Rated of 5
by Claire M. (Sarasota, Florida) Outside Wonderland
A good beach read. I was interested in the repercussions of how children's lives would be affected by the loss of both parents as they became adults but really found nothing except the emotional disconnect of either the writer or the characters. The heavenly device was a bit clumsy although it answered how Dinah didn't fully die after seeing "the light." I suppose I feel as though this were a not very well fleshed out TV or movie script when it could have been an insightful novel.
Rated of 5
by Susan P. (Boston, MA) For Those Who Like the Idea of heaven
This is the story of three young adult siblings who were orphaned in childhood. Their individual personalities and life events are engaging enough, but the plot seemed a little soap opera-ish (but who doesn't like a little of that?). The parts where their parents are watching and commenting from heaven seemed saccharine and contrived (even if you like that concept). Not everyone has a fascinating life but -- while I wanted to know what would happen at the end -- it all seemed a little one dimensional. Only one or two brief moments were truly tender.
Rated of 5
by Jan B. (Aiken, SC) Outside Wonderland
Author Lorna June Cook has a well crafted book that displays the endless love of parents for their children. She does a fine job of depicting the haunting loss young children feel throughout their lives after the tragic death of parents. The book also depicts the bond and support of siblings in troubled times. I liked the characters but wished I'd have known more about them. Overall, I thought this book was a wonderful and reassuring read.
Rated of 5
by Virginia B. (Foster, RI) Outside Wonderland
"Outside Wonderland" is an enjoyable read. The three siblings left behind by their parents' untimely and sudden deaths are engaging characters who immediately caught my interest. I found myself engaged in their individual struggles to form meaningful relationships and find some happiness in a world they could not trust. The commentary of the mother who fleetingly observes her three children's progress from some other timeless place reminded me of the narrator of "Lovely Bones" who has also died and looks back on the living.
Rated of 5
by Ann D. (Clermont, GA) Watching from Otherwhere
The three Stenen siblings, orphaned as young children, are going through adult crises unaware that their deceased parents are observing from "somewhere other". Cook's characters are realistic and her writing is spell-binding. You will be left asking yourself if we can ever be truly separated from those we have deeply loved.
Rated of 5
by Lisa H. (Salisbury, MD) Through the Looking Glass
Siblings Alice, Griffin, and Dinah, named for characters out of "Alice in Wonderland" lose first their mother in a freak accident, then their father. We get a small glimpse of them in their younger days before the story fast forwards to the adult siblings. All appear successful on the surface, but are struggling with relationships, and perhaps the unresolved issues of growing up without their parents. For the most part, the characters were likable; however I found them a little too cliche, and one dimensional. I wish they had been developed more fully. I would have liked to have had a few more glimpses of their childhood.
I looked forward to the parents perspective of their children's lives as they caught sight of them from heaven. I liked to think of these scenes as their view of earth "through the looking glass." The dialogue in these interludes was idyllic and the best parts of the novel.
This was a pleasant novel, easy to read. I give it 3.5 stars.
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Two Lives is a memoir written by international best-selling author, Vikram Seth. In this interesting and engaging book, Seth writes about his great...
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News Corp will officially split into two companies June 28(May 24 2013) As expected, News Corp has announced it will officially split its publishing and entertainment businesses on 28 June.
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Its board approved the...
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of 5
by Claire M. (Sarasota, Florida) 
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by Jan B. (Aiken, SC) 
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by Virginia B. (Foster, RI) 
