Towner Whitney has just journeyed home to Salem Massachusetts to recuperate from illness and deal with a strange tragedy that has befallen her aunt. Home is a place that Towner never thought she would be revisiting after the catastrophic traumas of her early life, and she is none too pleased to have to return to the place where so many horrible memories lay buried and forgotten. Towner comes from a long line of lace readers: women who can tell others' fortunes based upon the natural patterns found in lace, a talent which Towner knows she shares but refuses to acknowledge. Upon returning to the small town, she discovers that the life and people she left behind haven't really changed all that much and she begins to become enmeshed in all the old eccentricities that she thought she left behind. But odd and frightening things begin to play out almost as soon as she enters the town, beginning with the disappearance of two local women, one of whom is her aunt. Foul play is suspected in both disappearances and one very dangerous and charismatic man is at the center of it all. But Towner has much more to focus on than the two women, for there are huge and painful gaps in her memory and being back home threatens to rip open all the old wounds that she had thought were healed. Now, with the help of John Rafferty, a man she knows almost nothing about, Towner will attempt to uncover the truth about the missing women and the shocking truth about herself. Filled with mysticism and darkness, The Lace Reader takes readers on a wild ride of deception, suspense and mystery.

Reading this book was a strange experience for me. Though I can't truthfully say that I enjoyed it, I was still very much glued to the page. I think that the story was just too messy for me, with a lot of jarring plot elements thrown together and so much going on that the book felt really crowded. It was funny because early on in my reading, my husband asked what the book was about. When I began to explain, he said "Wow, all that? You've only read a hundred pages!" which I think sums up my reaction to the book pretty well. I thought that the writing and feel of the story were extremely well done and that the author had a gift for making the reader really get tangled into the story and want to follow it to it's natural conclusion, but I didn't feel like this was a story that I loved. Overall the pacing was very tight and there were some suspenseful moments throughout the book that had me wondering what was coming next, and I really liked the inclusion of the lace reading. But I thought there was just too much of everything, and after awhile I began to feel a bit overwhelmed.

I also didn't have strong feelings for the protagonist. I thought Towner was a bit unlikable and cold and it was a mystery to me why it was that I should care so much about her. For most of the book she remains aloof and never really invests herself in any of the other characters or their situations. Without spoiling the plot, I guess part of her distance has much to do with the revelation at the end of the book, but she was really hard for me to like and care about because her emotions and actions always seemed so dysfunctional. I was really surprised that Rafferty got roped into helping her because for the most part, it didn't seem to me that she had a lot to offer, either as a friend or confidante. Mostly I felt that she was closed off and unreachable, which in my opinion doesn't make for all that interesting of a character. I want to see emotion and fire in a character. I want to see someone who is invested in life and has a strong grip on her emotions, not someone who doesn't seem like she cares at all about anything.

I did, however, feel like the author did a fabulous job with the setting of the book. She imbued a lot of detail into the Salem setting and I felt that it was both arresting to read and easy to imagine. There were times when I felt I was standing in the town looking around at the places she described, due to the attention to detail that the scenery and setting was given. As a matter of fact, I can't remember a time when I have felt so drawn to the feeling of place in a book, and whether she was describing the island that Towner's mother inhabited, with it's craggy shorelines and freezing waters, or the overgrown and lush garden of her aunt, I think Barry did a magnificent job with giving her characters a place in which to live and work the life force of their story.

Though I felt that the plot was overcrowded, I want to stress that I don't think the plot lacks verisimilitude. There were a lot of sections that had me mesmerized and I felt that there were many great moments in this book. So great in fact that I think what would have made the book even better would have been to spread the action out more and not try to throw in everything but the kitchen sink into this one book. I would have liked to have seen some of the action plotted a bit more slowly and with more care given to Towner and her personal story, instead of the hyper-plotted reality that I got. I mean, there was just too much happening, and I think that had the book been a bit more subdued and slow, it would have made a greater impact in terms of character and the relevancy of the story.

I have so far avoided talking about the end of this book for two reasons: First is that I am not sure how I felt about the ending and second is that I don't want to give too much away. First off, I will have to say that I am not sure if I found the ending to be to gimmicky and predictable or if I thought that it was the perfect ending that enabled the story to lock all its elements into place. I think I feel a little of both. I've no doubt that the ending was meant to be a shocker and the kind of ending that people just exclaim and wow over, but when I look back I don't know if all of the events leading up to the ending quite ring true for me. It felt a bit like a tease to me, the kind of thing that is meant to be the pièce de résistance of the book, but I don't know if I was completely buying it. To say anymore about this would indeed be spoiling the book for those who have not read it, so I will have to leave it at that for now.

Though I am on the fence regarding this book, I think I would still recommend it to other readers who relish dramatic and involving stories. I am certain that for the majority of readers this would be a great book to while away the hours with, and when I am forced to admit it, I think I might have to conclude that I might be a little to picky for this story to really work for me in all the ways that the author wants it to. This is definitely a darker read, so those readers who are looking for something light might want to avoid this book, but I think the book would work on many levels for those who love a good haunting read. ( )

Summary: Towner Whitney comes from a long line of women who can "read" lace - that is, see and interpret visions when looking through a lace panel. When her great-aunt dies, Towner returns from California to her childhood home in Salem, Massachusetts, to deal with her family and the mass of secrets and memories that her great-aunt Eva has left behind. But things aren't as easy for Towner as simply selling the house and moving on; no one in town believes that Eva died in an accident, and most people are pointing their fingers at a local group of religious fanatics, lead by a man who is convinced that the women in Towner's family are witches. However, when one of the women from their church disappears as well, the waters are muddied even further. Towner not only has to deal with the tangled web of the present, but also with her own fractured past of mental illness and psychiatric treatment following the death of her twin sister when they were teens.

Review: While I really enjoyed this book, an unfortunate vagary of timing kept me from really loving it. See, I started this book soon after finishing Her Fearful Symmetry. Both novels feature storylines involving Huge Unspeakably Bad Secrets from the Past, and both star at least one set of twins. Because my brain was already primed for sniffing out Unspeakably Bad Secrets, and because I knew going in that Towner was an unreliable narrator (that's not a spoiler, she tells us as much within the first paragraph of the book), I was double- and triple-guessing everything that happened instead of just letting the story carry me along, and as a result, I figured out what was going on *way* earlier than I would have otherwise.

The good news is that figuring out the book's twists didn't stop me from enjoying it. The pieces of backstory and the layers of deception are applied - and removed - so carefully and so masterfully that the whole thing hangs together perfectly. Barry's also very good at describing her setting; you can practically feel the salt air blowing off the pages. (Or out of your headphones, in my case.) Towner was an excellently crafted character, feeling full and real and just slightly broken, with minute cracks below the surface that start to widen and show as the novel progresses. Barry's secondary characters are just as wonderful, particularly Rafferty, the detective, and Ann Chase, the leader of the local coven of witches.

The only real thing I had a problem with - other than figuring out the twists too early, which was my fault, not the book's - was the pacing. Or, not exactly the pacing, since things move along at a good clip and I never really noticed any dragging. It's more that I found the frequent narrative tone shifts - from Taylor's first-person narration, to third-person from the point of view of the detective, to Towner again, but reading a story about her past, etc. - a little bit unexpected and wrong-footing. Nevertheless, I tore through this book much faster than average, and only barely stopped myself from immediately starting it again to hunt for the clues I'd missed the first time. 4 out of 5 stars.

Recommendation: Just because it is set in Salem and involves fortune-telling women does not mean that it is historical fiction about witchcraft. I think it would probably appeal most to fans of psychological mysteries and unreliable narrators, or anyone who likes an intricate and very involving story. ( )

ACK! I loved this book, but now I have to read it again!! This book has kept me engrossed from the first page.

The characters are well-developed in a fragmented sort of way. What I mean is that we find things out piecemeal, but every detail we learn adds texture and depth to each character. The setting is well-realized and adds tremendously to the story.

The problem, if it is one, is that things are never what they seem. And when the truth begins to peek through, you have to rethink everything. The biggest revelation comes right at the end, and like I said, I have to reread. But that's ok. Knowing what I know now makes the whole story brand new. ( )

This is simply one of the best books I've come across. I saw it first on a daily web mail I get and went out at lunch to get it. I never do that! This story of a family in the vicinity of Salem and all its sadness really caught me up. The main character begins the book by saying she's crazy. The whole family is.

She's right! Her mother lives on an island with a group of persecutes women who make lace by hand. Her aunt owns a tea room in the town where the lace is sold and where the witches meet.. There is a long back story which is so interesting, I could have been it's own book.

Then the unthinkable happens. The aunt is found dead but no one believes it was natural causes. Could it have been her son-in-law, a self-proclaimed preacher weho is leading the residents against her? Was it her sister?

This tale will take you to Massachusetts, California and places beyond and between. The end wil leave you - as it did me - asking "What!!??!!" ( )

This book grabbed me right from the first few pages. I very very much enjoyed reading this book. I loved the graceful way each main character was developed. It reminded me of my mother who always tried to teach me that there is much good in everyone (at least mostly everyone). The book covered some tough subjects, but yet it felt peaceful. I loved the lessons about Salem and witchcraft. I appreciated the reminder that witches are not satanists or voodoos! I feel like this could so easily be a true story! I loved it!

I want to go to Salem! I want to have more lace! ( )

Towner has never got over the death of her twin sister, and after a battle with mental illness, flees the city of Salem and her family for the anonymity of California. When her beloved aunt is reported missing however, she must return.

This book intrigued me from the first page, and seemed to promise much. The plot was certainly complex and it kept me quite intrigued until the end. However, I found some of it a bit contrived and felt that the author had too many interesting characters that she could not then fully develop without turning the book into a saga.
I likes the gentleness with which the main characters were treated. Obviously heavily weighed down, both Towner and Rafferty- the local cop who befriends first Towner's aunt, and then Towner herself, are likeable and believable characters who have personalities and lives outside their respective conditions (Mental illness & recovering alcoholic). I also liked the underlying themes of toleance and acceptance and the way this story was played out in the modern city of Salem, with it's history of anything but.
Overall, an enjoyable and interesting read. ( )

"Each Reader must choose a piece of lace. It is hers for life. It might be a pattern handed down through generations or a piece cosen by the reader for its beauty or familiarity. Many Readers prefer the handmade laces, particularly the laces of old Ispwich or the new circular pieces made by the women of Yellow Dog Island. - The Lace Reader's Guide" p. 6 of The Lace Reader

I'm not even sure where to begin with this review other than to say that I found this book to be an amazing read. The Lace Reader begins with the reader meeting Towner, the main character, who admits freely that she lies and that her name is really Sophya. Towner is going back to her hometown as her Great Aunt Eva is missing. While there she will be forced to confront her demons from the past and work through the issues that are still haunting her today. The women in Towner's family are all lace readers and can read the future in the lace. But something has caused Towner to vow never to read lace again...

Oh my goodness...how I enjoyed this book! From the very beginning, I was swept up in the story that the author had written and the atmosphere that she had created. I didn't quite know what to make of Towner, I mean she admits right from the beginning that she is crazy and that she lies. So I wasn't sure at any point in the book if she was telling the truth which made for an interesting read. I ended up just letting the author take me for a ride and what a ride it was! The story was told from different viewpoints at time but it didn't detract from the story whatsoever. In fact, it made me feel even closer to the main characters. I ended up caring about Towner even though I couldn't entirely trust the story that she was telling me. And the ending of this book...blew me away. Seriously, I might have seen pieces of it coming but really in the end when I closed the book I was stunned. I think that this would be a great book to read with a book group and have a discussion over. I myself would love to hear what other readers thought of the ending of this book.

All in all, I found this to be an amazing read and will probably go on to my top reads of 2009. I'm pretty sure I've gushed enough over this book...so go pick it up and give it a try. I doubt that you'll be disappointed. Highly recommended. ( )

I found this story a little convoluted...so many characters with uncertain motivations; I kept getting them confused, especially the women. I just felt the characters were not developed enough to understand why they behaved and thought the way they did. One subplot would begin and then just sort of drop with no resolution. And the twist in the end did not really resolve things satisfactorily, sort of rushed to end the story. However, after all of this complaining, I did finish the book, so there you go... ( )

This book grabbed me from the first page! I had no idea where this tale was going, and now that I have finished it, what a ride! Captivating and a real change from my usual reading fare! ( )

I found this book is a bit slow. I was very surprised at the twist it took at the end. The ending left me with lots of questions. You almost have to read it again to see how the ending fits. I do recommend it though. ( )

I received several recommendations for this book, so I was really looking forward to reading it. I was very disappointed when I did finally listen to this recorded version. It wasn't exactly what I expected from the description of the book. Instead of getting more interested in the book as I read, as I would with most books, I became less interested as the book progressed. ( )

A journey to become whole. Towner lost her twin sister and in that loss, part of herself has died. As she saves the life of another, she finds the part of herself that as missing, along with the horror of a childhood which she was unable to face.
Towner is a part of a family of women who are "seers". The lives of others are written into the intricate patterns of handmade lace. ( )

I think the idea of this book is much better than the actual follow-through. Towner Whitney, a self-proclaimed liar, narrates a story about returning to her roots in Salem after the death of a beloved family member. Towner shares disturbing stories from her childhood as well as pieces of information from the present day. The plot progresses steadily until the last 30 pages or so. At that point, it seems the author was on a deadline and threw together what she believed to be a plausible ending. Many loose ends are left unravelling, and Towner seems more unreliable than before. Overall, not a bad read until the final chapters. ( )

Excellent read. I was hooked from the 1st page to the last. ( )

Rather a psychological thriller, which aren't my cup of tea. Towner Whitney comes home when her aunt disappears, and discovers not only what happened to Eva but all the secrets her family kept from her. She learns that she was not who she thought she was.

Interspersed are 'lessons' from the Lace Reader's Guide, which give the novel that little psychic twist to fit in with the Salem setting. This keeps it from being just another novel about family and enlivens the plot. ( )

I immensely enjoyed this book. I think I finished it in about two days. It is the perfect Summer or Autumn read in that it deals with family, friendship, mystery, love...the classic themes. The plot is just imaginative...dashed with a mystery, plot twists, and a bit of magic.

Towner Whitney has come back to Salem, Massachusetts after being in self-imposed exile in California for many years. She comes back due to the disappearance of her Great Aunt Eva. The Whitney women are all lace readers....meaning they not only create lace but can "read" the future for people in the pieces as well. Towner does not do this anymore. --Remember that the setting is in Salem...town of the famous 1600's Witch Trials. The author notes that while there were no actual witches back during those infamous trials...today Salem has become a hub for witches.

While Salem, the witches, and the lace reading all give the story a great magical backdrop...the real story is of Towner Whitney and her family. Towner Whitney has never been the same since her twin sister Lindley committed suicide when they were 17 years old. Towner went off the deep-end after it happened and is missing much of her memory. May, Towner's mother but not her sister's mother (confusing right?), has become a recluse in her island home and has dedicated her life to helping abused women. Other characters include Towner's Aunt Emma (Lindley's mom), her brother Beezer, her old flame Jack, Salem's Detective Rafferty, and Cal (estranged and abusive father of Lindley).

I was quite confused at the beginning (and for a while after) about Towner's family tree. Who was who's mother, sister, aunt, brother...it all got convoluted. But that's the point...keep reading. What I loved was the author's depiction of Salem and the almost normality of the magical-ness of it all. And I loved going along with Towner's memories while her damaged mind tries to figure everything out. It was a great and unusual perspective.

You might out-guess the twists and turns in the book, but that is ok. The book is about waiting for the characters to figure it all out. ( )

http://thebookwormslibrary.com/?p=141... ( )

My name is Towner Whitney. No, that's not exactly true. My real first name is Sophya. Never believe me. I lie all the time.

Thus begins The Lace Reader, a novel about a young woman, a family, and a city plagued and, in some cases, haunted by history. Towner has spent a good portion of her adult life in mental hospitals or dealing with her mental illness and the complications of the shock treatments she willingly underwent. She grew up on Yellow Dog Island, just off the coast of Salem, Massachuttes. After leaving the mental hospital, she leaves for California in hopes of running away from the death of her twin sister Lindley. She does not get on well with her agoraphobic mother, and may not have ever returned to Salem if it weren't for a call from her brother telling her that Eva, her grandfather's second wife, was missing. She was recovering from a hysterectomy, but she could not stay away from her hometown. Eva, a woman reknown for her lace readings who encourages Towner to embrace the gift she has as well, means so much to her. What Towner finds when she returns is that the more things change, the more they stay the same. She must pull the pieces of her life together and come to terms with her past because running away mearly delayed the inevitable.

If you've read my blog long enough, you know that I really enjoy an unreliable narrator when that character is done well. Towner fits into this category so very well. How could I not be drawn into her life through those opening lines? Brunonia Barry goes one step further and makes the reader wonder if Towner is as unreliable as she thinks she is and then, in my case, forget altogether. This is accomplished throughthe vivid characters, a truly awful set of religious fanatics that take the city back to the 17th century, and the introduction of Rafferty, a Salem police officer, who takes over the narration. The interplay between Towner and Rafferty's narration is suble and the outcome is one terrific read.

I like to think of myself as an equal opportunity reader in that I enjoy and can relate to male characters just as well as female characters. It's been a long time since I have felt for male characters in a novel the way I felt toward Rafferty. He is not originally from Salem. He's worked in the police force there for two years. He as a teenage daughter and an ex-wife in New York City. He is a recovering alcoholic looking to live a useful, sober life. While Towner was living in exhile in California, Rafferty grew close to Eva and, for lack of further explanation, learnned to rely upon her readings and opinions. His desire to make Salem a safe place for all and to protect Towner and Angela, another lost soul, endeared him to me. As much as I grew to love Towner, Rafferty made this novel for me.

The Lace Reader was fantastic. This modern view of Salem and how the ciy's history plays a role in the lives of her citizens, such as Ann, the local wiccan spokeswoman, is interesting and thought provoking (where is a local book club when I need it?). Although I've never been to Salem, I got the feeling of what it would be like to live in such a popular vacation destination, one where people reenacted the city's darkest and most shameful historical periods on a daily basis. I bought this in hardcover when it first came out after reading many wonderful reviews, but it sat on my shelf for almost exactly a year. It waited patiently on my shelf until I joined this tour. As much as I really enjoyed my first read, I'm kicking myself because this could have been my opportunity to re-read it. As soon as I had finished it, I wanted to start all over again. Novels don't get much better than that. ( )

This is the story of Towner Whitney who tells you in the first line of the book
"My name is Towner Whitney.No, that's not excactly true.My real name is Sophya.Never believe me. I lie all the time."
And so Towner's story begins.I found this book is a bit slow I liked it and was very surprised at the twist it took at the end.But, that twist actually kind of wrecked the book for me.The characters were interesting and fleshed out.Yet the ending left me with more questions than answers.

All in all I was expecting a much better book.it wasn't a great book but it wasn't a bad book either. ( )

This book was a bit of a disappointment since I had heard such good buzz about it but it didn't live up to my expectations. While there were several things I liked about the book (i.e. the different points of view), I thought that the book took too long to get to the point. Yes, the female narrator tells the reader in the first paragraph that she is a liar (the pure definition of an unreliable narrator) but the story spent too much time on her story which you know is not true. The male narrator was a good character but not developed to the fullest extent. While it was a good read, it wasn't great and it definately didn't live up to it's hype. It will be interesting to see what the other members of the book group will have to say...

Brunonia Barry's The Lace Reader takes place in Salem, Mass., with a still point and a spiral of events that take place during Sophya "Towner" Whitney's journey from childhood to adulthood and inside her mind. Readers know from the beginning that Towner lies and is an unreliable narrator.

"The perfect line of the first-floor windows gleams back at me from the winter porch, I catch my reflection in the wavy glass, and I'm surprised by it. When I left here, I was seventeen. I haven't bee back for fifteen years. I knew my reflection in the glass when I was seventeen, but today I don't recognize the woman I see there." (Page 12)

The death of her sister weighs heavily on Towner's mind, sends her to a mental hospital, and forces her to move to the Pacific coast. She only returns to Salem when she learns her Aunt Eva is missing. Barry weaves a psychological mystery for readers, leading them into the dark alleyways of Towner's memories, seeking the truth about her past and her family. Who is her mother? What happened to her sister? Where is her father? And why in a family of lace readers is she the one that has shunned the practice?

"Sometimes, when you look back, you can point to a time when your world shifts and heads in another direction. In lace reading this is called the 'still point.' Eva says it's the point around which everything pivots and real patterns start to emerge." (Page 24)

May, Towner's mother, refuses to leave her island in Salem Harbor, even for funerals, but she helps abused women and those in need, helping them learn how to make Ipswich lace. Aunt Emma lives on the island, but remains detached from reality following her abusive relationship with Cal Boynton.

Barry's characters are human in their frailties, passions, and reactions to traumatizing events. Parts of the novel are narrated by Rafferty, the police officer in town, and parts of The Lace Reader are narrated by May, Towner's mother, which can cause readers to pause. However, readers will love the how the tunnels beneath Salem resemble the crevices of Towner's mind, and when each page turns, readers and Towner will emerge from the darkness into the light of the bay. ( )

Gread read. ( )

http://passionatebooklover.wordpress....

I just finished reading The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry and even though it’s an interesting book, it did not meet my expectations. I have heard so many positive things about this book, so I just couldn’t wait to read it. Unfortunately, the book was not what I expected. I didn’t really like the beginning and the storyline in general. However, this is still a good book; it was just not the right book for me.

The novel deals with serious issues and tells a complex and dark story. I find it difficult to summarize this book, simply because in this novel, nothing is quite as it seems. The first sentences of The Lace Reader show us that we are dealing with an unreliable narrator:

“MY NAME IS TOWNER WHITNEY. No, that’s not exactly true. My real name first name is Sophya. Never believe me. I lie all the time.”

Thus, Brunonia Barry makes no secret of the fact that we can’t really trust the narrator. Throughout the novel, the reader finds it difficult to separate fact from fiction, as the author tells a story full of secrets, lies and confused identities. What is real and what is not? How much can we trust Towner (or is it Sophya)?

The Lace Reader tells the story of the Whitney women who can read the future in the patterns in lace. It is the powerful tale of an eccentric family who has many dark secrets and issues to deal with. After a traumatic experience, Towner Whitney leaves Salem and doesn’t intend to come back. However, 15 years later, she learns that her great-aunt is missing, so Towner finally decides to return home. There, she is haunted by memories of her difficult past and finds herself confronted with her deepest fears. Will she manage to find peace and finally put her past behind her? And what disturbing secrets will she unveil to us?

The Lace Reader reminds me of Diane Setterfield’s The Thirteenth Tale, although I must admit that I find Setterfield’s work more fascinating and compelling. All in all, I think that The Lace Reader is a good book, full of suspense, secrets and mysteries! ( )

Review for the unabridged Audiobook.

I entierly agree with the reviewer who found this book "enjoyable although a little boring". The first half of the novel was an interesting introduction to the town of Salem with it's history of witches and witch hunts but the second didn't keep me and I was listening reluctantly.

The lead character of Towner Whitney was endearing, if a little loopy. She has a complicated history, some of which even she does not know. She has left the Salem of her childhood because of a premonition that she had from the lace, and events that took place in her past. Her entwined family still lives there, in amongst the islands. They are all strong swimmers and confident with boats. As we gradually get to know these people and their history it becomes apparent that all is not as it first seems.
When one of them goes missing, Towner is forced to return and face her demons.
In some parts the story became a bit confusing, what was real and what dreamed, and the phrase "shape-shifted" was well overused.

I found the lace reading a bit unbelievable and the exerpts from the book penned by Towner's Aunt Eva that opened each chapter were far fetched in places. This was one of the disadvantages of the audiobook, the narrator insisted on reading these exerpts at each new chapter, where I would have skipped them.
Although events come to a head towards the end, this is not a thriller. Nor would I describe it as an historical novel, In my opinion it is a romantic mystery with supernatural overtones. ( )

I didn't like this as much as some here did, but it was a fun weekend read. Barry's characters are nothing special, but she kept the infamous history of her Salem, Mass. hometown percolating in the background, along with a lively depiction of its subsequent tourist industry. The "lace reading" was a clever idea, though it's use felt shoehorned into the story. The better story is about the book's publication. Barry and her husband self-published The Lace Reader and sold it throughout New England. Then a starred Publisher's Weekly review opened the door for a two million dollar publishing deal with William Morrow. ( )