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Her Fearful Symmetry: A Novel ReviewAfter The Time Traveler's Wife (TTTW), this book has been much anticipated by so many, including myself.That puts a lot of pressure on the author as well as the reader. I had to begin the book with an open mind to read it as a stand alone and not a 'follow-up' to The Times Traveler's Wife.
The story begins with the untimely death of Elspeth who leaves behind her lover, Robert. Robert has an apartment (flat) in the same building as Elspeth and is devastated by her death. Elspeth leaves her London flat to her nieces (twins living in the United States) under the condition that their mother (Elspeth's twin, Edie) never steps foot in the flat. This begs the question of what could have happened between the two sisters (Elspeth and Edie) to cause such tension and need for control. The 20 year-old twins, full of quirky thoughts and behaviors, move to London and Robert, intrigued and haunted by their resemblance to Elspeth, stalks them for awhile before eventually meeting up with them during a tour he was giving at Highgate Cemetery. The story really develops with the reemergence of Elspeth as a broody ghost, destined to stay in her flat watching over and desperately trying to communicate with her nieces as they begin their new lives in London.
As I began this book, I was immediately caught up in Ms. Niffenegger's wonderful ability to create characters that become amazingly real right from the start. She has an uncanny way of creating relationships built on such a deep love that we yearn to be involved with those in our own lives with the same depth of feeling.
The story begins beautifully (and sad), the concept is wonderful and the characters are richly developed. Ms. Niffenegger tells the story in a unique way and leaves mysteries and unanswered questions for readers to want to continue.
The writing is excellent, there are a variety of characters to love or at least be intrigued with. The scenery is well developed and the inclusion of Highgate Cemetery (and much of its history) makes for a fascinating setting. I think it is because most of the story is set in London that Ms. Niffenegger has chosen to use British spelling throughout the book. It is not a distraction though. As someone whose family is from England, there were many references to places, stores, and food items, that were familiar to me but may not be to others. I don't think these references will confuse the reader but for me, it was like going home for awhile.
One of the characters, Martin, has severe OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and won't even leave his flat. Ms. Niffenegger must have done a lot of research to create this character so realistically. She does a great job developing a believable (albeit extreme) relationship between the twins - both sets - who are the main characters.
As with TTTW, there were moments that I felt uneasy, events that were a little out line with the flow of the story and the personality of the characters. There were things that happened that I just couldn't see going that way (or maybe didn't want to go in that direction). Unfortunately, these events, conversations, or actions, occasionally got in the way of the story. I'm sure Ms. Niffenegger understands her characters better than I do but when they are developed so richly, we feel we know them.
The story is very creative and unique but takes some turns in the second half that detract from the beauty of the storytelling. It was worth finishing but left me a little unsettled.
Overall, Ms. Niffenegger is a wonderful and original storyteller. She has a great ability to build characters in depth and create relationships deep with emotion. She has researched all aspects of her story well. This book is worth reading, but before reading, set aside any great hope of surpassing TTTW.
As an added note, if I think of books I would give a 4 star rating, this is probably a better book but in comparison to her first novel, it is not a 5 star book. It puts the reviewer in a difficult position - to rate compared to other books, or expectations.Her Fearful Symmetry: A Novel Overview
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