 |  |  |
Share your comments
But not for long
Wildgen, Michelle.
Adult Fiction WILDGEN
From Publishers' Weekly:
Three housemates find themselves in the midst of an eerily plausible energy crisis in Tin House senior editor Wildgen's solid second novel (after 2006's You're Not You). Greta moves into Hal and Karin's Madison, Wis., housing co-op to escape her marriage to an alcoholic, only to have him show up on the porch. Hal works for the nonprofit Southern Wisconsin Food Initiative (SWFI), while Karin is an assistant editor, and Greta is a fund-raiser for Grinwall College. Amid a worsening recession-where gas is largely unavailable and the entire city loses power-the housemates each struggle with personal crises, and an investigation into a possible drowning at the nearby lake only increases the sense of impending doom. Hal's mother recently died and he worries about a drop in food donations to the SWFI; Karin is threatened by Greta's arrival, fearing it will disrupt her platonic relationship with Hal; and Greta struggles to distance herself from her husband, Will. Wildgen skillfully shifts between the key players, focusing simultaneously on social and interpersonal issues. With its open-ended conclusion, the novel allows the characters' lives to resonate beyond the final page. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
From Library Journal:
Wildgen's second novel has a lot to live up to. Her first, You're Not You, was a New York Times Editor's Choice and one of People magazine's Ten Best Books of 2006, and it is currently in development to be a film with Hilary Swank. And it really was a fabulously addictive read. The new book doesn't quite compare. The setting is the same-Madison, WI, with its university vibe and granola-crunchy edge. Three adults share a co-op house: career-minded new member Greta; Hal, who works passionately to feed the hungry; and Karin, a writer. The story starts when a dog is seen floating alone in the middle of the lake. Then a power outage that doesn't seem to get resolved sets off a feeling of strangeness throughout the town. And then Greta's husband appears drunk and asleep on the house porch swing. There's a fashionable "green" edge here-shared housing, farmers' market local shopping and cooking (Wildgen is known for her food writing), and the semiapocalyptic outage is also timely. Verdict If you loved Wildgen's first book, don't expect the same thing. But if you're all about being green and a locavore, give it a try. [Library marketing campaign.]-Beth Gibbs, Davidson, NC (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Wildgen, Michelle.
Adult Fiction WILDGEN
| |||||||||
 |
From Publishers' Weekly:
Three housemates find themselves in the midst of an eerily plausible energy crisis in Tin House senior editor Wildgen's solid second novel (after 2006's You're Not You). Greta moves into Hal and Karin's Madison, Wis., housing co-op to escape her marriage to an alcoholic, only to have him show up on the porch. Hal works for the nonprofit Southern Wisconsin Food Initiative (SWFI), while Karin is an assistant editor, and Greta is a fund-raiser for Grinwall College. Amid a worsening recession-where gas is largely unavailable and the entire city loses power-the housemates each struggle with personal crises, and an investigation into a possible drowning at the nearby lake only increases the sense of impending doom. Hal's mother recently died and he worries about a drop in food donations to the SWFI; Karin is threatened by Greta's arrival, fearing it will disrupt her platonic relationship with Hal; and Greta struggles to distance herself from her husband, Will. Wildgen skillfully shifts between the key players, focusing simultaneously on social and interpersonal issues. With its open-ended conclusion, the novel allows the characters' lives to resonate beyond the final page. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
From Library Journal:
Wildgen's second novel has a lot to live up to. Her first, You're Not You, was a New York Times Editor's Choice and one of People magazine's Ten Best Books of 2006, and it is currently in development to be a film with Hilary Swank. And it really was a fabulously addictive read. The new book doesn't quite compare. The setting is the same-Madison, WI, with its university vibe and granola-crunchy edge. Three adults share a co-op house: career-minded new member Greta; Hal, who works passionately to feed the hungry; and Karin, a writer. The story starts when a dog is seen floating alone in the middle of the lake. Then a power outage that doesn't seem to get resolved sets off a feeling of strangeness throughout the town. And then Greta's husband appears drunk and asleep on the house porch swing. There's a fashionable "green" edge here-shared housing, farmers' market local shopping and cooking (Wildgen is known for her food writing), and the semiapocalyptic outage is also timely. Verdict If you loved Wildgen's first book, don't expect the same thing. But if you're all about being green and a locavore, give it a try. [Library marketing campaign.]-Beth Gibbs, Davidson, NC (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Be the first to add a comment! Share your thoughts about this title. Would you recommend it? Why or why not?
Question about returns, requests or other account details?
 Add a Comment |
Submission Guidelines |
