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Read Eva Moves The Furniture (2002)

Eva Moves the Furniture (2002)

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Rating
3.63 of 5 Votes: 3
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ISBN
0312421036 (ISBN13: 9780312421038)
Language
English
Publisher
picador

Eva Moves The Furniture (2002) - Plot & Excerpts

Eva Moves the Furniture came to me by way of Rodney's Bookstore in Brookline. Margot Livesey's fictional life of Evan MacEwan in WWII-era Scotland appealed to me with its mention of ghostly companions on the back cover. The furniture moving reference reminded me of my studies in Spiritualism, so I brought it home.From the beginning, the writing style was very engrossing. Livesey's prose is sturdy and clean, and yet extremely evocative of mood. Her words are expressive, but never overstated or grandiloquent, keeping in the theme of a sparsely kept life in a rural countryside.Eva's character develops slowly but surely, drawing you in to hear her stories. While some references are made to events out of sequence (the book is narrated by Eva, looking backward), they always lead back to the main thread of the story, weaving events and characters neatly together.What strikes me as the most triumphant success of this book is the ghostly characters themselves. In other books that I have read involving paranormal characters/events, it becomes obvious that asking the reader to suspend disbelief in favor of the ghosts is asking a lot. It's very tricky to keep them "real" enough to make the story work. In Jennifer McMahon's Promise Not to Tell, I found the story engaging, but the ghost involvement jarring compared to the actual characters. Not so with Eva's companions; they glide into place, blending into the tapestry of Eva's life completely.Since I write reviews without spoilers, I will only say that the ending made me cry. This is the mark of a good book; one that touches you so deeply, you can weep for it. I think perhaps my greatest criticism would be that it's a very short book. I'll be looking for more of Livesey's work in the future.

I got this book the same day as The Missing World (same author), which I read first, though this is the one that was recommended to me specifically. I liked The Missing World but didn't love it, so Eva sat on the shelf for a year and a half before I started it. At first I thought it was a well-written but rather quiet book - the kind that often isn't published because it doesn't have "breakout" written all over it. But it drew me in, and the end made me cry. I think this is the only book that ever has. "Were the facts I had taken for granted going to start shifting like the furniture? Yes, of course - the whole world was shifting..." (60)"It was as if a small piece of the radiance I saw on all sides had bloomed within me." (110)"...swimming towards daybreak." (185)"And I have felt A presence that disturbs me with the joy Of elevated thoughts; a sense sublime Of something far more deeply interfused, Whose dwelling is the light of setting suns, And the round ocean and the living air, And the blue sky, and in the mind of man"-William Wordsworth, "Tintern Abbey"

What do You think about Eva Moves The Furniture (2002)?

This was a well written novel but frankly not that moving, and I found myself having to go back to remind myself what had happened when I picked it up each night, or every other night, to read it. I am also not a huge fan of using fantastic elements in most fiction, unless it is used sparingly and carefully. In Eva Moves the Furniture, it is integral to the story and not until the end do we really understand why - or how much - we are being asked to suspend our disbelief. What I did like was the way in which Livesey skillfully describes the way life was like in world war two in Scotland. She has done her research, and the story unfolds naturally, with details that feel right, without it seeming like you are reading something that is good for you. Unfortunately, the `plot is so spare that I found myself caring about the story much more on an intellectual level, and not so much on an emotional one. So, I had to push myself to keep reading to the end. Often, the endings of novels disappoint me, but the ending of Eva Moves the Furniture was satisfying in the way it tied off various elements of the story, namely the supernatural elements. Anyway, I would rather have spent my hours reading a more thought-provoking novel, but I don't consider it a waste of time. It is quiet, thoughtful, and sweet. Reminds me of daydreaming with a cup of tea on a rainy day with nothing much to do.
—Mary

This is an excellent read. It is one of my favorite contemporary works for adults. Eva is a superb narrator: she has a very distinct voice, an intriguing view of the world, and interesting experiences to relate. The Scottish setting in the 1920s, '30s, and '40s is delightful and absorbing; I was always surprised to look up from my reading and find myself in Massachusetts, 2014. While this story reads quickly, the characters will stick with you after you're done reading. Even though I've read this book before, I found myself sobbing uncontrollably at the end, which is just right for this story. This is a beautifully told tale of love and loss, and I highly recommend it.
—stephanieisabookworm

This story captivated me from start to finish--I couldn't put it down. The writing was beautiful, straight-forward, sensitive, and respectful of the reader. I especially loved that the characters behaved and thought like real people. Thankfully, Eva was not the typical cliched, feisty, female protagonist constantly mouthing off to everyone. Instead she was a quiet, thoughtful person trying to make sense of love, loss, duty, and mystery; the stuff of real life. The story plumbs the depths of several themes, including birth, life, and death; the ties that bind us; how much of our lives are determined by circumstances beyond our control (personal freedom); our individual reality and how we accept/reject/share our true selves with others. I just loved this book. ♥
—Susan

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