We are introduced to three couples, Erica and Oliver, a stuffy, precise couple; Clementine and Sam, a fun couple which includes a female cellist and their two adorable daughters; and Vid and Tiffany, rich neighbors of E&O who also have a daughter, Dakota. The book begins with Erica and Clementine, childhood friends who have an odd competitive, complicated history and the set-up includes mentions back to some event, a barbecue that has changed the course of these characters lives.
As we get further and further into the book the barbecue mystery deepens, takes shape, unravels, and then becomes clear again. I felt like this portion of the book took a bit too long and it seemed the author let the characters take on a bit too much - as in she allowed too many of them to have their own POV chapters that ended up feeling a bit unnecessary. So the first half of the book, first 60% really was a bit of a frustrating experience for me. While the last portion hit me on a pretty personal level, and having just finished it, is pushing me to give a 4-star rating, I have to recall again that the first part was so frustrating.
But again, Moriarty gives us such rich characters who are complex, and rather than become caricatures of themselves, she allows their past and their parenting and their influences to shape wonderfully flawed and human portraits. It's a pleasure to think about the characters and what they are going through and have them react to situations like real people, rather than two-dimensional figures pushing forward a plot point.
3.5/5 Stars..
No comments:
Post a Comment