The Wonder Spot
by Melissa Bank
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Book Summary Information
Author: Melissa BankEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Published)
Format: Bargain Price
Published: 2005-05-31
ISBN: N/A
Number of pages: 336
Publisher: Viking Adult
Book Reviews of The Wonder Spot
Book Review: A book doesn't have to be perfect to be worth reading
Summary: 4 Stars
The book begins with a young Sophie who is so well drawn, and whose family is depicted with such keen, hilarious insight, that it's well worth the price of admission. Bank is fabulous at drawing realistic characters and knowing exactly what they think, feel, and say. Young Sophie will help you remember all the nuances of that age and her depiction of her uneasy friendship with a conflicted classmate in Hebrew school is truly brillant. Family personalities and dynamics are spot on, and Sophie's tense relationship with her soon-to-be sister-in-law is priceless.
Sophie herself is an interesting protagonist. She is honestly portrayed as a somewhat incompetant slacker.
The problems I had with the book had more to do with plot. Characters, such as boyfriends, childhood friends and a college roommate, appear and have intense relations with Sophie, only to disappear from the narrative. While they are there, they are well-drawn, offer enticing bits of conversation, and seem to hint at a purpose for being in the book. But we never hear from them again. At one point, there was a boyfriend who seemed like he was going to be 'the one.' Perhaps a marriage, a crisis, or something to move the book along. But he suddenly disappears. Did an editor redline him to death? By the end of the book, I had lost track of the relationships - particularly boyfriends, and felt like Sophie never developed into anything, or formed an important relationship -- people came and went, and she had great conversations with them while they were there, and that was it. Sort of like a series of vignettes or short stories hooked together with one central character.
That being said, Bank is such a talented writer that it is still worth reading this book for the excellent beginning and wonderful character depictions.
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