Undercurrents

Rating:
Summary: Boring, dull, sleep-inducing, dreadful...
Review: Frankly, the only reason I ever finished this one is because, regrettably, it was on my mystery reading group's list. Unfortunately, the mystery never took off, and the book never excited any suspense or even interest in the characters or the outcome.

The first 80 pages were utter torture, as the book built way too slowly and indulged in long-winded prose which was "English" in the worst way: stuffy, pretentious, with self-conscious attempts at the literary. The next 120 pages "seemed" to pick up some pace, at least by comparison to the torture endured up to that point. Finally, the book relapsed into the positively coma inducing. Of course, by then the only readers who would not guess the outcome were those of us too lethargic to even try.

The character portraits were also fairly dull. According to an interview, the author believes that she has a good grasp on writing male characters. Sad to say, that is not so! Men appear to be all lethargic, impotent (physically, emtionally and relationally) or plain confused. They wind their way in and out of the plot as mere drones and bystanders in even their own lives. Henry, the male protagonist, sleep-walks through the book, another character desparately tries to score Viagra and (admittedly, one comic moment in this mess) overdoses on it. The most sympathetic and fully formed characters are a fussy middle-aged homosexual "couple" making an attempt at faux domesticity. The lesson, girls: if you want anything done, you better do it yourself involving men as little as possible.

Generally, I find mysteries to be their own reward. Even in the lesser attempts, there's typically something redeeming to be found. With this one, I'm still looking...

Rating:
Summary: No Depth to Characters!
Review: The characters lacked so much depth to the point that this book read like a teenage mystery novel. I could hardly stand to continue reading. The conclusion was not chilling or psychologically stunning in any way. I will only give the author credit for 1) her talent in building atmosphere or setting and 2) her vocabulary. Otherwise, I felt that I was reading the script of a highschool play rather than what was supposed to be a mature mystery novel. It really missed the mark.

Rating:
Summary: The editorial reviews know best!
Review: This book is way, way better than the readers' reviews here suggest. It is beatifully written with unique characters, rich and captivating atmosphere, striking observations, and some moments that make you laugh out loud. I did figure out the mystery partway through but had to keep reading to be sure, and there was one big surprise I never saw coming at the end. The beginning is mezmerizing and intriguing, not sleep-inducing or dreadful as one reader suggests, and I didn't even notice the swearing. Far, far above the norm, especially in the elegance (as so many critics said) of the writing and the emotions it evokes.