Deborah Robertson (1) (1959–)

No doubt but Robertson writes great characters. The people and their interactions leap off the page with authenticity and moving emotion. The book is worth reading for that alone.
Unfortunately, plot is not the book's strong suit. It follows a clever (I avoid the spoiler here) set up that diverts the reader from a later plot development between the main character and two others, but after that the plot seems to drain away to nothing. In the end, I felt a bit let down. No, actually I felt let show more down, a lot. Like many authors (note to self) Robertson pads her plot with lots of interesting side trips. These are for the most part quite interesting and worth the journey, but by the end, one feels the padding.
Still, for the depth of her characters, Robertson is worth reading. show less

This is the first book I've read from my box of winnings from last year, and I enjoyed it a lot. It follows a group of people who are all connected by this one artist, Adam Logan, who's designing a memorial for children. A lot of it's quite sad, but beautifully written, and the characters all seem really real. I was so pleased by the epilogue.

The more I read the more I loved it, and appreciated the restrained but lyrical quality of the writing. The plot moves in small but convincing ways. The characters are totally real. Wasn't quite happy about the way it ended, but would definitely recommend.

Traditional but engaging read about a 43-year-old man who wants a child but sees his chances passing him by. A nice twist on the female biological time clock issue. For my full review, please see Whispering Gums at: http://whisperinggums.wordpress.com/2012/05/23/deborah-robertson-sweet-old-world...