Testimony by Anita Shreve Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Testimony
Book Review: Could have been covered in one chapter
Summary: 1 Stars
Can I get my time back? This story was told from several people's perspective. The entire book was very predictable and could have been completed from beginning to end in 15 pages or less. Do not waste your time!Book Review: Couldn't put it down
Summary: 5 Stars
There are not many books that I pick up that I cannot put back down. Even some of Shreve's other titles have been a bit on the long side. But this one really got under my skin. It is believable. It is heartwrenching. It makes you angry with everyone in the book for not stepping up to the bat and changing the course of events. It makes you consider the far-reaching effects of bad decisions. So many people making bad decisions- some little decisions - some big decisions - and every one of them culminating in to a disaster.
Days after reading this book, I am still thinking about it. It was too real and too close to the truths of my own life.
Shreve is awesome.
Book Review: Couldn't put this down!
Summary: 5 Stars
WOW, just wow. This book was a masterpiece. You know, I was very excited to read it. I started it, and for some reason the first 30 pages didn't really grab me so I set it down for a few days. I picked it back up and never let go! The book definitely keep me in its grips from that point forward.
There are many powerful things going on here. For one- the variety of perspectives and voices makes this about the easiest book to read, there is no chance of getting bored when the voice rotates from person to person (the kids involved, the headmaster, parents of the kids, and people living in town). Though, at first I have to re-remember who each person was, but once I really got going I knew exactly who was who.
Also, the way the story was revealed, going from the aftermath to the event its self to what led up to it. It was a puzzle that put itself together piece by piece. I also really liked how the different characters lives intertwined and how each character affected the others.
The topic of 18-19 year old boys having sex with a 14 year old girl definitely creates strong emotions and sides. Who was to blame? Were the boys only to blame, should the girl share in the blame? My opinion is that no one is completely innocent and no one is completely to blame. I think it was a collective bad move on all of their parts and no one had the sense to step back for a moment and consider what was going on, until after the fact. Very unfortunate. Each person has a different reason for being there and for the most part in the book you find out what lead them to this place.
All of the characters had something to offer but I think my favorite character was Noelle- the girlfriend of one of the boys. I also really liked Laura's perspective, she was the roommate of the girl involved in the incident.
Hands down- this was a very engrossing read and I definitely know it will be talked about for years to come!
Book Review: Dang It! Don't divulge the denouement!
Summary: 4 Stars
I've started reading some Anita Shreve before, but just couldn't get into it. *Testimony* had me from the start. She has panoramically constructed a tragic tale, from varying Points of View, of sex, lies, and videotape at a New England prep school and the fall-out therefrom. Somebody dies. That's all I'm going to say about plot, because it irks this reviewer when other reviewers tell the whole tale - what, then, is the point of buying the book and reading it?!?
This was an Up-All-Night page-turner, but in the end, only gets 4 stars because of a Duke-Lacrosse-Stick ex machina end (which I'm also not going to divulge here ;-)
So, QUICK! QUIT READING THE SPOILER REVIEWS & just BUY (or borrow) THE BOOK!
/TundraVision, Amazon Reviewer
Book Review: Depressing!
Summary: 3 Stars
I have read several of Anita Shreve's books and they always tell a darker tale, but this one was downright depressing. The story was interesting enough and it kept you reading, but I don't think I would recommend this to anyone because it was so morose. I was happy when I finished it so I could go on to something lighter. We see enough of these kind of stories on the nightly news maybe that is why I didn't like it.