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Mak1
| Wednesday, April 02, 2003 - 12:19 pm
I set this up so people who have finished the book, and don't want to post by chapter, can post their thoughts here.
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Ophiliasgrandma
| Wednesday, April 02, 2003 - 5:59 pm
I was blown away by the author. I'm am now in possession of three more of her books. I can hardly wait to read them. I loved the way she kept us guessing right to the very end. I knew it would come from out of left field somewhere, but I was taken totally by surprise as to 'who done it'...were you?
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Mak1
| Wednesday, April 02, 2003 - 6:19 pm
Yes, OG. I would never have guessed the ending! She really led us off in all kinds of other directions, didn't she? She also left us with a little doubt in the epilogue.
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Azriel
| Thursday, April 10, 2003 - 7:44 am
Ophiliasgrandma, I wasn't taken by surprise by who was supposed to have done it (if she did). I think she's a good author because she did set up the clues well, but I hate endings like that. It ticks me off to get a 'you thought you solved it, maybe you did, maybe you didn't, haha' ending.
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Ophiliasgrandma
| Thursday, April 10, 2003 - 4:14 pm
Az, I don't remember it as being sort of a cliffhanger, but I had finished the book about a week before this thread was formed. By that time some of it was beginning to fade from the old gray matter. I just mostly remembered I enjoyed the writing.
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Hermione69
| Sunday, April 13, 2003 - 7:28 am
I think she did leave it up in the air just a bit, but that didn't really bother me. I thought it was a great book and want to try some more by this author. This post has spoilers in it, so if you are peeking in and have not gotten to the ending yet, go no further if you don't want to know...... I was left thinking that the neighbor's wife really did do it, for one because of the jumper that was incinerated. I think the author just left us wondering if Olive had engineered a big scam just to stir the pot a bit. It really doesn't fit for Olive to have masterminded all of this, mainly because how would Olive have ever known that Roz would come along and be her champion? I think Olive is just one of those unfortunate women who always looks suspicious and sneaky because she is a liar by nature and the "gloat" on her face at the end was just her look of happiness. I can't imagine Olive ever being truly happy on the outside, though. Prison became a very safe place for her. She has a lot of work to do to reach a place of peace and I just don't know if she is going to be able to do it. I thought the growth of the character Roz was fascinating. I truly enjoyed watching the layers of her personality and her life peel apart and show us glimpses as to what demons haunted her and what motivations spurred her on. I'm not sure how I feel about the policeman. I was left feeling more suspicious of him than I was of Olive! Not for anything big, I just don't know that I think he is a very nice man. My family teases me that when I am attracted to a man, I should run as fast as I can in the opposite direction. I get the impression that Roz is the same way for now. I think she was attracted to his aura of danger. I don't like how he handled Olive's case. He lost a lot of points with me for that. I really enjoyed this book, but then, this is definitely my genre. I am always looking for a good mystery!
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Hermione69
| Sunday, April 13, 2003 - 7:31 am
I just realized that the poem the author used, the Lizzie Borden poem, was extremely apt. Lizzie Borden, if you remember, was acquitted, but spent the rest of her life with people believing she was guilty nonetheless. Olive ends up being acquitted, but will also spend the rest of her life with people wondering if she did it, even us readers!
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Seamonkey
| Sunday, April 13, 2003 - 9:39 am
Good point about Lizzie, Hermi! Well this is definitely NOT my genre, but certainly was well-written. Seemed more about Roz than about Olive. I also worry about how Olive will cope outside the security of the prison, but hopefully will be able to access the money left by her father and have the support of Roz and the sister. It won't be easy because her raison d'etre while in prison was being The Sculptress, having that power and so on. Outside, the notoriety will not be pleasant, but if she avoids the limelight entirely, then where will she get respect? Roz certainly has her issues and the author needs to learn to describe cats in more flattering ways (my cat made me say that, but I agree) I was happy that Roz bought Bayview.. I wanted to outbid her!!
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Djgirl5235
| Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 8:50 am
Thank you for your thoughts Herm! Now I don't have to say anything, other than I absolutely loved this book, and have checked out a few of her others so now I love the fact that I have new books to enjoy!!!
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Myjohnhenry
| Monday, April 28, 2003 - 9:41 pm
I found the ending kind of a let down for some reason...like something was missing. I don't know what though. I enjoyed the book up to that point...more than I thought I would when I first skimmed through it at the store. I did think it was the neighbor lady though (or at the very least her husband) The epilogue did leave me thinking about what was going through Olive's mind. I felt like we got to know Roz better than Olive and that it was more her story. I was left wanting to know more about Olive. There was a lot left unsaid about the retired cop too.
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