Sending it along to Lauraloo29 as a RABCK to fulfill her wishlist.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Sending it along to lauraloo29 as a RABCK.

Enjoy!

What a wonderful surprise! Thank you!

I can't seem to get into this book. I will look for a new home for it.

Sending to JudySlump612 as a RABCK. Enjoy!

Arrived safely here today. Wow, an autographed copy! I've read three other books by Bohjalian, all of which have really impressed me, so I'm looking forward to reading this. Thank you for the kind gift, lauraloo29!

Well, it all starts with the garden, doesn't it?

Spencer McCullough is such a thoroughly professional vegan that no one in his family is allowed o eat meat or dairy, or to wear leather. He starts an ambitious garden for an annual family reunion, and what happens? The deer, those ungrateful deer, invade and eat the works. (I imagine him standing at the edge of the forest and shouting "Hey, I'm on YOUR side!") So the whole family knows there are deer foraging, and due to a bad combination of circumstances, his daughter picks up a loaded gun and shoots at what she thinks is a deer.

There are a lot of tensions between Spencer's pure vegan outlook and the rest of the extended family. For instance, his daughter gets the lead in the school play 'The Secret Garden' and spends a lot of time thinking about gardens and secrets. There are some subtle clues that he doesn't think as highly of his human family as he does pets - excuse me, animal companions.

Actually, all the characters in this book are fully realistic individuals. It's one of Bohjalian's strengths, along with well-balanced plotting and a writing style that hooks my attention every time I dip in. My favorite of his books remains 'The Double Bind,' but all that I've read so far have been thought-provoking and satisfying. I'm glad to share this in hopes others can enjoy it as much as I did.

But that's just one person's opinion. Future readers, what do YOU think of this book?

On shelves in Book Nook