Fiction | Book Chatter

The Murderer’s Daughters
By Randy Susan Meyers
(St. Martin’s Griffin, Paperback, 9780312674434, February 2011, 310pp.)

The Short of It:

An impressive, fictional debut that had me in tears at one point. Beautifully told, sad at times yet ultimately hopeful.

The Rest of It:

The murder of Lulu’s mother and the near murder of her younger sister, Merry is hard enough for Lulu to understand, but at the hands of her own father? How does a ten-year-old child deal with the fact that her mother is no longer there for her? How does she accept that her father is a murderer and in prison? In addition to the enormity of the situation itself, Lulu feels responsible for her sister, who happens to still love her father, despite the fact that she almost died because of him.

This book did all sorts of things to me. It made me angry and sad and sometimes I hated the father, but other times I questioned myself. Would it be possible to forgive someone for killing your own mother? Does a child’s love run that deep? Although The Murderer’s Daughters deals with some really heavy themes, there is a brightness to it. It’s not all dark. In fact, much of it is hopeful.

I loved these sisters. I loved their relationship and I could relate to both of them. Meyers managed to create realistic tension between them, without it seeming forced. They were each complex in their own way, and each so different, yet close, very close and I admired the skill it took to make them that way. I also loved the touches of detail here and there that helped round out the story. It wasn’t too much. Not the “in your face” filler detail that you often see with new writers.

I’m not sure what I expected when picking this one up, but I think I expected a more melodramatic tale and I was so pleased that it wasn’t that kind of book. Book clubs would do well with this one. There is so much to discuss and much of it is still on my mind. I recommend it highly.

A note about the author:

The copy that I was given had a section on why the author wrote the book. Turns out, that the author and her sister had a similar experience with their own father. Their experience did not result in death, but Meyers was haunted by the “what ifs.” This explains why the story elements were so convincing.

If you’d like a chance to win a copy, check out the details below.

Source: Review and giveaway copy provided by St. Martin’s Press.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION

This giveaway is for one copy of The Murderer’s Daughters and is open to the US and Canada. A winner will be chosen randomly by me. The book will come directly from the publisher. Only one entry per person. Giveaway closes on April 15, 2011 (pacific). I will contact the winner for his/her mailing address.

To enter the giveaway, please click here. (Giveaway is now closed!)

The Other Life
By Ellen Meister
Penguin
February 2011
320pp

The Short of It:

This book had me squirming in my seat. It asks the “tough” questions. The ones that we don’t like to ask ourselves unless we have to.

The Rest of It:

Quinn Braverman is happily married to Lewis. She has one son and is expecting a baby. This should be a joyous time for them all, but Quinn struggles with what she’s been given. Her life seems “safe” and at times, a bit mundane. When she discovers a problem with the pregnancy, she is forced to consider her options. Most of us, when faced with a grave decision, make the decision based on any number of things. We look for support in those close to us. We seek guidance from professionals, etc. But Quinn? Quinn’s a bit different because she can actually escape her current life, to visit her “other” life, where she is dating Eugene and doesn’t have to face any tough decisions. Through a portal in her basement, she attempts to live both lives.

As much as I enjoy portals and the idea of parallel universes, I struggled with the premise. Not so much the idea of it, because I can certainly suspend my disbelief in order to enjoy the story, but the execution of the portal pieces, didn’t come together for me so much. The appearance and the placement of the portals seemed a bit convenient and I had a tough time believing that a pregnant woman would even attempt to go through one, not knowing what would happen to the baby on the other side.

With that said, I was surprised at how anxious I was to get back to reading it! Some readers might argue this point but Quinn is a selfish character. Not overtly so, not enough to hate her, but enough to make me shake my head over her decisions. I kept reading it though because I wanted to see what she would do next and how her decisions would affect her life with Lewis and her son.

Overall, this would be a great vacation book. There is enough of a story here to make you want to turn the pages, yet it’s not just bubble-gum lit in that there is nothing to think about. Oh, there’s plenty to think about and if you’re like me, you’ll find yourself frustrated over Quinn’s decisions, but also cheering her on in the end.