Have You Read ...

[Laura]

Have you ever heard about a book, just not sure whether it's worthy of being added to Mt. TBR, or being pushed to the top of the list?

I think we need a thread to discuss these situations! So I made one.

My mom woke me up this morning to tell me about a book I MUST read. I feel like I've heard of it, but other than that, don't know much about it.

So I thought I'd ask the great TNBBC world for their input.

The book is Evening by Susan Minot.

[Leila]

This is a very good idea of a thread! :D

Evening by Susan Minot. The title sounded familiar and I instantly thought of the movie Evening. After seeing the summary, it seems as if the movie is based on the book. I had no idea it was based on a book! :) As for the actual well...book, I'm not sure myself. I've seen the movie but wasn't very fond of it (thought it was boring but the cast list is impressive!) but it has gotten good reviews and when I think of the plot/summary, I can imagine that it would work better as a novel.

[Jessica]

I've read it. I didn't really like it. It's told from the perspective from a woman dying of cancer so with that in mind, the writing style makes sense but I often found it hard to follow. It was a quick read but for the most part, I really just wanted to be done with it. I was never emotionally invested with any of the characters, either.

[Joanie]

I just bought it last week at a book sale I was lucky enough to happen upon while I was waiting for my husband to have surgery. I haven't read it yet but it looked good to me based on the movie.

[Shelby *trains flying monkeys*]

I read it too. I'm like Jessica though. I didn't really like it. It sounded like such a good story when I heard about it. I just couldn't get attached to the characters.

[Laura]

I wonder if what is changing my mom's perspective is her age and you know, being closer to death herself (she's 84). Although I usually don't go after books about cancer.

[Fiona (Titch)]

Synopsis
An old woman dying of cancer reflects on her life and three marriages, and in particular, on a brief affair she had 40 years previously that haunts her still.

Amazon.co.uk Review
As Ann Lord lies on her deathbed, her daughter delivers a balsam pillow from the attic. At first the ailing woman is confused, but suddenly the scent reminds her of the "wild tumult" she experienced 40 years earlier:
Something stole into her as she walked in the dark, a dream she'd had long ago. The air was so black she was unable to see her arms, it was a warm summer night. Above her she could make out the dark line of the tops of spruce trees and a sky lit with stars. She felt the warm tar through the soles of her shoes. The boy beside her took her hand.
In the porous world between conscious and unconscious the protagonist of Evening revisits the great passions of her life, along with its considerable disappointments. The boy in the dark remains the fixed point--not so much because he is the most important man in her life, but because of the untapped possibilities he represents. Meanwhile, friends and relations come to sit by Ann Lord's side as she veers between clarity and feverish recollection.

[d4]

Watched the movie... which was eh. I just watched it for Hugh Dancy. (HOT!)