A Wedding in December by Anita Shreve was not on my Fall Into Reading 2008 list, but the cover caught my eye at a bookstore, so I had to see what it was about. (Yes, I am one who judges books by their covers.)
Seven high school friends, now in their mid-40s, gather at an inn belonging to one of them for a winter wedding. The happy couple are two of their own who went their separate ways and have now reunited 25 years later. The group has not spoken to one another since graduation night when a terrible tragedy occurred. Now, at the inn, they must all faced what happened so many years ago, along with the demons and baggage they've collected along the years.
I don't typically read fiction, and now I remember why. I am always left saying, "Really...that was it?" Perhaps I build it up too much in my mind; perhaps my expectations are too lofty, but I often feel disappointed at the end. I get drawn in by the plot and the potential of the characters, as I was with Shreve's most recent book, but then I'm discouraged by the outcome. I LOVE great works of fiction, but find most fiction consumes too much of my time for too little payback. (Apparently, I'm just not reading the right fiction.)
While the plot was intriguing, and the writing was adequate, I felt that Shreve's characters left much to be desired. It seemed to me they were all a bit on the depressing side...always selling themselves short and longing for what they could not have. Now, don't get me wrong, I understand the "draw of the forbidden" and it's potential to inject suspense into a story. But it just seemed that ALL of the characters in this particular story were....well, sad--stuck in loveless marriages, facing life-threatening medical issues, or simply unhappy with their lives.
I've read mixed reviews of this book online (I was curious to see if I was the only one who felt this way). So if you're really into fiction, and this story sounds interesting to you, check it out. Judge for yourself if it's a great piece of fiction, or as one online reviewer put it, "a ho-hum read filled with tired metaphors."
1 comment:
I've never heard of this book or author. I must say I typically find fiction an easier read, but you can probably tell that from my reviews. I also am drawn to books by their covers.
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