The Lace Reader
| Price: |
$32.99 |
| On Sale: |
1/09/2008 |
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Formats:
Trade Paperback
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′My name is Towner Whitney. No‚ that′s not exactly true. My real first name is Sophya. Never believe me‚ I lie all the time.′
Towner Whitney comes from a family of Salem women who can read the future in the patterns in lace‚ and who have guarded a history of secrets going back for generations. Exiled in California‚ she receives a phone call telling her that her beloved Great Aunt Eva has disappeared and Towner must return to her home after an absence of 17 years...
A literary page−turner with depth‚ narrative power and a story that novels like ′The Thirteenth Tale′ can only dream of‚ ′The Lace Reader′ is a bewitching and tightly plotted read.
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Critical Praise for
The Lace Reader
‘A gorgeously written literary novel that’s also a doozy of a thriller, capped with a jaw-dropping denouement that will leave even the most careful reader gasping … a major feat’ Chicago Tribune ‘Gripping … a marvellously bizarre cast of characters (living and dead) in a uniquely colorful town’ Washington Post ‘[A] richly imagined saga of passion, suspense and magic’ Time ‘Blithe and creepy in equal measure. [Barry] captures [Salem] evocatively and often wittily. What is real in “The Lace Reader”? What is not? … There are clues planted everywhere …’ New York Times ‘A spine-tingler … “The Lace Reader” is tailor-made for a boisterous night at the book club’ People
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Reader Reviews from First Look
A late, gasp-worthy plot twist shocked me and changed the way I looked at the whole book, long after I closed its pages! There was a bewitching excerpt at the beginning of each chapter from The Lace Reader’s Guide, written by Eva; entrancing to read. All in all this is a debut which, by its very unusualness, astonished me, then gathered me in.
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Malvina (Miranda, NSW)
A late, gasp-worthy plot twist shocked me and changed the way I looked at the whole book, long after I closed its pages! There was a bewitching excerpt at the beginning of each chapter from The Lace Reader’s Guide, written by Eva; entrancing to read. All in all this is a debut which, by its very unusualness, astonished me, then gathered me in.
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Malvina (Miranda, NSW)
An amazing web of intrigue and mystery unravels in The Lace Reader. The storyline is as intricate and intoxicating as the fine pieces of handmade lace to which the characters are drawn. Sophya (aka Towner) is a compelling character who leads the reader through her life following her grandmother's death. This is a story which will take you on the journey through the timeless themes of power/powerlessness, and love. I highly recommend this book to all who enjoy a great tale.
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Roslyn (Belmont, QLD)
A very enjoyable read, set in the city of Salem, with its history of persecution of so called witches, we have a story like lace itself, with its various interlocked themes. There are issues of mental illness, alcoholism, religious sects, women's rights, being the "outsider", and new beginnings. Ms Barry ties it all together with the special history of Salem, and with a brilliant touch, gives us a fantastic book.
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Amanda (Baulkham Hills, AL)
WOW! What an exquisite tale! I found myself woven deep into its intricate lace of intriguing female personalities and captivating landscapes from page 1. I savoured each delicate pattern as I encountered it, yet I never imagined the final loops until they were revealed to me in the final chapters - and they turned the fascinating piece into a masterpiece!
Stunning! I will be reading this piece of lace again, and recommending it to many.
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Maureen (Killara, NSW)
This is a poignant tale ... As well a great story teller, Brunonia Barry questions attitudes toward mental illness and in the same vein as Jodi Picoult, stirs your sense of social justice.
I look foward to Brunonia Barry's next tale.
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Julie (Lara, VIC)
I do love reading debut novels as they usually bring in a different flavor or something new to tickle the imagination. Brunonia Barry certainly delivered ... with “The Lace Reader”. I am guilty of being drawn into Towner’s unreliable self-narrative but it is to Ms. Barry that I commend the style of interlacing individual perspectives that weaves through historical Salem, Lace Reading, wild golden retrievers, religious miasma, twin psychology, and a love story all in one pulsing tale.
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Zusanne (Northbridge, WA)
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