Her Fearful Symmetry

Her Fearful Symmetry

by Audrey Niffenegger

This book looks a little weird.  I picked it up because it was fifty percent off hardcover plus my ten percent as a Barnes and Nobles membership.  I figured it would be a good read.  There was a bunch of hype over The Time Traveler’s Wife, but I’ve yet to read that.

It’s odd that we start with a Beatles quote.  I flipped through the book and saw that a title was named after a Beatles song too.  I wonder how they inspire the story…

Part One

The End

In which Elspeth dies.

The Mirror Twins

It took me a few chapters to get into this book.  Everything seemed hazy in the first few chapters.  Here, we seem to get the full picture.  We know Edie and Elspeth parted on bad terms, and Jack seems to be involved.  We know the twins will spend a year in London, but they have to wait another year before they can go.

We also know Robert loved Elspeth very much, and will surely get involved with the twins somehow with they arrive.  Then there is Martin and Marijke who lived upstairs from Robert.  Hrm.  The letter from the law firm said Robert lived downstairs from Elspeth.  Did she move in with Robert and give the apartment to Martin and Marijke?  Did Robert move in with her, the lower apartment remain empty with just his particulars, and Martin and Marijke live the next floor up?  Or did neither happen and we’re talking about a three story building?  Haha!  Does any of this matter?  I guess we’ll find out when we get to London.

If Martin is still living in the apartment, that’s going to be interesting.

Bleach

Martin is an odd one, I’ll give you that.  I feel sad for him.  Why did Marijke leave?  It has to have something to do with Elspeth’s death.  That’s why I think they might have been living in her apartment and she was down living with Robert.  Not 100% positive though.

Night in Highgate Cemetery

Robert is a tortured soul.  I think he was even before Elspeth died.  That seems to be his nature.  This story has certainly caught my interest.

Sunday Afternoon

This story is beautifully written.  We’re just seeing snapshots.  The essence of everything that happens.  I like this very much.  It’s revealing the plot piece by piece.  The image of a ghost of a tree–a tree’s shadow–is amazing.  It puts a whole new perspective on ghosts … something that inspires me.

The History of Her Ghost

Well … Elspeth makes a spunky ghost.  Totally a turn I didn’t see coming.  Maybe I should have read more of the book jacket.  Cool.  I like ghost stories, and this one seems different.  I guess the girls ARE ingenues in a “horror” story … hasn’t proved to be horrifying yet.  The Time Travelers Wife didn’t look scary … more romantic.  Hrm.  I’m up for anything …

New Year’s Day

Wow.

Part Two

The Mirror Twins

How dull it would seem to be a ghost.  Living life through others.  I wouldn’t want that.  I wonder where this story is going.  So Edie stole Elspeth’s guy.  So what.  Now the Beastiaries and herb notebooks Valentina knocked over … is that a clue?  Are we getting into magic?  I was thinking this was straight fiction.  Hrm.  I really knew nothing about this book going in.  Sometimes it’s better that way.

Mr. Roche

Well, the lawyer is keeping a secret.  Big surprise there.

Stalking

C’mon Robert.  Don’t be such a dunderhead.  Talk to them!

Pearls

Julia and Martin?  Valentina and Robert?  I don’t know about this …

Primrose Hill

It’s Robert that’s following you guys.  Oh the twins are so silly.  I’m still wondering how far this story is going to go.  It’s interesting so far … but nothing much has happened.

The Little Kitten of Death

G’awe kitty!

A Tour of Highgate Cemetery

Valentina fell in love with Robert … but something tells me that love will be unrequited.  I think Robert would if he wasn’t feeling so broken up by Elspeth.  And Elspeth is still around.  He “knows” and I’m sure he’ll discuss it with Valentina at some point.  No.  Unless Elspeth points him in Valentina’s direction, I don’t think the two will end up together.

Breathe

Okay, this is depressing.  Something needs to happen post haste!

Alright, so I was wrong about the unrequited love, but that’s okay.  At least it has started, but I would appreciate it if the story picked up the pace a bit.  What’s the point of Elspeth being a ghost if she isn’t doing anything much.  I’m not sure where we’re going.  Something needs to happen …

I know those feelings of things being the same, but different.  That kind of describes some of the friendship I have with Rhiannon, but it also speaks to the relationship I have with my parents.  They’ve evolved over the years … the same, but different.  I guess my siblings are included in that assessment.  Haha!  Finally, things are starting to move a little!

Ghostwriting

That’s so sad.  Looks like I DID have it right.  However, there is still a whole third of the book left.  Will Elspeth be a jilted lover?  Will Julia be jealous?  There’s potential for Julia to be used by Elspeth to get at Valentina and Robert.  I wonder.  I wonder.  What about Martin?  Has Julia really gone to far with that?  There’s so much that could happen in the conclusion of this book. *ZooM*

Part Three

Liminal

Oh you little witch Ms. Niffenegger!  How dare you end a chapter like that.  And I’ve peaked!  The next chapter doesn’t tell the story!  You’re going to make me read on.  Tricky!  Tricky, tricky, trickster!

Nine Lives

She’s not going to do what I THINK she’s going to do … is she?  Elspeth is going to possess Valentina?  This could just be me jumping to conclusions. Haha!

A Proposition

Now that IS a dumb idea, Valentina.  I thought you were the smarter of the twins … I guess you’re just as messed up as everyone else in this story.

Test

How did we know this was going to happen?  *Sigh* Poor Little Kitten of Death.

The Funeral of the Little Kitten of Death

Now that doesn’t make sense.  All of a sudden Robert says Elspeth’s ghost doesn’t feel or have compassion.  I believe Elspeth was screaming “I’m so, so sorry!” a couple times when trying to put the kitten back in it’s body.  I know Robert didn’t see that, and we didn’t see much of his conversations with Elspeth, but what we did see was all positive stuff.  They shared memories and such.  Nope.  Don’t make stuff up Ms. Niffenegger … unless you plan to prove this to us.

Hrm.  Well, now I’m a little suspect of Elspeth’s motives, but they’re still coming a bit out of nowhere.  Unless Elspeth is “losing her senses” … she did think she was losing something earlier in the story when she wasn’t trying to make intelligent communication, and that would fit Robert’s suspicions.  So, if she does end up possessing Valentina in order to get the feelings of having a body and being human again … and to be with Robert, then I’m not sure if she’s realizing what she is doing.

If she does realize it, then she’s doing a damned good job of keeping it secret … even from the reader … which is not a good thing in my opinion.  It’s left field-ish, and seems like a separation from the reality of the book.

And how does Martin fit into the picture?

He Comes Undone

This chapter only raises more questions.  What are we building to?  Only eighty pages to wrap this up here.  This was vaguely hinted at once or twice in the book … about leaving the twins to Robert, and the fact that she treats them like her children.  I’m still not sure how this is all going to come together yet though.

Pas de Trois

Indeed.  It IS time for something to happen!

Resurrection Day

I SO thought Robert was going to get caught.  There is still a chance though.  He has to bring the body upstairs.  Combing her hair by the way … creepy.

Alright, so even Robert suspected something like this.  I had the thought way earlier in the book.  Was this supposed to be a surprise?  If so, Ms. Niffenegger left WAY too many overt clues, and managed to confuse me in a bad way, lol.  I thought Martin was going to play a more important role in the story.  I guess there is a few chapters left, but seeing the next chapter’s title leads me to think the story is just about over.

Departures

Yep, things seem pretty final.

The End

In the end I am satisfied with the story, more or less.  I think because I figured out the end so far in advance I was expecting a different kind of story.  I kept waiting for the action, when this wasn’t a story of action.  I was waiting for high intensity drama, and that wasn’t in any way part of this story.  It was still a great book, I just didn’t get it until the end.

Tim

Tim

By Colleen McCullough

So, I found this book by way of Bookcrossing.  It’s a website that allows you to register a book, “set it free,” and track where it ends up in the world.  That is, if the person(s) who find it go to the website, enter the registration number written inside the cover of the book, and makes an entry.  I’ve gotten a few book in this way … some of which I’ve yet to read.  I get one particular member’s book quite often.  It’s fun getting books handed down to me from someone I’ve never met … or maybe I have and just don’t know it.  She (I think it is a she) has gotten one of mine too.  And we leave them in the strangest places for each other to find.  It’s a fun game–I’m always on the look out.  I highly recommend letting books roam free!

Chapter One

An Australian stories.  I like it.  It seems like a nice mix of southern United States and my idea of Australia.  If you’ve seen the movie Australia (which I have), it’s got the same feel.  The atmosphere.  The grit in the air.  The strange British uptightness underlying.  This is going to be an interesting read.

Chapter Two

Oh yeah, this is going to be high romance.  I can tell by the way Ms. McCullough writes.  We’re in for lots of lust and awkward situations … and possibly even truth.

Chapter Three

I’m not sure how I feel about the eventual romance of Tim and Mary now that I’ve read this.  Of course, I think I’m supposed to have these reservations.  It is Ms. McCullough’s job to convince me that it’s acceptable … or unacceptable.  We’ll see.

Chapter Five

I like how we hear about all of Tim’s problems from the other people in his life.  Tim doesn’t see any of them, and he’s happy to have whatever is given to him–genuinely happy.  We should all live a life such as this.  Let other people do the worrying.  If they’re smart they’ll just not think about it.

Chapter Six

This book has officially commanded my attention.  Ms. McCullough is taking me on a ride, and I’m loving it.  I’m a believer; all my reservations are gone.  I can’t wait to see what she has in store for us now!  Tim will learn to read … Mary will learn to relax … and all may end bittersweet.

Chapter Eight

The whole book–every chapter–has been heartbreakingly beautiful.  Mary’s fascination with Tim is amazing and honest.  She’s as much a child as he is.

Chapter Ten

It’s almost fantasy.  Ms. McCullough manages to make the world of her characters seem real, and she allows for some wonderful moments of human kindness.  I’m happy and astounded at the parents’ reaction.  I would react more like Dawnie, I’m sure.

I’m happy that Tim has such a friend as Mary, but I wonder how much longer this can go on.  How much can Tim learn from Mary?  It will change their relationship … more signs of the coming sadness I feel in the narrator’s voice.

Chapter Sixteen

Halfway through the book already.  Haven’t even had the book two days.  I might even finish it tonight.  Tomorrow for sure.

I’m amazed at how intelligent this book is.  Not anything like what I was expecting.  I’ve held back from reading “The Thorn Birds,” because I’ve heard mixed reviews.  I’m glad I didn’t hesitate in reading this book.  Following the signs I have been.  I want to give this book to everyone I know who likes to read.  It’s an honest tale, and sadly out of print.  If this wasn’t a bookcrossing book, then I’d keep it.  However, it’s too good not to send it off to inspire others.

Chapter Seventeen

Ladies and Gentlemen, break out the tissues.  This scene got to me.  As promised by the author in the first few chapters, she’s taking me on an emotional roller coaster.  Now, the only question is, how far will she go, and how will this relationship with Tim end?  I’m nervous and excited to find out.

Chapter Eighteen

This opening paragraph … how accurate this is.  I’ve experienced this.  To see it recreated on the page in this way is winning my acceptance of this story even more.  She’s got me hook, line, and–practically–sinker.  So real.

… omigod …

I wasn’t expecting it to begin so soon, and, in a way, it’s right on time.  Ms.  McCullough is a master story teller.  There was no chance for monotony.  Again, I’m in tears.  I hate that I see myself in Dawnie, but I feel that might be intentional.  The other characters are almost surreal.  It’s the world how it should be.  Accepting, loving … it’s Tim’s world.

Chapter Nineteen

This book breaks my heart over and over again …

Chapter Twenty-Two

I agree … it isn’t fair.  I’m going to need another box of tissues.  This book is hitting me hard.  My grandmother would adore this book.  Maybe I can convince Rhiannon to let her read it before I give it to her.  Miss Rhi is complaining about having too much to read anyway.

If you love a story of the heart–read this book!

Chapter Twenty-Eight

I’m not sure why the book ended here.  Maybe to show the realness of the world of the book.  How things appear from the outside after the fairytale is over.  The fairytale did end after the wedding.  Such a great book.  I cried many times while reading it.  This will be a story stuck in my mind for a long time.