I really enjoyed the book this second time around. And as I read it, I found that they were certain things about the story that were familiar though it took a while to get to that point. There were only a couple of things about it that I wasn't crazy about but the rest of it makes up for it. I love the descriptions. Sue Miller has a talent for writing that I envy. It makes me feel that if I could write, this is how and what I would write about. We get to go on a little adventure of sorts. Solving a mystery about someone's personal life that we uncover as we turn the pages. It's a little exciting and what's more you're being shown the things you might have overlooked if you were on this journey alone. I'm so glad that I did not carelessly toss this book into the donation box without giving it a second chance. As I read, I came across so many pages that I had dog-earred and for the most part, it was obvious to me what made an impression on me as I came across it. But the other pages that I dog-earred, I'm going to have to let it come to me, as I know it will when I read such a book. Maybe a week or two will go by and I'll be all absorbed in something else and suddenly the words I read will come back to me and I'll have realized something. Something that was almost "on the tip of my tongue" significant at the time I'd read it. I love books that do that for me. That is probably why I held onto this book in the first place after having read it in 2004 and I realized that the reason I had not made a note (at that time) in my little record of books that I've read was because I could not pick just one line or phrase that I usually can pinpoint as the "idea" behind the whole story - what I refer to as THE essence of the book (as I see it). I will hang on to a book until I feel like I have made that discovery of "the essence". I rarely read other's opinions of books until after I read the book for myself. I do not want to be discouraged from reading something I have selected from the books that I have stock-piled over the years. But I do enjoy finding and reading the opinions of others who feel the way I do about a particular book. I prefer the comradery of enjoyment of a book. I hope to find many "good or great" Goodreads reviews of this book.
I like Sue Miller. I have read a few of her books and rub my hands in excitement at the fact that I have unread offerings on my bookshelves. The story of this book revolves around two women, Georgia the grandmother and Catherine her granddaughter. Catherine is all grown up and becomes a grandmother herself by the end of the book. The book very easily and clearly moves between the stories of the women. Georgia’s grandmother is also a character, briefly, as is Catherine’s granddaughter. And yet this is not an epic in any way. It is the story of women. It is the story of the things women have happen to them. It is the story of the secrets women keep.It is also the story of the discovery of one’s roots; of the randomness of existence. But for a single event none of us may exist - our grandparent’s grandparents had to meet in order for us to be. And maybe as the end we justify any means.I got this off another review because I could not have said it better: Miller is a remarkable writer; her ability to give you immense detail in quick and easy segments is a true gift. Her characters are drawn so masterfully that you will feel like you have met them before, in real life. Georgia, whose story is relayed to us bit by bit, is as perfect a literary creation as any character can be --- and Miller, because she takes her time to reveal little by little Georgia's haunted past, keeps the reader so completely involved that they won't be able to put this book down for a moment. The stories of the two women are gripping in their apparent simplicity. But the depth of their stories slowly becomes evident, sucking the reader further into the story and the interlinked lives of the generations of women in the book.Men appear in the book too and Miller’s acute sense of the lives of women does not exclude men at all. The last paragraph of the book will knock your socks off.
A little disappointed. I felt like I was reading a novel that my mother would read, not at all how I felt with Lost In The Forest - I thought was great. What was wrong with this book? Nothing particularly, while reading it I would've said it seemed predictable, but then the shock I had expected didn't actually happen (a child with her lover at the san) There were significant betrayals and forgiveness, but not much in the way of the details of how Georgia and husband get through this. There is beauty in this book, but I didn't feel the main character had her problems resolved. The main theme of the book is to move forward in life.
—Brian Wadman
Even though I gave it three stars, I really enjoyed this novel. I love Miller's work and have for a long time. It grabbed me from the beginning but sort of waned about two thirds through a bit. I enjoyed the past and present intertwining of the story of the grandmother and the granddaughter. I would say parts of this novel felt not deep enough for me as the characters are so well drawn, you wonder more about who they are and what they have to offer the story. I also think maybe there could have been more of a connection between the lessons of the grandmother and her struggle in her life and relationship and the transition the main character is making in the present moment through her divorce in mid-life and her discoveries about herself. But it is a real good subtle, nuanced work of one woman's search to understand her life as it is coming to be and who this woman was who raised her and who remained an enigma to her until her death.
—Maria Menozzi
I usually find mother-and-daughter stories boring and dry.But The World Below, which is about a grandmother and daughter lives, weaves the stories of the two women beautifully. She describes scenes with few words, but the words were poignant and brought to mind beautiful images. She could have emphasizes on the sex scenes or add hysterics to arguments to draw more readers, to sell more books, but her writing style stays the same throughout. There were images, and memories, births and deaths. People met and lessons learnt. All these in 275 pages, which makes it 'fast-paced'. I finish reading it in 3 days.
—Lee
