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Nikki (Indiana)
Amazing novel via interlinked short stories!
This is a wonderful, non-linear read that takes you on quite a journey. Beautiful writing that requires (& deserves) your full attention. Recommended!
Barbara B. (Holbrook, NY)
the shore- Sara Taylor
this is exactly the type of book I like to read. weaving back and forth in time and between characters, then all the loose ends are brought together. you can actually be transported to this island off the coast of Virginia, smell the decay and be there in the moment. From beginning to end I was in awe of the author's talent to utilize words and prose and create such a beautiful and strange novel. Thank you for the opportunity to receive this book ahead of time BookBrowse.
Anne G. (Byram, MS)
Remarkable Novel by Debut Author
A collection of stirring vignettes that weave back and forth through time like the warp and weft of a colorful tapestry. Only at the book's conclusion will the entire picture be portrayed.
A group of loosely related families living on a chain of small islands called The Shore tell their tales in first person narratives. Some extremely personal stories are full of pathos, misery, and tragedy; other narratives have a strong optimism, and even a touch of paranormal tossed into the mix, but most will not be resolved in the present. The ultimate satisfactory conclusions are revealed in another person's narrative and
…more occasionally another decade. Emotions range from deep love to dark revenge to a trusting hope for the future, with tendrils from one generation wrapping around the lives of members of another generation.
Keeping in mind that The Shore covers several generations, readers will do well to try to remember character's names because they will be spoken of in subsequent decades.
The Shores is a book that will haunt readers long after the last page is read. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy a deeply personal narrative. (less)I ADORED The Shore. It's less a short story collection than beautiful glimpses into not so beautiful lives. You get a real sense of place, you can smell the crab and the chicken plant, and the desperation. "...but stopping for a pack of smokes because you don't ride into battle unarmed." I was touched and mesmerized and constantly surprised. I felt the pathos and found some characters pathetic, ugly, mean and selfish. I read in wonderment. My highest praise: it's so very close to The Goldfinch status. In any event, I found it a terrific, emotional experience, WAY more than just being a book that I read.
My copy
…more did not have the family tree, and I do think I'd like to see that now, but it didn't bother me not having it while I was reading. I typically do not pick up story collections, but The Shore may have me changing my preferences. Simply put, I stand with my original description...stunning. I'm still savoring and mulling and basking in the experience. (less)A beautifully written series of vignettes that weave in and out of the characters' lives. I love debut novels and this is a special treat!
Annie P. (Murrells Inlet, SC)
The Shore by Sara Taylor
This may be one of the strangest books I have ever read! At first I thought I'd never make it through, but the more I read the more fascinated I became. Trying to follow all the characters was not easy at first, but the rhythm of the story finally caught me and it all came together. Taylor's use of language is stunning – she sings this story together! She has created a weird menagerie and connected them all in a crazy quilt design. The time span from 1885 to 2143, not in chronological order, isn't confusing at all – once the rhythm catches you. The Shore is populated by characters that when you meet them, you
…more hear those banjos playing and wonder how many places there are that hatch such oddballs. They do latch on to you and get under your skin, and you have to keep reading. The last chapter is unto itself, written in a local patois or vernacular that is scary as all get-out. I enjoyed this book very much, and hope to see a lot more from Sara Taylor. (less)I enjoyed reading this book as it is well written. The chapters are a study of a few families in a small town on the eastern shore. Each chapter could stand on its own as a short story.
The chapters are not linear. The timeline or lack of time line, troubled me somewhat in keeping track of the relationships. The final version, it seems,will contain a family tree that may make it easier to follow.
As the book jumps from decade to decade and to different points of view, the stories highlight how decisions of the past help to dictate the future. I did think that the two episodes taking place in the future could have
…more been a separate book of science fiction. The two did reveal the themes of isolation as both a good and bad attribute of the little town, and that people will "cook" whatever is necessary to survive, be it meth or moonshine.
I live near the eastern shore and love the area. One disappointment for me was that the bounty and beauty of the area rarely surfaced in the storytelling. Only in the last chapter would someone not familiar with the area understand its value.
None of the concerns above, however, would prevent me from reading the next book by this first time author. She has a lot to offer and I look forward to enjoying her work again. (less)I found 'The Shore' very hard to get into. I finally ended up taking notes to try and keep everyone organized in my mind. Many of these chapters made me very sad and uncomfortable but this may have been my own emotional baggage coming to light. I did like Ms. Taylor's descriptions of the islands, they became one of the main characters in the novel. I finished wondering what my own little piece of land will be like 200 years from now. And what is it's history?
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