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I'm not normally a fan of stories that deal with the paranormal, but Ms. Robinson's Trickster series is a happy exception. Trickster Drift is dark, of course, but the darkness is intermingled with such humour, and the protagonist such a sympathetic character, that I really enjoyed the book and found it hard to put down.

At some point, it struck me that Ms. Robinson's writing reminded me in some way of Douglas Adams', especially the likeable main character who finds himself in bizarre circumstances he can't control. Therefore, I found it interesting that there is an allusion to the Hitchhiker series in one of the characters in this novel.

I look forward to the next book in this series.

True to its title, this book contains a lot of talking. Women in a Mennonite community are deciding what to do after learning of abuse that has been perpetrated against them and their daughters while they were rendered unconscious.

There is a lot of philosophizing that arises from this discussion, but the problem is, the novel reads more like an essay than a story, in many ways.

This was not my favourite Toews work.

This book was entertaining, if somewhat predictable. I also found myself forgetting who some of the minor characters were with the style of various chapters alternating to follow the different family members.

I would have given this 3 stars, except I was extremely annoyed by the author's plagiarism of O. Henry's "The Gift of the Magi" towards the end of the book. It makes me wonder what else in the book is lifted from other works.

This is one of the better books I've read in some time. Lisa See never fails to disappoint.

I am not the intended audience for this book, which is a "high interest/low vocab" book for adult literacy learners. That said, I like Gail Anderson-Dargatz's writing, so I thought I'd enjoy this more than I did. However, it's "chick lit," which is a genre I dislike, so I found the characters to be insipid and the plot predictable. Readers who enjoy romance stories will probably like this more than I did.

It is a very fast read.

Fun for fans of The Carol Burnett show. Lots of good memories and inside stories here.

Chick lit. Not a genre I enjoy, really. It was okay for a fluffy beach read, but I found all the descriptions of what people were wearing tiresome.

Stopped reading this. Life's too short.

I was introduced to this book at a book festival event about adult fairytales. I'd say that's an apt categorization, if one is referring to the really grim (pun intended) sort of fairytale.

This is the tale of two orphans who have special talents and an enduring bond, both of which mostly survive, in spite of all the hardships, separations, abuse, criminality, and addictions they experience. There is a charm and innocence about the characters, in the midst of horrors, even when they, themselves, are perpetrating said horrors.

O'Neill is a talented writer, and her talent shines through in this novel. However, it's almost too in-your-face at times, with her overuse of similes, some of them jarring, and some of them planted for no apparent purpose, like roses in a parkade. (See what I did there?)

I found the writing style jarring, as well. The tone is objective, almost dispassionate, using short, choppy sentences that add to the fairytale vibe. This works well, but by about halfway through the book, I tired of it. Because of it, the story did not flow, and the book became put-downable.

That said, it's still a worthwhile read, as long as you aren't looking for happily ever after. This fantasy is definitely grounded in a gritty, backstreet reality.

Meh. I gave this 3 stars, because it's the first book I've read in a while that actually had a storyline. However, Faye, the protagonist, is such a ridiculous and unlikeable character, and the story and message so trite, I probably would have given it a 2 if I'd been reading better books recently.

If celebrity culture interests you, you might like this book. If you buy into the idea that celebrities have it tough and have to sacrifice so much, poor things, then you might like this book.

*Minor Spoilers to Follow**

However, it's hard to like a mother who, when she is supposed to be helping her son review for his state tests, spends her time mooning like an adolescent over her boyfriend, imagining their possible wedding.

It's also hard to credit the idea that Hollywood is so damaging to young people, even though the book is presumably loosely based on real child stars, when it is the non-celebrity kid who is the most damaged, while the one who initially had problems (anxiety/selective mutism) thrives in the environment. This sends confusing and mixed messages.

That said, the book is well-written enough to hold the reader's interest throughout, and that's why it gets 3 stars.