Matthew Thomas (1)

Oh, the disappointment. Eileen Leary, smart and ambitious, wants to climb up and out of her disappointing childhood , having enough of both her parents weakness and their lot in life. She marries a man who, unfortunately, does not share her aspirations. All three, husband, wife, and their son, fall victim to their own tragic shortcomings, and become alienated from each other. Drastic circumstances force them to reconsider their lives.
Towards the end, I became tired. I can't imagine being in Eileen's place. I think she wore out as well, and finally learned to look outside of her own dreams of wealth and social status.… (more)

The writing and the characters were wonderful. I just loved this book, but I was in tears many times. I didn't know the main premise of the book when I read it,so I don't want to state it here. I thought about the book last night after I finished it to the point that it kept me awake. Be warned!
If I was in my 20s or 30s I don't think I would have liked this book much. Not enough perspective (just speaking for myself). The book is character driven and if someone really is into plot, this isn't your book. I will reread this book in a few years and see what else it has to say.… (more)

I don't often give books a four-star rating unless they are really good. This one is. it is a quiet story, one that goes along, pulling you in and asking some big questions about who we are, and what makes us so, but does it in a subtle way. I am an admitted libramaniac, no sooner finishing one book than scanning my lists for the next one. Not that I am just after the conquest, I often will ponder a book in the process of reading it. It's just that there are so many to be read! And just not enough time.

Well, it's the next day, and I am still thinking about this one. I have seen other reviews that said it was slow, or that it didn't keep them interested. I was the opposite. I kept reading the next chapter after I should have stopped for the evening because I just wanted it to keep on. Even after it ended, I wanted to know what was going to happen to the characters.

Not wanting to give anything away, but towards the end, there is a letter from one character to another that should be read, if nothing else in the book is read. But then, if you hadn't read the rest of the book, it wouldn't mean nearly so much. I only wish that I had received a letter like that one.… (more)