Good character driven book
With a character driven plot, this engaging book alternates between the perspective of a group of five children, their parents, and those same children as adults. Everyone has a secret relating to an incident that took place in the children’s lives but a child’s perspective is very different than an adult’s, and that something is a secret does not make it true. If you like unraveling a mystery and enjoy character study, I recommend The Most Dangerous Thing.
Rated of 5
by Cheryl S. (brockport, new york)
the most dangerous thing
After having many friends suggest this author, I was pleased to be chosen to review her new book. I very much enjoyed her writing. The characters reminded me somewhat of my own teenage years, the things we did, the secrets that we kept. I feel that it would make great book club conversation, with the ending that was a complete surprise.
Rated of 5
by Mary Ellen L. (Canfield, OH)
A most interesting read
This was an intriguing book, starting which the quote from my favorite Whittier poem. I anticipated a plot following the poem's story line, which I did not find. What developed was a skillfully written and absorbing story with its mystery aspect subordinated to the development of the characters and the effects of their childhood relationships upon their lives. Perhaps the author intended to leave her readers to ponder "what might have been."
Rated of 5
by Josephine J. (Goshen, CT)
Good in spite of flaws
I love Laura Lippman, having discovered her a few years ago, and have since been working my way through her books. This one is very different, even from her other so-called stand-alones (the ones I've read have the same police officers, so there's some continuity). And while her series detective makes an appearance, it's definitely not a Tess book. I found the story well-written and compelling, but was confused in the 1st part by the authorial "we" - I found the device distancing. Lippman raises many ethical questions that really don't get resolved. But that would make it a really good book club pick - I can imagine great conversations about lies and responsibilities.
Rated of 5
by Kerry M. (Charlotte, NC)
What Lies Beneath
This was my first Laura Lippman novel, although her books have been on my "to read" list for some time. So I did not have any expectations when I began this book. I enjoyed the psychological mystery that basically disclosed the end at the beginning, but then unraveled for us how that came to be. The characters were very realistic and sad, all of them exhibiting some instance of keeping a secret or thought to themselves that over time effected their relationship to the other characters. The device of moving back and forth in time (present to past lives) was well done, although I did find the use of the first person plural in the telling of the story from children's perspective to be a little distracting.
Rated of 5
by Elizabeth W. (Newton, MA)
A many-layered treat . . .
My pleasure in reading Laura Lippman's The Most Dangerous Thing grew as the layers of history and competing points of view built up. The story of how five childhood friends became a tightly knit unit that faced both adventures and a final disaster while exploring the woods near their homes is told from the varied perspectives of the young children, the parents of those children, and both groups thirty years later.
At times, the pace of the book is slow, but Lippman's ear for natural dialogue and her ability to choose the perfect descriptive detail made the leisurely pace enjoyable for me. Furthermore, there are interesting plot twists that emerge with each retelling of the story. When I read about the same events from the perspective of the adults, I found richness in already knowing what the children did and thought, but it is the world of the five young friends that is most alive and enticing.
I recommend this book, especially for a time when you can relax and savor its richness.
Rated of 5
by Eileen B. (East Moriches, NY)
Interesting Book
The book started out slowly and was hard to follow in the beginning. This is the first book from the author that I have read so I have nothing to compare to. The book was told by different narrators and there were times that I was unsure of who was talking at the time. The way the author incorporates the past with the present enhanced the plot and the mystery around the "secret" kept me reading on. The characters were interesting and the ending was unpredictable.
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of 5
by Froma F. (Boulder, CO)
