Did you like the book?

Would you recommend it to others?

I found the book very intresting. It was well written and insightful. You felt the characters needs and wants and why and how they behaved in society.

It is hard to love a book that deals with a subject like the life and subsequent death of such a young woman.

I didn't care much for the book at first - there wasn't much of a plot, the characters were not particularly likeable, and I was ambivalent about her writing style. The book redeemed itself to some degree toward the end, but I don't know that I would recommend it to anyone.

I am glad I read this, although I can't really say I have people to whom I will recommend it. It carried my interest, taught me much, and the characters stayed true to themselves through-out the book. I want to be "wowed" by what I read, and this book didn't do that, but then, most don't. Did anyone in this discussion LOVE it?

I thought the book was ok. It's not anything that I will be recommending. It is well written and there was a point at about 80 pages in that I thought it was going to be really good, but then the mystery that seemed to be developing didn't continue to hold my interest.

This book unpeeled like the layers of an onion and as it progressed, I kept thinking that something was missing, that I didn't have the whole story or the ability to understand what was really happening. By the time I finally got all of the pieces of the puzzle put together, I really didn't care much anymore. I didn't like the book or the characters, and I would not recommend it to others. I probably wouldn't have finished it if I hadn't wanted to participate in the book club discussion.

I loved the book and would recommend it to friends and family. The book caught my interest with the first paragraph. I loved her phrasing, The author seamlessly melded the past and present. I thought the use of the name Persephone was clever.I would like to ask the author why Noa Took the Persephone 's name as her middle name. I want to know if Noa's mom "s mustache fetish had something to do with her cutting Caleb's lip. I don't necessarily think that Persephone's and Sarah's deaths were accidents. I did not like Noa. She had a personality disorder as did her mom and dad. I am disappointed more people did not like this book.

I did enjoy this book. I loved the way the book was written starting at the point where Noa is on death row and then we learn why. I will recommend it to all that are attending my book discussion and book swap in July. I have a few friends that I will offer it to before our book swap.

Yes, I enjoyed reading this book. I had no idea what it would be about until I started reading then
it grabbed my attention. It's an intriguing tale of Noa, who is on death row. I liked the way the
characters were introduced and developed and I felt empathy towards Noa. I will recommend this
book for our book club.

I tried to like this book. I had higher hopes for it based on the subject matter but it just didn't meet my expectations.

I liked it a lot. I like books that keep me guessing. And this kept me guessing until the very end if she would really be executed. I also like books that are written in different styles at the same time. I liked Noa narrating then the letters.

I was interested enough in the book to finish it, although I found it depressing. I would only recommend this book to someone who is interested in reading about the death penalty. Overall, I would give it a thumbs down.

It kept my interest but I can't say I really enjoyed it. This is the first book that I have read that I was unable to "like" or bond with any character. Did Elizabeth Silver deliberately try to be objectional on the death penalty and leave emotions and feelings out?

Although I liked the author's style of writing, I found the book depressing and I didn't like most of the characters. I was intrigued enough about the suspense in the book to keep reading, but it wasn't a compelling read for me. I usually pass my books on to others who might enjoy them, but I don't think my fellow readers will want this one.

I liked this book though it is not one of my favorites. The main character was interesting. What kept me reading was that I could not predict where it was going.

I did not like this book. It had so much hype before it was released that I looked foward to reading it. I did not like the main character, could not understand how she did what she did in her life. It was interesting to read other opinions as I thought was I getting too critical. the opinions are really divided , and I agree that I could not recomment to others.

I like books that make me think, that discuss social issues and that offer suspense. Tis book offered offered all of these. I liked the book and have recommended it to friends and am anxious to discuss it with them. It was not one of my favorites but I think it is well worth reading. I think it would be a great book club selection. That being said, I still cannot decide how I feel about the author's style. At times I found it to be lyrical but just as often I felt that the prose felt contrived.

Very much! By the time I finished the second chapter I was so into it, I couldn't put it down. The enigma of Noa's character drove my interest as it drives the story. Herself a victim of indifference, abuse and injustice, she is also a perpetrator of the most egregious crime. Is she good or evil? Devil or angel? Can you be both?
She answers the question herself in the opening paragraph of the book telling us that you are one or the other. Either you choose, or the choice will be imposed on you. End of question. But is it? Noa is, after all, a confessed liar--even her name is her own invention, and a most unreliable narrator. Do we believe her passionate and painful description of life on death row where her vision is blurred, her hands tremble and sleep is interrupted by the anguished nightmares of neighboring but unseen inmates; or the indifference with which she seems to accept her fate and deliver her humorous discourse on planning her final meal? Will the real Noa please stand up! But, that would spoil the fun of unraveling her, not to get all the answers--she's too clever for that, but to at least understand something about this complex character.
I've already enthusiastically recommended the novel passed on my copy to my daughter. And, I agree with LReads that it would make a great book club selection. The only problem would be paring down the list of compelling questions to pamphlet size.

I really did not like this book. I think it was because I really did not like nor could I relate in any way to any of the characters. Noa was a victim of a messed up childhood but she never got over it and in most people's life you really do have to get past blaming your childhood, your parents or whatever and take it upon yourself to be who you want to be.

I loved this book. It was a super fast read and made me think about our justice system. I loved the different points of view and looking at guilt. Who was really guilty here? I think everyone played a part in the death of Sarah and I think it is to bad that Noa suffered for it.

Great insight, booksnob.

Book snob, I agree! The book posed so many questions with just as many answers. Just the fact that it keeps us asking and discussing and, even when we disagree, won't let go is what makes it such a great book.

Not really. I just couldn't relate to any of the characters except for maybe Ollie.

An emphatic yes! Noa is a complicated character whose thoughts and observations made me think about how we assess our actions and their motivations. She often turns the spotlight on us readers, forcing to think about how we think of those around us and those accused of being wrong or on trial--think of recent people excoriated in the press or on the Internet when we have little but often wildly false mixed opinions intermixed with facts to judge them.

Noa is certainly a flawed person who too often makes poor decisions but she is also a sympathetic character, one whom I wanted to believe. So, I often felt like Oliver wanting to know more about her. He was the one who got through to her enough so that she finally opened up. Marlene also becomes more sympathetic (although I couldn't bring myself to like her) by the end of the novel.

Ultimately what kept me riveted to the story was wanting to know what caused this woman to accept her fate and remain silent for 10 years. And by having Noa talk directly to me, I became part of the novel.

I loved the novel and even though I read it in two days. I know I will return to it because I believe the author has much more to tell me about the human condition than I could pick up in my first page-turning read.

This is definitely a book I will recommend and pass on to my friends