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Review
“Like Donna Tartt’s "The Secret History" or a good film noir . . . Jane’s low-key narration has just the right tone to keep readers hooked.”
–"People" (Page-turner of the week)
“The strength of "The Lake of Dead Languages "is a silken prose that lures the reader into Goodman’s . . . story of murder, suicide . . . revenge, and madness.”
"–The Washington Post Book World
"
“PART SUSPENSE, PART COMING-OF-AGE, AND ALL-ENTHRALLING . . . A book that needs the roar of a fire to ward off its psychic chill.”
"–The Denver Post
"
–"People" (Page-turner of the week)
“The strength of "The Lake of Dead Languages "is a silken prose that lures the reader into Goodman’s . . . story of murder, suicide . . . revenge, and madness.”
"–The Washington Post Book World
"
“PART SUSPENSE, PART COMING-OF-AGE, AND ALL-ENTHRALLING . . . A book that needs the roar of a fire to ward off its psychic chill.”
"–The Denver Post
"
"From the Trade Paperback edition."
Family Circle
‘A gripping, well-written psychological thriller, rich in atmospheric detail’
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
After reading through god know's how many recommended 'Chic Lit' books I was starting to think there were not any good books out there! This book however, changed my opinion. I found it so captivating and exciting that I really couldn't put it down. It's one of those books that fits so brilliantly together at the end, that you sit there going "Ooohhhh! I see....." The plot is very clever, and it's a real pleasure to find a book that is so beautifully written. If you liked this then I would also recommend Donna Tartt's 'The Secret History' to you.
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
"Latin's a dead language,
As dead as dead can be.
It killed off all the Romans,
And now it's killing me."
The old rhyme seems to be coming true for Heart Lake School for Girls, and not for the first time.
Like every girl at Heart Lake, Jane Hudson had known the old legend of the three sisters, transformed into rocks in the lake, who lured the unsuspecting out to their death by drowning. In her senior year, her two roommates and the boy she secretly loves are drowned in the lake: suicide, or accident? The School blames their Latin teacher, the charismatic Helen Chambers; Jane thinks she knows the truth, which now lies at the bottom of the Lake.
After the birth of her daughter, and her separation from the father, Jane returns to Heart Lake to take up Helen's old post. When pages from her senior year journal, long thought lost, begin to appear amongst her students' assignments, and then one of her class is found having apparantly attempted suicide, it seems that events are repeating themselves, or at least, that someone wants to make it seem that way. Then her love's cousin, a man with his own strange link to Jane's past reappears. Is everything just adolescent hysteria, or is something more sinister happening?
I enjoyed this very much. Though there are obvious plot similarities with Donna Tartt's The Secret History, this is a much more emotional book, its insanity much closer to the surface. In particular, the change between schoolgirl Jane, weak, scared, insecure, and the more assured Jane who returns to Heart Lake is well done. The plotting is intricate if a little heavy-handed. I defy anyone not to see who the villain is by about half way through, though ultimately, this does not matter; the important transformation is Jane's discovery of the truth about her own past, and this is completely compelling.
As dead as dead can be.
It killed off all the Romans,
And now it's killing me."
The old rhyme seems to be coming true for Heart Lake School for Girls, and not for the first time.
Like every girl at Heart Lake, Jane Hudson had known the old legend of the three sisters, transformed into rocks in the lake, who lured the unsuspecting out to their death by drowning. In her senior year, her two roommates and the boy she secretly loves are drowned in the lake: suicide, or accident? The School blames their Latin teacher, the charismatic Helen Chambers; Jane thinks she knows the truth, which now lies at the bottom of the Lake.
After the birth of her daughter, and her separation from the father, Jane returns to Heart Lake to take up Helen's old post. When pages from her senior year journal, long thought lost, begin to appear amongst her students' assignments, and then one of her class is found having apparantly attempted suicide, it seems that events are repeating themselves, or at least, that someone wants to make it seem that way. Then her love's cousin, a man with his own strange link to Jane's past reappears. Is everything just adolescent hysteria, or is something more sinister happening?
I enjoyed this very much. Though there are obvious plot similarities with Donna Tartt's The Secret History, this is a much more emotional book, its insanity much closer to the surface. In particular, the change between schoolgirl Jane, weak, scared, insecure, and the more assured Jane who returns to Heart Lake is well done. The plotting is intricate if a little heavy-handed. I defy anyone not to see who the villain is by about half way through, though ultimately, this does not matter; the important transformation is Jane's discovery of the truth about her own past, and this is completely compelling.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I was attracted to this book initially for its Donna Tartt-esque mystery and style and, although in my opinion nothing can really equal The Secret History, i think Carol Goodman's book does offer a satisfyingly juicy thriller full of brilliant gothic devices. The characters were inventive and varied, and a boarding school drama never fails to inspire that school-age intrigue into the inner, darker workings of the staffroom. I think the atmosphere of teenage fantasy and dream works well in providing a suitably confused, whirlwind plot, while the backdrop of the Lake (the heart of the novel) is chilling and unusual - especially during the more icy episodes. I recommend this novel to anyone secretly drawn to myths, rituals and a midnight study of Latin and classics in an old, dusty dormitory.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Well written and with gothic tendencies this book will have you...
I read this book recently and really enjoyed it. Carol Goodman has been able to draw on her own experiences as a Latin teacher when writing this book. Read more
Published 4 months ago by B. Robinson
Couldn't put it down
I read this in 2 sittings and went ahead to buy other books by the author. Now, I'm not saying it perfect. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Beetle
haunting and expressive
I read "The Ghost Orchid" before this and wish I had discovered Goodman's books in the order she wrote them. Read more
Published on 13 Jan 2010 by Catherine Murphy
So disappointing!
This felt so contrived. The author was clearly aiming for The Secret History but fell far short.
Published on 4 Sep 2009 by Sophia
Good story but didn't like the style of the writing
I really liked the sound of this book but ultimately I was disappointed. I did enjoy the story and would heartily applaud Ms Goodman's plotting, but unfortunately I couldn't take... Read more
Published on 13 Feb 2009 by crime reader
A good read but shouldn't be compared to the Secret History
The comparisons to the Secret History were inevitable given that it's a campus murder story with a bit of latin thrown in probably to encourage those comparisons but it's not as... Read more
Published on 21 July 2008 by Herman Melville
Much better than The Secret History
This is a book which is not only beautifully written and suspenseful, leaving a feeling that you have read something important, but which also gives the impression that the author... Read more
Published on 27 April 2008 by Sad Classics Teacher
Amo, amas, amat.
I'm not sure why the reviews on the back page of this book are so lightweight - Family Circle, Woman and Home et al when the novel is so full of Latin Quotes, lines of poetry and... Read more
Published on 1 Jan 2008 by Jane Baker
Excellent story - very well written
Im not going to go in to too much detail as others before me have already done this but I just wanted to say what a fantastic book this was! Read more
Published on 31 Dec 2007 by Tracey Priest
An atmospheric story
Carol Goodman weaves several themes into this book. Latin, suicide, single parenthood, and she does it with skill and patience. She knows her stuff. Read more
Published on 23 Sep 2006 by MJ Mason
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