Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
Barb’s Bookshelf: Patterson
 |
by BARBARA MOORE
James Patterson has teamed up for the third time with Howard Roughan to pen “Sail.” Their previous two collaborations include “You’ve Been Warned” and “Honeymoon.”
I haven’t read “Honeymoon,” and probably won’t. I did read “You’ve Been Warned” and found it rather boring. The story was too long and drawn out, and didn’t appear to be going anywhere.
“Sail” is another rather boring tale. The story idea is good, but it turns too predictable, in almost every way. The Dunnes set sail on the family yacht for a two-month getaway. Katherine, a heart surgeon, hopes to reconnect with her oldest son, 16-year-old Mark, who is smoking way too much dope and generally being a loser. She also wants to try and mend fences with her 18 year old freshman at Yale, Carrie, who is bulimic and suffering bouts of depression. Katherine wants to really get closer to her youngest, 10-year-old Ernie, the chubby one, who asks her at least once a day if she’s sure he isn’t adopted. And last but not least, the captain for this adventure is her former brother-in-law, Jake Dunne. Jake’s deceased brother and Katherine’s former husband, Stuart, died on “The Family Dunne” while on a scuba diving trip. Katherine has remarried Peter, a hot-shot defense attorney in Manhattan, who is just beginning a big, important trial. The kids all refer to the trip as the Dunne family dysfunctional vacation. So you know it’s already become “Mom’s guilt trip from hell.” They begin the trip with Carrie seeming to fall overboard, but when Jake dives in to save her, she tries to drown him. Apparently Carrie wants to drown herself, and doesn’t mind taking her uncle with her. And so it goes.
If you’re a Patterson fan, you’ll probably want to read this, but it’s one that will be simply forgettable after you’ve read it.
I would like to see more of Patterson in his books, and less of Roughan, for sure.
“Sundays at Tiffany’s” was written by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet, (who does a much better job of collaborating on a book with Patterson than did Howard Roughan.)
The cover of this book reads “What if your imaginary friend from childhood was your one true love?” Well, that IS what this odd little love story is all about. I have to tell you, it’s a very different kind of love story.
Little Jane Margaux is a lonely little eight-year-old girl. Her mom is an important Broadway producer, who can make time for her daughter only once a week, when they schedule their Sunday trip to Tiffany’s to admire the jewelry, followed by ice cream at the St. Regis Hotel. Jane is so lonely that she has invented an imaginary friend. He’s unlike most imaginary friends; Michael is funny, handsome, consoling and a man. Michael goes everywhere with little Jane. At the St. Regis, they make up glamorous stories about the other customers. She can tell Michael anything. He’s always there for her.
Now, years later, Jane is a playwright in her thirties, still trying to please her mother, and is still lonely. Then the kindest, most handsome man walks into her life. He seems so familiar somehow…
This is one of the most imaginative love stories I’ve come across in a long time.
Barb Moore is assistant manager at Franklin Memorial Library.
I haven’t read “Honeymoon,” and probably won’t. I did read “You’ve Been Warned” and found it rather boring. The story was too long and drawn out, and didn’t appear to be going anywhere.
“Sail” is another rather boring tale. The story idea is good, but it turns too predictable, in almost every way. The Dunnes set sail on the family yacht for a two-month getaway. Katherine, a heart surgeon, hopes to reconnect with her oldest son, 16-year-old Mark, who is smoking way too much dope and generally being a loser. She also wants to try and mend fences with her 18 year old freshman at Yale, Carrie, who is bulimic and suffering bouts of depression. Katherine wants to really get closer to her youngest, 10-year-old Ernie, the chubby one, who asks her at least once a day if she’s sure he isn’t adopted. And last but not least, the captain for this adventure is her former brother-in-law, Jake Dunne. Jake’s deceased brother and Katherine’s former husband, Stuart, died on “The Family Dunne” while on a scuba diving trip. Katherine has remarried Peter, a hot-shot defense attorney in Manhattan, who is just beginning a big, important trial. The kids all refer to the trip as the Dunne family dysfunctional vacation. So you know it’s already become “Mom’s guilt trip from hell.” They begin the trip with Carrie seeming to fall overboard, but when Jake dives in to save her, she tries to drown him. Apparently Carrie wants to drown herself, and doesn’t mind taking her uncle with her. And so it goes.
If you’re a Patterson fan, you’ll probably want to read this, but it’s one that will be simply forgettable after you’ve read it.
I would like to see more of Patterson in his books, and less of Roughan, for sure.
“Sundays at Tiffany’s” was written by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet, (who does a much better job of collaborating on a book with Patterson than did Howard Roughan.)
The cover of this book reads “What if your imaginary friend from childhood was your one true love?” Well, that IS what this odd little love story is all about. I have to tell you, it’s a very different kind of love story.
Little Jane Margaux is a lonely little eight-year-old girl. Her mom is an important Broadway producer, who can make time for her daughter only once a week, when they schedule their Sunday trip to Tiffany’s to admire the jewelry, followed by ice cream at the St. Regis Hotel. Jane is so lonely that she has invented an imaginary friend. He’s unlike most imaginary friends; Michael is funny, handsome, consoling and a man. Michael goes everywhere with little Jane. At the St. Regis, they make up glamorous stories about the other customers. She can tell Michael anything. He’s always there for her.
Now, years later, Jane is a playwright in her thirties, still trying to please her mother, and is still lonely. Then the kindest, most handsome man walks into her life. He seems so familiar somehow…
This is one of the most imaginative love stories I’ve come across in a long time.
Barb Moore is assistant manager at Franklin Memorial Library.
 |
||
| Aw shucks, it’s that time of year |
Article Rating
Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of forest-blade.com.
