The Deep End of the Ocean

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Summary: Realism is hard to take sometimes...
Review: Like many others, I read this book initially because of the publicity it received via Oprah. I wish I could say that I "enjoyed" this extrememly well-written novel, but I didn't. It was an absorbing, "real" story, almost too "real" to enjoy. The story of Beth and her family made me think about the ties that bind a family together, and how easily those ties can dissolve. When I read the reviews by other readers, I was disheartened...it would seem that we are so anethesitized by the "movie of the week" with the happy ending coming just before bedtime, that we are unhappy reading a novel that depicted fictional characters' all too real reactions to real horror. The Deep End of the Ocean definitely touched a nerve with me. I would recommend it highly, and will look forward to the authors next book

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Summary: Abhorred it!
Review: I was so excited when my copy of "Deep End" finally came from the library - I'd been on the waiting list for two months due to it's popularity. As a parent of a toddler, the mere thought of my child being abducted is horrifying but that was the only part of the book that made me feel anything but sheer apathy. Beth was an entirely un-likeable character and I agreed with her self-pitying statements about herself being a bad parent and mother. Vincent was lucky to have been raised by someone other than her. We were scheduled to read this book for my book group but, after a few of us "previewed" it, we decided to omit it from the reading list and move ahead to Richard Ford's "Independence Day" and were all glad that we did

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Summary: The aftermath of a family tragedy explored
Review: After all the hype, I expected something more immediately compelling. After the initial drama of Ben's abduction, I found myself wanting to get through the book rather than savor it. However, unlike others who thought the book started strong and then dropped off, I found Part Two of the book much more compelling than Part One. Part One seemed a bit tiring to me, but things picked up speed with Part Two. When the mysteries of Ben's disappearance started to unravel, the suspense piqued my curiosity and kept me reading. As the story unfolded, I was amazed to see how cleverly the author had dropped clues without making them obvious to the reader. While reading Part Two, I turned back to Part One about eight different times to reread parts with my new understanding, and marveled at all the foreshadowing I had read right over, assuming for various reasons that it could not be true foreshadowing (the timeline of the book, for instance, led me to believe certain early clues were probably meaningless). Readers who skipped paragraphs or chapters, as mentioned in some of the other reviews, would miss much of what makes the book work. The book does not have an unhappy ending, but not a pat, happy one either--the author realizes nothing is cut & dried in a family that has suffered like the Cappadoras, and learning to live through uncertainty and pain is basically what the book examines. Though parts of the books seemed to drag and I didn't always like the characters, I enjoyed the book overall, & snatches of it will stick with me for a long time

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Summary: This Book Just Does Not Click
Review: You know how you get into the "rhythm" of book and you just devour it? This book is so laboring and plodding, that it never clicked for me. The previous poster skipped whole paragraphs, I skipped whole chapters. I think if Oprah recommends a book, it is a pot of gold for the author, but the kiss of death for us readers. Remember how she went on about "Bridges of Madison County". That book, was horrible, too. I think Oprah likes books where a woman in the book is having deep feelings about herself and her life, etc. She needs to broaden the topic of her book club!

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Summary: Why is everyone going of the "deep end" for DEEP END?
Review: I agree with Glee, a previous reviewer who was not impressed by "The Deep End of the Ocean". Just finished reading the book having succumbed to newspaper reviews of Oprah's Book Club and her book selections. This one is OK, but not GREAT! I hope "Song of Solomon" and "The Book of Ruth" are much better

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Summary: I skipped whole paragraphs
Review: This book is okay, but often she jumps from current to a past occurence very frequently. One page, referred to something that had happened three different time periods in her life. Sorta rambling. If this hadn't been on Oprah, I never would have started it.....

Rating:
Summary: Didn't hold my interest
Review: I must admit, I did not finish this book, but it certainly did nothing to hold my interest. It's extremely rare that I read any fiction at all, unless it happens to come highly touted. In this case, I saw the review on Oprah's show and thought it could be interesting. No such luck here! My genre is mostly historical and cultural and I feel this book is mostly superficial fodder and not worth the read, sorry

Rating:
Summary: Compelling, realistic human drama
Review: We'd all like to believe in a fairy-tale world, where families are always brought closer together through tragedy and husbands ultimately come through with great understanding of their wives' responses to unfathomable tragedy. However, as we witness through "Deep End", the sad reality is that tragedy can deeply divide families and, saddest of all, children like Vincent, become the most harmed victims of all. "Deep End of the Ocean" is compelling,.. and so real in the minuetest detail of human emotion that you feel you've lived those 10 years with Beth; and, aged as she within the silent agony that was her prison! Masterfully written

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Summary: Excellent psychological thriller
Review: This book caused me to stay up way too late three nights in a row because I could not put it down. Maybe it is because I am a mother, of a red-headed toddler in fact, but I was swept away by this story. In fact, it is so involving that I recommend that one not embark on it lightly: you'll miss your bus stop. The author does a brilliant job of portraying the conflicting feelings of motherhood. Yet I would describe it as a thriller, due to her ability to retain suspense

Rating:
Summary: Don't believe the hype
Review: It was saved from yawnsville with its twist, but pull outthe No-Doz for the entirely predictable finale. I applaudOprah's motives with her on-air "book club" (and, I mustadmit, I had already read Song of Solomon and The Book ofRuth, but the publicity surrounding Oprah put me on tothis one) but the novel was no more than a mildly entertainingbeach read and was quite disappointing