Review: The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry

The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry

Mystery/Suspense, Literary Fiction

Harper Paperbacks (August 18, 2009)

ISBN: 978-0061624773

416 pages

Synopsis from Amazon.com:

Every gift has a price . . . every piece of lace has a secret.

Towner Whitney, the self-confessed unreliable narrator, hails from a family of Salem women who can read the future in the patterns in lace, and who have guarded a history of secrets going back generations. Now the disappearance of two women is bringing Towner back home to Salem—and is bringing to light the shocking truth about the death of her twin sister.

Brunonia Barry’s debut novel, The Lace Reader, is an unusual story which (like the lace which her Great Aunt Eva ‘reads’) is difficult to understand until the final pages. Part mystery with a literary twist exploring women’s issues (incest, mental illness, and family dynamics), the novel evolves slowly, developing from multiple story threads which all come back to the central character – Towner Whitney. The novel opens in Towner’s point of view, and the reader is warned: "Never believe me. I lie all the time."

Honest or not, Towner is an engaging character and the mystery is there from the start, and it gets progressively more complex - it contains far more twists than can be mentioned without spoilers. There are enough other characters around her to give the truth to much of what she says and the women are fantastic.

Salem is recognized historically for the famous witch trials of 1692 and is an apt setting for a book which centers around the concepts of precognition and intuition. As the story unfolds, it becomes difficult to ascertain what is real and what is only imagined. Barry alternates point of view from chapter to chapter – something which adds depth to her story and helps to fill in the missing pieces of Towner’s childhood. Barry’s writing is strong, creating a gothic feel to the book. She steers away from cliche characters, instead giving us complex individuals. Despite these strengths, the book is not without its weaknesses.

At times the plot felt thin to me – and although the ending has a surprise twist, many times I was able to predict an event before it unfolded. There were also a few twists too many for my liking. Every good protagonist needs obstacles to overcome, but I felt those heaped on Towner were excessive, and wondered about the possible future of someone so damaged. However, since this novel is more of a character driven story, as opposed to plot driven, this issues are rather minor and don't really detract much from the book.

I loved that this is the sort of novel where the heroine was able to save the day purely through her own wit and without the assistance of a man. And I loved the excerpts from Eva Lace Reader’s Guide which prefaced each chapter. It really seemed as if one could easily follow the instructions were the to put them in order. Not only is the process described, but a few pieces of attendant folklore as well.

Overall, I found it a quick and engaging read and it’s a book that I’m glad I read.

Grade: B+

Visit Brunonia's site for more info about her and The Lace Reader

Want a chance to win a Lace Reader related prize? The September issue of Book Page, there will be a sweepstakes in which the grand prize is a trip for two to Salem, two nights at The Hawthorne Hotel, and a guided Lace Reader tour of Salem with Brunonia.

Check out the trailer for The Lace Reader

Brunonia will soon be on tour for The Lace Reader. Here's her schedule:

• 9/8 – Bellingham, WA – Village Books – Reading and Signing
• 9/10 – Oakland – A Great Good Place for Books – Reading and Signing
• 9/12 – San Mateo – M is for Mystery…and More – Reading and Signing
• 9/14 – Los Angeles – Vroman’s Bookstore – Reading and Signing
• 9/15 - Edwards, CO – VIP Customer Book Club Event
• 9/20 - Andover, MA – Meet the Author Benefit for PATHS
• 10/12 - Mequon, WI Next Chapter Bookshop
• 10/13 - Dallas, TX Legacy Books
• 10/20 – Lexington, MA Library
• 10/22 - Swampscott, MA Library
• 10/27 - Destination Salem Lunch, Hampton Falls Library
• 11/18th - Exeter Library, Exeter, NH.

Other stops on The Lace Reader's blog tour:

• Thursday, September 4th – Shhh I’m Reading
• Monday, September 7th – Literate Housewife
• Wednesday, September 9th – Bookopolis
• Monday, September 14th – Biblioaddict
• Tuesday, September 15th – Trish’s Reading Nook
• Thursday, September 17th – Books and Movies
• Date TBD – The Book Lady’s Blog