(This is a guest review by Heather. To submit your own, use the button in the column to the right.)

Link: amzn.to/wXTEMf

Grade: B-

L/C Ratio: 60/40
(This means Heather estimates the author devoted 60% of her effort to creating a literary work of art and 40% of her effort to creating a commercial bestseller.) 

Thematic Breakdown:
40% - Dysfunctional family relationships
30% - Supernatural
30% - History

Upon finishing this novel, I immediately wanted to reread the whole book – and I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. The author relied on a lot of magical realism that left me both intrigued and perplexed. While the twist at the end answered some questions, it created up even more confusion about which parts of the story had been real. This made the final part of the book can’t-put-it-down compelling and led me to ponder the events long after I finished, but I’m still not sure if the sudden twist made enough sense to justify the rest of the plot.

That leads me to another criticism about the pacing of the book – I said the ending was very gripping, but the same is not true for the first third of the book. I found some sections to be rather slow and dull, and the voice of the main character was not always enjoyable to read.

One fascinating aspect of The Lace Reader was how Barry wove real historical events and places into the fictional plot. It seemed like the story would not have functioned the same without being situated in Salem, Massachusetts.

Overall, Barry’s novel was a worthwhile read despite the pacing problems. The ending will shock you and maybe even bring you to tears, although the revelations feel a little forced. At the very least, the story will make you question what, if anything, you read really happened as the narrator claimed.