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The Daylight Marriage
“Hypnotically readable—absolutely couldn't put it down . . . This book is terrific.” —Stephen King
Hannah was tall and graceful, naturally pretty, spirited and impulsive, the upper-class young woman who picked, of all men, Lovell---the introverted climate scientist who thought he could change the world if he could just get everyone to listen to reason. After a magical honeymoon, they settled in the suburbs to raise their two children.
But over the years, Lovell and Hannah’s conversations have become charged with resentments and unspoken desires. She has become withdrawn. His work affords him a convenient distraction. And then, after one explosive argument, Hannah vanishes.
For the first time, Lovell is forced to examine the trajectory of his marriage through the lens of memory. As he tries to piece together what happened to his wife--and to their life together--readers follow Hannah on that single day when a hasty decision proves irrevocable.
With haunting intensity, a seamless balance of wit and heartbreak, and the emotional acuity that author Heidi Pitlor brings to every page, The Daylight Marriage mines the dark and delicate nature of a marriage.
“A page-turning exploration of unexpressed love and unnecessary loss. Riveting and heartbreaking.” —GERALDINE BROOKS, author of Caleb’s Crossing
“In The Daylight Marriage, there are two mysteries--the whereabouts of a missing woman and the vagaries of the human heart. Heidi Pitlor explores both of these enigmas with equal mastery, merging a shocking crime story with an incisive portrait of a failed marriage. The result is a novel that is fast-moving, emotionally complex, and ultimately heartbreaking.” —Tom Perrotta, author of Nine Inches
“Pitlor brings forth the emotions that surge beneath the surface with the precision and power of a conductor . . . This powerful analysis of how dreams become nightmares will make readers want to hold their loved ones close.” — Booklist, starred review
Hannah was tall and graceful, naturally pretty, spirited and impulsive, the upper-class young woman who picked, of all men, Lovell---the introverted climate scientist who thought he could change the world if he could just get everyone to listen to reason. After a magical honeymoon, they settled in the suburbs to raise their two children.
But over the years, Lovell and Hannah’s conversations have become charged with resentments and unspoken desires. She has become withdrawn. His work affords him a convenient distraction. And then, after one explosive argument, Hannah vanishes.
For the first time, Lovell is forced to examine the trajectory of his marriage through the lens of memory. As he tries to piece together what happened to his wife--and to their life together--readers follow Hannah on that single day when a hasty decision proves irrevocable.
With haunting intensity, a seamless balance of wit and heartbreak, and the emotional acuity that author Heidi Pitlor brings to every page, The Daylight Marriage mines the dark and delicate nature of a marriage.
“A page-turning exploration of unexpressed love and unnecessary loss. Riveting and heartbreaking.” —GERALDINE BROOKS, author of Caleb’s Crossing
“In The Daylight Marriage, there are two mysteries--the whereabouts of a missing woman and the vagaries of the human heart. Heidi Pitlor explores both of these enigmas with equal mastery, merging a shocking crime story with an incisive portrait of a failed marriage. The result is a novel that is fast-moving, emotionally complex, and ultimately heartbreaking.” —Tom Perrotta, author of Nine Inches
“Pitlor brings forth the emotions that surge beneath the surface with the precision and power of a conductor . . . This powerful analysis of how dreams become nightmares will make readers want to hold their loved ones close.” — Booklist, starred review
272 pages, Paperback
First published May 5, 2015
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6602 people want to read
About the author
Heidi Pitlor
26 books126 followersHeidi Pitlor has been the series editor of The Best American Short Stories since 2007. She is the author of the novel, The Birthdays. Her second novel, The Daylight Marriage, is forthcoming in May, 2015.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 598 reviews
July 1, 2017
Whoever made up the term "Debbie Downer"..... might say....
"Man, this is a "Debbie Downer" story!. Yet - this book makes you 'think'. ...
While this story is definitely heavy-hearted, I found it interesting. This was one library ebook download I kept reading. My friend Tooter told me - ignore the negative reviews.... "I'll like it". She's right, I did. There are traditional male and female roles which get explored - and the window is wide open into a the lives of a couple whose relationship isn't thriving. - Valuable issues to look at with this young couple and their children.
Hannah Hall is 39 years old --she is originally from Martha's Vineyard. Kinda tells you right off the bat -- not from a poor family. We learn later in the book that she has fantasies about a guy name Doug who she was once engaged to until -as kind as he was - lets her know that he had not been faithful.
Lovell, her now present husband --comes from a much more simple life - a climate scientist-originally from Maine --may have been a rebound husband--however they've been married long enough to have two kids: Janine is 15. Ethan is 8. They live in Boston.
Early in the story Hannah and Lovell have an argument, ( the ugly kind - filled with deep resentments), and the next day while on her way to work, so it seems, she goes missing. Hannah doesn't show up to pick the kids up from school... so Lovell needs to leave work and get them.
Lovell is sure his wife left angry - and thinks of her as a spoiled brat anyway- but some articles of hers are found on the beach - including her wallet - and the longer she is gone the more 'fear' takes over - for Ethan especially. Teenager Janine is angry and blaming her dad for everything. Lovell's anxiety is elevating 'trying' to soothe the kids. The Boston Police are now involved
Eventually, Hannah returns.
However, the way the book is structured we get... both points of view of 'what's wrong with this marriage.
Hannah thinks Lovell works too much- is a disconnected guy.
Lovell doesn't think anyone or anything can make her happy.
There has been no sex in this marriage for a year.
The things I found interesting we're both sides of the couple's unhappiness with each other had valid points. Plus - THE CHILDREN HAD SERIOUS NEEDS - which were not being fully attended to in this household. THEY WERE VERY AWARE of their parents problems --- ( less so of their own).
Not only did Hannah go missing - soon the teenage daughter Janine goes missing.
The entire family dynamics are complex-
The suspense of how this is all going to come together keeps us turning pages
The surprise ending is one I didn't see coming.
The 'writing' and crafting is great-- even with a 'Debbie-Downer' overall aura!
Worked for me! 4.5 stars
"Man, this is a "Debbie Downer" story!. Yet - this book makes you 'think'. ...
While this story is definitely heavy-hearted, I found it interesting. This was one library ebook download I kept reading. My friend Tooter told me - ignore the negative reviews.... "I'll like it". She's right, I did. There are traditional male and female roles which get explored - and the window is wide open into a the lives of a couple whose relationship isn't thriving. - Valuable issues to look at with this young couple and their children.
Hannah Hall is 39 years old --she is originally from Martha's Vineyard. Kinda tells you right off the bat -- not from a poor family. We learn later in the book that she has fantasies about a guy name Doug who she was once engaged to until -as kind as he was - lets her know that he had not been faithful.
Lovell, her now present husband --comes from a much more simple life - a climate scientist-originally from Maine --may have been a rebound husband--however they've been married long enough to have two kids: Janine is 15. Ethan is 8. They live in Boston.
Early in the story Hannah and Lovell have an argument, ( the ugly kind - filled with deep resentments), and the next day while on her way to work, so it seems, she goes missing. Hannah doesn't show up to pick the kids up from school... so Lovell needs to leave work and get them.
Lovell is sure his wife left angry - and thinks of her as a spoiled brat anyway- but some articles of hers are found on the beach - including her wallet - and the longer she is gone the more 'fear' takes over - for Ethan especially. Teenager Janine is angry and blaming her dad for everything. Lovell's anxiety is elevating 'trying' to soothe the kids. The Boston Police are now involved
Eventually, Hannah returns.
However, the way the book is structured we get... both points of view of 'what's wrong with this marriage.
Hannah thinks Lovell works too much- is a disconnected guy.
Lovell doesn't think anyone or anything can make her happy.
There has been no sex in this marriage for a year.
The things I found interesting we're both sides of the couple's unhappiness with each other had valid points. Plus - THE CHILDREN HAD SERIOUS NEEDS - which were not being fully attended to in this household. THEY WERE VERY AWARE of their parents problems --- ( less so of their own).
Not only did Hannah go missing - soon the teenage daughter Janine goes missing.
The entire family dynamics are complex-
The suspense of how this is all going to come together keeps us turning pages
The surprise ending is one I didn't see coming.
The 'writing' and crafting is great-- even with a 'Debbie-Downer' overall aura!
Worked for me! 4.5 stars
October 20, 2014
When I saw this I had to have this book. Cuz I'm a unashamed fangirl of Stephen King.
“Hypnotically readable--I absolutely couldn’t put it down. The structure is brilliant, and I turned the pages with increasing dread. This book is terrific.” —Stephen King
Umm yeah..I didn't really like it. Lowell and Hannah have been married for years. When we first meet them they have a fight about something. I can't even remember what because it was over something that didn't stick out for me. I mean dang, couples argue. This one was bland fight central. Anyways, Hannah goes missing the next day. Lowell does the missing person report and then we go into both their memories on their marriage.
This could have been interesting. It may have been because the book was so short but these two characters would bore the hair off a dog. I just didn't connect to either of them. The kids in the story seemed like just passing thoughts.
I'm giving it 2 stars because I did finish it. I've not liked books that were popular before so it may surprise me. This one reminded me of one that I hated and now it's a flipping money making machine of a movie.
I received an arc copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
“Hypnotically readable--I absolutely couldn’t put it down. The structure is brilliant, and I turned the pages with increasing dread. This book is terrific.” —Stephen King
Umm yeah..I didn't really like it. Lowell and Hannah have been married for years. When we first meet them they have a fight about something. I can't even remember what because it was over something that didn't stick out for me. I mean dang, couples argue. This one was bland fight central. Anyways, Hannah goes missing the next day. Lowell does the missing person report and then we go into both their memories on their marriage.
This could have been interesting. It may have been because the book was so short but these two characters would bore the hair off a dog. I just didn't connect to either of them. The kids in the story seemed like just passing thoughts.
I'm giving it 2 stars because I did finish it. I've not liked books that were popular before so it may surprise me. This one reminded me of one that I hated and now it's a flipping money making machine of a movie.
I received an arc copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 19, 2016
I'm a little surprised by all the negative reviews but I thoroughly enjoyed "The Daylight Marriage" by Heidi Pitlor. First off, let me say that Pitlor has a beautiful way with words. Her prose is haunting, unnerving, and poetic. I also wanted to say that this novel is a slow-burner. The plot is intentionally slow as a way to prolong the climax involving Hannah's disappearance. Some other reviewers have pointed out that they were bored by the pacing of the novel. I didn't have that problem. I thought the pacing, plot, and writing were effective and strong. Pitlor had me in suspense for the entire novel. She did an excellent job describing the characters inner-most thoughts, everyday frustrations, and regrets. "The Daylight Marriage" was eerie in the most beautiful way. It doesn't have a crazy twist at the end, but what it does have is emotion. It stays with you. It is subtle yet uniquely profound. Enjoy!
February 25, 2015
Whoever the publicists for this book and The Girl on the Train are, they deserve an award. Getting me to purchase and read both of these piece of crap novels was quite a feat. Disgusted. I'm hoping that there is a slim chance that because this book has not yet been released to the impressionable public that there is a chance I might be able to convince even one person to steer clear. Do not waste your time. Please. It's a trap!
July 1, 2017
Whoever made up the term "Debbie Downer"..... might say....
"Man, this is a "Debbie Downer" story!. Yet - this book makes you 'think'. ...
While this story is definitely heavy-hearted, I found it interesting. This was one library ebook download I kept reading. My friend Tooter told me - ignore the negative reviews.... "I'll like it". She's right, I did. There are traditional male and female roles which get explored - and the window is wide open into a the lives of a couple whose relationship isn't thriving. - Valuable issues to look at with this young couple and their children.
Hannah Hall is 39 years old --she is originally from Martha's Vineyard. Kinda tells you right off the bat -- not from a poor family. We learn later in the book that she has fantasies about a guy name Doug who she was once engaged to until -as kind as he was - lets her know that he had not been faithful.
Lovell, her now present husband --comes from a much more simple life - a climate scientist-originally from Maine --may have been a rebound husband--however they've been married long enough to have two kids: Janine is 15. Ethan is 8. They live in Boston.
Early in the story Hannah and Lovell have an argument, ( the ugly kind - filled with deep resentments), and the next day while on her way to work, so it seems, she goes missing. Hannah doesn't show up to pick the kids up from school... so Lovell needs to leave work and get them.
Lovell is sure his wife left angry - and thinks of her as a spoiled brat anyway- but some articles of hers are found on the beach - including her wallet - and the longer she is gone the more 'fear' takes over - for Ethan especially. Teenager Janine is angry and blaming her dad for everything. Lovell's anxiety is elevating 'trying' to soothe the kids. The Boston Police are now involved
Eventually, Hannah returns.
However, the way the book is structured we get... both points of view of 'what's wrong with this marriage.
Hannah thinks Lovell works too much- is a disconnected guy.
Lovell doesn't think anyone or anything can make her happy.
There has been no sex in this marriage for a year.
The things I found interesting we're both sides of the couple's unhappiness with each other had valid points. Plus - THE CHILDREN HAD SERIOUS NEEDS - which were not being fully attended to in this household. AND THEY WERE VERY AWARE of their parents problems --- ( less so of their own).
Not only did Hannah go missing - soon the teenage daughter Janine goes missing.
The entire family dynamics are complex-
The suspense of how this is all going to come together keeps us turning pages
The surprise ending is one I didn't see coming.
The 'writing' and crafting is great-- even with a 'Debbie-Downer' overall aura!
Worked for me! 4.5 stars
"Man, this is a "Debbie Downer" story!. Yet - this book makes you 'think'. ...
While this story is definitely heavy-hearted, I found it interesting. This was one library ebook download I kept reading. My friend Tooter told me - ignore the negative reviews.... "I'll like it". She's right, I did. There are traditional male and female roles which get explored - and the window is wide open into a the lives of a couple whose relationship isn't thriving. - Valuable issues to look at with this young couple and their children.
Hannah Hall is 39 years old --she is originally from Martha's Vineyard. Kinda tells you right off the bat -- not from a poor family. We learn later in the book that she has fantasies about a guy name Doug who she was once engaged to until -as kind as he was - lets her know that he had not been faithful.
Lovell, her now present husband --comes from a much more simple life - a climate scientist-originally from Maine --may have been a rebound husband--however they've been married long enough to have two kids: Janine is 15. Ethan is 8. They live in Boston.
Early in the story Hannah and Lovell have an argument, ( the ugly kind - filled with deep resentments), and the next day while on her way to work, so it seems, she goes missing. Hannah doesn't show up to pick the kids up from school... so Lovell needs to leave work and get them.
Lovell is sure his wife left angry - and thinks of her as a spoiled brat anyway- but some articles of hers are found on the beach - including her wallet - and the longer she is gone the more 'fear' takes over - for Ethan especially. Teenager Janine is angry and blaming her dad for everything. Lovell's anxiety is elevating 'trying' to soothe the kids. The Boston Police are now involved
Eventually, Hannah returns.
However, the way the book is structured we get... both points of view of 'what's wrong with this marriage.
Hannah thinks Lovell works too much- is a disconnected guy.
Lovell doesn't think anyone or anything can make her happy.
There has been no sex in this marriage for a year.
The things I found interesting we're both sides of the couple's unhappiness with each other had valid points. Plus - THE CHILDREN HAD SERIOUS NEEDS - which were not being fully attended to in this household. AND THEY WERE VERY AWARE of their parents problems --- ( less so of their own).
Not only did Hannah go missing - soon the teenage daughter Janine goes missing.
The entire family dynamics are complex-
The suspense of how this is all going to come together keeps us turning pages
The surprise ending is one I didn't see coming.
The 'writing' and crafting is great-- even with a 'Debbie-Downer' overall aura!
Worked for me! 4.5 stars
March 6, 2017
4.25 Stars
May 21, 2015
It's so true that a character can completely ruin a book for you. Never have I encountered a bigger brat of a teenager than in "The Daylight Marriage." Please tell me kids like this don't exist. And also parents like this - apparently children can do whatever they want in this author's world, including shaving one's head, and offering to be the 15-year-old surrogate for the couple next door. And you can call your parents the "b" word and use the f-bomb in every sentence. It made me want to smack her. Every other minute. It also made me want to hurl the book across the room. All this book made me think was that I want to raise my children on a deserted island where they can't be exposed to other bratty teenagers, social media, or any character on any show on MTV. WHAT IS THE WORLD COMING TO?
June 30, 2015
I am very glad I got this book from the local library and didn't purchase it. I found it poorly written and boring. The plot was not original and seemed forced. Lots of telling instead of showing. It seemed like a very poor imitation of Gone Girl.
I was disappointed in the lack of depth. I did not find the husband or the wife sympathetic characters; I had a hard time liking either one of them. The other characters were very one dimensional and stereotypes - the artistic gay neighbors, the rebellious teenager, etc. Their reaction to the wife's disappearance was way too quiet - no family concern other than a phone call or two, but when the daughter goes missing they all show up at the house? Don't you think they would have shown up a little earlier in the process?
The initial conflict seemed contrived and I kept thinking that it was blown out of proportion. Did these people never fight before or even disagree? Never lose their tempers? Never have any emotion in their lives?
The writing jumped around and it was hard to follow the place, who was speaking, and how one paragraph moved from one to another.
The story about the missing wife's day was ridiculous and without a satisfactory explanation.
I only continued reading because it was a book club book. I knew from the start that it was shallow and was not going to get any better and I was right.
My recommendation is do not waste your time.
I was disappointed in the lack of depth. I did not find the husband or the wife sympathetic characters; I had a hard time liking either one of them. The other characters were very one dimensional and stereotypes - the artistic gay neighbors, the rebellious teenager, etc. Their reaction to the wife's disappearance was way too quiet - no family concern other than a phone call or two, but when the daughter goes missing they all show up at the house? Don't you think they would have shown up a little earlier in the process?
The initial conflict seemed contrived and I kept thinking that it was blown out of proportion. Did these people never fight before or even disagree? Never lose their tempers? Never have any emotion in their lives?
The writing jumped around and it was hard to follow the place, who was speaking, and how one paragraph moved from one to another.
The story about the missing wife's day was ridiculous and without a satisfactory explanation.
I only continued reading because it was a book club book. I knew from the start that it was shallow and was not going to get any better and I was right.
My recommendation is do not waste your time.
March 13, 2015
This is yet another missing wife/not nice husband story, but he isn't really a suspect and while we get some insight into Lovell, Hannah and Janine, we don't get enough, and Lovell's conversations with Janine just sound...fake. After sleeping on it, I decided the book was just ok, not enough for 3 stars, maybe a 2.5. Hannah has what Dr. Pysch Mom has coined "monotogamy" - she's been married to Lovell for a long time and is dissatisfied with their life together, but in sort of a vague way. But her dissatisfaction with life is not explored much, a lot of things that could have been fleshed out are just given surface attention. The whole book just keeps things on the surface, it doesn't really delve into depth the way I expected it to.
This part is based on the advanced copy, which I'm hoping gets taken care of in editing:
Does anyone else notice the timing issues? Like Janine would have been a toddler for 9/11, how could she have demanded her parents search for bodies there? And how could Lovell & Hannah have seen the Doors when Jim Morrison died in 1971 and they would have to be in their 60s? And the boy is not precocious enough to be reading the Hobbit alone.
This part is based on the advanced copy, which I'm hoping gets taken care of in editing:
Does anyone else notice the timing issues? Like Janine would have been a toddler for 9/11, how could she have demanded her parents search for bodies there? And how could Lovell & Hannah have seen the Doors when Jim Morrison died in 1971 and they would have to be in their 60s? And the boy is not precocious enough to be reading the Hobbit alone.
July 16, 2015
3.5 bumped to 4 stars: This novel deserves more press/credit than it has received. I couldn’t stop reading this highly suspenseful story. I do admit that it started slow for me, but it gained my interest. After reading it and loving it, I decided to reread the first chapter to see why I found it slow (perhaps I wasn’t in the rhythm of the author). I still found the first chapter to be slow and cumbersome to read.
That said, it’s a story of a marriage that becomes stale. Both partners have fallen into a pattern of not really caring about the other. From the book cover you know that a torrid fight occurs, and the next day the wife goes missing. To me, Hannah, the wife, isn’t a likeable character. She’s self absorbed and self-serving. I’m not sure why Lovell married her other than she is very attractive. The book didn’t go into that. Lovell is a scientist and not the most attentive husband.
The story is told from Lovell’s point of view in a linear fashion from the night of the fight to the conclusion of the story, 5 months later. To add to the suspense, Heidi Pitlor tells Hannah’s feelings in alternating chapters; in Hannah’s chapters the reader learns what happened to Hannah on the day that she went missing.
It’s a short (245 pages) novel, and packed with suspense and inner musings of a man who is reflecting on his marriage. It’s a great quick read.
That said, it’s a story of a marriage that becomes stale. Both partners have fallen into a pattern of not really caring about the other. From the book cover you know that a torrid fight occurs, and the next day the wife goes missing. To me, Hannah, the wife, isn’t a likeable character. She’s self absorbed and self-serving. I’m not sure why Lovell married her other than she is very attractive. The book didn’t go into that. Lovell is a scientist and not the most attentive husband.
The story is told from Lovell’s point of view in a linear fashion from the night of the fight to the conclusion of the story, 5 months later. To add to the suspense, Heidi Pitlor tells Hannah’s feelings in alternating chapters; in Hannah’s chapters the reader learns what happened to Hannah on the day that she went missing.
It’s a short (245 pages) novel, and packed with suspense and inner musings of a man who is reflecting on his marriage. It’s a great quick read.
November 14, 2014
Full disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
When they met, Hannah and Lovell couldn't have been more different. Hannah was the impulsive free spirit, a young woman raised in the midst of privilege yet taught by her mother that women should never be subservient to men—and she had a broken engagement to prove her mother's lessons had sunk in. Lovell was the practical, stable, shy climate scientist, whose romantic track record was far less impressive. But when Hannah delivered flowers to Lovell one day after he graduated, he was smitten, and knew he had to be with this woman, despite the fact he didn't feel like her equal.
Years later the two have built a life together, raising two children—rebellious yet sensitive Janine, and Ethan, shyer yet sturdier. Lovell has a successful career that keeps him busy and challenged, but Hannah feels herself drifting, wishing for more. Through the years, the resentments, the anger, the frustrations, and the hurts have multiplied and simmered just under the surface.
One night, after a seemingly innocuous exchange, it all comes to a head, and the couple have a bitter argument, one that just stops short of turning violent. Both are unsure what their next steps are, but Lovell hopes they can get back on even footing. Then the next day, Hannah disappears after dropping Ethan off at school and calling in sick to work. As evidence dribbles in, Lovell and the children hold out hope that she will return, but they also must negotiate a new stage in their relationships, especially when Janine fears her father may have harmed her mother.
The Daylight Marriage is a bleak yet well-written book about how the things we don't say hurt as much, if not more, than the things we do. It's a book about how we sometimes confuse stability for happiness, and uncertainty for unhappiness. It's also a book about how one impulsive decision can change your life—in both good and bad ways.
Heidi Pitlor does a really good job at switching perspectives between Lovell and Hannah, past and present, tracing their relationship from the start to where they wound up. The story also shifts between Lovell's attempts to pull his and the children's lives together, and Hannah's steps after she left home that morning. It's a well done yet painful story, and Pitlor's storytelling ability keeps you fully engaged and immersed in the characters' lives, even if you don't necessarily like them very much, or know who you're really rooting for.
When they met, Hannah and Lovell couldn't have been more different. Hannah was the impulsive free spirit, a young woman raised in the midst of privilege yet taught by her mother that women should never be subservient to men—and she had a broken engagement to prove her mother's lessons had sunk in. Lovell was the practical, stable, shy climate scientist, whose romantic track record was far less impressive. But when Hannah delivered flowers to Lovell one day after he graduated, he was smitten, and knew he had to be with this woman, despite the fact he didn't feel like her equal.
Years later the two have built a life together, raising two children—rebellious yet sensitive Janine, and Ethan, shyer yet sturdier. Lovell has a successful career that keeps him busy and challenged, but Hannah feels herself drifting, wishing for more. Through the years, the resentments, the anger, the frustrations, and the hurts have multiplied and simmered just under the surface.
One night, after a seemingly innocuous exchange, it all comes to a head, and the couple have a bitter argument, one that just stops short of turning violent. Both are unsure what their next steps are, but Lovell hopes they can get back on even footing. Then the next day, Hannah disappears after dropping Ethan off at school and calling in sick to work. As evidence dribbles in, Lovell and the children hold out hope that she will return, but they also must negotiate a new stage in their relationships, especially when Janine fears her father may have harmed her mother.
The Daylight Marriage is a bleak yet well-written book about how the things we don't say hurt as much, if not more, than the things we do. It's a book about how we sometimes confuse stability for happiness, and uncertainty for unhappiness. It's also a book about how one impulsive decision can change your life—in both good and bad ways.
Heidi Pitlor does a really good job at switching perspectives between Lovell and Hannah, past and present, tracing their relationship from the start to where they wound up. The story also shifts between Lovell's attempts to pull his and the children's lives together, and Hannah's steps after she left home that morning. It's a well done yet painful story, and Pitlor's storytelling ability keeps you fully engaged and immersed in the characters' lives, even if you don't necessarily like them very much, or know who you're really rooting for.
December 17, 2015
A very special thank you to Algonquin Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Top 50 Books of 2015 "Best Psychological Family Drama; Ideal Book-Movie Adaptation. "
THE DAYLIGHT MARRIAGE, by talented Hedi Pitlor is one unique, complex, suspenseful, thought-provoking, and chilling psychological mystery thriller. "A mouth full"--My heart is still pounding!
As the novel opens in the Cambridge area, we meet an ordinary family of four. Husband Lovell, wife Hannah-age thirty-nine, and two children--Ethan nine, and Janine fifteen.
Lovell, a climate scientist at Mass Environmental, buries himself in his work, data, and deadlines. He studies weather patterns and storms. He has never felt like he quite lived up as a husband and father, even after seventeen years. He feels as though the universe has a way of conspiring against him, when it comes to being the husband Hannah wanted. Maybe, he thinks their differences is simply, economics; he is accustomed to work-giving for a living; she on the other hand has been accustomed to receiving.
After all, he married a girl from a wealthy family raised by a nanny in a waterfront estate on Martha’s Vineyard, spending her birthdays at the Ritz in Boston or the Plaza Hotel, boarding schools—until twelve years ago her father’s business partner was convicted of embezzlement and the sailboat manufacturing company he and her father owned was liquidated. No more money from the parents or business, and savings dwindled, leaving Hannah working at a part-time flower shop. Now his wife is quick to leave a room once he enters. They have not made love in over a year, not for lack of trying on his part. He has no idea how to turn things around at this point.
Hannah, beautiful, tall, the girl who had first shown up at this apartment in Brighton with a pyramid of irises, the delivery girl for Fanciful Flowers, was able to simply stand there and take his breath away. Tonight, Lovell is not happy with her, as once again she forgets to pay the electric bill which is three weeks late. Her husband speaks to her as though she is a bratty child—a spoiled brat. She is almost forty, and she wants a new life and feels her current one is like an “epilogue”.
His wife has expectations. The pressures of any ordinary marriage. Arguments. On one night, an argument grows a little more heated. Things are said. Emotions rising. Disagreements, voices raised, objects are thrown. A night like the others of struggles and unhappiness . . .
The morning after, a different course of action. It began as a typical morning. Work at the flower shop, and Ethan’s orthodontist appoint in the afternoon, worries over her daughter. She has two and half hours before she is due at work.
What goes through the mind of one woman, on her way to drop off her son at school, as she tidies the house, as she heads to her daily routine of work at the flower shop? A detour, like the course of a storm brewing; without warning which changes direction, which will forever change the lives of an ordinary family.
A riveting page-turner, an exploration of emotions of the heart, written with beautiful prose and metaphors of the storms of life. As we flash back and forth from Lovell and Hannah, from details of their younger years when the couple met, their life, an ex-boyfriend, to the events leading up to the night of the heated argument.
Each day Hannah is missing, the intensity mounts, mystery, guilt, struggles, and suspense builds as a man, a father is left to deal with the aftermath, the media, the police; his life, his troubled daughter, and his son. Where is Hannah?
We also hear from Hannah as she is in her car that morning, she is distraught, confused. We experience her emotions, her thoughts, feelings, her choices, a decision…..a wrong turn.
As Lovell studies the potential intensity of tropical cyclones at work, there is another hurricane brewing in his personal life, he may not be able to predict or control with the same preciseness—an going theme throughout the novel -the storms of life, climate patterns, damage, destruction. Like hurricanes, life may erratic and intense, and no one can predict when tragedy will strike nor prepare for the aftermath.
What makes this novel so powerful, mind-blowing, raw, and emotional; It is so realistic; the events could happen to any marriage or family, on any given ordinary day.
Gone Girl, move over. An intense read, a page-turner which has you rushing to find out whereabouts of Hannah. What happened to her? The author delivers extraordinary insights with raw human dynamics. Fans of deep psychological suspense thrillers will be glued to the pages. Can’t wait to see what is next, an author to follow!
My prediction: THE DAYLIGHT MARRIAGE lands on the top list "Books That Inspired Oscar-Worthy Films."
Judith D. Collins Must Read Books
Top 50 Books of 2015 "Best Psychological Family Drama; Ideal Book-Movie Adaptation. "
THE DAYLIGHT MARRIAGE, by talented Hedi Pitlor is one unique, complex, suspenseful, thought-provoking, and chilling psychological mystery thriller. "A mouth full"--My heart is still pounding!
As the novel opens in the Cambridge area, we meet an ordinary family of four. Husband Lovell, wife Hannah-age thirty-nine, and two children--Ethan nine, and Janine fifteen.
Lovell, a climate scientist at Mass Environmental, buries himself in his work, data, and deadlines. He studies weather patterns and storms. He has never felt like he quite lived up as a husband and father, even after seventeen years. He feels as though the universe has a way of conspiring against him, when it comes to being the husband Hannah wanted. Maybe, he thinks their differences is simply, economics; he is accustomed to work-giving for a living; she on the other hand has been accustomed to receiving.
After all, he married a girl from a wealthy family raised by a nanny in a waterfront estate on Martha’s Vineyard, spending her birthdays at the Ritz in Boston or the Plaza Hotel, boarding schools—until twelve years ago her father’s business partner was convicted of embezzlement and the sailboat manufacturing company he and her father owned was liquidated. No more money from the parents or business, and savings dwindled, leaving Hannah working at a part-time flower shop. Now his wife is quick to leave a room once he enters. They have not made love in over a year, not for lack of trying on his part. He has no idea how to turn things around at this point.
Hannah, beautiful, tall, the girl who had first shown up at this apartment in Brighton with a pyramid of irises, the delivery girl for Fanciful Flowers, was able to simply stand there and take his breath away. Tonight, Lovell is not happy with her, as once again she forgets to pay the electric bill which is three weeks late. Her husband speaks to her as though she is a bratty child—a spoiled brat. She is almost forty, and she wants a new life and feels her current one is like an “epilogue”.
His wife has expectations. The pressures of any ordinary marriage. Arguments. On one night, an argument grows a little more heated. Things are said. Emotions rising. Disagreements, voices raised, objects are thrown. A night like the others of struggles and unhappiness . . .
The morning after, a different course of action. It began as a typical morning. Work at the flower shop, and Ethan’s orthodontist appoint in the afternoon, worries over her daughter. She has two and half hours before she is due at work.
What goes through the mind of one woman, on her way to drop off her son at school, as she tidies the house, as she heads to her daily routine of work at the flower shop? A detour, like the course of a storm brewing; without warning which changes direction, which will forever change the lives of an ordinary family.
A riveting page-turner, an exploration of emotions of the heart, written with beautiful prose and metaphors of the storms of life. As we flash back and forth from Lovell and Hannah, from details of their younger years when the couple met, their life, an ex-boyfriend, to the events leading up to the night of the heated argument.
Each day Hannah is missing, the intensity mounts, mystery, guilt, struggles, and suspense builds as a man, a father is left to deal with the aftermath, the media, the police; his life, his troubled daughter, and his son. Where is Hannah?
We also hear from Hannah as she is in her car that morning, she is distraught, confused. We experience her emotions, her thoughts, feelings, her choices, a decision…..a wrong turn.
As Lovell studies the potential intensity of tropical cyclones at work, there is another hurricane brewing in his personal life, he may not be able to predict or control with the same preciseness—an going theme throughout the novel -the storms of life, climate patterns, damage, destruction. Like hurricanes, life may erratic and intense, and no one can predict when tragedy will strike nor prepare for the aftermath.
What makes this novel so powerful, mind-blowing, raw, and emotional; It is so realistic; the events could happen to any marriage or family, on any given ordinary day.
Gone Girl, move over. An intense read, a page-turner which has you rushing to find out whereabouts of Hannah. What happened to her? The author delivers extraordinary insights with raw human dynamics. Fans of deep psychological suspense thrillers will be glued to the pages. Can’t wait to see what is next, an author to follow!
My prediction: THE DAYLIGHT MARRIAGE lands on the top list "Books That Inspired Oscar-Worthy Films."
"Home is so far from Home."-Emily Dickinson
"Life itself may be part of the answer to the riddle of the faint young sun."-Kerry Emanuel, What We know about Climate Change
Judith D. Collins Must Read Books
November 8, 2014
3.5/5
This was a bit slow to start, but it started picking up and it held my interest all the way to the end.
The good: The mystery was engrossing, and the switching between the two perspectives infused the plot with suspense. The exploration of the struggling relationship between the two main characters was heartbreaking and real.
The not as good: Some of the characters fell a little flat for me. I didn't particularly like either of the main characters, but I did sympathize with them. There were also times when I felt the plot lulled a bit, but I think that was necessary for the reader to understand the characters' internal feelings.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book, and was caught up in the mystery and the raw emotion. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy domestic/suburban mysteries entangled with drama.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a bit slow to start, but it started picking up and it held my interest all the way to the end.
The good: The mystery was engrossing, and the switching between the two perspectives infused the plot with suspense. The exploration of the struggling relationship between the two main characters was heartbreaking and real.
The not as good: Some of the characters fell a little flat for me. I didn't particularly like either of the main characters, but I did sympathize with them. There were also times when I felt the plot lulled a bit, but I think that was necessary for the reader to understand the characters' internal feelings.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book, and was caught up in the mystery and the raw emotion. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy domestic/suburban mysteries entangled with drama.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 20, 2015
You really have to wonder if this is a story of a marriage gone under, or how the smallest thing could backfire and lead into total and utter disaster. Or both. I think both.
Lovell and Hannah have been having a hard time of it for awhile, but his temper comes out during an argument and he comes perilously close to hitting Hannah. Soon after this argument, Hannah disappears. Lovell tries to keep things cool with their two kids, but the oldest daughter had heard the final argument and states to her father that she believes he hurt Hannah. The youngest son doesn't really register much in the novel; just saying he misses his mother.
The in-laws, the neighbors, friends of the family, and even the police- no one really verbalizes much of their beliefs of what happened to Hannah. After Hannah's bracelet and wallet turn up on a beach in Boston where her ex-boyfriend proposed, Lovell tracks him down and meets with him on the sly, thinking Hannah may have left him for her ex. After that turns up nothing, Lovell travels back home and quietly begins to freak out when body parts start turning up in that area. As he waits for DNA results, he relieves his marriage and his regrets over letting things slip away due to his workaholic tendencies. You're left with an overwhelming sense of regret when the novel finally ends. You're also left with questions and some unease. I couldn't get over the fact that in most books where the wife is missing, the husband is usually suspect #1 and the cops and everyone are all over them as a result. You see a little bit of that here, but not a lot b/c the novel is far too busy between Hannah and Lovell's alternating stories of the marriage and dissolution of it. I like that the author did not let the stereotypical ways of your normal suspense thriller take over. The only problem is that no matter how I look at the story- from Hannah and Lovell's points of view- I didn't particularly like either of the characters at all, so I had a hard time connecting with this novel. It's a quick read, though. Once you pick it up and get through it, you're through it quickly; there are no stop gaps in this story. Another positive spin, for certain. I just wish I had connected with it more.
Lovell and Hannah have been having a hard time of it for awhile, but his temper comes out during an argument and he comes perilously close to hitting Hannah. Soon after this argument, Hannah disappears. Lovell tries to keep things cool with their two kids, but the oldest daughter had heard the final argument and states to her father that she believes he hurt Hannah. The youngest son doesn't really register much in the novel; just saying he misses his mother.
The in-laws, the neighbors, friends of the family, and even the police- no one really verbalizes much of their beliefs of what happened to Hannah. After Hannah's bracelet and wallet turn up on a beach in Boston where her ex-boyfriend proposed, Lovell tracks him down and meets with him on the sly, thinking Hannah may have left him for her ex. After that turns up nothing, Lovell travels back home and quietly begins to freak out when body parts start turning up in that area. As he waits for DNA results, he relieves his marriage and his regrets over letting things slip away due to his workaholic tendencies. You're left with an overwhelming sense of regret when the novel finally ends. You're also left with questions and some unease. I couldn't get over the fact that in most books where the wife is missing, the husband is usually suspect #1 and the cops and everyone are all over them as a result. You see a little bit of that here, but not a lot b/c the novel is far too busy between Hannah and Lovell's alternating stories of the marriage and dissolution of it. I like that the author did not let the stereotypical ways of your normal suspense thriller take over. The only problem is that no matter how I look at the story- from Hannah and Lovell's points of view- I didn't particularly like either of the characters at all, so I had a hard time connecting with this novel. It's a quick read, though. Once you pick it up and get through it, you're through it quickly; there are no stop gaps in this story. Another positive spin, for certain. I just wish I had connected with it more.
February 16, 2015
This novel, which explores the complexity of marriage and family, is intense, raw and totally riveting. All of the characters are so emotionally well-drawn that I felt as if I had always known them. I didn’t want to miss a word of this book— from the first page until the gorgeous ending. The structure of the novel is brilliant, switching between the wife and husband’s points of view, moving forward in time with the husband’s story, and living through one powerful and unsettling day with the wife. I don’t want to add much more because I don’t want this to be a spoiler. I cannot stop thinking about the characters, the children included. There are so many points of connection, moments and scenes that are relatable, that made me pause and reflect. One of the best books I’ve read in a very long time. Gripping from start to finish.
November 3, 2014
This book amazed me. If I could give it six stars I would.
March 21, 2018
“If you cant say something nice, don’t say anything at all” so I am not going to review.
January 4, 2015
A first-rate page turner with a raw, compelling emotional center. Impossible to put down.
December 12, 2014
3.5 stars. Pretty good story of a marriage that has fizzled out and gotten to the land of mostly arguments, until the wife suddenly disappears. What happened? Did she run off or did the husband off her? Overall a nicely developed story that kept me guessing until the end, but I can't say I was ever truly hooked. I zoned out in parts and never found a character worth rooting for, but I also had to see what happened in the end. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy.
May 17, 2015
Just an okay read for me. I didn't care much for either Hannah or Lovell, and found the details of their middle class marriage woes rather tedious. I was sufficently intrigued by the mystery surrounding Hannah's fate to keep reading though and thought the resolution was quite original.
June 25, 2015
If I had to describe in one word how I felt about all the hype of this book is Indifferent . With feeling that way, it is hard to say anything good about the book. I was looking forward to the complexity of personalities, the complexity of relationships and to put it bluntly, I was very disappointed. The father/daughter relationship was a bad sitcom that hard to watch and much more painful to read.
The relationship between Hannah and Lovell was one of indifference so it makes it hard for the reader to engage in the narrative.
It is nothing like Gone Girl which this book has been compared to with its complexities of personalities and relationships. I think Gone Girl had the “shock” value and Daylight Marriage was pretty hum with an obtuse 14 year old girl.
A Special Thank you to Algonquin Books and Netgalley for ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
The relationship between Hannah and Lovell was one of indifference so it makes it hard for the reader to engage in the narrative.
It is nothing like Gone Girl which this book has been compared to with its complexities of personalities and relationships. I think Gone Girl had the “shock” value and Daylight Marriage was pretty hum with an obtuse 14 year old girl.
A Special Thank you to Algonquin Books and Netgalley for ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
May 8, 2015
I have been waiting for this book to be released for a few months. I was so disappointed. This book does not live up to all of it's publication hype. It is not a page turner for those of you expecting a fast paced read. The story does not get going until 125 pages in about Hannah. The book is told mostly through Lovell's perspective looking back on his marriage. (Hannah's husband). Maybe it is just me but I expected to read an even amount of the book between both Lovell and Hannah.
May 29, 2015
Review to follow.
April 10, 2015
Thanks Goodreads for the free book! From my review at www.thehorrorhoneys.com:
With a cover that looks like standard chicklit but features a prominent blurb from Stephen King, “The Daylight Marriage” had me intrigued from the get-go. It has been on my to-read list for a while and when I won it as a giveaway book from Goodreads and had an afternoon-free appointment (a luxury and one I don’t take lightly!), the fates aligned.
The cover doesn’t lie – this is the story of a marriage more or less – but wasn’t “Gone Girl” too? Like that book before it, “The Daylight Marriage” features alternating narrators, and unreliable ones at that. Weather scientist (a more technical title was surely given but you get the drift – haha) Lovell Hall lives a standard life in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with his wife Hannah, and their two kids, newly rebellious 15-year-old Janine and sweeter 8-year-old Ethan.
Much is made of the fact that Hannah is something of a stunner. So it seems to be sort of a Beauty and the Geek situation – ok, not unusual. By all accounts, things seem to be fine, but Hannah’s dissatisfaction with her career choices Lovell’s total absorption in his career are marital potholes they must carefully steer around. It was easier when Hannah’s parents had money and could help, but they have fallen upon hard times and the checks have stopped coming. Hannah works part-time at a florist and seems to resent any suggestion that she could be doing more to help the family financially.
So we meet this couple on a typical night, with Hannah feeling antsy and Lovell impatient, with dinner behind them and those end-of-the-night discussions that are never beneficial to a marriage – full of “You always…” and “I never….” that all good therapists will tell you to avoid. Unfortunately this argument escalates to a new pitch, shoes are thrown, perfume bottles broken, fists balled, doors slammed. And that would probably have all been find, except that the next morning, Hannah disappears.
And here the book does shift into a sort of “Gone Girl” territory, with competing chapters detailing Hannah’s path and Lovell’s desire to bring her home. News vans gather, as they do, suspicion clouds Lovell, as it does, and the kids are a mess. Janine shaves her head and announces her intention to serve as a surrogate for a set of friendly gay neighbors. Ethan starts sleepwalking and stuttering again. Lovell tries to intuit where Hannah might have gone, even traveling to LA to visit an old fiancé of hers, to no avail.
…..And that’s about it. Lovell pines, Hannah ennuis, and closer and closer we draw to the inevitable end. A bracelet is found on a beach near South Boston, and then a bone washes up – is it Hannah’s? Well, it seems the labs are swamped and it may be a month before anyone can tell Lovell definitively. His dread and fear grows along with ours as Hannah’s chapters detail her meeting with a mysterious stranger and her desire to re-capture the possibilities of her lost youth. And honestly, what 40 something mom DOESN’T feel like that?? If you don’t think your Hardcover Honey occasionally fantasizes about running off and leaving it all behind, or spending the day making out with some random, well then you don’t know her very well.
The sense of dread that hangs over this book is enough for me to recommend it – if you’re a long-term married, you will see enough of yourself in this story to give you a chill – and if not, it’s still worth a read as a cautionary tale about marrying for the wrong reasons…..or giving rides to strangers so you can feel pretty again.
With a cover that looks like standard chicklit but features a prominent blurb from Stephen King, “The Daylight Marriage” had me intrigued from the get-go. It has been on my to-read list for a while and when I won it as a giveaway book from Goodreads and had an afternoon-free appointment (a luxury and one I don’t take lightly!), the fates aligned.
The cover doesn’t lie – this is the story of a marriage more or less – but wasn’t “Gone Girl” too? Like that book before it, “The Daylight Marriage” features alternating narrators, and unreliable ones at that. Weather scientist (a more technical title was surely given but you get the drift – haha) Lovell Hall lives a standard life in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with his wife Hannah, and their two kids, newly rebellious 15-year-old Janine and sweeter 8-year-old Ethan.
Much is made of the fact that Hannah is something of a stunner. So it seems to be sort of a Beauty and the Geek situation – ok, not unusual. By all accounts, things seem to be fine, but Hannah’s dissatisfaction with her career choices Lovell’s total absorption in his career are marital potholes they must carefully steer around. It was easier when Hannah’s parents had money and could help, but they have fallen upon hard times and the checks have stopped coming. Hannah works part-time at a florist and seems to resent any suggestion that she could be doing more to help the family financially.
So we meet this couple on a typical night, with Hannah feeling antsy and Lovell impatient, with dinner behind them and those end-of-the-night discussions that are never beneficial to a marriage – full of “You always…” and “I never….” that all good therapists will tell you to avoid. Unfortunately this argument escalates to a new pitch, shoes are thrown, perfume bottles broken, fists balled, doors slammed. And that would probably have all been find, except that the next morning, Hannah disappears.
And here the book does shift into a sort of “Gone Girl” territory, with competing chapters detailing Hannah’s path and Lovell’s desire to bring her home. News vans gather, as they do, suspicion clouds Lovell, as it does, and the kids are a mess. Janine shaves her head and announces her intention to serve as a surrogate for a set of friendly gay neighbors. Ethan starts sleepwalking and stuttering again. Lovell tries to intuit where Hannah might have gone, even traveling to LA to visit an old fiancé of hers, to no avail.
…..And that’s about it. Lovell pines, Hannah ennuis, and closer and closer we draw to the inevitable end. A bracelet is found on a beach near South Boston, and then a bone washes up – is it Hannah’s? Well, it seems the labs are swamped and it may be a month before anyone can tell Lovell definitively. His dread and fear grows along with ours as Hannah’s chapters detail her meeting with a mysterious stranger and her desire to re-capture the possibilities of her lost youth. And honestly, what 40 something mom DOESN’T feel like that?? If you don’t think your Hardcover Honey occasionally fantasizes about running off and leaving it all behind, or spending the day making out with some random, well then you don’t know her very well.
The sense of dread that hangs over this book is enough for me to recommend it – if you’re a long-term married, you will see enough of yourself in this story to give you a chill – and if not, it’s still worth a read as a cautionary tale about marrying for the wrong reasons…..or giving rides to strangers so you can feel pretty again.
February 1, 2016
They were a mismatched pair. Lovell Hall and Hannah Monroe came from different worlds and different perspectives. She was born into a wealthy family with numerous privileges and no responsibilities. He had to work for everything, and his mind was of a scientific bent, while she loved the arts and her work with flowers. She had no practical abilities, and often forgot to pay the bills.
Sixteen years later, they are no closer together, and, in fact, they are living parallel lives. Communication is scanty. Their two children, Janine, 15, and Ethan, 8, are the glue that hold them together…along with their memories of happier times.
One devastating night changes everything. They argue, they fight, but they stop short of physical violence. Just smashed glass and harsh words. But enough to change the course of their world.
The next day, Hannah goes missing, and it would be many months before answers come about what happened to her.
Lovell and Hannah are alternating narrators, and her voice comes to us at carefully timed intervals, revealing what happened that day, leading us through each moment.
Meanwhile, the family left behind is falling apart, with Janine acting out with curses, a shaved head, and total defiance. Even as I could understand her feelings, I found most of her behavior appalling. She was a hard character to tolerate.
Lovell had his own struggles holding it together, and often lashed out as well.
The Daylight Marriage was a portrayal of how a marriage can unravel slowly, and then devastatingly crumble in just a few moments. The characters felt like real people struggling to make the most of their differences, but failing miserably. A tense and engaging story that was unforgettable. 5 stars.
Sixteen years later, they are no closer together, and, in fact, they are living parallel lives. Communication is scanty. Their two children, Janine, 15, and Ethan, 8, are the glue that hold them together…along with their memories of happier times.
One devastating night changes everything. They argue, they fight, but they stop short of physical violence. Just smashed glass and harsh words. But enough to change the course of their world.
The next day, Hannah goes missing, and it would be many months before answers come about what happened to her.
Lovell and Hannah are alternating narrators, and her voice comes to us at carefully timed intervals, revealing what happened that day, leading us through each moment.
Meanwhile, the family left behind is falling apart, with Janine acting out with curses, a shaved head, and total defiance. Even as I could understand her feelings, I found most of her behavior appalling. She was a hard character to tolerate.
Lovell had his own struggles holding it together, and often lashed out as well.
The Daylight Marriage was a portrayal of how a marriage can unravel slowly, and then devastatingly crumble in just a few moments. The characters felt like real people struggling to make the most of their differences, but failing miserably. A tense and engaging story that was unforgettable. 5 stars.
September 19, 2015
Soooo... unhappy, spoiled mom/wife disappears after fighting with her husband. Unhappy, aloof husband acts weird while she's missing. Unhappy, unbearably awful teen daughter gets angrier and more awful. Token unhappy, strangely normal son continues to be strangely normal.
As the story (and I hesitate to call it that) unfolds, the characters you don't care about because they are all so unpleasant give you insight into their overwhelmingly normal pasts that they feel sorry for themselves over.
When Hannah disappears you're almost happy about it. She is so unpleasant and bitchy and spoiled that you have a hard time caring what happened to her. And you'll wish her daughter had gone with her. Lovell is the doofy, oblivious dad/husband who has never been violent, but does happen to get angry with his wife the night before she disappears. Big deal!
I kept thinking this story might go somewhere, but nope, nowhere. When the obvious ending is finally revealed you're just glad the story is over.
As the story (and I hesitate to call it that) unfolds, the characters you don't care about because they are all so unpleasant give you insight into their overwhelmingly normal pasts that they feel sorry for themselves over.
When Hannah disappears you're almost happy about it. She is so unpleasant and bitchy and spoiled that you have a hard time caring what happened to her. And you'll wish her daughter had gone with her. Lovell is the doofy, oblivious dad/husband who has never been violent, but does happen to get angry with his wife the night before she disappears. Big deal!
I kept thinking this story might go somewhere, but nope, nowhere. When the obvious ending is finally revealed you're just glad the story is over.
May 4, 2015
I have to say that I found the story incredibly sad. It's the story of a family who have lost the togetherness of what should be a good life. I think all families go through this at one time or another, but Lovell and Hannah were not able to fix the problem. Lovell is a workaholic and Hannah is a wife, mother and flowershop assistant. She longs for more or what might have been with her prior boyfriend from long ago. The relationship cries out for communication and love, but Hannah feels depressed and alone. So, she decides to take a short drive....
The story alternates between Lovell and Hannah - the day she left and the days after from Lovell's perspective. It held my interest, but I certainly can't say that it is one of my favorite books. I almost knew what happened from the beginning.
Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.
The story alternates between Lovell and Hannah - the day she left and the days after from Lovell's perspective. It held my interest, but I certainly can't say that it is one of my favorite books. I almost knew what happened from the beginning.
Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.
June 28, 2015
It's difficult to rate a book that is well written and engrossing, when, at the same time, I don't like the characters and they don't like each other. This troubled couple are drawn so flat; the storyline is completely unbelievable; and yet, I somehow still wanted to read it to the end.
March 18, 2015
A taut literary but gripping read that had me turning the pages furiously. The ending blew me away. I really enjoyed Pitlor's first novel, and this one is great in a different way.
June 29, 2015
Makes what to take my daughters and live in a bubble away from the rest of the world. Tragic with a capital T.
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