*****= An all-time favorite
**** = Outstanding
*** = Above
average
** = Enjoyable
*
= Good, with reservations
***Coastliners
by Joanne Harris
Reviewed December 21, 2002.
William Morrow, New York, 2002. 350 pages.
Mado Prasteau has returned to her island home off the coast of France,
after an absence of ten years. She finds things in a sad state.
Her father, like always, isn’t talking. Her village is having trouble
with flooding. They resent the prosperity of the village across the
island, and they are all at odds with one another.
With the help of the mysterious Flynn, Mado brings changes to Le Devin
and the village of Les Salants. She uncovers some old mysteries and
new secrets. She affects even the tides. She gives the people
a reason to hope in the future.
I was surprised to read a Joanne Harris book without vivid descriptions
of food! Although I liked this book, it didn’t grip me nearly as
much as Five Quarters of the Orange
or Chocolat. Perhaps I simply read it at the wrong time, when
I was more in the mood for fairy tales than a realistic story.
Book Reviews by Sondra Eklund