Treasure Box

This OSC novel had been on my shelves for a while, as I tend to buy anything and everything by the man. He has so many types of writing, that I find myself forever intrigued by his style.

This is not his best horror (see Lost Boys for that), but it's still a fast-paced read.

My largest complaint about this novel would be the ending. Yes, I realize the main character deserves some happiness, and that he has learned some lessons about the way humans interact with one another, but...

The final pages were just too sweet for the rest of the book. The styles didn't match; I didn't feel the story reach the natural ending, which is one of the reasons I tend to love OSC. His wrap ups tend to feel perfect, with the correct mix of reward, lesson and show more questions. This was far from it. Too clichee, too plum, too oh-my-god-let-me-gag-now-and-get-it-over-with.

Still, there were definitely winning moments. The grand dame's character and interactions are among them.

All in all, an interesting read, which moves quickly. A new exploration of current day's witches is able to open doors that otherwise would be locked (yes, in the literal sense in the story and in the theoretical sense of themes). There were just some doors that I wish had been left alone toward the end. show less

Card makes his political leanings a little more overt in this book, probably because it's set in the year 1996, but he can be forgiven because he's given us such a riveting story. As a young boy, Quentin Fears wrestled with his parent's decision to pull the plug on his teenage sister after a car accident left her brain dead, and he's never really recovered. Now a millionaire with no real purpose, he is searching for some meaning in life. He meets Madeleine, who seems like the perfect woman, and very reminiscent of the deceased Lizzy, and quickly marries her. Unfortunately, Madeleine is on a quest for power that will take Quentin places he is not prepared to go, with a very supernatural twist, as it's not just political power the woman show more who seeks to control him is after.
I thought the character of Quentin was very well-developed, even though Quentin himself is not a very well-developed person. However, he does a lot of growing throughout the tale and becomes very dynamic. When the novel begins it's turn from rather ordinary tale of grief and loss into the realm of the metaphysical, it really gets intriguing. I ended up not being able to do anything but finish this book, ignoring friends at the bar, and my husband on a road trip until I reached the end. show less

When Quentin Fears was 10, his sister left this world, the victim of a car accident. Her death made him withdraw from this world too -- into books, away from people. By the time he reaches adulthood, Quentin has become a certifiable recluse, moving restlessly from town to town, investing the millions he's made as a software creator and avoiding companionship. It's odd but maybe inevitable that on a rare outing to a party he should meet his dream woman, Madeleine. She's witty and beautiful and as naive to the world's ways as he is, and they marry in a matter of weeks. Their relationship seems idyllic but for one thing -- Madeleine's multigenerational, cantankerous, eccentric family who all live in a rambling riverside mansion in upstate show more New York.

But poor family dynamics isn't all that's wrong with them. Beyond the squabbling, there's an ancient family secret to which Madeleine holds the key. Only Quentin can stop her from unleashing an ageless malevolence that will rule the world. But to do so, he must do what seems impossible -- step outside himself into the world he has avoided. He must learn friendship, trust, forgiveness and the courage to face down the ultimate evil. Joining Quentin in this epic confrontation is a splendidly quirky cast of heroes, villains and witches -- from a no-nonsense nurse with a dash of the romantic in her to a small-town sheriff whose affable exterior conceals a dangerous past to a 10-year-old girl named Roz whose malign powers are rivaled only by her smart mouth. show less

This felt more like Stephen King than like OSC, to be frank, but it was a good read. Mystery/ghosts/horror. I liked the main character. Some of the nice people around him don't end very well, but I also liked some of the ones that are left. I rather enjoyed myself.

This book was a pretty random read because I found it in a bookstore and had never heard of it before (which surprised me). It has been a while since I read a Card book, but I really thought that I had read most of them (except his more religious stuff). The book was fun to read but didn't have the best plot. I think it was more witty than logical, but it was still a lot of fun and I enjoyed it quite a bit. Also, the underlying message about romance with Madeleine and Sally was pretty interesting, so it's worth checking the book out if you feel like you just broke up with the perfect person... May set your perspective straight. It certainly brought plenty of thoughts about my life back to my mind.

Treasure Box is a fascinating supernatural thriller about a naive millionaire who meets and marries the love of his life, only to find that she is not what she seems. Card steps out of his usual SF/F genre and into horror. The first third sets the stage and during it, I began to wonder why I'm reading this book. In the middle, it shifts into weird moder, then at the end, a twist is revealed and you think OMG, not her/it?

Treasure Box by Orson Scott Card was ultimately a disappointment for me due to my own expectation- not necessarily the fault of the book itself. Orson is one of those "legendary" authors so I was expecting to be mindblown and disappointed when I wasn't. This book really deals with letting go of the trauma of your past and the dangers of introversion- "let go and go live" so to speak.
The story pulls you in with his sister in a coma and the battle between him and his parents over pulling the plug. It shows you the effects of this continuing into his adulthood- he closes out the world, is bitter, doesn't date really because no one would be as good as sister. The positive impact is that it allows him to be a workaholic and make show more millions...but soon he grows bored and leaves his field (computers). He soon thinks that life is long and maybe just maybe he should make an effort to connect with someone and find a wife. Long story short... he meets the PERFECT!!! woman at a D.C. party and shortly after (like 2 months) decides to marry her with no pre-nup. Things are good until she takes him home to meet her family whoe she warns him about... the creepiness ensues from here.
Overall- the book was often interesting but things just didn't flow together well and the ending was a bit silly and trite. I didn't feel this book really made a case for introverts getting out (although the tacked on ending tries to supoort that idea). It became predictable towards the middle and just was a bit of a let down for me. Honestly this isn't a book I'm going to keep (and I like to keep a LOT of my books on the idea I might read them again someday). I will try Orson Scott Card again though. show less