at the end and felt lost by many of the questions. I felt like I really got some of it... and really missed some other parts.I took time to reread some parts. I carefully reread the end (for sometimes I get a little anxious and start speed reading ...)however I still give four stars for I enjoyed and continue to think about the characters, the setting, and the story line
May...more
May...more
This is the first book that I've read by Chris Bohjlian and it won't be my last. This book grabbed me in the first few pages and kept my interest until the end. In order to prevent spoilers, this review will be very general. In essence the plot revolves around an abused woman who is killed by her husband in a murder-suicide. Slowly the story begins to unfold in a small town in Vermont and the culture of the town, the beliefs of the residents, and individual attitudes and prejudices are slowly re...more
Here is the plot of this book: The victim of domestic violence and her husband are found dead in a small town in Vermont, apparently a murder suicide. The woman had been having an affair with the pastor of her church. The pastor feels guilty that he did not intervene more strongly and he takes off with a best-selling author of a book about angels. We don’t know why he has an affair with her, as she is a kook who is so into angels that she can barely utter dialogue without bringing them into a co...more
9 likes · like · see review
This book was on the "recommended to read" shelf at the library and sounded interesting enough, so I decided to give it a try.
Secrets of Eden is mainly about domestic violence...wife/mother Alice is strangled by her husband and the he shoots himself. Her pastor(& later we find out brief lover), Stephen, is consumed by guilt & feels that he should have seen this coming. An author (Heather, whose parents suffered about the same fate) shows up and saves him from his despair. Later, the stat...more
Secrets of Eden is mainly about domestic violence...wife/mother Alice is strangled by her husband and the he shoots himself. Her pastor(& later we find out brief lover), Stephen, is consumed by guilt & feels that he should have seen this coming. An author (Heather, whose parents suffered about the same fate) shows up and saves him from his despair. Later, the stat...more
This started off with a wonderful narrator, a minister, who described many in his congregation needing Prozac more than prayer. What's not to love about a line like that? Sadly, the narrators change in this murder mystery that deals with spousal abuse and commitment issues.
The most irritating narrator is a writer of best-selling angel books, and her talk becomes tedious, except for brief appearances of her anorexic sisters who is in recovery for drug addiction. After a while, I found myself skip...more
The most irritating narrator is a writer of best-selling angel books, and her talk becomes tedious, except for brief appearances of her anorexic sisters who is in recovery for drug addiction. After a while, I found myself skip...more
Jun 08, 2010
Kathleen
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
favorite-contemporary-authors
Once again, the author takes a social issue about which the reader probably has strong feelings and turns the reader's opinion around several times through the characters, layers of plot, and careful research. His writing is so well crafted; there were so many points during the novel that I stopped reading to reflect upon the insights he shared..."Sometimes you just expect the waves and waves of sorrow to wash over you. Swamp you completely. That, in my mind, is real grief. And mourning? That is...more
I wasn't really sure what exactly to expect when my library director first commented I may like this book since I've never read any Chris Bohjalian before, but I was pleasantly surprised that it was, all and all, a fair read.
In some reviews of the book I checked out beforehand I kept hearing over and over about what a fine job Chris does writing his female characters and I really have to agree. The ladies that take center stage in this book really do take center stage, no damsels in distress her...more
In some reviews of the book I checked out beforehand I kept hearing over and over about what a fine job Chris does writing his female characters and I really have to agree. The ladies that take center stage in this book really do take center stage, no damsels in distress her...more
Like Midwives and The Double Bind, Chris Bohjalian's newest suspense novel, Secrets of Eden, was (no exaggeration) nearly impossible for me to put down.
Set against the beautiful backdrop of a small town in rural Vermont is the horrific murder-suicide of a local couple. Businessman George Hayward, who has a history of abusing his wife Alice, murders her while their teenage daughter, Katie, is out at a concert, and then turns the gun on himself. Holding the family—and the town—together immediately...more
Set against the beautiful backdrop of a small town in rural Vermont is the horrific murder-suicide of a local couple. Businessman George Hayward, who has a history of abusing his wife Alice, murders her while their teenage daughter, Katie, is out at a concert, and then turns the gun on himself. Holding the family—and the town—together immediately...more
Apr 15, 2010
Shannon
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Shannon by:
Alison
After reading the first chapter of Secrets of Eden, I knew this was going to be a good book. In a mere ten pages, Bohjalian laid the foundation for a mystery that wouldn't be completely resolved until the very last page. The story of a seemingly straightforward murder suicide is told through four narrators who offer unique views of the events surrounding the deaths of Alice and George Hayward. The reader learns early on that Alice was regularly beaten by George and was strangled to death at his...more
Dear Mr. Bohjalian,
Tell me, what happened to the man who skillfully channeled 360 degrees of the female soul in "Midwives"? Where might the author be who so cleverly knit elements of Gatsby in with a modern story in "The Double Bind"? What has become of the writer who bravely took on the tired topic of WWII and crafted a gorgeous story in "Skeletons at the Feast"?
Because certainly - the same fellow did not write this dimestore paperback drivel? We know it happens from time to time. A great wri...more
Tell me, what happened to the man who skillfully channeled 360 degrees of the female soul in "Midwives"? Where might the author be who so cleverly knit elements of Gatsby in with a modern story in "The Double Bind"? What has become of the writer who bravely took on the tired topic of WWII and crafted a gorgeous story in "Skeletons at the Feast"?
Because certainly - the same fellow did not write this dimestore paperback drivel? We know it happens from time to time. A great wri...more
11 likes · like · see review
I have a love/hate relationship with Chris Bohjalian and this book emphasized it even more. It takes forever for me to get myself fully involved in his books.. but I do it. Why? Because the final chapters of the book will punch me in the gut and leave me shaking my head in awe. That's what keeps me reading.
From Double Bind to Midwives and now to Secrets of Eden, he hasn't disappointed me. Books that, if I would have only read the first half, I would have given 1-2 stars of rating get 4-5 stars f...more
From Double Bind to Midwives and now to Secrets of Eden, he hasn't disappointed me. Books that, if I would have only read the first half, I would have given 1-2 stars of rating get 4-5 stars f...more
This was a fascinating read, one of Bohjalian's best. We learn in the beginning of the murder and apparent suicide of a couple in a small town in Vermont. On the surface, it seems
thaat the husband has been abusive for years. The story unfolds at first through the voice of the local pastor is straightforward until other narrators enter the scene: A young woman author who researches and writes about angels, an assistant prosecutor, and the teen aged daughter of the deceased couple. It becomes clea...more
thaat the husband has been abusive for years. The story unfolds at first through the voice of the local pastor is straightforward until other narrators enter the scene: A young woman author who researches and writes about angels, an assistant prosecutor, and the teen aged daughter of the deceased couple. It becomes clea...more
Ooooh. This is the second book in a row on domestic abuse. My brain needs to read something light.
This story is told by four voices - the minister, the detective, the "lover" and the daughter of the murdered couple.
Once again, a woman is killed by her abusive husband and then dies himself. It turns out, though, that he did not commit suicide - someone shot him. The minister is suspect because he had an affair with the murdered woman. After the murders, he leaves the town and this makes him suspe...more
This story is told by four voices - the minister, the detective, the "lover" and the daughter of the murdered couple.
Once again, a woman is killed by her abusive husband and then dies himself. It turns out, though, that he did not commit suicide - someone shot him. The minister is suspect because he had an affair with the murdered woman. After the murders, he leaves the town and this makes him suspe...more
Reading time has been at a minimum for me the past few days, but every second I had to spare, I was reading Chris Bohjalian's new release Secrets of Eden. I'm still stunned by my reading, by the ending, and by the craftsmanship that went into the creation of this novel. I've read almost everything published by Bohjalian. His claim to fame was the novel Midwives when it was chosen as an Oprah's Book Club selection in October of 1998. Although it was not his first novel, it was the first novel tha...more
I haven't really enjoyed Bohjalian's books lately. His writing seems to be taking a nose-dive.
From back cover:
"There, says Alice Hayward to Reverend Stephen Drew, just after her baptism, and just before going home to the husband who will kill her that evening and then shoot himself. Drew, tortured by the cryptic finality of that short utterance, feels his faith in God slipping away and is saved from despair only by a meeting with Heather Laurent, the author of wildly successful, inspirational bo...more
From back cover:
"There, says Alice Hayward to Reverend Stephen Drew, just after her baptism, and just before going home to the husband who will kill her that evening and then shoot himself. Drew, tortured by the cryptic finality of that short utterance, feels his faith in God slipping away and is saved from despair only by a meeting with Heather Laurent, the author of wildly successful, inspirational bo...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wise Women, Giggl...: SECRETS OF EDEN .... Book 2 ~ Oct 2011 SPOILERS | 9 | 41 | Oct 31, 2011 11:29am |
Chris Bohjalian is the author of sixteen books, including The Light in the Ruins, arriving July 9, 2013 from Doubleday. Set in Florence and rural Tuscany between 1943 and 1955, it began as a re-imaginging of "Romeo and Juliet."
His other books include the New York Times bestsellers, The Sandcastle Girls, The Night Strangers, Secrets of Eden, Skeletons at the Feast, The Double Bind, Before Your Know...more
More about Chris Bohjalian...
His other books include the New York Times bestsellers, The Sandcastle Girls, The Night Strangers, Secrets of Eden, Skeletons at the Feast, The Double Bind, Before Your Know...more
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