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    The Lace Reader: A Novel
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    The Lace Reader: A Novel
    Unavailable
    The Lace Reader: A Novel
    Ebook451 pages8 hours

    The Lace Reader: A Novel

    By Brunonia Barry

    4/5

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    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    Every gift has a price . . . every piece of lace has a secret.

    Towner Whitney, the self-confessed unreliable narrator, hails from a family of Salem women who can read the future in the patterns in lace, and who have guarded a history of secrets going back generations. Now the disappearance of two women is bringing Towner back home to Salem—and is bringing to light the shocking truth about the death of her twin sister.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateOct 6, 2009
    ISBN9780061982996
    Unavailable
    The Lace Reader: A Novel
    Author

    Brunonia Barry

    Born and raised in Massachusetts, Brunonia Barry studied literature and creative writing at Green Mountain College in Vermont and at the University of New Hampshire. After nearly a decade in Hollywood, Barry returned to Massachusetts, where, along with her husband, she founded an innovative company that creates award-winning word, visual and logic puzzles. Happily married, Barry lives with her husband and her twelve-year old Golden Retriever named Byzantium

    Read more from Brunonia Barry

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    Reviews for The Lace Reader

    4/5

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    • 5/5
      When I saw this book on our ARC pile at work, I almost didn’t pick it up. The title and cover didn’t really appeal to me. It didn’t seem like something I would normally read…then, I started hearing wonderful things about it on LT and decided to give it a try. And thank goodness for that.The Lace Reader takes place in 1996 and opens with Towner Whitney, who narrates most of the book, leaving California, where she has lived for the last 15 years, to return to her hometown of Salem, Massachusetts because her great-aunt Eva, who raised her, is missing. Towner establishes herself as an unreliable narrator from the first lines of the book, in which she says, “Never believe me. I lie all the time. I am a crazy woman…That last part is true,” which serves to make an already interesting book even more enthralling.As Towner joins the investigation into Eva’s disapperance, she reveals pieces of a personal and family history that are filled with abuse, heartbreak, and many, many skeletons in the proverbial closet. We learn early on that Towner had a twin sister, Lyndley, whom her mother gave away to Towner’s Aunt Emma when they were born, and who died tragically at the age of 17 after enduring years of abuse and the hands of her alcholic father, Towner’s uncle Cal Boynton, who is also the leader of the local cult. The death of her twin sister pushed Towner over the edge, and she was eventually hospitalized for psychiatric treatment, where the electric shock therapy she received caused her to lose many of her memories from her life BTH (before the hospital).As Towner reconstructs her memories, she explains that all of the Whitney women have the ability to read lace–to look beyond and through the patterns and see a person’s future–and that the last time she tried, 15 years ago, Lyndley “saw the same thing I saw in the pattern, and what we saw that night led her to the choices that eventually killed her.” As indicated by the book’s title, lace reading plays a major role in the lives of the characters and in the plot of the book, as Eva’s ability to read lace earned her the label of “witch” by the Calvinists (the members of Cal’s cult) and led to a longstanding dispute between them and Eva’s group of women friends and fellow lace makers, the Circle. The circumstances surrounding Lyndley’s death are a mystery through most of the book, and when Towner reveals the truth, it is shocking.As she further explains lace reading, Towner states thatSometimes, when you look back, you can point to a time when your world shifts and heads in another direction. In lace reading this is called the “still point.” Eva says it’s the point around which everything pivots and real patterns start to emerge.There seem to be several “still points” in Towner’s life, and as her story unfolds, it becomes increasingly enthralling and unputdownable. The ending–actually, the last 100 pages–is unexpected, emotionally jarring, and utterly unforgettable. It nearly brought me to tears, and that is a rare feat.Brunonia Barry knows how to tell a good story. Her use of changing points of view gives the characters added depth and provides extra details that make the story richer and more compelling. Her decision to present readers with Towner’s hospital journal of partially fictionalized writings about the events that led up to Lyndley’s death is particularly shrewd given that we never know how much to believe, and the momentum she builds in the final pages is simply incredible. This is an amazing story that ultimately illustrates the abilities our minds and hearts have to protect us from our own demons, and it will easily earn a place in my top five reads of the year. The Lace Reader left me breathless.
    • 4/5
      It’s about time that I add my voice to the chorus of praise this book has rightly received. The Lace Reader is the story of Towner Whitney, the self-proclaimed unreliable narrator of this tale, who returns to Salem, Massachusetts, after 15 years of self-imposed exile when her beloved Great-Aunt Eva goes missing. Barry has crafted a richly layered novel that deals with difficult subjects in an unusual and original way. The ghostly/witchy elements of the story are handled well and are believable within the context of the novel. I also loved the excerpts from Eva’s book The Lace Reader’s Guide, which added authenticity to this fascinating tale. In addition, Barry’s descriptions of Salem and her historical overview of the town have inspired me to plan a visit there some day. My only complaints about the book are that the romance was a tad predictable and the shift from the main narrator to a secondary one felt abrupt to me. Plus I wish I hadn’t been able to see the main twist coming—though it’s so well done, it’s hard to feel disappointed about this. This is definitely a book that merits a reread! If you enjoyed The Thirteenth Tale, then you will likely enjoy this one as well.
    • 4/5
      This story is told by Towner Whitney, who has returned to her hometown of Salem, Massachusetts, after being gone for more than a decade. Towner has returned home after her aunt turns up missing. Towner comes from an interesting family, with the women in the family having the ability to "read" lace as other fortune tellers would read tarot cards or palms. Towner had vowed never to read lace again after the death of her sister, but that vow is tested when her aunt turns up dead. Salem, with it's colorful history, is a great setting for this story, which includes a group of modern day witches as well as a group of religious zealots. In addition to witchcraft and religion, the book contains many other themes including mental illness, violence against women and family drama. Salem is so well described in the book that I could easily picture myself there. The book started off a little slowly, but then picked up nicely. Overall, I found this a quick and enjoyable read.
    • 1/5
      I found this book a mediocre read. I was more captivated by the little asides on tatting lace than I was by the story itself. I did finish it though, and unfortunately the ending was one that has been done several times before, and in much better fashion.
    • 3/5
      Salem, Massachusetts - much ado about witches and the magic arts, touristy. But the psychics, readers, fortune-tellers and witches are the good guys in this story. The Calvinists are the bad guys - Calvinists, the followers of local guy, Calvin, not Calvinists, the Protestants. Still. The author’s sense of place was spectacular; the town, the water and islands, the rugged coast. The history and tidbits about lace-making were interesting. And so were parts of the story line, a mystery with the main character a woman with a mental illness. But still.I just didn’t like it.
    • 5/5
      "My name is Towner Whitney. No, that's not exactly true. My real first name is Sophya. Never believe me. I lie all the time." Thus Brunonia Barry warns her reader that the likeable narrator of 'The Lace Reader' is not to be trusted. Nothing will be as it seems at first -or will it? This is a magical, compelling novel. The basic plot is simple enough: a young woman returns to her hometown after the disappearance and probable death of the family matriarch. We see much of the story through her eyes, yet she has from the onset warned us that she is an unreliable narrator. Even as the judicious reader questions much of what she reads, interest in the eccentric Whitney family and their histories becomes compelling. Giving away details of the story line would be unfair to both reader and author. So to do a quick `junior high book report' approach - the characters are life-like and well-drawn; the plot is well-developed but twisting (careful reading is demanded of the reader); the author's style flows smoothly, and the ending is a roller coaster ride. The paradox of a really good book for me is that I want to race through it - the `I can't put it down' feeling. I have to know what's happening next. While at the same time I am saddened at the thought of finishing the novel and leaving the magic world of the book. This was true of The Lace Reader. It's difficult to put down and the return to the real world comes with a thud!
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this novel, although after all the hype I'd heard, I think I was expecting just a tad bit more -- more mystery, more suspense, more family secrets, more resolution with the ending. I was left wanting more, and I felt that this book would yield well to a sequel or prequel. And it seems that there are rumors flying that that may be the case, and if that's so, I anxiously await one or the other. I read the audiobook version & I think perhaps it was harder to discern one part from another near the ending. With that said, I'd enjoy reading this again in book form, and I think I will suggest this for a future book group read, as it definitely would prompt some good discussion.
    • 5/5
      I no longer own this book but must add it back to this physical catalog of my library to satisfy those in charge of the Early Reviewer Program.Since I do not have a copy of the book nor access to my original review, I do not remember specifics. However I do remember that I really enjoyed the setting, the plot and the character of Towner Whitney. That the book did not have the feel of a debut book. That I would definitely read other books by this author.
    • 3/5
      This was a decent read. Granted, it was on my phone and I read it mostly when my husband wouldn't let me leave the light on to read in bed...There are some seriously heavy issues here, you can dive as deep as it suits you with them. There are a few bumpy spots, but the end is pretty interesting.
    • 5/5
      Unique, hard to describe and one of the best I've read. Truly wonderful story -- inventive, creative, spelling-binding and oh so well-written.
    • 5/5
      “My name is Towner Whitney. No, that’s not exactly true. My real first name is Sophya. Never believe me. I lie all the time.I am a crazy woman… That last part is true.” Even with that opening, I believed Towner, until The Sixth Sense ending, that I totally wasn’t expecting, but should have been. Generations of Whitney women in Salem, Massachusetts have been able to read the future in handmade Ipswich lace. Towner’s grandmother is so good at it that she offers readings in her tea room. But Towner gave up lace reading when she turned 17 and her twin sister died. At least, that’s what we’re told. Sisters, abuse, families, the sea, lies and truth, religion, faith, a cult, self- reliance, forgiveness, all are in this book. An amazing novel, makes me want to go visit the actual Salem even more.
    • 4/5
      Engrossing book! My best advice to anyone planning to read this book is to try very hard not to hear or read anything about it first. Since there is no way for me to review it without taking the chance that I'll spoil something for someone, I'll say only this: make sure you leave yourself time to re-read it as soon as you're finished. Trust me; you'll want to.
    • 5/5
      Charming and unusual, but also dark and full of suspense, The Lace Reader is beautifully written. The women of modern-day Salem, Mass. can read the future in lace. With a complex story, original characters and a magical slant, you will be hooked. Highly recommended - I loved it!
    • 3/5
      I found this story a little convoluted...so many characters with uncertain motivations; I kept getting them confused, especially the women. I just felt the characters were not developed enough to understand why they behaved and thought the way they did. One subplot would begin and then just sort of drop with no resolution. And the twist in the end did not really resolve things satisfactorily, sort of rushed to end the story. However, after all of this complaining, I did finish the book, so there you go...
    • 4/5
      A good read!
    • 5/5
      This was a compelling story. Salem and the characters all came alive for me, and I found that every twist of the plot felt right, like an aha! moment. Towner and Lyndley, May and Rafferty, and even the witches and the Calvinists behaved in the way I believe their not fictional counterparts would behave. I loved this book, and hope to see more works by this author.
    • 3/5
      I think the idea of this book is much better than the actual follow-through. Towner Whitney, a self-proclaimed liar, narrates a story about returning to her roots in Salem after the death of a beloved family member. Towner shares disturbing stories from her childhood as well as pieces of information from the present day. The plot progresses steadily until the last 30 pages or so. At that point, it seems the author was on a deadline and threw together what she believed to be a plausible ending. Many loose ends are left unravelling, and Towner seems more unreliable than before. Overall, not a bad read until the final chapters.
    • 4/5
      This one got some enormous buzz when it was picked up recently for re-publication in hardcover after first appearing a year ago in paperback, and while I loved the strong sense of place (Salem, MA and its environs) and the general premise and Towner Whitney and Rafferty and May and Emma -- and especially Eva -- what I did not love kept it from being a 5 star for me.

      For 3/4 of the book, author Brunonia Barry was peeling back layers that were tantalizing, but when restraint would have added to the tension between the Calvinists (NOT the Presbyterian variety) and Towner Whitney, Barry seemed unable to resist throwin' everything in the pot at once to turn up the boil.

      Nevertheless, this one will go like hotcakes, due to word of mouth, and I predict it will find an incredible second life.
    • 3/5
      The story of a troubled Towner Whitney returning to Salem, the place of her childhood, for the funeral of favourite family member. There's mystery and intrigue, flashbacks, a bit of romance, old and new, and just a hint of the spooky. Its a good read, not a real page turner but engaging nonetheless.
    • 3/5
      This book was very appealing and interesting to me. I don't think it is great literature, but the characters were different, and the plot twists were not expected. I liked the new age atmosphere and the strong female characters. I am still wondering who May's husband/lover was.
    • 4/5
      How do you know that you've read a really good book? You can't stop thinking about it. You think about it while you're reading it, in fact, you can't really concentrate on other things you're doing. You are going along doing whatever, and it just creeps into your mind. You think about it when you're done reading it and wonder what happens to the characters after everything is over. And you keep eagerly awaiting the sequel although you're sure that it won't live up to the original.This is one of those books. It keeps you guessing the whole way through. I don't really like extra sensory perception, alternative religion stuff, but I really liked it in this book. It fit so well. Some authors use metaphysical stuff almost as one of the characters, in this book, it was just a subtle background element. This allowed more character development with the metaphysical stuff as part of the main characters' personalities without overwhelming the story itself. And the metaphysical stuff was an important element to the story, kind of like a subtle spice in a complex stew.Romance was a part of the story, but not the main focus. The major focus was on the history and healing of the main character, Sophya "Towner". The book is told in the voice mainly of Towner, with occasional tidbits by other main characters. There is mystery as well, was Eva killed or was it an accident? What was "the accident"? It pulls you in and keeps your interest.An unusual book with a unique heroine, I highly reccomend it.
    • 3/5
      I received several recommendations for this book, so I was really looking forward to reading it. I was very disappointed when I did finally listen to this recorded version. It wasn't exactly what I expected from the description of the book. Instead of getting more interested in the book as I read, as I would with most books, I became less interested as the book progressed.
    • 5/5
      Absolutely loved this book - wonderful story - great plot twists - magical! Can't wait to see the author at book group expo!
    • 3/5
      Interesting but forgettable. I think I was expecting a little more historical fiction and a little less family drama.
    • 4/5
      It's hard for me to review "The Lace Reader" -- I gulped it down so quickly that I wasn't taking the notes in my head that I usually do. Luckily this one has been reviewed like a house on fire, so I don't have to be too wordy. (That semi-awful opening paragraph is your warning that I am in love with similes today, sorry.)So I'll keep it short -- I loved this book. There were a few things that bugged me, but overall it was a highly enjoyable experience. The protagonist, Towner, returns home to Salem MA to take care of things after a death in the family. Towner's family is full of people with extra little gifts, like prescience and the ability to "read" lace, to see the future in it, basically. While she's there, unfinished conflicts start to close in and she's stuck there, fending them off while yearning to leave. All along, Towner's past is sort of alluded to but not explained until you get further into the story; bits and pieces surface and start to come together as you read more.At first, the way Towner's past was all shrouded in mystery annoyed me. A lot. To the point where I was wondering if maybe there was a chapter Barry meant to write that got left out of the ARC. About halfway into the book, I started to see that there was a method to the dropped-out details, and began appreciating the mystery instead.One thing that I loved was the way the little bits of the "Lace Reader's Guide" that were at the beginning of almost every chapter tied into the story, in more ways than one. There were little things like this, attention to detail, that made me appreciate the book more than I would have otherwise (I'm a sucker for stuff like that).A few minor things that bugged: the huge shifts in perspective took me aback for several pages, as if a segue that had suddenly gone missing. Most of the characters are intriguing, some likeable despite their faults, some unlikeable despite their pathetic nature -- but there is one character who drove me nuts with her constant AWESOMENESS. No, I mean, she was written like she was supposed to be hugely loveable and full of win, and I liked her at first, but as it became more evident that I was SUPPOSED to like her to the point of do-no-wrong, I started being irritated by her. And lastly, there are some parts of the book that I am sure are supposed to be "dreamlike" but ended up being "opaque." Rereading those bits, I can grasp some of them, but mostly they read like... I'm outing myself as a nerd here, but I wrote a Buffy fanfic once where Drusilla was the speaker, and it was a dream-fic, full of (horribly juvenile) imagery and shadows, and that's all I could think of while I was reading the "dreamlike" bits. They're a bit overdone; they could do with some scaling back. But at the same time, it does add to the atmosphere of the book, so I can see why those parts were kept.But honestly, that's all I can think of to criticize: I REALLY enjoyed "The Lace Reader." I can see it being a popular choice for book clubs in early fall -- it's not too heavy, but not out-and-out fluffy summer fare. This pretty much encapsulates how much I enjoyed it: it kept me up until four in the morning, the first time a book has done that in about a year. It's a keeper, one I'm sure I'll reread, and I look forward to seeing what Barry comes up with next.
    • 2/5
      While reading this book I thought that the writing was really convoluted and often I would read something and stop thinking 'Wait, What??' I felt like there were chapters missing or something. After finishing the book, I understand what that was all about. There's a good twist in this book, I'll give it that much. The ending was good...but getting to the ending, holy balls, you have to get through 320 pages of depressing monotone characters. Reminded me a lot of Marilynne Robinson...more While reading this book I thought that the writing was really convoluted and often I would read something and stop thinking 'Wait, What??' I felt like there were chapters missing or something. After finishing the book, I understand what that was all about. There's a good twist in this book, I'll give it that much. The ending was good...but getting to the ending, holy balls, you have to get through 320 pages of depressing monotone characters. Reminded me a lot of Marilynne Robinson's Housekeeping...almost all females, crazyness, the general theme and presence of water...too bad the book isn't half as good as Housekeeping though.
    • 5/5
      This was a fantastic book.
    • 3/5
      I learned something about lace reading, and I liked the characters in this novel. It jumps around a little too much, and assumes the reader has some information that he/she doesn't, but it was still a good read with a fairly satisfying conclusion.
    • 3/5
      This book is full of strong women who are each a little bit crazy. Some are more sane and emotionally stronger than others. The story centers around a woman by the name of Towner Whitney, and what she went through in her life. Towner had to cope with being abused and the death of her twin, and even though it is questionable that she wanted to survive at times, that's exactly what she did every day. I really enjoyed this book...a bit perdictable at times, but worth the time.
    • 4/5
      Towner Whitney starts the story by telling you that she's an unreliable narrator. She had electroshock therapy as a teen and it disrupted her ability to remember some things, both in the past and recently. She lives with this. When her aunt Eva, who was her substitute mother, dies she's drawn back to Salem, a place full of pain and trouble for her. While there she has to face some of her ghosts and the legacy her aunt has left her. I did guess the twist but more because I was told that there was a twist than anything else. I found it an interesting, if slow read, wanting to know more about Towner and what happened to her. There were times that things slowed down a bit too much and got bogged down in details I didn't care about but otherwise it was an interesting read.