Body Surfing: A Novel @ richardeward.com

Body Surfing: A Novel
by Anita Shreve
from Back Bay Books

Customer Reviews:

• Avg. Customer Rating: 3.0 / 5.0

• Disjointed and Unrealistic
  This was my first Anita Shreve book and I have to say I am not impressed.
  As soon as I started reading it I got distracted by the writing style. It seemed more like a string of consciousness then a plotted out story. There were not clear transitions, beyond the large spaces in between blurbs of text.
  Once you got used to the odd style, the story was actaully interesting to follow, seeing the outsiders perspective on this tense family dynamic. The relationship that develops between Sydney and Jeff... more info

• Least Favorite of them all
  While I am a huge fan of her work and have read all of her books this was absolutely my least favorite. It took awhile for me to get into and once I did I felt sort of cheated with the end. I completed the book so it wasn't all bad, but it wasn't the greatest.

• Surfing Into Conflict
  This was a good book but not as good as other novels by Shreve that I have enjoyed. It is still a fairly quick read and good for passing some time.
  The basic plot is straightforward - a family hires a tutor (Sydney) for their daughter, and there are two older brothers which sets up the some of the main portions of the book. Then there are are other issues such as the conflict between Sydney and the mother of the family.
  Eventually the book does wind up being satisfying reading even if it is not... more info

• Surfing between 3 and 4 stars
  Anita Shreve comes through once again with an emotional and involving look at interpersonal relationships. Body Surfing tells the story of Sydney, a young woman who takes a summer tutoring job to get off the emotional roller coaster of her life for a bit. At the tender age of 29 she's been divorced from her first husband and widowed by her second. Tutoring sweet but slow Julie at her parents sea side vacation home seems like just the calming ticket to Sydney, and it is, until Julie's two brother's show up.... more info

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