Mapping the Edge: A Novel

I read this one in two days and I had to work - that is how much I liked it. I have to disagree with several reviewers because I thought the ending was great and I liked the "home" sections as much as the "away." I thought the book moved at a really great pace. I loved the double scenes because there are certain things that make you wonder which one really happened. For instance Anna has this wooden horse that is broken in the same spot and she gets a black eye in both. There was a great little twist with her lover that I thought was really well played out. The ending was satisfying because you know what will happen next even though Dunant doesn't write it out. I don't know how else that could have ended and not have been for the worse. The only thing I didn't like was Estella's obession for drugs. It seemed a little odd just to throw that into a character and you don't know much else about her. Overall it was a real quick pace and very well written.

In "Mapping the Edge," Sarah Dunant's impressionistic thriller, Anna, a single mother with a seven-year-old daughter, takes a break from her life for a short trip to Italy on her own. When she does not return her friends, Estella and Paul--she the best friend, he a (gay) chum of Anna's--act as surrogate parents and rush to Anna's house to relieve the professional babysitter, who has to go home to her family, in caring for the daughter, Lily.In alternating chapters we are given two possible explanations for Anna's failure to return (titled "Away," these are told in the third person) after which there is a chapter called "home," a first-person narrative related by Estella. This pattern repeats itself for the duration of the journey. Although Ms. Dunant does not specifically say so, perhaps the more sinister version of Anna's fate (she is being held against her will by a stalker) is imagined by Estella while the more romantic one (she has meet a lover and has simply decided to spend one more weekend with him) is imagined by Paul. Regardless, the interwoven tales mesh smoothly, and the prose is lucidly clear. The characters are believable and somewhat sympathetic--even the stalker. It's a gripping read.

When Anna goes to Florence, it is to redefine the edge of her world and her identity. When she fails to return in a timely way, the de facto family she has built around her child and herself, made up of friends, loved ones and the loved ones of loved ones begin to form new structures, and the edges between and amongst them and Anna begin to shift. As two parallel stories of Anna's time in Florence unravel, the reader is drawn forward,first compelled and disturbed by the nefarious scenario of a sociopathic kidnapper who spots the holes in Anna's self and fills them with a seductive kindess and a potentially murderous obsession -- and secondly the reader is given solace by the more palatable notion that Anna is with a lover with whom she is at the edge of a relationship neither of them were prepared for, but one which could transform them. This parallel-universe unravelling while the family sits home awaiting a call or some news, decides whether the police should be called, and contemplates the future of Anna's daughter should the worst occur, would be enough to make this a read worth pursuing. The author, however, pushes the edge of the scenarios, and each trajectory takes such unexpected turns that as a reader you are forced to question the nature of relationships as they seem on the outside and as they ultimately reveal themselves. This psychologically rich thriller is not an "easy read," in that it is written with the flow of the story rather than strict chronology at its' center, and the pacing is erratic. I found these two qualities, however, to be part of the delight of disorientation that only an exceptional writer can craft. I learned from this book that thrillers can be written in a solid literary tradition and still net the satisfaction of a "buzz" of adrenaline. I highly recommend it.

While there IS unquestionably a mystery to be solved in this book, I'd hate to classify this one as simply a "mystery" novel. It is just as much a book about the way we all classify the borders of safety and risk in our lives, walking that fine line everyday - and how a sudden decision can change everything. Rich and rewarding to read, I felt like I'd been shown parts of myself as well as those of the characters in this book. I absolutely loved reading this one! Anna is a single mother, unquestionably devoted to her daughter, Lily, but also torn between the self-sacrifice required of parenthood and the equally strong need for adult pleasure, companionship, passion and love. A pivotal moment occurs when Anna takes off rather suddenly on a trip to Europe - leaving her young daughter in the hands of trusted friends, Paul and Estella. When Anna doesn't return as expected, both friends become worried and then, in turn, more concerned and suspicious. Where is Anna? Is she safe? And could she possibly be a willing part of her own disappearance? The book is written from several points of view - that of Paul and Estella and also that of Anna herself. As the days unfold, so do the events and the mystery deepens. Who is Anna meeting in Europe - and why? Who is the mysterious stranger Anna meets unexpectedly and what part will he play? While I was drawn into this novel, potential readers should know that it can be a bit confusing and tricky to follow at times, as there are several subplots and the action isn't always sequential, jumping from one plot to another in the same day. I understood that this was done to deepen the various mysteries which were unfolding but some readers might find it more than a bit irritating and hard to follow. The mystery and intrique kept me going, however, and made it more than worth the effort. I'm looking forward to reading more books by this author.

This is a fully suspenseful novel that investigates a woman's disappearance in Italy after leaving behind her daughter (and friends). I was completely engrossed by the plot and couldn't put the book down. I'm looking forward to reading future novels by this author. A great book!