Book Report: The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry

OK, I have been reading away like a woman possessed on this first novel (I believe) by Brunonia Barry. Totally interesting name, am I right? The author's name I mean. Throughout my reading of the book, I was completely distracted by wondering from whence the name Brunonia came. Is that a family name? Does it mean something? It is apparently the latin name for some sort of blue flower. Is it the feminized form of Bruno?

Anyway, my church has a book group that meets once a month on Tuesdays. So, I finished my Harry Potter reread and rushed out to buy The Lace Reader. Now, I don't know if it is clear, but I tried to photograph it. On the back of the book the top description says "ASTONISHING, BEWITCHING, UNFORGETTABLE....". Hmmmm, I feel that the ........ would be filled in with "if the only other thing you have ever read is the Webster's Dictionary and the instruction manual for your refrigerator".

Astonishing, no, I mean that doesn't describe the book at all. Bewitching, well there are some witches that aren't really witches, and it does take place in Salem. Unforgettable, well I am pretty sure that I will at least never forget the name Brunonia. Also, there is a dog in the book named Byzantium, which is the least of all the catchy pet names I have ever heard. It is just a large mouthful to yell out the door at a mangy wild golden retriever (as is the dog in the book), but that is a matter of opinion and in no way reflective upon the story.

The story takes place in Salem and opens with a niece getting word that her Great-Aunt Eva has disappeared. The niece, whose name is Sophya, but goes by Towner, is in her 30s and has been plagued by mental illness that seemed to stem from the suicide of her twin at age 13.

In the flashbacks, her twin Lyndley, is being raised away from her by a reticent Aunt and her abusive husband. When the Aunt goes missing, Towner must come home and deal with all the childhood mysteries and mental breakdowns that have plagued her life and her strange family. All the women in the family read futures in lace, and so that is tied up in the book as well. The ending is quite surprising, but a lot of the book does not seem explained well, and it all sort of jumbles only to be unbelievably untangled in the end.

It is a quick read, and it makes Salem sound like an interesting town to visit. It put me in a mind to visit on Halloween when they do re-enactions of the witch trials. It was an easy read, but the idea of the lace reading did not tie in well somehow, and I didn't really love any of the characters. There is a tough cop with a gentle caretaker spirit that comes across well. I do sort of like the name Towner. Anyway, while not my favorite, I enjoyed reading it. I learned a new word chinoiserie which is a type chinese-esque furniture popular in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Most Unfortunately, all that, I did not get to go to book club as I had two other meetings this week and just couldn't be out three nights in a row. Oh well, we'll see what they are reading next month.