Lyrical prose highlights a sadly beautiful story
Rating:
4 / 5
The main character of this book, Rita, has experienced many losses in her 30-something years: the loss of her beloved grandmother to cancer, the loss of her infuriating older sister to a cummune, the loss of her childhood home and the town where she grew up, and finally, the loss of her marriage and related hopes for a child. Despite all this, she sees herself as a healer, and when she meets John, a lost soul, she sets out to save him. John tells Rita his "only story," his own tale of love and loss. Rita sets out on a mission to give John his life back, but somewhere along the way, she discovers that she is trying to save herself as well. Eventually, Rita makes the decision to sacrifice her own dreams in order to grant the wish of the enchanting little girl who holds the key to John's salvation.Wood's book is beautifully written, even haunting at times; Rita's yearnings will stir up your own emotions, moving you to both anger and tears. The story is rich with originality, and the ending provides a conclusion that is both happy and sad. The one thing that prevented me from giving the book 5 stars was the transformation of Rita's character. When we first meet her, Rita is portrayed as a quirky, strong survivor type with a good head on her shoulders; there is something clearly mystical about her as well. Over the course of the story, however, Rita starts to become needy, selfish, and even a bit unhinged. Of course, this metamorphosis is partly in service of the plot, and by the end of the book, Rita is her old self again; I just found the changes to be a bit too much out-of character. However, this a minor flaw, and it does not detract from the fact that My Only Story is a rich, rewarding read.
This book is a treasure
Rating:
5 / 5
My Only Story is an enchanting book. Wood's mastery of the language creates beautiful, sometimes poetic prose. I fell in love with her characters, who were all engaging and winsome. Even the "bad guys" were compelling, fully realized, struggling with their own devils while hurting the protagonists. The ending was inevitable and believable, and I was sorry to say goodbye to the characters.Wood's ability to express both human pain and human hope is very refreshing. I look forward to reading every word she writes from now on. Also, I strongly recommend her other novel, Secret Language.
a beautiful story
Rating:
5 / 5
heartfelt and beautifully written, Ms.Woods characters are endearing and familiar. We can only hope that this is not her "Only Story" as my shelves could use more books like this one.
|