Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Book Review: I See You Everywhere

Pinkflipflops started a bloggers book club last month and our first selection was "I See You Everywhere" by Julia Glass. I must sheepishly say that I was the one who suggested this book. Why am I sheepish about this? Well, because I did not like the book. At all. It has such potential, though. The author also wrote "Three Junes" which was the winner of the National Book Award. Since she hit such a home run with that book, I assumed this one would be a winner as well. Wrongo batman.


I was drawn to this book by the blurb on the back (as usual). According to the blurb, the book was about the parallel lives of two sisters - and their tenuous relationship. I am sort of drawn to books that discuss the relationship between sisters or the mother/daughter relationship. Especially if I get the feeling that the book does not romanticize the relationship. Don't get me wrong - I have great relationships with my mom and sisters, but they are imperfect relationships. So I like books that accurately portray there complex and sometimes complicated relationships.

This book did a pretty good job of it, but I just could not get into the book at all. And don't even get me started on the ending - which I HATED. I can almost hear my mom saying, "Hate is a strong word, Lisa." Yes, yes it is. And it's totally applicable in this situation.

Anyways, even though I didn't care for the book, there were a few good sections that I tagged. Oh, and I got a little bit of teasing for my book tagging at my book club last month. I'm kind of obsessed with those post-it tape-like tags. I am sure I look like a professor when I read on the bus. And I dress like one too most days of the week so I am fairly certain that my fellow bus riders think I work at the University of St Thomas. But whatevs. I'm totally ok with being mistaken for a professor.

So here are some of the sections I tagged:

  • Ever notice how sisters, when they aren't best friends, make particularly vicious enemies? (p. 7) (if you are a girl and you have a sister, this quote should resonate with you. Sister to sister fights can be downright vicious.)
  • My one real boyfriend in college, just before we broke up, told me I'm nostalgic to a fault. (p. 1)
  • I'd rather be pleasantly surprised than fatally disappointed. (p. 90)
  • To him, silence is never a threat. I'm not like that; I want to be asked and told, praised, cajoled, or bellowed at. Where there are words, there are definitions. Definitions help contain the chaos. Ray once said that the way I lean on language makes me fascinating but also makes me uptight, ties me in knots. I take people too literally, he says. (p. 171)
Here's hoping that if my suggested selection wins in the future, it's better than this one.

Next month we are going to read a classic, though. The selection is Pride & Prejudice. I have read this before but plan on re-reading it. Jane Austen is such an amazing writer and I can't wait to re-read this book. Want to join our blogger book club? Go to Pinkflipflop's blog! She posts discussion questions throughout the month.

9 comments:

Mandy said...

I've never read this one. I always mark passages too that resonate with me. I am gearing up to read Sense and Sensability and Seamonsters soon. Have you ever read it?

Mama Nastase said...

Love the selections that you tagged...if you didn't feel so strongly about hating it, I would be tempted to pick it up!

(And YES on the sisters quote!)

Kyla Roma said...

Oh cool! I'm on a Jane Austin kick right now and loving it- I hope you enjoy it!

Becky said...

Seriously. You're my twin. I had to use regular post-its the other day when I ran out of those sticky tags!

Definitely yes on the sisters quote - and I'm going to be reading the blogger book club book too! It'll be my first Jane Austen novel!

Nicole said...

You're right, the book does sound like it has a lot of potential. As someone else said, if you didn't hate it so much I might be tempted to read it. And the sisters quote is oh so true!

Amber said...

I missed out last month because the stupid library didn't get my book for me in time! I'm going to try and read Pride and Prejudice for this month though! Not sure if I will get through that book in one month with all the school reading I have to do, though :S haha!

Little Fish said...

OK, I'll put this on my do not read list lol.

Anonymous said...

Love this one "I'd rather be pleasantly surprised than fatally disappointed." That's so me. I've often said having no expectations is better than having some because if you get something? Then Hooray! You are happy BUT if you have an expectation and it's not met then you're all sad. Not fun.

I may have to join the bloggers bookclub. What a fun idea =)

The Many Thoughts of a Reader said...

Thanks for the plug Lisa! I can understand what you mean by being dissapointed. There were many other discussion questions I cam across as I was finding ones to post on the blog and some of them, I was like ummm I don't even see how she addressed this.. I think the blurb on the cover had be expecting something I didn't get. But I do like how she conveyed their relationship. Though it didn't seem the "big" disagreements ever were captured, more alluded too.

And ladies, come on over! The more opinions the better. :)