Specify Books In Pursuance Of Her Fearful Symmetry
| Original Title: | Her Fearful Symmetry |
| ISBN: | 0224085611 (ISBN13: 9780224085618) |
| Edition Language: | English |
| Characters: | Elspeth Noblin, Edwina Noblin, Julia Poole, Valentina Poole, Robert Fanshawe, Jack Poole, Martin Wells, Marijke Wells, Jessica Bates, James Bates |
| Setting: | London, England |
| Literary Awards: | Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Favorite Book & Fiction (2009) |
Audrey Niffenegger
Hardcover | Pages: 406 pages Rating: 3.24 | 85714 Users | 12234 Reviews
Present Appertaining To Books Her Fearful Symmetry
| Title | : | Her Fearful Symmetry |
| Author | : | Audrey Niffenegger |
| Book Format | : | Hardcover |
| Book Edition | : | First Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 406 pages |
| Published | : | September 29th 2009 by Jonathan Cape Ltd |
| Categories | : | Fiction. Fantasy. Paranormal. Mystery. Ghosts. Contemporary. Supernatural |
Relation Supposing Books Her Fearful Symmetry
Six years after the phenomenal success of The Time Traveler's Wife, Audrey Niffenegger has returned with a spectacularly compelling and haunting second novel set in and around Highgate Cemetery in London.When Elspeth Noblin dies of cancer, she leaves her London apartment to her twin nieces, Julia and Valentina. These two American girls never met their English aunt, only knew that their mother, too, was a twin, and Elspeth her sister. Julia and Valentina are semi-normal American teenagers--with seemingly little interest in college, finding jobs, or anything outside their cozy home in the suburbs of Chicago, and with an abnormally intense attachment to one another.
The girls move to Elspeth's flat, which borders Highgate Cemetery in London. They come to know the building's other residents. There is Martin, a brilliant and charming crossword puzzle setter suffering from crippling Obsessive Compulsive Disorder; Marjike, Martin's devoted but trapped wife; and Robert, Elspeth's elusive lover, a scholar of the cemetery. As the girls become embroiled in the fraying lives of their aunt's neighbors, they also discover that much is still alive in Highgate, including--perhaps--their aunt, who can't seem to leave her old apartment and life behind.
Niffenegger weaves a captivating story in Her Fearful Symmetry about love and identity, about secrets and sisterhood, and about the tenacity of life--even after death.
Rating Appertaining To Books Her Fearful Symmetry
Ratings: 3.24 From 85714 Users | 12234 ReviewsWrite Up Appertaining To Books Her Fearful Symmetry
When Elspeth dies, she leaves her papers to her boyfriend and her flat to her twin's children, the twin sisters Julia and Valentina. J&V are very pale, very slim, and although they're nearly 21, very unformed. They have no friends, no lovers, little education, and no interests besides watching tv together. They are astoundingly boring. Meanwhile, their upstairs neighbor is struggling with OCD and a passionate love for his wife, who has left him because of it. And their downstairs neighbor isthis book is like an episode of the twilight zone on crack combined with a shakespeare tragedy.
Her Fearful Symmetry is seriously creepy. I read it because I really enjoyed the authors debut novel. But this book is far from enjoyable: the characters are despicable (all of them), the storyline is nonsensical (lots of whys and hows and whats), and its just creepy.
Update-1/6/10. I'm amending my review of this book, and making a new rule that I will not do reviews for at least a day once I've finished. What changed for me here was a lack of connection with the characters. I can't rate this as five stars because I really, in retrospect, didn't like any of them all that well or how they behaved. I awaited this novel with eager anticipation and read it so fast, I will have to revisit it. I hate plot summaries, that is what Amazon and book jackets are for, so
Just some thoughts: I loved this novel...but in a completely different way than I love The Time Traveler's Wife. I wasn't sure what to expect so I tried not to have any expectations, which is exactly the attitude to have going into this book. It has what now seems to be Niffenegger's style of writing that's smart & funny & quirky but somehow all seems to come together easily. It has a few curveballs, so don't bother reading ahead (like I did...only to confuse myself until I read straight
I have never read The Time Traveler's Wife, Ms. Niffenegger's claim to fame, and after reading Her Fearful Symmetry it is very likely I never will. This was not a bad book by any means but for me it simply failed to deliver the "goose bumpy" moments I so sincerely hoped for.Highgate Cemetary, London England. All the variables were there, there were creepy mirror twins, cooky neighbors, a spooky cemetery, a mystery to be solved and even a ghost in residence. But nope, just because the variables
this book is like an episode of the twilight zone on crack combined with a shakespeare tragedy.
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