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Little Night

Luanne Rice (Goodreads Author)

3.53 · Rating details · 3,017 ratings · 454 reviews

An emotionally gripping family drama from beloved New York Times bestseller Luanne Rice

Clare Burke’s life took a devastating turn when she tried to protect her sister, Anne, from an abusive and controlling husband and ended up serving prison time for assault. The verdict largely hinged on Anne’s defense of her spouse—all lies—and the sisters have been estranged ever since. ...more

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Hardcover, 321 pages

Published June 5th 2012 by Pamela Dorman Books (first published January 1st 2012)

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Jul 10, 2012 Kathy rated it did not like it

I have read most of the author's books. This one is the worst ever. The story concerns an estranged family. Once two sisters, Claire and Anne, were close. Now they haven't spoken for years, since Anne's husband accused Claire of trying to kill him, with Anne agreeing, and Caire went off to prison for a while. One day, years after her release, Anne's daughter, Grit, shows up at Claire's door and stays on with her. The story line is weak. The sequence of events, slowly put forth through the book i ...more

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May 19, 2012 rameau rated it liked it

Shelves: rating-theory-good-practice-not, language-english-original, arc-galley, annoying-1st-3rd-voice-mixing, read-in-2012, genre-contemporary, rating-meh

When I started reading this book, I didn't know what I was getting myself into. I had never read a Luanne Rice novel before and I only knew that I liked the cover. And that I liked weird novels.

The blurb promises a story of two generations meeting, estranged sisters and a family tragedy. It reminded me a lot of Purge and that, unfortunately, raised my expectations to unrealistic proportions.

Where Oksanen uses a family tragedy to describe the horrors of two or three lost generations, Rice's sto When I started reading this book, I didn't know what I was getting myself into. I had never read a Luanne Rice novel before and I only knew that I liked the cover. And that I liked weird novels.

The blurb promises a story of two generations meeting, estranged sisters and a family tragedy. It reminded me a lot of Purge and that, unfortunately, raised my expectations to unrealistic proportions.

Where Oksanen uses a family tragedy to describe the horrors of two or three lost generations, Rice's story is smaller. So much more intimate. She contents herself with describing a family tragedy on a more personal level. She explores how abuse affects not only those within the immediate family unit, but the people around them, the extended family and their friends.

Clare watches her sister's new husband isolate her from everyone she's known before. Parent's and sister aren't welcome in their house; they are something to be left behind. Clare watches her sister change from afar until she can't take any longer. She picks a time for a visit and tries to reconnect with her sister. Instead of taking Anne and her children away, Clare ends up saving her sister's life and being sent to jail for an assault. Eighteen years later, it's time for Clare's niece to visit unexpectedly.

I was really looking forward to reading about Clare dealing with her sister's betrayal and trying not to project those feelings onto her niece, Grit. Instead, I read about her unrealistic forgiveness and neverending longing for the sister of her childhood.

I've seen what a betrayal of a close family member does. to a person. I've seen what taking them to court and lying there does. When someone who is your flesh and blood does that to you, you don't simply turn on the blinders and say: "He made her do it. He's at fault." No. You pretend they're dead, because what kind of mother does that to her child. Not a living one.

Only bond closer than the one between a mother and a daughter I can imagine is that one between two sisters. A sister who betrays you isn't a sister at all. People react differently, you say. They do, but wholly without anger? I think not. Clare never expresses any anger or rage at her sister. She's the virtuous, too good to be true woman who forgives.

That's where this novel fails, for me. It wasn't in the wonderfully fantastical, fairytaleish quality of the writing. It wasn't focusing on more than one person's point of view. It wasn't even in my pet peeve of switching between first and third person limited narratives.

It was in the lack of character growth for Clare. She might have learned to open herself up to Paul, but she never really worked through her issues with her sister. At least Grit went through the stages of grief and dealing with her hate and anger and rage against her mother. At least Grit admitted she'd been betrayed and learned to forgive.

The story of these three women could have been truly magical instead of just pretending to be it.

I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. ...more

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May 11, 2012 Julie Barrett rated it it was amazing

Little Night by Luanne Rice
ISBN: 9780670023561
Book starts out with Clare attacking her sisters husband because of what he's done to them all. She ends up in prison and her sister Anne and the kids, gilly and grit are still left behind to endure his torture.
While in prison she's had a lot of time to herself and thinks about the past and ends things with her Central Park ranger boyfriend, Paul. She is depressed and comes to life once again after a visitor has left with the promise of a job, wit Little Night by Luanne Rice
ISBN: 9780670023561
Book starts out with Clare attacking her sisters husband because of what he's done to them all. She ends up in prison and her sister Anne and the kids, gilly and grit are still left behind to endure his torture.
While in prison she's had a lot of time to herself and thinks about the past and ends things with her Central Park ranger boyfriend, Paul. She is depressed and comes to life once again after a visitor has left with the promise of a job, with conditions.
After Clare gets out she does seek out Paul again and they resume their bird watches and rescues in the hopes of seeing an extinct laughing owl.
Grit comes to live with Clare and the truth comes out as to why she is there.
The symbolism of the bog, the accident and how it brings them closer makes all that's happened come together as one.
Just when you think you've learned all you can about a topic: snowy owls, Central Park, variety of birds, rather than shoving it down your throats like other authors might do, Luanne knows exactly when to move onto other things. It's just a super blend, seamless.
Like that Grit knows how to cook elegantly from scratch and can do wonders with barely anything.
What happened at the bog landed Grit in the hospital. While there she knows her mother stood over her bed. She's seen other signs of her mother being in town, and so has Clare.

Love the mystery as to why Anne couldn't contact them in the city.
I like a book that takes me places and learn new things. I am really into this book: the ferry to the statue of liberty-never knew about the rooms at the bottom; the glassblowing; all the birds and facts; the scenery, different named areas, and atmosphere of ny central park, very detailed architecture and the cooking.
Countries overseas have an appeal all their own.
Like how when the book has stated a Danish remark the translation is the next line-won't leave you guessing or have to look it up on the pc.
Love the idea of the special picnic and how the book got its title from it and opened the web page.

Learned so much in this book, as I do follow our local snowy owl and have seen one in Oregon at a refuge for birds.
Clare compares her life with some of the extinct owls.

Love the ending and how things have gone full circle.
...more

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Sep 01, 2012 Laurel-Rain rated it liked it

In the opening pages of "Little Night: A Novel," the reader is thrust into the aftermath of domestic violence, and the consequences for one young woman who risked everything to protect her sister.

Unfortunately, the control Frederik Rasmussen wielded over his wife Anne and their two children is the kind of hold often exerted by men who must monitor every thought, feeling, and action of those he calls "his." This kind of domination is most effective within an isolated unit such as the one this per In the opening pages of "Little Night: A Novel," the reader is thrust into the aftermath of domestic violence, and the consequences for one young woman who risked everything to protect her sister.

Unfortunately, the control Frederik Rasmussen wielded over his wife Anne and their two children is the kind of hold often exerted by men who must monitor every thought, feeling, and action of those he calls "his." This kind of domination is most effective within an isolated unit such as the one this perpetrator has created.

When Anne follows her husband into his darkness and lies to the police and in court, her sister Clare is sentenced to prison.

What happens in the years that follow sets the scene for some kind of reunion or redemption, but that does not happen. Instead, Clare comes home one day to a letter from her niece Grit, who is announcing her plan to visit.

In flashes backward and forward, the story progresses, showing a bit about how Clare and Anne grew up and how that family dynamic created the secrecy, the tendency to hide, and even the sneaky following of those they loved.

What is interesting in these kinds of families is that not all of the children grow up to be in abusive relationships. Sometimes one or more family members are the designated "rescuers," like Clare.

How does Grit's moving in on Clare's solitude as an urban birder and blogger virtually change the landscape of her life? What will Grit bring to Clare that will help enlighten her about her sister's life? And how will Anne finally show herself in the end?

Of course Frederik was an obnoxious creature with no redeeming value, in my opinion. He is not really typical of abusers; they often have some charming characteristics that hook their victims. In this way, he was not real to me.

Anne was also not a convincing character to me, but another caricature, like Frederik. The two were drawn in bold strokes of extremes, perhaps to accentuate the hold an abuser has on those around him.

Grit was another unlikeable character with sneaky, intrusive qualities that made it hard to relate to her or root for her. And yet again, her behavior could definitely occur within the framework of such a family home.

An interesting study in family dysfunction, which I enjoyed, for the most part. The ending felt anticlimactic to me. 3.5 stars.
...more

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Aug 26, 2012 Paula Phillips rated it it was amazing

When I first read the blurb of this book , it intrigued me as I love to read novels that are out of the ordinary, novels that target those edgy topics. Ones that it takes a certain type of person to pull off. I had always percieved Luanne Rice as writing family sagas and romances so when I read the back of this novel I was a little cautious as in what to expect. I have to say I was blown away and I loved this book as with every page turn the story got deeper and deeper and it drew the reader int ...more

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Sep 13, 2012 Elizabeth added it

Just finished reading the book and all I have to say is there better be a sequel!! The book grabbed my attention from the beginning and was excited to see what was going to happen in the ending. I got to chapter 22,which to me was at it's climax, and then noticed that there were only 4 more chapters to go and thought to myself "don't tell me it's one of those where the author gives great detailing throughout the book and then ends it abruptly" and guess what...it did!! It's like it was just rush ...more

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May 06, 2012 Diane S ☔ rated it liked it

I have loved many of Luanne Rice's books but this one is not one of my favorites. Did like the character of Gris and could relate somewhat to Clare, even liked the birding in Central Park but the book just didn't connect with me. Just think I cannot relate to the character of Anne and everyone else just giving her a pass. Also cannot really understand how she could do what she did based on the information available about the type of person she had been in the past. Did understand that their own ...more

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Mar 19, 2012 Becky rated it it was amazing

Shelves: my-5-star-books, books-read-in-2012

While this was a dark & disturbing story, it was also filled with love....I had a mix of emotions while reading this from anger to sadness to fear to some warm spots of joy.....Luanne opened up her heart in this one.....along with the story we were able to read so much about the birds....what a passion!

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Apr 07, 2012 Diana | Book of Secrets rated it liked it

I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I was glued to the pages, eagerly anticipating what would happen next. On the other hand, I wanted to reach inside this book and shake all of the characters! Grrr. What a frustrating group of people.

Anne, once a vibrant and strong woman, marries an abusive, controlling man and quickly becomes a shell of her former self. Even though her husband Frederick has cut her off from her family, her sister Clare cannot stay away. Clare comes for a vi I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I was glued to the pages, eagerly anticipating what would happen next. On the other hand, I wanted to reach inside this book and shake all of the characters! Grrr. What a frustrating group of people.

Anne, once a vibrant and strong woman, marries an abusive, controlling man and quickly becomes a shell of her former self. Even though her husband Frederick has cut her off from her family, her sister Clare cannot stay away. Clare comes for a visit which enrages Frederick, and he attacks Anne, in front of their two small children, no less. Trying to protect Anne, Clare attacks Frederick, but unfortunately does not kill him. Anne lies for her husband, and Clare goes to prison for two years for assault. Meanwhile, Frederick moves his family to his home in Denmark, and Clare has no contact with them until 18 years later when Anne's daughter Grit shows up unexpectedly at her door.

This book was about Clare and Grit's new bond, and also about forgiving Anne or at least understanding her behavior. The first part worked very well for me. Grit (short for Margarita) was my favorite character. She was brave and smart, and it's hard to believe how level-headed she was considering her childhood with a psychotic monster of a father. Grit and Clare found in each other what had been missing in their lives for nearly two decades.

I liked Clare, but I think her character could have been more developed. Her two-year prison term supposedly had a detrimental effect on her life even years later, but I never felt it. She's also had an on again, off again relationship with a man named Paul since they were teenagers, and, again, being in prison ruined that too, even though Paul supported her 100%. That didn't make sense to me. They still loved each other, so what's the problem?

The other part of the book - empathizing with Anne - was where I had great difficulty. I didn't like her. Did she even have a heart? We know Frederick didn't. Maybe the problem was that Frederick was simply too evil. He had no redeeming qualities whatsoever, and Anne had the opportunity to escape him early on. Why would she choose an abuser over her sister, over her children's welfare, over herself? We never learn why she fell under his spell so easily in the first place.

This was a sad and depressing story, and it certainly stirred up a lot of emotion in me, unfortunately it was mostly anger. I'm glad I read the book, even though I had trouble with a lot of the story. I do like it when books make me emotional, even if that emotion is negative. This is the first book by Luanne Rice I've read, so I don't know if this is her typical style or not. She has a short story called "Paul and Clare" which is about how they met, and I'd actually like to read it, so I guess all is not lost. ;) ...more

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Mar 14, 2017 Colleen Scidmore (Colleensreadingadventu rated it it was ok

After reading the books synopsis I thought that it seemed very promising. But unfortunately the book was just OK to me.

The plot was an excellent idea, the story of Clare going to jail because she attacked her sister's husband to stop him from chocking her and after realizing Anne has been suffering years of his abuse. Her sister sides with her abusive husband and sends her sister to jail for several years after given her testimony in court that Clare attacked Frederick for no other reason than j After reading the books synopsis I thought that it seemed very promising. But unfortunately the book was just OK to me.

The plot was an excellent idea, the story of Clare going to jail because she attacked her sister's husband to stop him from chocking her and after realizing Anne has been suffering years of his abuse. Her sister sides with her abusive husband and sends her sister to jail for several years after given her testimony in court that Clare attacked Frederick for no other reason than jealousy in regards to Anne having decided to stay away from her Clare and her mother. This part of the story was actually pretty interesting but was only the very beginning. The main part of the story flash forwards like 18 years later. Clare only had 2 years of jail time but lost everything behind it, her job and her childhood sweetheart, everything changed. But 18 years later she has a bit of her life back, but she's not the same. Two years in prison changed her. She has had no contact with her sister Anne since the day she was sentenced and only knows that she moved to Denmark where Frederick was originally from. And now all the sudden her estranged niece, who she had only met once when she was a small child, Grit walks into her life and needs a place to stay.

The main part of story was not as interesting to me. It had promise as well, I was hoping Clare would heal from her past by getting to know Grit and learning bits and pieces of her sisters life. I was even hoping maybe Clare and Anne might reconcile. But it was just awkward to read how Grit and Clare got to know each other. And to be quite honest their story was pretty boring. It dragged out way too much and just lacked something to me. I couldn't stand Anne. Even though she was an abused wife and most likely brain washed I had no sympathy for her. The way she led her life affected not just herself but her children in detrimental ways. I didn't even begin to understand her character. I guess I really didn't have any attachment to any of the characters. I felt like all of them were poorly developed. If the story didn't feel so robotic and the characters emotions hadn't felt so muted this could have been a very good book. ...more

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Jun 04, 2012 Ian rated it liked it

3.5 stars

Over the Easter long weekend I was in Sydney and found myself in the middle of a situation where a guy was getting rough with his girlfriend. It ended with him realizing he couldn’t bully me and he had a snowflakes chance in hell of beating me in a fight so he stormed off. That’s the extent of my knowledge about partner abuse...I know men who get rough with women are usually cowards and not much more.

Little Night was quite interesting (in a disturbing way) because it gave me a glimpse i ...more

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Sep 11, 2012 Regina Spiker rated it really liked it

Shelves: sisters, new-york, abuse, new-york-city, birding

In New York City lived two perfect and exceptionally close daughters, Anne and Clare Burke. From their father's affairs they learned to keep secrets and from their mother - acceptance and resignation. To escape their parent's constant fighting, they roamed Central Park and discovered raptors in the night. Now grown up and grown apart from the horrible event, almost 20 years ago, that placed Clare in lock up for two long years, Clare is trying to slowly move on with her life. When Anne's daughter ...more

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Sep 08, 2012 Kathy rated it did not like it

This is among my "top 10" WORSE BOOKS OF ALL TIME~!! I truly hated this book but read it to the end. Who cares about all the birds and owls in Centeral Park? Who gets paid real monies to blog and write about these birds? Come on.... I am a bird feeder of over 39 years and my backyard is home to dozens of blue jays, cardinals, chickadees, tufted titmouses, Jenny wrens, gold finches, etc. but I wouldn't bore a reader about every detail about them.

I have a low tolerance for women who stay in abusiv ...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Charlotte rated it liked it

Shelves: advanced-readers-copy, nook

http://charlotteswebofbooks.blogspot....

Little Night was a good read, but reading about Anne's behavior towards not only Clare, but Grit as well, just had my blood boiling. I understand being loyal to your husband, but at the cost of your children is just NOT acceptable to me. I really enjoyed watching the relationship between Grit and Clare blossom. The unconditional love that Clare gives Grit made my eyes leak, especially knowing how badly Grit needed that kind of love.

Bottom line, Little Nig ...more

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Dec 09, 2020 Susan rated it really liked it

The subject of abuse is always difficult to read and to understand. Honestly this book was not one of my favorites. I felt proud of Grit for having the "grit" to never give up on happiness. Grit did not let her horrible home life turn her bitter to the people in her adult life. Clare, I would love to have you as an aunt. You love with all your heart and didn't judge Grit. Sisterly love is always amazing and you knew that. ...more

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Sep 16, 2018 Tanya rated it really liked it

I just want to say all books about domestic violence are hard to read and accept. You just hate to love then love to hate; over and over again. I Just don’t understand why people stay!!

Another audio book; I’m really enjoying these since I don’t have the time to read!!!

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Nov 02, 2021 Olivia Kowalski rated it liked it

Average and not as good as her other works

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Oct 23, 2021 Susan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

'Book of Secrets' wrote an excellent review of this book in 2012, which explains all I could possibly write in a review. In spite of this review, I liked the book!
It's an easy read about people. Well-written; covers the pros and cons of many personalities. Good young adult read.
This novel delves into domestic abuse/violence, dysfunctional families, secrets, close siblings, love, fighting, lies, prison, forgiveness, secrets, diaries, birding blogs, trust, murder, love and so much more.
...more

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Jun 24, 2018 Beth rated it really liked it

4.5 stars - sometimes life isn’t all sunshine & roses. Well written story about the ugly side of abuse and how it affects all family members multigenerationally.

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Jun 23, 2012 Amy rated it liked it

Let's say your sister is married to a man who hurts her. Not only does he physically abuse her, he isolates her from her sister and parents. He is hateful. And let's say that one day you go visit your sister and her two children, and one of the children says that Daddy sometimes hurts Mommy. So you beg your sister to leave - you will protect her and the children. Just as you're leaving, here comes the husband. He clamps his hand around your sister's throat and throws her against a wall. What do Let's say your sister is married to a man who hurts her. Not only does he physically abuse her, he isolates her from her sister and parents. He is hateful. And let's say that one day you go visit your sister and her two children, and one of the children says that Daddy sometimes hurts Mommy. So you beg your sister to leave - you will protect her and the children. Just as you're leaving, here comes the husband. He clamps his hand around your sister's throat and throws her against a wall. What do you do?

In the case of Clare Burke, she attacks her brother-in-law. Unfortunately, she doesn't kill him. She merely hurts him, and has to spend two years in prison for assault. When she gets out, she has Paul, the love of her life, as well as her job. For the ensuing eighteen years, she lives. Perhaps not with great joy or fulfillment, and certainly with no relationship with her sister Anne. And then one day, Anne's daughter, Grit, shows up on Clare's doorstep. Grit has her own sadnesses and secrets, and as the two women grow closer, they help each other heal from the hurts imparted by Anne. They also come to believe that Anne is in New York as well.

This is a pretty simple story of several complex characters, especially Clare, Grit and Anne. Luanne Rice keeps a good pace and creates sympathetic characters in Clare, Grit and Paul. (Oh, Paul - I love him. He's just a good guy, and you don't often come across fictional men who are purely good.) Anne is not so sympathetic, although I think we are supposed to empathize with her. But I didn't. Perhaps that is due to insufficient explanation of why she allowed her husband to cut her off from her sister and parents. And Frederik, the husband. He is almost a caricature of the Angry, Abusive Spouse.

Fortunately, though, we have Clare. There are blanks where she is concerned; she alludes to the terrors of prison life, but aside from a weight gain and poor skin, we are told nothing about it. She distances us from that experience, but perhaps that's how she survived the experience. I don't think it's an accident that Clare spends her life following birds: this is a woman who knows what it's like to be caged in and what it's like to be set free. That she wants to believe that an extinct bird continues to exist makes sense. She wants to know that her sister, extinct to Clare for twenty years, is alive and well.

Paul, who has loved her since high school, believes Clare is worth fighting for and will do anything to make her happy. But first he needs to convince Clare that she deserves to be happy.

Love and hope. For Clare they hadn't gone together in years. Her skin rippled. Paul was somewhere in the park. She knew the way an owl, gliding low over hills, senses her mate without hearing his call. He'd be doing his Urban Park Ranger duties, along the way keeping watch for the Whekau. Although he didn't believe in the bird the ay she did, he had his own reasons for wishing a vanished species could someday come back.

Luanne Rice takes some shortcuts in this book, not just with Anne and Frederik, but with Grit as well. Grit is able to pull herself together with alarming alacrity, which is frustrating because Grit, of all people, ought to need more time. In fact, the treatment of Grit is the reason I can't give this book more than three stars. I feel cheated by her rapid healing.

Yet I do think Little Night is a good book. Not great, not fabulous, but good. It is a very quick read, and Clare is worth getting to know.

Published on cupcake's book cupboard. @VivaAmaRisata
Thanks to NetGalley for the preview. ...more

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May 30, 2012 Eustacia Tan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley

I didn't know what to expect when I requested this book. It's supposed to be a family drama, but I didn't know what type (If you want a brief long introduction to family drama, watch the Taiwanese series Ai (Love)). But basically, Little Night examines the relationships between sisters and mother-daughter.

While trying to protect her sister Anne from her abusive husband, Clare hit him and got sent to jail for two years. This more-or-less broke the ties between them since Anne lied on the stand fo I didn't know what to expect when I requested this book. It's supposed to be a family drama, but I didn't know what type (If you want a brief long introduction to family drama, watch the Taiwanese series Ai (Love)). But basically, Little Night examines the relationships between sisters and mother-daughter.

While trying to protect her sister Anne from her abusive husband, Clare hit him and got sent to jail for two years. This more-or-less broke the ties between them since Anne lied on the stand for her husband. But one day, Anne's daughter Grit appears on Clare's doorstep all of a sudden, and well, everything collides.

I found this story really heartbreaking. The two sisters didn't intentionally severe ties, it was all caused by Anne's husband, who emotionally and I think physically abused her. Basically, the book explores the effects of domestic violence on the relationship between female members of the family. It's not as clinical as I make it sound, but it's heartbreaking because while I was hoping for a happy ending, I could see that it wasn't going to happen (and it didn't).

As for the characters, I think they were wonderful. I have nothing more to say about it, except that I thought it was realistic.

The plot was interesting. It shifted between the incident in the past, the present, Clare and Grit's point of view and Anne's journals/website. In this way, I kinda knew more than the characters, but that actually served to increase the "tension". Because I knew more, I wanted the characters to behave a certain way but since they only knew what they knew, their actions and my expectations diverged.

Plus, in Anne's case, the release of information was well timed. Because it's linked to when Clare/Grit reads her diaries, we only get her point of view at very selective stages - and a lot of it is about the past. There was another plot device that managed to delay releasing information from her website even though the reader knows it exists.

In conclusion, this is a good book. I think it was sensitively written, and I enjoyed reading it very much. Most of the plots were fully explored so yay!

Disclaimer: I got this book free from NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review.

First posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile ...more

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May 23, 2012 Christa rated it really liked it

Shelves: ebook-arc

I really enjoyed Little Night. It deals with some very disturbing issues in a manner that, while not making light of them in any way, keeps the book from feeling constantly heavy and depressing. I liked the main character Clare, and felt very badly for her for all that she had gone through because of love for her sister. Many of the tough situations take place before the story starts, so we are not completely immersed in them, but given them more as background. I also thought that Paul was a won ...more

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May 20, 2012 Melodie rated it liked it

Shelves: chick-lit

I am not at all sure how I feel about this book. This is not your average romance novel, although there is romance.The light, heart-warming part of this book is how at times love survives the very worst that life can dish out. Clare and Paul are the shining beacons of light in this novel. Sent to prison for 2 years after being convicted of assaulting her abusive brother-in-law, Clare shuts out Paul from her life, believing that to be for the best. Both attempt to move on, but they are inextrica ...more

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Apr 02, 2012 Tonya rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2012-reads

Anne and Clare are sisters who do everything together. That is until Anne meets Frederik and turns Anne against her sister. Really all of her family. She isn't allowed to see any of them.

Until one day when Clare makes a surprise visit -- She convinces Anne to pack up and leave him, after seeing bruises on her sister.

But just as they are packing, Frederik comes home, tries to strangle Anne, so Clare takes a hot log out of the fire and hits him with it. He doesn't die, but he does get Clare in tro ...more

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Jun 09, 2012 Monica rated it really liked it

Despite a somewhat predictable ending, “Little Night” is a lovely book that focuses on family bonds, particularly between sisters, and how those bonds can never be broken. Luanne Rice is a remarkable author who is able to bring her characters to life in a very sharp way. Although the two sisters, Claire and Anne, are very similar in many ways, in just as many ways they are uniquely defined.

The pace in this book is fast and each chapter ending had me quickly turning the page into the next chapter ...more

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Nov 20, 2012 Angela Holtz rated it it was amazing

From Lilac Wolf and Stuff

This is a story about a woman who has been finding her way after being released from prison for attacking her sister's abusive husband. She never stopped loving her sister, even when her sister stood up in court and said her sister was unprovoked. Who then took her children and fled the country with this man. Who physically abused her own daughter under this man's thumb. These kinds of stories break my heart for everyone involved, but I also think they are important. The ...more

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Jun 07, 2012 ilovebakedgoods (Teresa) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: library, women, contemporary-fiction, zsept-2012, sisters, family

I can't even begin to describe my feelings about this book. I wish I could. It is about sisters and nieces/aunts and abuse and family and forgiveness and hope and other things, and it just touched me deeply. I read a few negative reviews and maybe I would agree with some of them but I just refuse to with this book at this time. I have not experienced anything like what is in the book, other than having a close relationship with my sister, whom I am thousands of miles away from, so it's not even ...more

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Jul 09, 2012 Cindy rated it really liked it

(Spoiler alert). I thought this book had such potential, looking at spousal abuse and what happens to children who grow up in violent households. I couldn't put the book down but was oddly dissatisfied when I finished. I believe the author could have done more to explore more completely why a wife would choose to stay in an abusive situation and so completely abandon her children. Also, the character of Claire was almost too saint-like. Seriously, she really could forgive her sister so comple ...more

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Oct 06, 2012 Cheryl rated it it was amazing

This book hit home for me in so many ways. I cheered and cried at the ending, but felt hope for a family trying to heal. There is nothing more frustrating and disturbing than watching one person control another in every way possible. I really loved this book, it was riveting to the end.

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May 17, 2012 Jenee Rager rated it it was amazing

Shelves: thriller

I loved this book. It was an excellent example of family history and dynamics. I'm not sure how the author managed to make the characters both villans and heroes at the same time, but she did. I literally could not put the book down till it was finished and even then I wanted there to be more. ...more

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About Luanne Rice

Luanne Rice

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Luanne Rice is the New York Times bestselling author of thirty-six novels including THE SHADOW BOX, LAST DAY, BEACH GIRLS, PRETEND SHE'S HERE, and THE SECRET LANGUAGE OF SISTERS. Five of her books have been made into movies and mini-series, many have been New York Times bestsellers and two of her pieces have been featured in off-Broadway theatre productions. She lives on the Connecticut shoreline. ...more