#95, 2004

I've had this book on my shelf since I received it as an advanced reader's copy back in 1989; finally "forced" myself to read it by offering on BookRelay. ::grin:: Abby is a violinist who has spent the last 10 years playing in a folk music trio, and when the band breaks up, she is forced to take a good long look at her life - what's working, and what isn't. (The rest of this is SPOILERISH) . . . Mostly her life isn't working, especially her unusual and unsatisfying marriage to Zach, an artist who manages to be away from home almost all the time, and only spends a few weeks or months out of each year with his wife and daughter. Abby struggles to reconcile how empty she feels most of the time with the love she feels for Zach when they're together, although she finally starts to see that perhaps what she feels is obssession, rather than love. A good way into the book, I was surprised when the PoV changed, and we were able to see into the minds of both Zach and their daughter, Hannah. (It's not that I mind PoV changes, but I found these jarring, as the first one came so late in the book). None of these people are particularly happy, and none of them are particularly likeable, either. Mostly, Abby and Zach are selfish and self-absorbed, and I felt sorry for poor Hannah, who seemed to get the short end of the stick from both her parents, and was already on her way to growing into an unpleasant person herself. Still, I enjoyed reading it, even though I found it a bit depressing, and the end not entirely satisfying. (Although I'm not sure how it could have ended any other way, given what happens). I did keep me up until nearly 2.00 one morning because I wanted to see how it ended. And I suppose it was a hopeful ending, in its own way. (ARC from Waldenbooks) ( )