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Title: A Map of the World by Jane Hamilton, Jane Hamilton ISBN: 0-385-72010-6 Publisher: Anchor Pub. Date: 03 December, 1999 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.22 (335 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: A Map of the World
Comment: When I first started reading this book, I had a difficult time enveloping myself in the charachters' lives. I found the main charachter, Alice, to be qiute difficult to relate to. Her lack of coping skills and self-involved approach to her pain left me with a strong desire to shake her. During a time of tragedey, she remained unaware of the life moving around her, only thinking of her own pain. However, as the book progressed I found myself thinking about what was being said at times when I wasn't even reading it. Hamilton clearly demonstrated the fragileness of life, love and what we think to be security. Alice's and Howard's lives crash around them after one significant event. In the aftermath, they loose everything that made them feel safe, comfortable and happy. I was accutely aware as I read that this can happen to anyone. Aside from the depressing events in this book, I found Hamilton's message of forgiveness and its ability to strengthen and lift the human spirit, to be uplifting and encouraging. Throughout the trial, Alice reflects on this little boy and it is clear that she forgives him, and even defends him. Theresa frogives Alice for the death of her daughter and eventually, Alice begins to forgive herself as well. The book ends with Howard beginning to tell Alice about what happened while she was away, and with Alice already forgiving him for it. That the book ends with this beautifully written passage, indicates that this was a story of healing, strength and forgiveness. No, I didn't ever really feel strongly for Alice, but perhaps I wasn't supposed to. Even though I disliked her, I to came to forgive her at the same point she seemed to have forgiven herself, and that was a much more powerful reaction than having liked her from the first page.
Rating: 4
Summary: A difficult book to read, but rewarding nonetheless
Comment: A Map of the World by Jane Hamilton
A Map of the World centers around Alice, a woman that seems to march to a different drummer, and apparently does not seem to fit in with regular society. There is nothing really wrong with her, but for some reason, she lacks the social skills that helps others fit in. She is married to a wonderful husband Howard, who is as different from Alice as night is from day. I couldn't understand why anyone would be drawn to Alice, but Howard obviously loved her.
The story opens with Alice in a panic, taking care of her two young daughters and her friend Theresa's two girls, while Theresa is out. Alice obviously does not enjoy taking care of the kids. Motherhood does not suit her.
What happens next is what sets the tone of the book. The younger of Theresa's two girls, Lizzie, drowns outside in the pond where the girls often played. The reader and the characters in the book wonder, "Whose fault was it?" The town has already made up their mind about Alice, and it is not favorable. However, Theresa stands by her friend, despite the great loss she and her husband Dan have just gone through.
This is only the beginning of Alice's troubles. Rumors start to circulate about Alice and her work as a school nurse. What follows is a series of events that threatens to tear Alice's family apart.
From reactions I received from friends, and reading the reviews at Amazon, I've noticed that this is probably one of the more difficult books to get through that Oprah chose for her book club. I'm the only person I know that actually enjoyed this book. What kept me reading was Jane Hamilton's beautiful writing style. That alone was worth reading this book. The story is depressing and the main character is not a likeable person at all. Despite this, I do recommend the book, but with a word of caution, that one needs to be patient in order to finish this book.
Rating: 1
Summary: Can't finish
Comment: I can't finish the book. There are parts of good writing by the author but the story is unnecessarily draggy and depressing. Alice always just look at the negative side of things, bemoaning her life and that people around her has robbed her of something. For example, she would notice how ugly a person is than anything else. I find her attitude to Nellie particularly selfish and rude. Her daughters are supposed to be difficult to handle, yet Nellie has helped her while she drowns herself in self-pity. I just feel that I have better way to spend my time than to read and feel annoyed and depressed about Alice's life.
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