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Saturday, April 16, 2011

Book review - The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand

This book was on all the book blogs about two years ago. I usually get the best sellers rather late but I am grateful that I do get them eventually. This was one of my lucky finds.

Greg and Tess are part of a group of four couples and one day whilst celebrating their twelfth anniversary they drown in a boating accident. How this incident tears the four couples apart, the secrets that unravel and the slow disintegration of their lives is the story.
The story is reminiscent of teenagers or maybe university students if its a Sri Lankan story. You meet others, form a group or clique and some of these in that group fall in love and get married so the ties that bind are more permanent. Whether these deaths are an accident or not, is also something that is never known - though it seems to be convenient for all if it is written as an accident so that the closure for all would be easy.

The book written in chapters denoting each of the four characters highlights the thoughts and feelings of each person both in the present time as well as in the past - particularly of the period where the past is relevant to the present times. This helped to connect the variant bits and pieces together and form a coherent picture of the whole.

Though it has been described as not a light story, there is a spirit of lightness about the whole story - it was an easy read as well just right for a lazy Saturday afternoon.

8 comments:

  1. I was reading all of this author's earliest books when they were released, and then in the last 5 years, I don't think I've read any. I did enjoy your review of this one:)

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  2. I haven't read a book by her yet, I think they are not for me. But then I should not say that before trying one

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  3. I really want to get this one for my summer reading list! Thanks for the wonderful review!

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  4. I think I may have a copy of this. I should dig out to read over the summer. Thanks for the great review.

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  5. I tried reading this one, but just couldn't get into it and ended up setting it aside. Glad you enjoyed it though.

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  6. This is one I've wanted to read for a while, but I might try borrowing it from the library. Nice review, glad you enjoyed it!

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  7. Glad to see you enjoyed this one. I met the author and snagged a copy at BEA in 2009, but sadly haven't read it yet.

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  8. Cool I have yet to read Cynthia Harrods Eagles, she sounds very interesting. Enjoy your reads.

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