Testimony by Anita Shreve
|
List Price: Our Price: $2.00 You Save: $23.99 (92%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Testimony
Book Review: Powerful and thought provoking
Summary: 5 Stars
"Testimony" is a compelling story of a sex scandal at Avery Academy, a small private school in Vermont. Shreve opens up the majestic gates that loom before Avery separating (or possibly protecting) its students from the rest of world and exposes a world of raw emotion, sins, repression, corruption, greed, sex, desperation, anger, and even love. The scandal soon becomes a tragedy, and its consequences reach almost every character in the book. The topics addressed from the politics of sex, the nature of greed, alienation in marriage, needs versus wants, for example, are all done so with a smart, fair, and insightful voice.
The real brilliance of the book is the way the author tells the story from many points of view, about 20. In so doing, she peels off layer and layer of the story, and gives another aspect, another perspective to consider. The writing is gripping, and the story fascinating. But the real genius is how Ms. Shreve takes this story poses questions, always and keeping the reader thinking and questioning the morality, innocence, and guilt of the characters, and possibly even of him or herself. A powerful read.
Book Review: "There are Consequences for our Actions"
Summary: 5 Stars
Once again, Anita Shreve delivers. Her latest book is about a small private school in Vermont. It is also about the people (students,parents,teachers,headmaster) and all the others of this small community.
The incident that gets the ball rolling starts with a tape dropped off to the headmaster of the school. The tape is of three boys (18 and 19 Yrs. old) and one 14 year old girl engaging in sex in what seems to be a very drunken state, in the boys dorm room.
The story is told by all the participants and their families. Each chapter is narrated by one of these people. It is at this point, as you get much further into the book that you learn there is much more to this very sad and disturbing story. When one bad decision is made and discovered the dominos begin to fall and the consequences of this are horrific and unfortunate.
There is also a very good chapter at the end of the book that puts the whole incident into a different light. To say more would spoil the whole thing. If you have enjoyed Anita Shreve in the past, don't miss this one, it is fantastic!!!!
Book Review: Brava, bravissima, Anita!
Summary: 5 Stars
From a single circumscribed incident - a teenaged sexual orgy, caught on videotape - Shreve reveals, bit by bit, how it all happened and how it affected the lives of those involved, both directly and indirectly. She does this in an ingenious way - through the unique voices of these people, who speak to you as though they were sitting across the room from you.
This is a story of loss and profound sorrow. Indeed, it is Shakespearean in the scope of tragedy wreaked upon the characters - the innocent as well as the culpable, the well-meaning as well as the basely-intentioned. Shreve's masterful rendition of the characters is breathtaking; they live and speak in their own unique voices as they try to explain the incident from their point of view. You will see their faces clearly, will sympathize and try to understand their motivations. This is an amazing novel; a literary work that is compulsively readable.
Book Review: Favorite Shreve Novel
Summary: 5 Stars
Beautifully written, TESTIMONY is a cautionary tale that explores the precipitating factors and aftermath of a student sex scandal at a private Vermont high school. Told through the alternating personal testimonies of 21 people involved or impacted, its creative structure is an all-out exploration of viewpoint: first-, third-, and even second-person, in past and present tenses.
The explosive premise brought to mind the Duke University lacrosse-team scandal and the local and national reactions to it. Short chapters drew me in, and the close-up points of view revealed character in a way that led to understanding and, in almost every case, sympathy. It was tricky at first to keep the characters straight while so many were being introduced. But as things progressed and an underlying story took hold, it became riveting. Highly Recommended.
Book Review: Testimony
Summary: 5 Stars
I cannot speak highly enough of this book. It is based on a very disturbing subject - a high school sexual encounter with one 14-year-old girl and three 18-year-old boys winds up on tape and destroys a number of lives.
The story is told in a very unusual format... there are about 15 different narrators. It is told this way because what you are reading are interviews conducted by a researcher from a local university on the effect alcohol has on male students. The interviews come from the Prep School Headmaster to the cafeteria cook. Every interview is a puzzle piece to the final concluding moment where all the pieces come together to reveal a very compelling, can't put down, stay up late to finish the book type of story.
This was my first Anita Shreve novel and I was highly impressed. I recommend it 100%.