By Gretchen Berg

Although it did pick up in the last 20 or 25% of the book, I didn’t enjoy this. For almost the whole thing, there is not one likable character in the book. In fact, everyone except the daughter Charlotte who has a very minor role is positively contemptible.

Charlotte had to roll her eyes and sigh as she explained to her friends, “My mother doesn’t trust people who read books.” Sometimes, but not always, Charlotte liked to stay up late reading. Books, not magazines, which, for the life of her, Vivian couldn’t understand.

All of the adults are narrow-minded, snobby, and mean with few if any redeeming characteristics.
The last part of the book is pretty good. All of the subplots and shocking mysteries (the big reveal as to what Vivian, the operator, overheard while eavesdropping is the least of it) start to come together and it ends with some redemption and just deserts. The payoff just not quite worth the long slog to get there.

April 22, 2020