A Reader's Respite fully admits that we started off on the wrong foot with Laura Kasischke's new novel, In a Perfect World.
After twenty years spent in the commercial aviation industry, we were initially intrigued when we read the novel's synopsis on the back cover. We'll share a portion with you:
It was a fairy tale come true when Mark Dorn - handsome pilot, widower,
tragic father of three - chose Jiselle to be his wife. The other flight
attendants were jealous: She could quit now, leaving behind the million
daily irritations of the job. She could move into Mark Dorn's precious log
cabin and help him raise his three beautiful children.
But fairy tales aren't like marriage.
So when we dove into this novel, we weren't too happy to see the jobs of airline pilots and flight attendants so grossly misrepresented. (No, flight attendants and pilots do not, for the record, ever sit around in a bar drinking in uniform. EVER.) It made us grumpy.
A few chapters later and we changed our tune a bit, thinking that no, this novel must be about step-mothers and their complicated relationship with unwilling and unhappy stepchildren.
But no. A few chapters beyond that and we were thinking this novel was really a commentary about our society's tendency to over-react to health scares (think Swine Flu hysteria).
Wrong again.
As it turns out, in the end, this novel was beautifully layered with depth and poignancy and a discovery of the human spirit and the choices we're faced with. Kasischke sucks you in and builds the tension steadily, almost imperceptibly, until you find yourself reluctant to set the book down.
Layers. This novel has some serious layers, folks.
Kasischke won us over and although we're pretty sure ending will leave each reader with a different impression, it will indeed leave you thinking about it long after you've turned the last page.
It's not often a novel can redeem itself as well as In a Perfect World. Highly recommended.
Intrigued? Interested? Leave us a comment saying so and you'll be entered in a random drawing to receive your own copy. Simple, right? Just check back here on October 27th to see if you won!
Oh, I've had my eye on this one, maybe I WILL read it for the Readathon now.
ReplyDelete**drums fingers on table**
ReplyDeleteStill waiting for your review of Heir Apparent......
(no don't enter me for the book, thank you)
Would love a chance to win this one -- I've had my eye on it, hoping my library will get it, but no luck yet. Thanks for the opportunity!
ReplyDeleteOh I must enter this one! We have a pilot friend with four beautiful children, and a beautiful wife. Could I stand to read this? What the heck! Enter me!
ReplyDeletenbmars AT yahoo DOT com
The books sounds really interesting. The thing abt pilots and flight attendants sitting at the bar in uniforms is totally far fetched:)
ReplyDeleteSometimes synopsis can really fools you. Since you highly recommend this book, I'm looking forward to reading it. :D
ReplyDeletelinna.hsu at gmail dot com
Sounds like it manage to explore quite a few interesting topics. I like that! I'll ignore the parts about the pilots and flight attendants drinking in uniform. As a passenger flying, that one definitely make me pause.
ReplyDeleteYou have really piqued my interest with your synopsis - I'd love to read this story. So pick me, please!
ReplyDeleteI would love to win this book. I had trouble getting into The Life Before Her Eyes on audio, but I think it had more to do with the story jumping between time and characters than her writing. I'd love to give this author another try.
ReplyDeleteOK... this sounds really good. Please enter me!!
ReplyDeleteryspenc@yahoo.com
I love a book with layers that you can peel away. If I ever read it, I'll remember that about pilots and flight attendants.
ReplyDeleteAt first, it sounded like the novel had an identity complex. But if you highly recommend it, I trust you! Please enter me! rnawrot at cfl dot rr dot com
ReplyDeleteI just finished this book about a week ago and agree that it is suffering from an identity crisis!! Just when I thought it was about one thing, it switched. Some of the fluff about the handsome pilot, etc, I could have completely done without, and I think it would have been a better book without the pilot character being such an ass to both wife #1 and #2. I don't know HOW I'm going to write my review!!
ReplyDeletePlease enter me in the giveaway....she is one of my favorite authors!
ReplyDeletek9kutter64(at)yahoo(dot)com
PHEW! I was like, dang, she didn't like the book, then I thought you did, then I thought you didn't. LOL. I'm so glad you liked it! And I'm convinced I need to read it now, though I will keep in mind that pilots and flight attendants don't sit around in bars in their uniforms. :D
ReplyDeleteyep, what trish said!
ReplyDeletehere I am thinking, "Oh, she hated this one" and then bang..."highly recommended"!
I am intrigued. I know what you mean, books can make me angry when they mis-represent things I know about. I'm impressed that you ended up liking this. I never could get beyond the ridiculous bobbin lace mistakes and so on in the Lace Reader.
ReplyDeleteI'm interested and intrigued!!! Please enter me. I like how you kept changing your mind about it ... and it kept changing it up on you. I like that in a book. Wishing myself good luck.
ReplyDeletethis sounds like a winner...count me in, please.
ReplyDeletekaren k
kmkuka(at)yahoo(dot)com
I'd love a chance to read this one, it sounds really great. I like me some layers. :)
ReplyDeleteI am hearing good things about this book. I think I am going to have to check it out!
ReplyDeleteDon't 'cha just love when the writer makes you change your perception? I do!
ReplyDeleteHey, what are you doing dancing on the table? Oh, as long as you aren't knocking them back table dancing is allowed.
Got it ;). LOL!
Interesting. The fabulous job + a fabulous relationship? I really ought to read this.
ReplyDeleteInclude me in the drawing of the giveaway. Thanks.
ivan[dot]girl25[at]gmail[dot]com
Okay, I'd like to check this book out! Enter me please!
ReplyDeletefreda.mans[at]sympatico.ca
This one sounds great! Please enter me!
ReplyDeleteVery intrigued! I was beginning to think you would say you didn't enjoy the book and then you turned the cards on me. How could I help not be intrigued. Thanks for the opportunity! Indigo
ReplyDeleteravensquietscreams@gmail.com
Sadly, I didn't like this book at all. It had so much potential, but I thought it was badly written and the characterization was extremely poor. I'll be putting up my review tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteI just finished this one today as well. I'm kinda on the fence on it. I'm a big fan of dystopian fiction so the plot intrigued me and I liked several of the elements. But it also mirrored a book I read previously that I thought was better done so I fear this one may be suffering a bit by comparison. Also I'm not a fan of the interpretive ending in any book, I like things tied up with a nice little bow. I wanna know what happened....was it neuclear bomb wiping the plague out (which is where I envision it), was it a plane bringing Mark home? What?
ReplyDeleteSounds like a very interesting read. Please enter me.
ReplyDeletesharon54220@gmail.com
Your review of this book makes it sound intriguing. I look forward to reading a book that requires you to read beyond the words on the page and gain a deeper understanding of the human condition. Would love to read this one. Please enter me in the giveaway.
ReplyDeletebstilwell12 at comcast dot net
Would like to read this book and please count me in. Sounds intriguing as everyone imagines pilots and all airline staff leading very glamourous lives!
ReplyDeleteMisconception obviously.
Mystica
I hadn't heard of this one yet, but I am intrigued. Please enter me.
ReplyDeletemsjessicamae(at)gmail(dot)com
I'm sure that has to be frustrating to have pilots and flight attendants misrepresented, but I'm glad to see that the book redeemed itself.
ReplyDeleteI'll enter for this one.
akreese (at) hotmail (dot) com
I'm intrigued & interested - please enter me!
ReplyDeleteThanks ~ megalon22{at}yahoo{dot}com