Innocence

I loved the way this book flashed betweeen the past and present day. It left you wondering how things turned out the way they did, keeping the mystery alive until the last few pages of the book. I loved the two main characters, Evie and Jake. My only criticism would be that there were so many supporting characters, it was difficult to keep track of who they were. This is the first of Tessaro's books that I've read and I'll definitely read another one based onn how much I liked Innocence. Overall, I loved it and would definitely recommend it.

It seems unfortunate that Kathleen Tessaro's Innocence has been labeled as "chick lit." The book goes far deeper than most of the novels in that genre: Evie Garlick is not a girl who shops and diets while she waits for Mr. Right, but a single mother who's taken some wrong turns and made bad choices and who's now, in her thirties, living a life much smaller than the one her talents deserve. Her flamboyant friend comes back as a ghost to remind Evie of all she's given up and settled for, and this might be a narrative recourse that bothers some people but I think it actually works quite well and never gets too sappy. I enjoyed Elegance and was glad to read this second novel, where I think Tessaro shows she's grown and matured as an author.

When Evie Garlick left Eden, Ohio for London she dreamed of becoming the toast of the town as a stage actress. However, she never achieves her aspirations settling for teaching as she rationalizes that she gave up ambition to raise her son as a single mom. Lately she dreams of her late dearest friend Robbie, who came from New York when she did. He lived life to the fullest until he died in a car accident. In her dreams Robbie lectures her to stop using her son to hide from life. He insists she relook over her past lovers and her choices over the past fifteen years and reconsider is that what she truly wanted out of her life. Robbie demands she regain the élan she once had as a teen and dream to love again if she is to live again beyond the identity of single mother. This is a terrific character study that looks at an individual who sacrificed her dreams to raise her son, but now dreams of what could have been. The key to the tale is that though Evie has regrets, she does not apologize for loving her son. Through Robbie's "reappearance" she wonders if she could have both though his spirit forces her to admit she wasted several years hiding from love. Fans of a powerful and insightful look at a person's psyche will want to read Kathleen Tessaro's fabulous sharp tale of a second chance at living if her everyday heroine finds the courage to go for it. Harriet Klausner

This book received rave reviews in the UK (where I live) and I am shocked at the US reviews. As an English Woman I think the author has captured completely the life of a foreigner in our shores. I devoured this book over Christmas and can't wait for the next one. If you think this isn't good I would love to know what you are reading!

As the title implies, Innocence is about three young women in London, learning about themselves as they leave home for the first time and attend acting school. Fourteen years later, as Evie faces a turning point in her life, she flashbacks to the days of "innocence" that lead her to where she is today. When she is on the mark, Kathleen Tessaro writes prose you want to roll your tongue around and savour like fine wine. It is dense, delectable and begging to be spoken aloud - "In summer, the fig tree drops its heavy fruit to form a thick, gooey compote on the pavement below..." Her gift is for descriptions that draw you in, setting the mood for her characters, "It's like a house in a Victorian play; overflowing with life, busy with knowledge and experience. Even the dogs lolling about on the oriental carpet are engaged in battles of good versus evil." I thoroughly enjoyed her debut novel Elegance, but in my mind her sophomore effort, Innocence, is the more fulfilling read. This is most likely due to Evie who, from her impassioned defence of love at eighteen to her contemplation of her co-worker ("Each week, I marvel in fascination at the fragments of R. Fitzroy's life as they unfold before me"), reminds me of myself. Evie's confusion as she stands at the crossroads, unable to make a choice in any direction can find resonance for all of us.