Rating: 
Summary: Not in the same league with 'Rebecca'
Review: "starcloud 99": you were _not_ the only reader who did not enjoy this, in my opinion, highly overrated book. I too found the comparison to 'Rebecca' completely misleading. I'm also in profound disagreement with an editorial reviewer who described this book as "ruthlessly funny." Rather than finding the book funny, I thought it was relentlessly downbeat, featuring a cast of characters who, for the most part, live pathetically pointless lives. I was unable to connect to any of the characters, leaving me frustrated and unmoved by the story's end. The cleverest thing about the book was the way the author inexorably brought together the seemingly unrelated characters. Unfortunately, by the book's end, I didn't find this clever device to be sufficient compensation for having spent all that time learning about a mostly disagreeable cast of characters. This book left me disappointed and vaguely depressed.
Rating: 
Summary: ANOTHER FINE NOVEL FROM A NEW FAVORITE...
Review: After reading THE MISSING WORLD, I am now firmly entrenched as a fan of this fine writer. Livesey's characters are absolutely superb -- each with their own very believable and thoroughly developed idiosyncracies -- and, as in her other novels, she sets each of their stories in careful and deliberate motion before weaving their paths together.The main player here is Jonathan -- not a very likable bloke, very manipulative. He has botched his relationship with his girlfriend Hazel by an infidelity that sends her packing in anger to a place of her own. A stroke of misfoetune for her -- and, as he comes to see it, a stroke of luck for himself -- gives him a rare opportunity to erase the past and re-write it in his favor. At least, that's what he tries to do -- his success or failure I'll leave open to the potential reader. The suspense in Livesey's work is amazingly palpable -- and this novel is no exception. Thankfully, she's smart enough -- and respects her readers' intelligence enough -- not to allow herself to produce predictable plot twists or endings. In writing the character of Jonathan, the author is exceptionally adept at getting us right into his head, his thought processes. We can hear how he not only deceives those around him, and plots to do so from minute to minute -- we can hear him deceiving himself. The insights she paints into his visions of violence against those who might blow his schemes out of the water are chilling as well. There are lessons here about the mistakes we make in our lives and what we should attempt to do about them -- all wrapped up in a very entertaining, skillfully developed and brilliantly conceived story. I still like EVA MOVES THE FURNITURE the best of what I've read of her works -- but everything I've read by her is first-rate.
Rating:
Summary: Her third novel was well worth the wait.
Review: Again, Livesey displays her mastery of writing with multiple points of view. The immediate and urgent beginning with Hazel's brain seizure and Jonathan's frantic drive to rescue her at once drew me in. One of the things I like the most about this book, indeed about Livesey's style, is how she portrays psychological detail so accurately that I forget I am reading a book. At first I found myself cheering for Jonathan, but as the plot unfolded, I grew to detest him. He reminds me so much of the slimy Kenneth--a character in her previous novel, Criminals. The drama surrounding Charlotte also was interesting, but I was most involved in Hazel's missing memory and what the characters were doing about it. With every page, the tension continued to build, constantly drawing me closer and yet frustrating me with the torturous psychological suspense. One problem I had was that the shifts in point of view were sometimes too abrupt (my own reading could be at fault, though). Another doubt I had was how similar this book was to her previous novel; I guess the way everyone converges at the ending made me think of the similar scene at Mill of Fortune in Criminals. The final moments of each book are focused on the bad guys: in Criminals, Kenneth is at the phone in the Blind Beggar, trying, perhaps, to get money in another scheme; in The Missing World, Jonathan is pondering his next move in his obsession with Hazel. The similar endings make me wonder if the author stayed too closely to what worked for her before. I'm really not sure if I'm right about this--it's just something that occurs to me when I think about the book. The writing is outstanding; her craft and technique magically wonderful. p.s. If you can find her first novel, Homework, buy it. It's outstanding, too.
Rating:
Summary: The Missing World
Review: Am I the only one who didn't like this novel? My friends and I had all recently read "Rebecca" somewhat together, and were looking for another novel for our book "club". When we found this one and saw that on the front cover it said "a modern day 'Rebecca'", we immediately bought it. I was severely dissapointed. The writing is well rounded, but it just did not hold my attention. I went through about 71 pages and I just couldn't read any more. The story bounced around between 6 or so different characters, and I just couldn't keep track of them all. It turned out my friends had the same opinion I did. None of us got through Chapter 6. I'm glad others enjoyed it. *S*
Rating: 
Summary: I Must Be Missing Something
Review: I am with you - I got to page 70 and had to put this book down. I tried to get through it -- but it lost me. Very disapointing for $ 35 Cdn.
Rating:
Summary: missing world and missing a lot more...
Review: I found this book very dull and ordinary...nothing special. I did'nt even like the characters, they were boring and I felt very distant from them.
This scenario had so much potential... a car accident, loss of memory, en ex-boyfriend...but unfortunatly the plot just did'nt thicken... I can't even say it was predictable because there was'nt much going on. Too many details of unimportant events and tiresome people and not enough intrigue or mystery for it to be a page turner. I had a hard time even reading it to the end.
I found the cover design and the synopsis to be more fascinating than the story itself therefore I give it one star (*).
I can't honestly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: Second Chances Gone Awry
Review: The brilliant idea behind this novel is the idea of "second chances" to right the wrongs one has committed, and who doesn't want to get a second chance tossed his or her way once in a while? So I began this book somehow pulling for Jonathan who is hoping to make ammends after the disasterous breakup with his girlfriend Hazel - who P.S. - has amnesia after an accident and can't remember that they are finished. Then Margot Livesey so deftly and eerily twists the story, and the character of Jonathan is gradually unpeeled, layer after layer, until we want to leap into the pages to rescue Hazel. The other characters surrounding Hazel and Jonathan are just as fascinating and disturbing, one of my favorites being Charlotte, an out-of-work actress with a magnificent heart that gets trampled upon constantly, whether it's by her unforgiving sister, Nurse Bernie, or her louse of a boyfriend. The Missing World really is a stunning read and quite impossible to put down.
Rating:
Summary: Superb Novel
Review: The Missing World is a wonderful blend of psychological thriller and Iris Murdoch-type novel that I completely enjoyed. Hazel has been hit by a car and is beset by a series of seizures. Her memory of the last three years has vanished and, because of the seizures, in walks Jonathan, an old lover, who by virtue of Hazel's memory loss, Hazel believes to be her current lover. He takes complete advantage of the memory loss and little by little, Livesey reveals what it is exactly that Hazel has forgotten. Let's just leave it at Jonathan is not a very nice person. At the beginning of the novel, Livesey also introduces two other characters who have yet to meet Hazel, but who ultimately play an important role in Hazel's life with Jonathan--Freddie, an American expatriate roofer in search of someone to love and someone to save and Charlotte, an unemployed actress in search of somewhere to live. Livesey ultimately brings all three lives together in a fascinating way. The Missing World is a well told story that will keep you wondering how it will turn out. Enjoy
Rating:
Summary: Superb Novel
Review: The Missing World is a wonderful blend of psychological thriller and Iris Murdoch-type novel that I completely enjoyed. Hazel has been hit by a car and is beset by a series of seizures. Her memory of the last three years has vanished and, because of the seizures, in walks Jonathan, an old lover, who by virtue of Hazel's memory loss, Hazel believes to be her current lover. He takes complete advantage of the memory loss and little by little, Livesey reveals what it is exactly that Hazel has forgotten. Let's just leave it at Jonathan is not a very nice person. At the beginning of the novel, Livesey also introduces two other characters who have yet to meet Hazel, but who ultimately play an important role in Hazel's life with Jonathan--Freddie, an American expatriate roofer in search of someone to love and someone to save and Charlotte, an unemployed actress in search of somewhere to live. Livesey ultimately brings all three lives together in a fascinating way. The Missing World is a well told story that will keep you wondering how it will turn out. Enjoy
Rating: 
Summary: And What If I Don't Care Who Wins?
Review: The writing is top notch, the plot is intriguing and it moves along fairly well. So what is the problem? I don't care what happens to any of the characters. Just when I think I can really pull for something good to happen, the author slips in another serious character flaw. I am glad I read it but when it ended with none of their life situations resolved, I found that I really didn't care.
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