Movies •Books •Music •Food •Tv Shows •Technology •Politics •Video Games •Parenting •Fashion •Green Living •more >

Lunch » Tags » Books » Reviews » The Lace Reader: A Novel

The Lace Reader: A Novel

5 Ratings: 3.6

A book by Brunonia Barry

Amazon Best of the Month, August 2008: Brunonia Barry dreamt she saw a prophecy in a piece of lace, a vision so potent she spun it into a novel. The Lace Reader retains the strange magic of a vivid dream, though Barry's portrayal of modern-day Salem, … see full wiki

Tags: Books, Cafe Libri, Mystery Books, Thriller Books, Suspense Books, Massachusetts Fiction

Author: Brunonia Barry

Genre: Mystery

Publisher: William Morrow

5 reviews about The Lace Reader: A Novel

Showing 1-5 of 5

Sort by:

review by tanyarenea. August 10, 2010

posted in Cafe Libri: Reviewing Books & More

One of my faves

I'm captivated by the story of Salem, Massachusetts, its witch trials, and old secrets. I think that's what attracted me to the novel in the first place, as well as the name. I had not heard of reading lace, and found the concept intriguing. So glad that I made the choice to read, as it has become one of my favorites. Towner Whitney returns to Salem after the disappearance of her Aunt Eva, her former guardian and dear friend. While there, she tries to unravel the … more

Comments (1) Compliments (5)

review by Lynn_Harnett. August 12, 2008

Witchy story has dreamlike but disjointed feel

Salem witchery, fortune telling, mind reading and old secrets - what's not to like? In addition to the tantalizing plot material, this book has been getting a lot of rags-to-riches type hype: first time author self publishes and strikes it rich with a mainstream publisher and international excitement. And truth be told, it's an entertaining, atmospheric story, with its rocky coast, island recluses, handsome cop and old families. Narrator Towner Whitney … more

Comment Compliment

review by katknit. August 06, 2008

Are you a good witch or a bad witch?

Brunonia Barry's impressive debut novel is not set in Kansas, but in Salem, MA, forever infamous as the home of witches and other "crazies". The site of the tragic trials in 1692 is like no other town in the US. Setting her story of a mentally unbalanced young woman in Salem was a brilliant choice, because its foggy, mystical elements are more easily accepted against that most eccentric of backgrounds. Protagonist Towner (Sophya) Whitney starts telling us her biographical … more

Comment Compliment

review by frankiethek. July 23, 2008

A disappointment

I really looked forward to reading this book. The excerpts from the reviews were ecstatic in its praise, and the little blurb about the book was intriguing. Unfortunately, I really did not enjoy this work. It's difficult to take a book seriously when the narrator is named Towner and her brother is called Beezer (this is not "to Kill A Mockingbird after all). Reading through this book was like swimming in molasses! It took an ungodly amount of time for the plot(?) to kick in, and by then I had just … more

Comment Compliment

review by quinncx. July 16, 2008

Haunting novel of loss and self-discovery

Barely out of the hospital in CA, recovering from life-saving surgery, Towner Whitney is called home to Salem MA because her great-aunt Eva is missing. Towner reluctantly returns to the town she abandoned after the death of her twin sister, only to discover her great-aunt is dead. As Towner and others grapple with their belief that her uncle Cal is to blame for Eva's death, events in town escalate toward further violence. Towner herself starts to unravel as the secret of her past are brought to … more

Comment Compliment

What's your opinion on The Lace Reader: A Novel?

rate