From the Bookshelf of Ask Joyce Maynard - Friday, September 20th!…
Find A Copy At
Group Discussions About This Book
No group discussions for this book yet.
What Members Thought
The father figure in After Her is a cross between Don Draper and Atticus Finch, and if that won't persuade you to read it, then perhaps the fact that the book is the second-best book I've read all year might.*
Few books make me yearn for my childhood, but After Her did just that. I'm purchasing it for the cousins I grew up with, the ones who shared my overactive imagination and who roamed the neighborhoods, woods, and swamps with me. I hope they'll read it with as much nostalgia as I did.
Fans of ...more
Few books make me yearn for my childhood, but After Her did just that. I'm purchasing it for the cousins I grew up with, the ones who shared my overactive imagination and who roamed the neighborhoods, woods, and swamps with me. I hope they'll read it with as much nostalgia as I did.
Fans of ...more
After Her is my favorite book of the summer. It still resonates with me and I finished it days ago. The sisters were unforgettable and the novel quite a page turner. I especially enjoyed the rich and imaginative outdoor world these sisters grew up in - which is so vastly different than the oppressive indoor world so many children grow up in today. I miss these sisters already. Loved the time period of 1979! I highly recommend this book.
The Short of It:
Touching, poignant and moving. A beautifully written novel by one of my favorite authors.
The Rest of It:
In the late 1970′s, Marin County, California was rocked by the murders of several young women in the area. The killer, known as the “Trailside Killer”, preyed on women hiking Mount Tamalpais. The detective working on the case at the time, Detective Gaddini, had two young daughters of his own, so the continued loss of life hit him hard knowing that these young women would nev ...more
Touching, poignant and moving. A beautifully written novel by one of my favorite authors.
The Rest of It:
In the late 1970′s, Marin County, California was rocked by the murders of several young women in the area. The killer, known as the “Trailside Killer”, preyed on women hiking Mount Tamalpais. The detective working on the case at the time, Detective Gaddini, had two young daughters of his own, so the continued loss of life hit him hard knowing that these young women would nev ...more
My wife convinced me to read this book, and I'm glad she did. It was not what I expected. I was transported back to the late '70's with the main characters, Rachael and Patty, who could pass for two of my sisters with their bond, their imagination and their sense of adventure. I appreciate how Joyce Maynard created flawed yet lovable characters who experience longing, loss, failures and redemption. All of this happens inside a creative and unpredictable plot that will keep you guessing until the
...more
Joyce Maynard has written a couple of engaging books, including a memoir ("At Home in the World") about her rather precocious early life. I really enjoyed her novels "Labor Day" and "The Good Daughters", so I looked forward to "After Her". It's not up to her best writing, feeling forced in places. And it's not really a mystery, which is not her genre anyway. The relationship between two sisters, basically on their own each summer in California, is well told; characters are Maynard's forte. I did
...more
I brought this book as I saw Joyce Maynard on my local television morning show doing a promotion for this book. Watching her I saw how passionate she was about this book that I had to buy it. I am happy that I did. The book capture what I believe growing up in the 70's, in the back drop of a life interrupted, would be like. The fact that she base it on the life of those two sisters only made it more enjoyable to read.
...more
I am a big fan of Joyce Maynard and her books. I hate to say it but this book just isn't one of her best. Maybe she was constrained by writing a novel based on a real criminal case. I was very disappointed by the shallow characters and the improbable story lines.
...more
This is more a story about family, the two sisters primarily, but also a murder mystery. For me the story was kind of slow in the beginning, but then picked up speed and became a proverbial "page turner." I did feel that parts were a bit contrived and far-fetched. If you've read other Joyce Maynard's books (I've read them all, and have met her twice here in Oregon), you should enjoy this one!
...more
Joyce Maynard knows how to write a powerful story. Her characters and their tale are so real, I kept forgetting that this was fiction. I was torn between not wanting to put it down and not wanting it to end. However, I was a bit thrown when she added a character so late in the narration, but I think she made it work.
I like her work, and want to read some of the earlier books. Hope you enjoy it, also.
I like her work, and want to read some of the earlier books. Hope you enjoy it, also.
Got so caught up in the lives of these 2 sisters. Enjoyed the mystery.
How to rate this book after finishing it confuses me . I had a hard time putting it down , but am really disappointed .
The last 30 pages were ridiculous .
I am still shaking my head . Anyone else have comments on this part
of the book . ???
The last 30 pages were ridiculous .
I am still shaking my head . Anyone else have comments on this part
of the book . ???
Sep 25, 2013
Anne
added it
Loved this book - I recommend Joyce Maynard to all my library patrons!
May 15, 2013
Tamye
marked it as to-read
Sep 11, 2013
Maure Briggs
marked it as to-read
Sep 12, 2013
Connie
marked it as to-read
Sep 13, 2013
Ruth Ferguson
marked it as to-read
Sep 13, 2013
Dana
is currently reading it
Sep 14, 2013
Flat
marked it as to-read
Jan 24, 2014
Kim
marked it as to-read
