The Deep End of the Ocean (Oprah's Book Club)

Rating:
Summary: finding Hope
Review: Deep end of the ocean, brings characters alive though use of imagery. The description of losing her made me feel sad.I would have not given up on her with all the hope she had in finding her son and moving on with the family she had left to care for.Beth who tried to move on with her family had to deal with her son vincent who does try to act like the rebel. His mother tried to move on but was doing things to make him feel worse and make her cry and worry about her family more.Beth who tries every day to make her life better would try more things to get her mind off the time she left her son for a few moments. When she returned he was gone. Reading this book may build your self esteem in finding hope for yourself in the world.

Rating:
Summary: I liked it.
Review: I'm always amazed at how disparate all these reader reviews are. For the most part, I really liked this book. It was incredibly depressing for most of the novel and I suppose that really isn't great for reviews; however, though I've never lost a child, I can't imagine the experience could be any less painful and horrendous for a family than was depicted here. Beth's not very likeable because there really isn't much left of her after her child disappears. Though a few of the characters were a little over the top (Candy Bliss, Nick what's-his-name) I liked the story. I thought the ending was hopeful. The book had emotion, mystery, humor, struggle, plot, various points of view, a different premise, interesting resolution. I definitely think it's worth reading if you like to read. I laughed. I cried. I give it an 8.

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 nightmareof 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.