Tara M. (likethepalelily) reviewed on 9/5/2008 + 3 more book reviews

A very beautiful and compelling book. I admit that I may not have read this book on my own, but I studied it in a class about texts derived from other texts. I read the book way ahead of class schedule, unable to put it down. The stories of each of the women are wonderful, I love the time periods represented, and how they weave together so seamlessly. Another reviewer complained that this is an imitation of Mrs. Dalloway and that it would be better to just read the original. I read Mrs. Dalloway in conjuction with this book and really Cunningham's work enriches the discussion that Woolf began. It's amazing how he has re-imagined and shaped the tale. We do the same thing with myths and folk tales all the time: old human stories re-cast by our present experiences. When done well, the story resonates with us in both familiar and unfamiliar ways, and that is ultimately enjoyable. Cunningham succeeded doing just that in this novel.

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