Rating: 
Summary: Failed potential
Review: The Cure for Death by Lightning has so much potential that, for me, is never fulfilled. What a great start! The writing, the imagery, the rhythms, the characters all sucked me into the vortex that was a languid small town in British Columbia in WW II. But then, such a letdown! It seems that the Gail Anderson-Dargatz tried so hard to create unusual and interesting characters that she forgot what to do with them. According to the jacket blurb of the copy that I have, The Cure for Death by Lightning was prompted by a short story the author had written earlier. And I think here is the problem. She tries to stretch a good short story into a novel, thereby leaving it somewhat threadbare.
Rating: 
Summary: The cure for boredom!
Review: This book is wonderful... The author uses detailed imagery which made me feel as though I was in the thick of the story itself, watching close-by. Like that of the previous reviewer, while I read each page, it felt as though something significant and terrible was on the cusp of occurring. An enjoyable read, The Cure For Death By Lightning will guide you into the rural British Columbia setting and life of fifteen year old, Beth Weeks, a girl who struggles to live a normal life. this proves to be tough, with a father who hasn't been the same since 'the bear incident'; An old-fashioned mother who is undeniably the thread who keeps Beth's father from completely losing it; The neighbors and kids who won't let Beth and her family forget their troubles... and a host of other characters who help make this the heart-felt and compelling read this is.
Rating: 
Summary: An explicit and sensitive portrait
Review: this book succeeds in showing how a neglected adolescent, starved for love and for admiration, as well as for intellectual stimulation, can easily go for attractions that are only mildly satisfying and certainly short-lived. Beth, a young & sensitive girl, is stimulated by nature, in love with life, yet prevented from experiencing what attracts her as her father forbids any kind of pleasure, scares her by being abusive sexually and otherwise, and her mother is secretive, not defending her, nor explaining life to her. Beth, being in love with love, goes for a girl who provides her with warmth, with excitement, with the life and the love she so badly needs. The author succeeds in showing all the subtlety of such relationships, which so often occur to girls afraid of experiencing "boys" yet always end up so unsatisfying. The complexity of a family stuck in an abusive relationship are also well portrayed. An excellent, if emotionally difficult (what else are novels for?) novel, which aids in understanding and provides many memorable characters.
Rating:
Summary: page turning, will get you pressing violets into your books
Review: This book was handed to me by a friend, when I asked for something good to read. I loved every chapter in this book. The suspence kepts you reading till the morning, and the imagery and romance of the tale will make you press violets into the pages of your textbooks. A wonderful read, with fantastic imagery of the way life used to be not so long ago. The tale infiltrates into your mind, changing the way you look at the world around you. Delicate topics are addressed through the formative discoveries of a young girl, where judgement is reserved and experience is revered. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a tale of life. I have also bought a copy for myself so that I can pass it around to other friends.
Rating:
Summary: I enjoyed this very captivating book.
Review: This book was nicely written and had a lot of various twists that kept me entertained. The storyline and characters were very well thought out and interesting. I would recommend this book to others.
Rating:
Summary: Is she or isn't she?
Review: This is an excellent portrayal of a young girl's coming-of-age. All aspects of her character are dealt with: psychological, physical, and social. Beth's relationship with Nora, and the end of the story, beg the question "is she a lesbian or isn't she?" This reviewer takes exception to the ALA's review (first on this page), which states that Nora is emotionally disturbed. Is this yet another way for the "het" world to imply that being gay is tantamount to being emotionally disturbed? The reviewer should have qualified her use of the phrase "emotionally disturbed." An excellent book, highly recommended to all. We look forward to more work by this Canadian author. Part of the book's excellence lies in the fact that the reader continues thinking and wondering about the ending, long after the cover has been closed.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful first novel.
Review: This novel first attracted me by its catchy title, and kept me reading with the intriguing story of a girl's life on a farm in BC. Weaved in with the story of her family and friends/lovers are Native myths which captivate the residents of the community, and the reader. A must read.
Rating:
Summary: (3.5)Clear and resonant prose, exceptional moments.....
Review: This small novel could be a simple coming-of-age story. Or it could be a more complex structure of Canadian farm life, circa WWII, a small town, reservation Indians and common prejudice, nature's random cruelties and the vagaries of family dynamics.The Weeks family depends upon one another for all their needs, in a daily battle for survival, caring for sheep and cows, planting fields, and other continuous farm chores, with the help of two hired hands. At a time when most young men have enlisted, the Weeks farms is envied, their son still at home, as well as two young Indian field workers, also of recruitment age. Nearby farms are plagued by marauding coyotes, as well as another "coyote", an animal, according to local lore, that inhabits weak men, causing brutal and barbarous acts against innocent victims, often helpless children. Whether this is fact or rumor, remains a mystery, and no easy explanation is suggested. Further complicating the churning sense of physical and mental exhaustion of farm life is an escalating boundary feud between Beth Week's father and a neighbor, "the Swede". Beth confronts her own demons and sexual awakening, and discovers an inner core of strength, gleaned from her mother's own stolid self-reliance, a more defined sense of self. Eventually Beth fights off her father's unwanted attentions, and turns her frustration and hate for him into self-determination. He loses the power to stalk her days and nights, as does the frightening specter of the "coyote", a metaphor for the unknown fears we each carry in our hearts, and she resolves to face her fears, refusing intimidation. Some passages actually reminded me of the blunt honesty in To Kill A Mockingbird, recalling the ability children have to look at things (fears) straight on, unflinching. I felt a vague air of threat following me while I read; I found myself anticipating something, on alert. This particular sense added to the flavor of the novel, a kind of edginess I don't often find.
|
