The Lace Reader, Brunonia Barry

Oooooohhh was my final thought when I wrapped The Lace Reader up.  I loved this book.  In the same way I loved Janet Finch's White Oleander but then again in a completely different way.

Sophya Boynton travels to her childhood home of Salem, Massachusetts, after she gets news that her Great Aunt Eva is mysteriously missing.  Eva raised Sophya (nicknamed Towner) for either one year or several (not clear on this detail) and was a "lace reader" herself and Towner felt a connection to her that she never felt to her own mother.

Eva later turns up dead and this raises a bunch of questions about a group of crazy cultists and Towner's Aunt's ex-husband.  "Lace reader" in the title refers to reading fortunes in Ipswich lace, which is something that the gifted Whitney women have the power to do.  Towner is also very intune to others and has a touch of telepathy.  But seeing the future in lace is really what they talk about mostly.

My number one favorite thing about this novel was the location.  Sometimes I miss New England down to my bones, and books set there are fun.  I can see the wharfs and the town and the roads ... it's fun.  Don't get me wrong I love Dallas and I definitely do not miss New England winters.

The one thing that I did not like or had trouble with, was all the relationships.  G.G. Whitney?  Married to May and Eva?  Are they really related? Eva and May?  Great Aunt?  But Emma is her Aunt?  May is her mother and is not related to Eva who is her aunt?  Say huh?  That was the only part I couldn't keep straight.  Other than that the prose is great the descriptions wonderful I only found myself skimming a handful of times, which is good for me.

Anywho, the novel is great and interesting and intriguing and a sort of mystery but I picked up on the final exposition pretty early on.  Which did not diminish the novel in anyway.  It's still absolutely worth reading.  And after the awfulness that was The Other Queen, this book was a welcome breeze of air.

Sadly, I don't think this helps ANY of my challenges.  Is "Reader" an occupation?