Initially, I was really "into" this book but by the middle I was dragging myself through. All the old hollywood movie references were a bit much for me. They made it seem like the author was trying too hard.

I must say I fell in love with the main character Cornelia. I could never really picture her in my mind but I could relate to her in so many ways. I want a friend like Linny. I would love for Ms. De Los Santos to develop the character of Linny for a novel.

The themes of finding love in the most perculiar places and family were very enjoyable. I know that Cornelia rescuing Clare was noble and all but it was so out of place for me. I won't give any spoilers but the death (the first one) that occurred was certainly a twist that could have been left out. I had to really work my way through this one but the ending was worth it. ( )

I'll remember details about these characters long after I've forgotten everything about the plot. And in the end, it's those little pieces of detail that make the characters real and loveable. ( )

I'll remember details about these characters long after I've forgotten everything about the plot. And in the end, it's those little pieces of detail that make the characters real and loveable. ( )

I'll remember details about these characters long after I've forgotten everything about the plot. And in the end, it's those little pieces of detail that make the characters real and loveable. ( )

Review: September 29, 2009
Edition: 2006 printing (0-452-28789-8)
Pages: 307
Overall Rating: 4/5 [Good]
Synopsis: Cornelia is falling in love with Martin Grace, a man who seems straight from a classic 40s romance film: he's elegant, charming, handsome, and witty. But his emotional distance worries her, and as she sets about figuring him out, in comes eleven year old Clare---his daughter, whom he rarely sees and who has just been abandoned by her beautiful but flighty mother. While Cornelia's relationship with Martin struggles, she warms up to Clare and takes her into her life.
Strengths: Beautiful writing, well-written main characters.
Weaknesses: Sometimes odd pacing, occasionally repetitive, minor plot problems.
Further Review: My favorite part of this book is the poetic and readable way in which it's written. There are plenty of little paragraphs in the book that are really very pretty, and it's my belief that if another author had written this I wouldn't have enjoyed it at all. The beauty of the style is that it's simple and stylish by its greatest parts, and then it's spotted with occasional descriptions or particular wordings that just ring out beautifully or have some nicely unique flavor to them, so that they stay with the reader for a long time---this is so much more interesting than books that are overdone, because it highlights the beauty of certain passages.
We talked and talked and talked. Maybe love comes in at the eyes, but not nearly as much as it comes in at the ears, at least in my experience. As we talked, lights flicked on inside my head; by the end of the night, I was a planetarium.
Clare and Cornelia, the two main characters, are well-nuanced and have a reasonable depth to them; they aren't blindly lifted out of stereotypes, but have believable quirks. I really enjoyed reading about them and watching their relationship take shape. Unfortunately, other characters aren't as well-developed and often seem flat; Martin Grace, for instance, feels like a cop-out and his whole story feels like a cop-out designed to aid the relationship between Clare and Cornelia. Teo also feels generic, as does Cornelia's friend Linny. Although they're one-dimensional, the characters are still pleasant and likable enough (except for Martin), and Cornelia's mother Ellie is actually my favorite character from the book.

The plot, while interesting, does not quite live up to its potential; late into the book, it begins to feel unnatural and it becomes solely a vehicle for the characters. This creates a lot of scenes where what happens to side characters feels forced or unreal, existing only to get the characters somewhere. I suppose what I'm trying to express it that it can be a little deus ex machina---it feels more like things are randomly put in there to move the story along, rather than characters behaving in a reactionary manner to what's happening to them. That said, it picks up again in the last few chapters, and the ending is satisfying. I'll admit that, like the girl I am, I was crying by the last pages.

As a side note, Marisa de los Santos also has a reading guide up on her website (available here) in which she answers a few questions on the book. ( )