The Last Bridge
by Teri Coyne
Felt Rushed and Incomplete (6/5/2009)
I received this book as an ARC from BookBrowse.com. What attracted me to it in the first place was the publisher’s mention of Teri Coyne having a similar writing style to Jodi Picoult (an author whom I love). Whereas it is obvious Coyne has great potential as a writer, it is equally obvious that “The Last Bridge” is her first literary effort and a far cry from the more fully developed and engrossing plot lines of Picoult’s novels.
As I mentioned in my heading, the story felt really rushed. Coyne gets an A for gripping content (the first page of the book opens with the inexplicable suicide of the main character’s mother) but she fails miserably with character development and consistency. Based on her descriptions at the beginning of the book, I spent a good bit of the story picturing the key people as run down, middle aged adults. However, I was thrown for a complete tail spin at the middle of the book when Coyne briefly mention’s the main character’s age as something like 27! She also breezes through some of the explanatory events so quickly that you almost feel like she lost interest in completing the book half way through writing it.
I will say it again, though; Coyne has a lot of potential. “The Last Bridge” was entertaining and despite the fact that it dealt with some very disturbing issues (incest, abuse, suicide, etc.) she did not let them consume the book. They acted more as subplots in a greater more complicated and intriguing story of self discovery.
Overall a decent read but it could’ve been a lot better.
The Toss of a Lemon
by Padma Viswanathan
A Pleasant Surprise (8/25/2008)
To be honest, I had my doubts about this book. At face value the story line appeared simple and I couldn't fathom how the author could draw it out over the course of 600+ pages and entertain the reader all at the same time. But entertain she does. Padma Viswanathan artfully draws together a compelling family saga with the deeply involved Indian caste system, and tops it off with a hint of intrigue and magical realism.
This book is a wonderful read; not too demanding, yet very insightful.
Suggested With: A chaise lounge and a sparkling fruit drink.
