I’m off to a pretty good start in 2016, recently finishing Mary Lawson’s 2002 novel “Crow Lake” followed by Paula Hawkins’ runaway 2015 bestseller “The Girl on the Train” and completing the audiobook of Elisabeth Elo’s 2014 mystery-suspense novel “North of Boston.” All of them were quite decent in their different genres.
Mary Lawson’s 2002 debut novel “Crow Lake” was given to me by my S-I-L (sister-in-law) who said it had been one of her book club’s favorite reads of all time. In fact my book club — before I joined the group — liked it a lot too. Apparently it’s a universally popular book-club choice (if you’re in need of one), especially in Canada. And now I can see why.
It’s about four kids living in a remote farming community along a lake in northern Ontario, Canada, who struggle to stay together after their parents die in a tragic accident. The two teenage boys try to cope, sacrificing to make ends meet to raise their two younger sisters. One of the girls, the narrator, idolizes one of her older brothers who passes along to her a passion for the natural world and the pond beyond their house, inspiring her later educational and career pursuits, but eventually things come between them and she must fight her disappointment over her brother’s fate.
It’s a poignant, quiet story about family dynamics, sibling rivalry, and sacrifice in which the northern landscape and poverty are prominent. The girl’s narration cuts to the bones over her thoughts looking back over her childhood, her family’s struggles, and where she came from. The farming aspect and tone slightly reminded me of John Williams’s novel “Stoner,” which I just read last year, but “Crow Lake” is more about the relations between siblings that can affect one forever. It was published apparently when the author was in her mid-50s and is a bit biographical. I admired its rich authenticity and look forward to reading Mary Lawson’s other two novels sometime.
As for Paula Hawkins’ 2015 psychological thriller “The Girl on the Train,” everyone knows what that one’s about, right? The runaway bestseller has sold four million copies in the U.S. and more than 6.5 million globally. I’m surely the last blogger to read it. I put it off for as long as I could because I wasn’t really looking for another “Gone Girl” type of book, but now I’m glad to have finally read it for my book group, which plans to discuss it soon.
It’s a quick page-turner no doubt and pretty well constructed. I only wanted to throttle the main character Rachel Watson a few dozen times. She’s purposely flawed to the max and continually getting involved where she doesn’t belong. She’s annoying too. But then the character of Meagan seems a bit worse. She’s morally devoid. And Anna is no great shakes either. All of the characters are pretty inept or contemptible (guilty of something), but I guess that’s what makes the book’s motive and killer more up for grabs.
The big reveal though at the end sort of petered out for me. I don’t know what I was expecting but I guess I was expecting something else or a bit more. Regardless I’ll hand it to the author for coming up with Rachel — the sad sack alcoholic who regularly blacks out — as a possible witness and suspect. Is Emily Blunt really going to play Rachel for the movie, which is due out in October? She’s seemingly so sensible! For this character, she’ll have to forswear sobriety (and her looks?) in 2016. I’m not sure whether I liked “Gone Girl” or “The Girl on the Train” better for this genre. “Gone Girl” was crazier and more diabolical but perhaps “Train” more rooted in everyday realities (?) — which one did you like better?
Lastly Elisabeth Elo’s 2014 crime suspense novel “North of Boston” made for a pretty good audiobook listen this past week. I liked the main character Pirio Kasparov, a sharp-witted sarcastic Boston girl who’s involved in a collision at sea when the fishing boat she’s on is rammed in the fog by a freighter. She somehow survives four hours in the water before being rescued, but her friend, the boat’s owner is killed. In time she becomes suspicious that the boat’s sinking and her friend’s death were no accident. With the help of a journalist, she begins unraveling a lethal plot involving the whaling grounds off Baffin Island.
Like much crime or suspense fiction — I often get weary mid-way through as the plot’s intricacies unfold and I find parts quite unbelievable, which I did a bit with “North of Boston.” It reminded me a bit of a Nelson DeMille novel with more to it. It’s not exactly my favorite genre but nonetheless these types of books often make good audios and this one did as well. Marguerite Gavin does an excellent job of narrating it. The sharp-witted lead character Pirio (of Russian descent) and the setting of Boston and northern whaling waters made the book worthwhile for me, and it had enough action to keep the pace flowing. If the author continues with Pirio for her next book, I plan to tune in again.
What about you — have you read either “Crow Lake,” “The Girl on the Train” or “North of Boston” — and if so what did you think?
Love the website makeover. It looks so polished!
You are surely not the last person on the blogosphere to read The Girl on the Train; that title would go to moi if I decided to read it, which I don’t plan to. Nor have I read Gone Girl, though I’m (maybe) planning to read it this year. I feel so left out every time people talk about those two…
Anyways, your three book choices sound great. I’m glad you liked them. Of the three, North of Boston would be more to my liking, I think.
Thanks Carmen. Glad the site makeover looks okay. I’m never too sure what to think but I was ready for a change. Yeah maybe you might not like Gone Girl or Girl on the Train — they’re both pretty crazy. North of Boston was a more straightforward crime/mystery novel.
These look to be really good books.
Crow lake sound particularly interesting. The dynamics between siblings as they grow up and grow older never ceases to fascinate me.
Yeah Brian : Crow Lake is all about siblings in a tough situation. It’s quiet but a good book!
I wasn’t thrilled with The Girl on the Train either, but I did like it. I didn’t like it as much as I did Gone Girl. Now it seems like everything is being compared to Gone Girl, including The Girl on the Train.
And I second what Carmen said. Whoa. Different and in a good way. 🙂
Oh thanks Bryan — glad you like the site’s new look. I’m still trying to figure out which book I liked better. But perhaps Gone Girl has a bit more going on.
Crow Lake sounds interesting! I’m always looking for books to share with the book club too. We read The Girl on the Train as a book club and enjoyed it. I think I enjoyed it so much because I liked her writing and you didn’t have to get so bogged down in all the details that you needed a notebook.
One of these days I’ll have to read Gone Girl. And I’ll be the last person on earth to have read that!
Yeah Suzanne – I think the author did a good job with Girl on the Train. Rachel was just over the top eh? Gone Girl is crazy too.
Endorsing Bryan’s remarks! I thought Girl on the Train was overhyped and that was a shame as I still enjoyed it. Like you I just can’t see Emily Blunt as Rachel 🙂
Oh thanks Bride. Yeah you’re right it’s pretty overhyped but I enjoyed it in ways. Emily Blunt will be interesting in the role; we will see!
I felt like Girl on the Train suffered for all the hype. Like, if I wasn’t expecting it to be like Gone Girl I think I would have been more impressed. But I kept wanting it to be Gone Girl, which was such a brilliant thriller and brilliant critique of relationships and men and women and all of that, but it just didn’t quite have it.
Yeah luckily I read the books a couple years apart — so wasn’t comparing them too much. I guess I liked both for different things. Gone Girl was quite a marriage expose, for sure.
I’ve never heard of Crow Lake but will keep it in mind for a book club selection.
I read The Girl on the Train before all they hype and I liked it a lot. The ending did surprise me. Between it and Gone Girl, I have to go with Gone Girl – it was much more compelling for me.
Yeah so far it seems more bloggers liked Gone Girl better, but Train is not too shabby either. From what I hear Crow Lake makes a pretty good book club book.
I read Crow Lake (Was it an Oprah book? Not sure.) long ago. Thought it was a powerful story. Haven’t read Gone Girl but did succumb to Girl on Train when book group read it. I tend to avoid popular fiction; it’s a prejudice of mine, though I almost always see why such books are so popular when I go ahead and read them.
Oh glad you liked Crow Lake! I agree, I don’t read too much popular fiction either; it’s sort of like cotton candy — I try to stay away from it.
It was The Today Show’s book club pick when they were copying Oprah and trying to get a book club going.
I read Crow Lake years ago but didn’t remember much of the storyline until I read your summary. I am sure it would make a good book club selection. Lots to think about.
Have a good week.
My Sunday Salon
Thanks Anne. Yeah Crow Lake was a good one, powerful in a quiet way.
I liked The Girl on the Train more than some, who were put off by the comparisons to Gone Girl, expressing disappointment. I don’t like how marketing people so readily toss out those comparisons. Each book should stand on its own, but I guess some might have picked it up because of those strategies.
I like the idea of the movie…Emily Blunt can be pathetic, too, LOL.
I like the new look here…congrats! And Crow Lake is definitely one to take a look at…thanks!
Thanks for visiting my blog.
Ha Laurel, I’ll watch for a pathetic Emily Blunt. Yeah I almost liked Girl on the Train just as well. Glad you like the new look on my site!
I haven’t read any of these! I’m so behind on crime fiction! I think Crow Lake peaked my interest the most here.. too much hype on Gone and Train.
Yeah Laura, a lot of hype on both books! Go with Crow Lake if you get a chance. Thanks for stopping by.
While I was crazy about neither Gone Girl (actually disliked that one a lot) or The Girl on the Train, I did enjoy the later until the end. In fact, the endings of both books is where they fell apart the most for me. Gillian Flynn totally manipulated her characters, and thus her readers, into a plot which felt so very contrived. The Train held me until the end, with a fascinating story that seemed quite plausible. If not weird.
I haven’t read North of Boston, although I received it for an ARC. Can’t believe that was in 2014; I think I’m a bit behind in my reviews!
Everyone seems to be trying to get into the thriller genre, just like the books which followed Harry Potter when everyone was trying to write the next best selling fantasy. I think that’s why I tend to prefer classics and translated literature; there seems to be no gimmick.
Yeah I don’t read many thrillers, just once in a blue moon. I know what you mean about gimmicks etc. That’s interesting you liked Train better; it felt a bit more real or plausible I agree. Gone Girl was definitely more diabolic.
I read Crow Lake when it first came out. I remember I liked it but I don’t remember anything about it.
I’m team Gone Girl all the way! I really liked The Girl on the Train but I though Gone Girl was so much more intricate with no plot holes that I could spot. And Amy was so diabolical. One of the best characters ever!
I can’t see Emily Blunt as Rachel either. (I also wanted to shake Rachel a few dozen times.) She’s going to have to gain some weight first of all and then somehow make herself look disheveled. I guess we’ll see!
Yeah who can forget Perfect Amy right? She was diabolical. It was quite a chilling story for sure. Team Gone Girl looks ahead of Team Girl on the Train at this point. Rachel will be a huge role for Emily Blunt — we will see if she can play a pathetic needy drunk.
I was one of those who wasn’t necessarily impressed with Paula Hawkins’ book. I am all for unlikable characters, but I just was not thrilled with the overall story. I could see the ending a mile away, and that was one of the greatest disappointments of all. I definitely prefer the mind games of Gone Girl over this one.
Thanks Michelle. This is getting to be a good discussion about Gone Girl & the Girl on the Train. The ending petered a bit out for me as well on Train, though I’m not sure I saw it coming.
Got home from my trip. I had a mostly great time but came home sick with a bad cold. Now I am getting caught up!
Crow Lake sounds good. I loved Stoner.
The Girl on the Train, which I also read for a reading group, mostly annoyed me. If I had to choose, I would say Gone Girl is the better written book.
Today I will start Beside Myself, first novel by the author of The World Between Two Covers, Ann Morgan. It was just published last week, is about twins. Looking forward to that!
Glad you’re back Judy! Wishing a speedy recovery. Hmm. Not sure I know Ann Morgan — I will look forward to your review. Rachel was pretty annoying eh?
I haven’t read any of these books, but I’d like to get to both Girl on the Train and North of Boston. I’m especially excited to pick up Girl on the Train before it’s a movie 🙂
Yeah Katie, you have time. The Girl on the Train movie isn’t out till October 2016. You’ll be ready then. Enjoy.