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I requested this book from the library loan service because it had a promising title and a cover reminiscent of a couple other recent books that I'd liked. The Sonoma County library system does not give one much by way of useful information such as a summery, cover blurb, genre, etc. As it turned out, this story as far as I read focused on dysfunctional families, unwanted pregnancy, and claustrophobic small towns, three tropes which I almost never enjoy. So back to the library it goes! There was
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What most captivated me about this story was the way Groff used a fictionalized past to inform a present day character. I only have a passing familiarity with James Fenimore Cooper and I know nothing about the history of Cooperstown, but that didn't stop me from thoroughly enjoying the alternate, fictional history that was interspersed with the present-day character's story. The inclusion of old photos was a particularly nice touch. In fact, I was usually more interested in the past than the pre
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Lauren Groff has written a book that is draws you in to the past and present in fictions' equivalent of Cooperstown. The voices of the past build pyramid like stories that eventually add up to the answers that present day Willie has been subconsciously seeking since childhood. The addition of a mysterious sea monster seems preposterous, but it really works. I had a hard time with the fantasy of that until I just gave in to it and didn't think about where it belonged in the story and if I was jus
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Interesting story...a bit of the supernatural. A 28 year old woman returns to her home town disgraced. She spends the summer trying to find out who her father is. Meanwhile a monster is found in the local lake. The tale seems to be based on Cooperstown and is interlaced with voices of the town and her ancestors from the past.
Mar 06, 2008
Michelle
marked it as to-read
Jan 29, 2009
Cathy
marked it as to-read
Jun 06, 2009
Min
marked it as considering
Jun 21, 2009
Bette
marked it as to-read
Aug 24, 2015
Joanie
marked it as to-read
