Kimberly D. (Punkin) reviewed on 5/26/2008 + 14 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 9

After the lyrical engaging prose and intriguing character development of Bel Canto, I was really looking forward to another Patchett read. However, I found this to be somewhat of a dissapointment, atleast in terms of my expectations. Though I have PLENTY to say about Bel Canto's stand-out characteristics, the only thing about this book stood out as extraordinary was the characterization of Sullivan, who I found to be a strong and unique portrait of a man whose future is 'sullied' by an unexamined painful past he can neither confront nor truly forget. The rest of the book was full of half-hearted characterizations, relationships and ties that were intriguing yet not complete in their examinations, and a narrative that relied ENTIRELY too heavily on a running allegorical theme of racial and family politics that was over-done and under-effective. Patchett does have an easy writing style that makes her work enjoyable to read, but that style combined with the project she made of her racially significant allusions and allegories made a lot of the moments meant to be highly intense emotionally come across as hoaky and overdone.

I remain a Patchett fan, but this one will not be a "keeper" on my shelf.

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