3.5 Stars rounded down to 3.
While Elsewhere is a beautifully written book, full of amazing imagery and lyrical prose, I found it lacked in plot. The mystery of the mothers in Vera's small town is never solved or possibly we're meant to assume they disappear of their own volition, like Vera and her mother do. I was a bit disappointed as that aspect of the book was what drew me in.
I figured out the twist about Ruth pretty early on and spent the rest of the book waiting for Vera to realize it herself, especially after her own departure.
Sometimes the writing is very uncomfortable for seemingly no reason at all and while we spent the whole book with Vera, I never felt like I really knew her. The supporting characters are written so well- even "the stranger Ruth" seemed to have more depth than our main character.
I think this book could definitely be a five star read for some people, but I personally like a concrete storyline.
While Elsewhere is a beautifully written book, full of amazing imagery and lyrical prose, I found it lacked in plot. The mystery of the mothers in Vera's small town is never solved or possibly we're meant to assume they disappear of their own volition, like Vera and her mother do. I was a bit disappointed as that aspect of the book was what drew me in.
I figured out the twist about Ruth pretty early on and spent the rest of the book waiting for Vera to realize it herself, especially after her own departure.
Sometimes the writing is very uncomfortable for seemingly no reason at all and while we spent the whole book with Vera, I never felt like I really knew her. The supporting characters are written so well- even "the stranger Ruth" seemed to have more depth than our main character.
I think this book could definitely be a five star read for some people, but I personally like a concrete storyline.