Saturday, March 5, 2011

Review: The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern

The Book of Tomorrow: A Novel

Tamara Goodwin has always got everything she's ever wanted. Born into a family of wealth, she grew up in a mansion with its own private beach, a wardrobe full of designer clothes and all that a girl could ever wish for. She's always lived in the here and now, never giving a second thought to tomorrow. But then suddenly her dad is gone and life for Tamara and her mother changes forever. Left with a mountain of debt, they have no choice but to sell everything they own and move to the country. Nestled next to Kilsaney Castle, their gatehouse is a world away from Tamara's childhood. With her mother shut away with grief, and her aunt busy tending to her, Tamara is lonely and bored and longs to return to Dublin.When a travelling library passes through Kilsaney Demesne, Tamara is intrigued. Her eyes rest on a mysterious large leather bound tome locked with a gold clasp and padlock. What she discovers within the pages takes her breath away and shakes her world to its core.  Synopsis taken from Goodreads

 I read P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern a few years ago and really enjoyed it. If I remember right it made me bawl like a big baby. So, when I found out I won another of her books through Goodreads First Reads, I was pretty happy about it.

This book was a bit different than I had anticipated. Instead of a sweet love story, I got a little mystery and suspense but that's ok. Tamara is a bit of a spoiled snot in the beginning and I had a hard time connecting to her but she does learn and grow through the book and she becomes a much more sympathetic character.

As the story progressed I knew something was up with Tamara's relatives. Aunt Rosaleen was too creepy to not be hiding anything. I actually suspected it was going to go all Flowers in the Attic on me so I was quite pleased when it didn't go down that route. However, the closer we got to the end the more apparent the big secret was and I was not terribly surprised when all was revealed. Of course, the story was told from Tamara's point of view and she herself was a little slow on the uptake. So it could be that we, as readers, were supposed to know at that point and wait for Tamara to catch up. I found myself several times wanting to shake her and scream 'why is this so difficult to understand!' But, I suppose that denial is a powerful thing. Powerful enough to make you deny what is so plainly clear.

All in all, I really enjoyed the book. It was a fun, pleasant read. I stayed up pretty late last night to finish it and that says a lot. Sleep is a big deal for me, so I don't sacrifice it unless I just can't stop reading. I recommend it for anyone looking for a good, light read with a little mystery to it.

3 comments:

Alexis @ Reflections of a Bookaholic said...

Thanks for a great review? I long into the book does Tamara lose some of her snottiness? I don't know if I can handle it if it is most of the book. Thanks for the review :)

Rachel said...

It doesn't take too long. I believe losing her father and moving to the country was a bit of an eye-opening experience and right away she recognizes that her behavior was inappropriate. There are moments of snottiness throughout the book but the majority is confined to the first few chapters.

Hilde said...

I'm reading this now (just finished chapter 9), and I really like it. Yes, Tamara can be a brat, but at least she is honest about it. I actually liked her from the beginning. Looking forward to reading the rest of the book.

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