The Deep End of the Ocean

Rating:
Summary: Intensely absorbing opening shifts into wallowing self-pity
Review: Initial reviews of "Deep End of the Ocean" lavishly praised the provocative situation - a child abduction - and the entire family's subsequent nightmare of not knowing what had become of their child. Over time, the family literally comes apart, slowly, inexorably. I found the shifts in point- of-view disconcerting - from Beth the angry, guiltridden, nearly catatonic, bereaved(?) mother to Sam the workaholic father, to Vincent, the sullen teenager brother, and back. The opening sequence with Beth's panic-stricken anguish is riveting. The book, however, drags after the opening scenes and the family drifts into lethargy and dissolution. It's amazing the father holds his side of the family together and continues to support Beth. The son Vicent could be any teenager but with a more significant reason for his angst. The younger daughter is undeveloped. Perhaps, from a man's viewpoint, I was disappointed that the "spin" near the end of the book didn't live up to expectations. It's truthful in revealing that men handle tragedy, no less deeply, but differently then women. I too, slowly devoured this book, partially because after the opening highlight, it moves so slowly forward. I will give "Deep End" credit: it is more of a character study of an American family in crisis than a suspense thriller with a tidy ending. Mitchard has not opted for easy answers or easy characters and it's this feature that encourages thoughtful discussion.

Rating:
Summary: "Deeper" than one might think...
Review: I recently read & reviewed this book with my book discussion group. I was one of two in the group who has no children. I can't say I could begin to imagine what the loss of a child would feel like. I found myself completely intrigued with the older sibling, Vincent. I challenge those of you who've read this book (or are preparing to) to look closely at Vincent. How does his life impact those surrounding him? What was Vincent's relationship like with his mother? His father? With Ben? At what point did the Cappadora family actually begin to DEAL with their issues and WHY? The characters of Beth & Vincent are VERY deep, and VERY real. Mitchard's outstanding development and portrayal of these two people was pivotal to the story's success.

Rating:
Summary: A stunningly powerful effort
Review: A hair-raising and insightful look into the world of a family being ripped apart by forces seemingly beyond their control. The prose is elegant and understated imbued with powerful emotions. The characters spring to life very quickly and it is hard to resist the impulse to page forward in the book to see whether, and how, they survive this personal hurricane

Rating:
Summary: Beautifully, hauntingly written; a masterpiece.
Review: As the mother of a 3-year old, I would normally not come near a book like this; it is simply too difficult to handle. However, I had read several reviews that praised the skill of the author, so I felt compelled to "try it." It is full of wonderful analogies, and the sections that let you inside the mind of a teenager (the older brother who "lost" his 3-year old) are truly insightful. It is a hard book to read, not only because of the tragedy of an abducted 3-year old, but perhaps more so because of the way the abduction tore up the rest of the family for years after. Normally, I would read a book of this length in just a couple of days, but I found myself moving more slowly through it -- partly to savor her excellent prose, but also because it is so disturbing. Every time I spent a half hour with the book, I felt I had to put the book down and go check on my own precious son. It is a unique read

Rating:
Summary: Powerful, emotionally-charged family saga. . .
Review: This novel tells the story of the average American family living in the nightmare of an all too common phenomenon: child abduction. Three-year-old Ben disappears, and we as readers ache along with the family, desperate for any clue as to what has become of him, hoping that against all odds he will be found. When he isn't, we see how his family and those involved in the search for him are left to pick up the pieces and struggle to move on with life. This novel is so honest with its heartfelt, raw, not-so-pretty emotion that the reader cannot help but feel a part of the story, and when the circle is completed, we are are left with a new outlook on family dynamics in general, and on the role of the parent in particular. This is an outstanding book in its true emotional grit, honest to goodness story, and full, fleshed-out characters: people we feel we know, people we feel we are. Parents will come away from this novel with a much greater respect for their role in their children's lives. The movie rights to this one have been sold, and should the movie be as strong as the novel, it will be a blockbuster.

Rating:
Summary: The Deep End of the Ocean
Review: The Deep End of the Ocean was a provocative story of a mother's search for her son, kidnapped nearly a decade ago. Or was it? In the story, Beth, a seemingly well to do wife has a bit of a dark side. What with the loathing of her own children, and the stirred-up feelings of a past romance, she is definitely not the normal mommy. But all that changes when her middle child, Ben, is kidnapped during her high school reunion. She could have cared less who took him, but she realized that all she really wanted was her bubbly energetic four year old.
So what does it really take to make a mother realize that she loves and needs her family? The kidnapping of one of her children? It seemed as if that's what it really took for this woman in Jacquelyn Mitchard's story. Although it does break the mold of most mother's stories, and even though it was just a fictional character, it makes you wonder what levels has our society stooped to, to regret even having her children, her own flesh and blood. And the fact that the story was a bit long winded and repetitive made it one of my harder reads.
But even with the cons, the pros well outnumber that. Beth's newfound determination to find her son, never giving up hope, was spiritually uplifting. And with Vincent's struggle to find his own place in life and his family, this makes it a story to teens too.


Rating:
Summary: The potential was there, but she blew it
Review: This story began as a real gut-wrencher with a kidnapping and its devastating impact on the victimized family. However, it was difficult to ever sympathize with the mother because she came across as so selfish throughout the book. That could be forgiven, but the ending (which I will not give away) was so ridiculously implausible that it ruined the entire book. By that point the story had pretty much run out of steam anyway, so it would have been difficult for any ending to wrap things up satisfactorily. This book would have gone nowhere had it not been pimped by Oprah.

Rating:
Summary: Great story about a mother's biggest fear
Review: The Deep End of the Ocean (Oprah's Book Club) by Jacquelyn Mitchard - The Deep End of the Ocean imagines every mother's worst nightmare,the disappearance of a child,as it explores a family's struggle to live, even against extraordinary odds. Filled with compassion, humor, and brilliant observations about the texture of real life. This novel will touch readers' hearts. A must read. It compares to these other great reads: It compares to "Memoriors of a Geisha" by Arthur Golden, "I Know This Much is True" by Wally Lamb, "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood: A Novel" by Rebecca Wells; "She's Come Undone" by Wally Lamb, "When It Rains" by Marjorie Spoto, "Girl with a Pearl Earring" by Tracy Chevalier, "Mystic River" by Dennis Lehane. "Drowning Ruth" by CHRISTINA SCHWARZ and "The Josephine Bonaparte Collection: The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B., Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe, and The Last Great Dance on Earth" by Sandra Gulland A Must Read.

Rating:
Summary: Powerful, emotionally-charged family saga. .
Review: This novel tells the story of the average American family living in the nightmare of an all too common phenomenon: child abduction. Three-year-old Ben disappears, and we as readers ache along with the family, desperate for any clue as to what has become of him, hoping that against all odds he will be found. When he isn't, we see how his family and those involved in the search for him are left to pick up the pieces and struggle to move on with life. This novel is so honest with its heartfelt, raw, not-so-pretty emotion that the reader cannot help but feel a part of the story, and when the circle is completed, we are are left with a new outlook on family dynamics in general, and on the role of the parent in particular. This is an outstanding book in its true emotional grit, honest to goodness story, and full, fleshed-out characters: people we feel we know, people we feel we are. Parents will come away from this novel with a much greater respect for their role in their children's lives. The movie rights to this one have been sold, and should the movie be as strong as the novel, it will be a blockbuster.


Rating:
Summary: The real deap end
Review: Story focuses on a woman who has lost her child. She goes through a lot and looses even more in the meantime. Ending is very good and realistic. But the book is a bit slow at times.