If I had to pick one favorite contemporary novel, this would be it hands down. It's the first book I ever read in one sitting! I had seen it in Sam's Club, was drawn to the cover and fascinated by the synopsis on the back cover. I asked for it for my birthday from my mom. The day it came in the mail, I curled up in my papasan chair, cracked open the cover and hardly moved for the rest of the day.
The novel tells a horrible story but does it beautifully. Something about it reached my soul and never left. It made me think about and feel things that no book before it had done. It's certainly a book that haunts you after you finish and that's what I like about it.
I've had more than one person shudder in response to my admission of loving this book so much. I know mothers who hated it or couldn't even finish it. I can understand that. Our life experiences affect our reading preferences, that's one of the things I love so much about books.
When the movie version came out, I went at my first opportunity and may have held my breath the entire time! I was pleasantly surprised and have seen the film a couple of times since then. It's visually stunning and has a fantastic cast.
I've never encountered anyone who doesn't have strong feelings about this book. It's one you either love or hate. And while it isn't for everyone, if you haven't read it and what I've said here hasn't put you off, I highly recommend it!
