Body Surfing

Body Surfing
by Anita Shreve

Published in 2007. 298 pages.

Amazon link

Genre: Fiction

My Overall Score: 3.5

What its about (taken from amazon.com): The beach house in New Hampshire which figured in Anita Shreve's The Pilot's Wife, Fortune's Rocks, and Sea Glass is once again featured in Body Surfing. This time, it is the summer home of the Edwards family, Anna and Mark and daughter Julie. Mrs. Edwards has great hopes for Julie, who is "slow," so she hires Sydney to tutor her, in preparation for her senior year. There are two older brothers, Jeff and Ben, whose arrival changes the household dynamic considerably.
Once again, Shreve revisits the minefield of love and betrayal that she has explored so well in her best novels. Sydney is 29, twice married, once divorced, and once a widow. Mrs. Edwards dislikes her instantly, is dismissive, and treats her like a servant. Mr. Edwards befriends her, shows her his roses and talks to her about the history of the house, giving the reader a rundown of the role the house has played in prior novels.

What I thought: This was a decent read, definitely not top on my list, but worth the read I guess. It kept you wondering how it was going to end, but it turned out to be a bit silly and a bit anti-climatic.

Why I read it & where I got it: I got this off the sale rack at Atlantic Book store because I have enjoyed some of Shreve's prior novels and wanted to give this one a chance.

Date finished: May 28, 2009

Currently reading: Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs