|
|
Sold Out
Book Categories |
A dazzling debut in the tradition of Jane Hamilton and Mona Simpson.
In Laura Moriarty's extraordinary first novel, a young girl tries to make sense of an unruly world spinning around her. Growing up with a single mother who is chronically out of work and dating a married man, 10-year old Evelyn Bucknow learns early how to fend for herself.
Offering an affecting portrayal of a troubled mother/daughter relationship, one in which the daughter is very often expected to play the role of the adult, the novel also gives readers a searing rendering of the claustrophobia of small town midwestern life, as seen through the eyes of a teenage girl. Evelyn must come to terms with the heartbreaking lesson of first love -- that not all loves are meant to be -- and determine who she is and who she wants to be. Stuck in the middle of Kansas, between best friends, and in the midst of her mother's love, Evelyn finds herself . . . in The Center of Everything.
About the Author:
Since earning her M.A. from the University of Kansas, Laura Moriarty won the George Bennet Fellowship for Creative Writing at Phillips Exeter Academy. This is her first novel. She's at work on her next novel and lives in Portland, Maine.
It's not easy to build a novel around a personality, but Moriarty does it well. — Anne Stephenson
| Price | Condition | Delivery | Seller | Action |
| $99.99 | Digital |
| WonderClub |
Dina Richard
reviewed The Center of Everything on February 14, 2009
The Center of Everything
I was surprised by how much I liked this book. I am still thinking about it. The cover made it look like it was going to be fluffy, but it was poignant and well-written.
I tend to like books about smart, under-appreciated poor kids from dysfunctional families (Matilda, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, anyone?). It's a coming of age book, set in the 80ies, and I related to the main character a lot. For me, it was a realistic portrait of adolescence. I loved her religious phase and her holier-than-though attitude toward the people around her who make bad choices, the tense mother-daughter relationship, the mom who is problematic but loving, her stunning but less-than-bright best friend, her unrequited crush, her frenemies, and how she manages to separate herself from the mess around her, yet come to terms with.
The school dynamic and the religious pulse in her community were true to life. I appreciate that the story is set in Kansas, which on map looks like "The Center of Everything" rather than the middle of nowhere.
Login|Complaints|Blog|Games|Digital Media|Souls|Obituary|Contact Us|FAQ
CAN'T FIND WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR? CLICK HERE!!! X
You must be logged in to add to WishlistX
This item is in your Wish List
X
This item is in your Collection
The Center of Everything
X
This Item is in Your Inventory
The Center of Everything
X
You must be logged in to review the productsX
X
X
Add The Center of Everything, , The Center of Everything to the inventory that you are selling on WonderClubX
X
Add The Center of Everything, , The Center of Everything to your collection on WonderClub |
