Casting Off

I picked up the book "Casting Off" while browsing, drawn to the beautiful cover photo. The insides are as lovely as the outer...the book delivers both in terms of characters, story line, and most especially, in capturing the bittersweet balance of life and death, love and hate in the small, closeknit community on an imaginary island off the coast of Ireland. The other reviewers do a good job of pointing out the minor flaws found in this, a first time work, however, the powerful story and vivid characterizations outweigh any quibbles with technique (for me). Please keep writing, Ms. Dickson, I plan on sharing this title with all my book club friends! Now I have to go back to re-learning my knitting....

As a knitter, I absolutely loved this book! I loved the "book quotes" that begin each chapter...several of them brought tears to my eyes--especially since I'm married to an Irishman. I tried to find where I could buy "A Binding Love" (the book from which the beginning quotes are taken)...and found, to my surprise, that it is a fictional book written by a character in the story. I thought the story was great--I couldn't put the book down. I read this as a library book, but I'll be buying a copy to share with my Irish family.

I'm enjoying this book alot. I like the way the author writes. Chapters are short so it gives the opportunity for lots of stops.

Well written story with good research into knitting techniques.Women's issues handled with great sensitivity.Anxiously awaiting next novel from this promising young writer.

Rebecca and Sean are both well drawn characters frozen in the past, unable to exorcise the demons of domestic violence. While it seems as if every book these days is touted as "a tale of redemption," this one really is. The resolution is quite exquisite. I'll look forward to reading another book by this talented author.