Lillian Boxfish is a very interesting character and I might have enjoyed the book more if it were not all told as memories she experiences of her life on an evening when she is taking a walk. I thought that about half way through the book this method of telling the story didn't work as well any more and I lost interest in her visits to places that evoked memories.

I was especially excited to review this book given the elements that it brings together: Tarot cards, book dealers, libraries/librarian and circuses. And there are all these interesting elements in the book and it's clear that the research on these topics was well done, but somehow they didn't come together for me to create a compelling story. Perhaps it's that there were actually too many interesting quirky elements in the story and that detracted from the development of a the narrative.

I requested this book thinking I would like because it is a quirky fantasy/mystery and it didn't sound like anything else I'd read. It never quite got me interested though and I'm wondering if that is due to the translation or if I'd have felt the same way reading it in the original. At least in English, I found it dull reading.

Despite its length (nearly 500 pages), this is a quick read. The premise of the story - that a preacher would travel to a distant planet to minister to the planet's inhabitants lends itself to many interesting story lines (why would anyone go to a new planet, how does his relationship with his wife continue, what are the new planet's inhabitants like and why do they want a preacher). The only downfall of the book is that there are so many interesting aspects to the story that they don't all get explored fully and the ending feels a bit abrupt. Recommended for anyone who wants to read something that isn't like anything else they've read before. For those interested in the lives and language of the planet's inhabitants, I'd recommend "Don't Sleep There Are Snakes" by Daniel Everett, a true account of his work with the Piraha in the Amazon - a tribe that bears a remarkable resemblance to the planet's inhabitants.

From the cover of the book, I anticipated a light, "chick lit" type of story, but the author delivered so much more than that. All the characters were well developed and the story was gripping. I finished in just two days (and then forgot to post my review - oops!) Grab this one to take along with you on a relaxing trip or to read over a long weekend.

While this book was well-written, I found it was too much of an internal journey and not as much of a travel memoir as I would have liked. Fans of more introspective memoirs will enjoy this one the most.

As a fan of young adult novels, I think this novel would do very well if marketed in that category. As other reviewers have noted, it is easy to see the plot coming. But, Max is a very sympathetic character and his confusion is very believable. I found his parents to be unlikeable and difficult to understand - in that they didn't seem to have put much thought into addressing the situation with their son. The author wrote most comfortably in Max's voice and the switching of perspectives was not always seamless, but I think this format would appeal to a young adult audience.

This is a fun quick easy read and the narrator, an alcoholic real estate agent, is a pleasure to spend time with, but the plot didn't really engage me. The main character is very well conceived and convincingly executed, but the other characters in the book (her children, ex-husband, new friend and lover) all seemed flat and stereotypical, so ultimately the plot wasn't very interesting.

"The Devil in Silver" is another great book by Victor LaValle, author of "Big Machine." His work is creepy and interesting and smart and weird. For readers who enjoy a book that isn't like anything else they've read - this is the author for you.

I received this book in the mail last night and finished it over my lunch break today, so it is definitely gripping. The author writes beautifully about the world of young adolescent girl as the world slowly dies. Some reviews have characterized the book as depressing, but I thought it had a hopeful tone as all the characters slowly adapted to the changing world. Hard to read this book and not come away thinking about doing more to preserve the world we have. My only complaint is that I wished this book were longer.

This book really is as good as all the reviews say. I received an ARC and finished it in two days. The mystery is clever, the writing is good and the main character will make you imagine that you too could be an international spy. What could be better for your end of winter reading?

I had such a wonderful time reading this book. It is a real treat to sink into the world of Emlyn Springs, Nebraska and the characters who live there. The story of the lives of the adult Jones children whose mother disappeared in a tornado many years ago is funny and touching and very well written. Even though the story was over 500 pages I still didn't want it to end. The author did a wonderful job of interweaving the story from the past with the events taking place in the present and the details on Welsh traditions are just fascinating. I can't recommend this book highly enough.