"Harry and Madeleine Winslow have been blessed with talent, money, and charm. Harry is a National Book Award-winning author on the cusp of greatness. Madeleine is a woman of sublime beauty and grace whose elemental goodness and serenity belie a privileged upbringing. Bonded by deep devotion, they share a love that is both envied and admired. The Winslows play host to a coterie of close friends and acolytes eager to bask in their golden radiance, whether they are in their bucolic East Hampton cottage, abroad in Rome thanks to Harry's writing grant, or in their comfortable Manhattan brownstone.
One weekend at the start of the summer season, Harry and Maddy, who are in their early forties, meet Claire and cannot help but be enchanted by her winsome youth, quiet intelligence, and disarming naivete. Drawn by the Winslows' inscrutable magnetism, Claire eagerly falls into their welcoming orbit. But over the course of the summer, her reverence transforms into a dangerous desire. By Labor Day, it is no longer enough to remain one of their hangers-on.
A story of love, lust, deception, and betrayal as seen through the omniscient eyes of Maddy's childhood friend Walter, a narrator akin to Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby, Indiscretion is a juicy, richly textured novel filled with fascinating, true-to-life characters--an irresistibly sensual page-turner that explores having it all and the consequences of wanting more." from the Publisher
4 comments:
Marly's Ghost by David Levithan
I have been on a real Levithan kick this year, and unfortunately this was not one of my favorites. It's a modern retelling of Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' but in the Valentine's Day context. He did a great job with the parallels, I thought, I just wasn't really drawn to the story or really the characters. I'd recommend this one maybe to younger readers.
'A Discovery of Witches' by Deborah Harkness
This book is over 800 pages long, and is the first in a trilogy. So it is quite a commitment. I did enjoy it though. It introduces you to the saga of Diana Bishop, a historian/ witch who unintentionally discovers an ancient, enchanted alchemical book sought by otherworldly creatures in modern day Oxford. She then meets and falls in love with a vampire, and the two are hunted by all creatures that want the enchanted book.
The author is herself a historian, and at times I think speaks above the reader's head (I got lost several times), but if you soldier through I think it is still an enjoyable read.
Melanie - I loved A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES, and am waiting for just the right time to start SHADOW OF NIGHT. My daughter just finished the audio version of the first book, and is now listening to the second--and she's a big fan too.
I just picked up "Shadow of Night", hoping it doesn't take me as long as the first one did! Maybe your daughter's onto something, doing the audio versions instead!
I also just finished reading "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime" by Mark Haddon.. I liked this one, it was recommended to me by several people. It is told from the point of view of an autistic teenager, mostly about his investigation into the murder of his neighbor's dog. I did, though, find myself frustrated with the narrator several times throughout the book. I work with special needs students, so I am familiar with the fact that some of the aspects of autism can be frustrating to others, and also realize that the author did this on purpose for the sake of authenticity.
Also, throughout the book the narrator summarizes many books he has read, thus spoiling the endings for those who haven't read them. I should have taken note of which ones to warn others, but didn't think of it at the time.
Overall though, this was an interesting and worthwhile read.
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