Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Haunting and compelling, an adventure that stays with you., 12 Jan 2001
By A Customer
What an interesting book. The central character is the complex Perry and the book is based on his relationship with his brother Harvey, Harvey's girlfriend Addie and Perry's wife, the long suffering Grace. On the surface, the book is about survival in the snow covered woods of Minnesota, however, the dynamics between the brothers is what this book is really all about. The author keeps the reader wanting to know more about Grace and Addie and keeps the brothers at the fore. This is one of those books that is like a good wine - it is enjoyable at the time and yet it is only now that I have finished that I realise how good it was. I am actually missing the experience of reading this book and I would love to read a sequel. Unfortunately there will not be one.
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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Moody and gripping...an adventure becomes a misadventure., 10 Oct 2003
I'm a fan of Tim O'Briens yet this novel disturbed me as much as any of his Vietnam books - wish i knew why! O'Brien swaps Vietnam for the American backwoods. At the heart of the book is the relationship between two very different brothers. The troubled, analytical Perry and the volatile returning war vet Harvey. O'Brien ensures this is no happy family reunion by throwing into the mix out of the ordinary set pieces and characters. Even the two women Grace and Addie are far from straight forward. Each of the four main characters are enigmatic and deep and made me want to know more about who they really were and how they had got there. Set in the wilderness, life is quiet and slow until the ordinary suddenly appears extraordinary and you don't realise the steady pace has quickened till you are running fast with it. Ghosts from the past are less frightening than the realities of the present and the conflicts between the leads. When Perry and Harvey set off on a skiing trip through the remote woodlands the suspense mounts and the challenge becomes more than just one between two rival brothers. The atmosphere and expectancy leaps from the pages and pulls you with it right to the unforgettable ending. A tense, well crafted read about self discovery and strained relationships that left a strange taste in my mind.
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