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Deceptions
HOW WELL CAN A MOTHER EVER REALLY KNOW HER CHILD?
Julian and Annie have only just announced their forthcoming marriage when Annie's twelve-year-old son, Dan, fails to come home from school. Despite an extensive police investigation, the days turn into weeks and it is as if Dan has vanished into thin air.
Over the next three years Annie refuses to give up hope that somewhere...more
Julian and Annie have only just announced their forthcoming marriage when Annie's twelve-year-old son, Dan, fails to come home from school. Despite an extensive police investigation, the days turn into weeks and it is as if Dan has vanished into thin air.
Over the next three years Annie refuses to give up hope that somewhere...more
Paperback, 288 pages
Published
September 14th 2010
by Simon & Schuster
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Rebecca Frayn’s second novel is elegantly written with a compelling and convincing plot which demonstrates one of her key skills as a writer.
She chooses to narrate the story as a male character, Julian Poulter; slightly detached, emotionally ambivalent and yet utterly believable. Julian’s profession as an art valuer, trying to spot fraudulent copies and fakes, creates a deft sub-text to the central premise of the book, alongside his own agendas and self-deceptions. The unreliability of his narra...more
She chooses to narrate the story as a male character, Julian Poulter; slightly detached, emotionally ambivalent and yet utterly believable. Julian’s profession as an art valuer, trying to spot fraudulent copies and fakes, creates a deft sub-text to the central premise of the book, alongside his own agendas and self-deceptions. The unreliability of his narra...more
I'm still dithering about this novel. Very much a book of two halves for me. After setting up a reasonably straightforward premise, the narrative then consisted of mining all conceivable thoughts parents with a missing child might have. However, since we were seeing all this through the eyes of the mother's partner, who never really seemed terribly interested in what might have happened to the missing boy, after the first thirty pages of detached observational minutiae, it was hard to muster any...more
Would You Know Your Own Child?
Imagine my surprise when I realised the hard-to-believe premise of Deceptions, by Rebecca Frayn, is based on a true story. If your son disappeared at the age of 12 and returned a few years later, would you be able to recognise him with certainty? Would you know if the returning prodigal was an impostor, and if so would you pretend not to notice?
It really doesn’t matter whether this is credible or not, or that we can ruin part of the plot by reading about the story t...more
Imagine my surprise when I realised the hard-to-believe premise of Deceptions, by Rebecca Frayn, is based on a true story. If your son disappeared at the age of 12 and returned a few years later, would you be able to recognise him with certainty? Would you know if the returning prodigal was an impostor, and if so would you pretend not to notice?
It really doesn’t matter whether this is credible or not, or that we can ruin part of the plot by reading about the story t...more
This book is loosely based on an actual occurrence in Engalnd. It is an English novel and is written in the English style.
Annie has lost he husband to cancer and she is bringing up her twelve year old son and his sister. Julian has come into her life and they have decided to get married. Dan, her son, has serious problems accepting the upcoming marriage and disappears.
The wedding, of course, is put on hold and an effort is made to locate Dan. The English detectives seem to put few resources into...more
Annie has lost he husband to cancer and she is bringing up her twelve year old son and his sister. Julian has come into her life and they have decided to get married. Dan, her son, has serious problems accepting the upcoming marriage and disappears.
The wedding, of course, is put on hold and an effort is made to locate Dan. The English detectives seem to put few resources into...more
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Pretty much from page one of this book I was hooked. It is a sparsely and tightly written book with no unecessary padding and the book leaps straight in. The story is narrated by Justin, the fiancé of Annie who is widowed with two children, 12 year old Dan and 8 year old Rachel. Justin and Annie have just become engaged and life is finally settling down for the couple when….bam! Dan doesn’t return home from school. Being narrated by Justin really worked, in my opinion: Dan wasn’t his child, and...more
Enjoyed reading this book although thought the plot was transparent and was diappointed that it wasn't the pageturner I had expected. Dan is 12 when he fails to return home from school one day. This event has a drastic effect of Annie (his mother) and Julian's relationship. Julian is the new partner of Annie and they were just planning their wedding when this happened. The story is told through the eyes of Julian as the outsider. 3 years later there is a call from Glasgow saying that Dan is ther...more
I had to read the synopsis to remember what this book was when looking at it in my library history just now. Considering I read it 2 weeks ago, I think that about sums it up. The writing kept tripping me up and pulling me out of the moment. I wish I'd written down a few of the choice turns of phrase to share! I haven't reach much contemporary Brit Lit, but I have to believe this was more a pompous author/editor than a current style.
The two characters I was really curious about (the younger daugh...more
The two characters I was really curious about (the younger daugh...more
Tragic book :( it was based on a true story which made it even worse. Did I enjoy this book? I'm still undecided. I think it wasn't much of a mystery that they boy was an imposter. Also, the mother was quite irritating. Not sure why, just knew I didn't like her much. Sad ending, sad tale. Horrible to think people would exploit a grieving mother by pretending to be her son. Which raises the question...how could she NOT know??!! Good grief, his eye color had changed, he couldn't read, ride a bike,...more
The blurb attracted me and I picked it up in the library. I was not disaapointed. Though I felt toward the ending the story lost its intriguing quality to me. I found this book interesting, entertaining and different from usual missing child stories. The book kept me hooked to it untill I finished it all. I started it in the afternoon and finished it by night. I would surely read another book by author.
Good book. This book wasn't on my to-read list but crossed the circulation desk when I was working at the library. It sounded like an interested storyline so I brought it home. Surprisingly I did enjoy this book. The story dragged for a few chapters in the middle, but it wasn't too bad.
I can not believe this was based on a true story! How horrible for Dan's poor mother!
I can not believe this was based on a true story! How horrible for Dan's poor mother!
I hate being critical, but good grief this book was long and boring. I don't know if I was missing something, but it was disjointed and quite frankly annoying.
I read it in one night, in one go. This would usually be a good sign, but in this case it was a mere matter of getting it over and done with.
I'm disappointed because I expected so much.
I read it in one night, in one go. This would usually be a good sign, but in this case it was a mere matter of getting it over and done with.
I'm disappointed because I expected so much.
Started it, got sidetracked, had to return it to the library. Renewed it and finally finished it during Hurricane Irene! [Yes, KT, this was a real book-book!]. Although I thought I knew what was happening half way through, my mind kept changing ... just like Julian's, the narrator!
I didn't realize this was based on a true story till I finished the book. It's quite disturbing to think there was a con-artist who thoughts things through so well even though he was so young. A movie is now out as well, 'The Impostors' based on Frederic Bourdin's impersonation scams. I recommend this book for the unusual psychological angle, not so much the author's rendition of characters.
A missing child story told from the perspective of the mother's fiance which was a very unusual and effective perspective to use. This books just slightly missed the mark for me. I felt much more connected to the characters in the beginning than I did toward the end.
SUMMER READING REVIEW: "This is the story of a family torn apart when a child disappears. The personalities of the adults in the story are very interesting, and the plot has several interesting twists." -Elaine Philhower
It's billed as a thriller, but it was only mildly interesting. No thrills. Probably wouldn't have finished it if I weren't reading it on my commute. I would like to find out more about the true story, though.
Didn't know it was loosely based on a true story until I finished. It seemed to hold my interest but I was able to foresee the ending. Oddly enough, I did not feel a connection to the mothers plight.
This is a good enough beach read about a missing 12 year old boy, set in England. It is based on a true story. It is a good enough mystery to keep me reading all the way through.
Frayn has taken a riveting true story--a teenage con artist successfully impersonates a missing boy--and written a deeply boring, opaque, and stiff novel.
This was told from a POV that was so detached that it took away from the story. What could've been great became ok because it was so cold.
Mor a 3 1/2 stars. The story was interesting but the ending seemed a bit rushed. Also one has to suspend belief in the plot as a whole.
It's a good book, but just a bit slow in places and rather frustrating. I still have mixed feelings about the ending!
One of those books you don't forget. But the annoying itch of finding out what happened to the boy is not satisfied.
A good read; I finished the book quickly. But there were some problems with the plot.
I didn't enjoy the writing or the characters. It all felt rather flat.
"DECEPTIONS" BY REBECCA FRAYN
When children disappear there is always a sense of urgency and loss. This story will leave you breathless with suspense. A happy forthcoming marriage is soon to be overshadowed by heartache and fear as Annie's son goes missing, you'll be surprised to find out who the culprit is.
A wonderful exciting and scary book about just how easy it is to be deceived.
-Kitty Bullard / Great Minds Think Aloud Book Club
Read more: http://www.greatmindsthinkaloud.probo...
When children disappear there is always a sense of urgency and loss. This story will leave you breathless with suspense. A happy forthcoming marriage is soon to be overshadowed by heartache and fear as Annie's son goes missing, you'll be surprised to find out who the culprit is.
A wonderful exciting and scary book about just how easy it is to be deceived.
-Kitty Bullard / Great Minds Think Aloud Book Club
Read more: http://www.greatmindsthinkaloud.probo...
As a mother, this book really tore at my heart-strings. Great read.
An interesting read. Ending leaves a lot to be desired, though.
One of those books you can't put down
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Jul 16, 2010 11:07am