Terminal Velocity

Rating:
Summary: Exceptional
Review: "Terminal Velocity" is a brilliant mix...hysterical lines, precocious characters, soul wrenching emotions. I've read it at least 5 times, and I have never had a book affect me so deeply. The truth in the plot and experiences becomes evident through eloquent writing, unbelievable experiences, and almost tangible characters. And beyond all that, the book has the capability to make one feel as if the author is actually intending to bring out your deepest desires and strongest fears! Unforgettable book, to say the least.

Rating:
Summary: Exceptional
Review: Blanch McCrary Boyd's new outing seemed like a fun little vacation lark when I ordered it from Amazon.com. Let's see, radical lesbians in a commune in the wild and wacky 70s--what a potential ride. As it turned out, I got far more than I'd bargained for. Boyd's novel is at once funny, sad, disturbing, and uplifting. What's more, she's stuffed it with a cast of fully-realized characters with the same uneven mix of virtues and foibles of folks you probably know (radical lesbians or not). At the end, I truly wished that I could have as much wisdom, compassion, acceptance and understanding for myself as Boyd does for her characters. Can't wait to read it again

Rating:
Summary: Interesting and Plot-Driven, but a Little Cheesy
Review: I actually purchased this book after reading all the Amazon reviews and was quite psyched to read it. The first couple of pages were a hoot and then it went down hill from there. What an absolute disappointment! Ellen's character was fully undevelopped and flat--why on earth did she do what did? Maybe I'm just not an avid enough drug-user to appreciate this story. Boring, boring, boring and the ending wasn't any better.

Rating:
Summary: zero velocity
Review: I actually purchased this book after reading all the Amazon reviews and was quite psyched to read it. The first couple of pages were a hoot and then it went down hill from there. What an absolute disappointment! Ellen's character was fully undevelopped and flat--why on earth did she do what did? Maybe I'm just not an avid enough drug-user to appreciate this story. Boring, boring, boring and the ending wasn't any better.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting and Plot-Driven, but a Little Cheesy
Review: I liked the idea and energy of this book. It never bored me, but I do feel the author fell prey to an easy, pat, aging-A.A. ending to write her way out of this book. I also think she romantically overstated the revolutionary power of sex and didn't explore in depth enough the many, many other reasons why women make the choices they do. That said, the characters were lively and intriguing, if one dimensional in motivation at times.