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With that said.Chris Bohjalian is one of my favorite authors. How could you. If you were never assigned this classic in high school, wikipedia it.
And then, The Double Bind.oh dear. I'd rather have a non-ending, than a "forget everything you just read over the last 300 pages because it never happened" ending. *SPOILER ALERT* Chris, please.
First off, be sure to familiarize yourself with The Great Gatsby before reading The Double Bind. I love his writing style.his plot twists.it's all good. Grrrr.
I did, and it was enough information. A copy of Midwives sits upon my "keeper shelf".
I can't say too much without ruining the excitement and anticipation for the reader. NO, DO NOT SPOIL IT AND GO THERE FIRST.I will read Midwives next (one of Opra's picks)and then on to The Buffalo Soldier. This was my first Chris Bohjalian book and after reading it I am going to read everything he has written.This is the story of a woman who is a caseworker for the homeless at a shelter. I will say, I satin shock with my mouth wide open as I read the last several pages. I have to thank my cousin Dick Yessian for once again steering me to another great read. When one of herpatients dies, she embarks on a journey investigating the professional photographs he has taken. What shedidn't expect was how some of the people in these photographs have affected her life in the past.
Most readers will see the "big plot twist" of this novel coming from miles away. But like those movies that have a great preview when the movie itself stinks, The Double Bind just doesn't deliver.The book's problems fall into two categories; the writing and the plot. Other than the first few pages of the book, there is no action, very little conflict, and very little to hold the reader's interest. This book is touted as a literary thriller.
The premise of this book is exciting; a young woman is attacked while riding her bike through the New England forest. Even those who don't will find themselves wondering how all the parts fit together after the book ends. I felt like I was listening to a group of 80-year-old women sitting around and gossiping over tea.The second problem was the plot. She later encounters a homeless man who appears to be the son of one of the characters from the Great Gatsby, and he also seems connected to one of the men who attacked her.
One review on the back calls it "as horrifying as Silence of the Lambs." Yet most of the book consists of small groups of characters sitting around and talking. It's meant to be an elaborate mystery, but ends up as just a muddled collection of stories that don't really relate to each other and can't possibly fit together the way the author wants us to think they do. On the surface, it's an interesting and original concept. For me, the writing was the biggest obstacle.
The ending did not match the rest of the book, and I was left so disappointed. I have enjoyed other work by this author, and I had such high hopes for this one as well. The premise, and the way the author weaves Gatsby into his plot were very interesting and promising, but it was as if, after spending a great time on that aspect, the author chose to pick a stock random ending and tack it on the book.
But then I realized I was so irritated with the ending, that I just didn't care. Who were the real people. I started to go back and try and get a better fix on the timeline, characters and plot. Many others have already expressed the disappointment I felt when I reached the end. Loved Midwives, but this one I could have done without. It's like a sixth grade ending to a mediocre story. Duped - completely. "and then I woke up and discovered it was all just a dream." It just left me baffled - what was in her made up in her head.
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