Caretakers

The Caretakers is a bittersweet memory of two people who love one another over a span of years and miles of troubles. Their inability to part from one another is testament to the power of their love. Coming from opposite backgrounds and with completely different expectations of life, they nevertheless manage to attract each other and stay attracted despite all the tragedies that their relationship causes. Apart they are flawed, difficult people but together they achieve a sort of balance that is remarkable in its tenacity and caring. Not ordinary people by any means, they still come across as people you might know but never dream of interfering with. For all the grief they cause, a reader still cheers them on. Perhaps because they're an example of a love that can survive anything.

Tabitha King is masterful in her character development, dialogue, and understanding of human nature. Caretaker is the second book by Ms King that I had the good fortune to find and read, and I was as unable to put this one down as I was with the first, "Basketball." Her writing style is slow and steady--not rushing into the plot, but introducing us to believable characters who act in very human ways, both good and bad. Don't get me wrong, there are surprises and twists in her stories, but there is also a gentleness and a beauty to her writing that I have never seen before from any other author

This is the type of book which one reads again and again, finding more in it to admire and enjoy each time. It explores the star-crossed relationship of Tory Christopher and Joe Nevers, two people who have nothing in common and yet are inexplicably drawn to one another. There's a mystery surrounding a couple of unexplained deaths, as well as subplots involving friendship, love, sex, revenge, prejudice, marriage, illness, and death. The way the book moves from the present day into flashbacks and then back makes it a bit difficult to follow when you first read it, but it is well worth a little effort. I consider it Ms. King's best book, and one of the best novels I've read in the past 20 years