The Secret Papers of Madame Olivetti

At the conclusion of this book the main thought traveling thru my mind was, WOW! A lump had formed in my throat, tears near ready to flow. Lily Crisp and her life's journey touched a massive amount of heartstrings and fond memories in this reader. The charming, small villages of France and Mexico to the rural regions of the mountainous western USA, the local scenery so aptly described I could sense it as if being back there again. An avid reader I am not, but with my trusty dictionary by my side to really feel and understand the prose of Ms. Vanderbilt, I found myself vicariously there, shadowing Lily along the entire way, feeling what she was feeling. The surprising ending and build up to it had me sitting on the edge of my chair. This is Annie Vanderbilts first published novel? Oh my! As we say in Hawai'i, Hana Hou!...Hana Hou! (encore!, encore!). And with that, I'm going to read it again. Kudos to Ms. Vanderbilt. WOW!

It's great to read a novel about a middle aged woman looking back at her loves and life instead of another tale of a twenty something in wobblingly high heels. Don't get me wrong - there's a lot of sensuality and romance in this novel as 52 year old Lily Crisp reflects on where she's going after the sudden death of her husband. Lily, with her halo of curly hair and a mischievous gleam in her eye, was just plain fun and interesting to hang out with. Vanderbilt's sensuous imagery really transported me to all the exotic locales of Lily's life without waiting in a security line at the airport. The story takes you from a classic villa on the coast of France to lakeside Wisconsin, then Italy, from the rustic tang of an Idaho ranch to the steamy rainforests of Mexico. I really identified with the different stages of life and love - from young passionate love to more mature married love and along the way found a lot to learn from Lily about life and how to live it. And there's even an intriguing twist or two at the end.

I finished The Secret Papers of Madame Olivetti a few days ago. It is hard to believe this is the only book Annie Vanderbilt has published. I do hope she is working on another one, as her writing style is so smooth, I didn't want the story of end. The character of Lily Crisp is witty, warm and passionate. She made me laugh and at the same time, reflect back on my own loves and losses. What a wonderful choice for a "book club" .....or better yet, a movie.

I loved this book. I tried to nibble at it since I don't usually have the luxury of many quiet minutes stretched together, but found that wasn't sufficient. Dishes began to stack up in the sink as I left them for the next meal. I arrived at the pick up line early and plugged my son into a DVD as I read in the front seat, waiting for my daughter's dismissal from school. Sometimes I'd sneak off to the bathroom. And today, while my son was at a play date, I told my daughter that she should practice her silent reading. The two of us curled up on the couch, snuggled into our separate books, and I finally finished Madame Olivetti. Wow. It was stupendous. I can see the connection that one reviewer made to "Eat, Pray, Love," which I really enjoyed, but I loved Lily's tale even more. Please, please, Annie Vanderbilt, write another book-- this one is awesome.

A Guys Read: by Peter Murray Novels are not my favorite thing to read..natural history and historical stuff attracts me. But someone mentioned Madame Olivetti to me and I gave it a try. I could not put it down. It was a good read. The story intriqued me as it swept back and forth from the present to the past weaving an ever more intricate tapestry of Lily's life. Liy is one of those rare characters that comes along once in a great while. Her zest for life is as big as the Idaho sky she writes about and the different characters that fill her life come alive as the pagaes roll by. Lily provides some thoughtful perspectives on relationships that even I found to be truthful and interesting. Vanderbilt has pulled a memorable life story together in an enjoyable read that keeps you wanting to turn the page. Peter Murray