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Read Grand Avenue (2002)

Grand Avenue (2002)

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Genre
Rating
3.77 of 5 Votes: 3
Your rating
ISBN
0743407083 (ISBN13: 9780743407083)
Language
English
Publisher
pocket star

Grand Avenue (2002) - Plot & Excerpts

I picked this book up on a whim from our "shared" book shelf in the break room at my work. I had never read Joy Fielding but had heard of her so figured I would give it a go thinking it would be a fun, easy chick lit kind of fast read about good friends. I like these kind of books every now and then. Hmmm, this is soooo not that book.There was not one redeeming character in the whole story. Every character was tragically flawed and in ways that in no way made them romantic or sympathetic, more like pathetic.Four women all living on the same block (Grand Ave, of course) who meet as young mothers of toddler girls and the ensuing years of their friendship. There are a few passages that make it bearable like the beginning when we meet the main characters and the scene is narrated from a future vantage point hinting at tragedy, Chris' struggles in her abusive marriage and the failed intervention the friends try to stage to save Chris. But those moments are few and far between. Instead we get a lot of complaining, and a lot of time getting to know these women who are in turn superficial, judgmental, weak and fake. There is some loyalty shown in the end but even the kids in the book are not likable. Not a very good read for me, probably the worst all year actually.

It's always the quiet ones, people say.4 women who live on Grand Avenue become friends when their children were little. They met in the park in that neighborhood. They had parties together, chatted about everything and just enjoyed each other's company. Their husbands got along with each other. But, everyone had a secret. Yes, they chatted about almost everything but one woman had a secret she wouldn't tell anybody. So, when one of the husbands thought the other 3 women knew about the secret, he moved his family away. There were 2-3 years that they didn't see their friend. And then one day, she rang her best friend's doorbell & told her story.The secret was out. Someone gets killed. Who got killed and who did the killing? The ending was very suspenseful & I would've never suspected the person who did it and/or why.This is one of Fielding's earlier books and it was very good. I still she is still word-y and the book could've been shorter.

What do You think about Grand Avenue (2002)?

This book reminded me a little bit of Mary Higgins Clark, and in a good way! I really enjoyed reading this book, in fact I found it hard to put down. It contained all of the elements that I feel like really makes a book good - friendship, unique characters who aren't above all the normal "life" problems all of us have, a little bit of romance, murder, some violence...just a great, well-written book.I like the ending, I felt like it was the perfect way to end all of the women's stories. However, the thing with Tracey creeped me out, big time! I don't want to give anything away, but that whole situation make me mad.I like reading books about characters who are reflecting on times when they were young, strong, more confident, optimistic about the future, etc. It reminds me to enjoy all of these moments now, and to live fully, so that I'M not one of those people who look back and are sad that they didn't do more, or enjoy more, or stress less. It's a good lesson for all of us, no matter what our age!
—Becky

I could not agree more with the previous poster who stated the beginning of the book doesn't match the end.This books story line was ridiculous - it was random story lines and the climax of the book (if I can even call it that) came near the end and turned the storyline into a WHOLE different topic??? WTH? Made no sense. The story line that you think is the basis of the book just ***POOF*** practically disappears. The ending has so little to do with the beginning and end. It is like Joy Fielding had a change of heart regarding the storyline mid way and said "What the heck I wrote this much I better just make the new story line fit in".I love Joy Fielding - she is an easy author to read - good stories normally - they don't ROCK your world but they are good beach reads. This novel is a shame but I will give another one of her novels a try.
—Jennifer

4 STARS"Looking back, it seemed like paradise: livesfilled with the blessings of friendship, marriage, children, and career. For twenty years, four friends -- Chris, Barbara, Susan, and Vicki -- shared everything and faced the challenges of life and love head-on. Now, one sits alone to ponder the strange twists of fate and circumstance. Now, she must sift through the past to discover exactly what went wrong, how dreams turned to nightmares as friendships faded and lives were destroyed.... " (From Amazon) Just read this book! I cannot say anything in fear of spoiling the storyline.
—Kris - My Novelesque Life

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