Where She Went

No one writing today surpasses Kate Walbert in beauty of style. I think the 'editorial reviews' miss the point in judging the later stories in this volume. What they perceive as 'disjointed narrative' is actually a master painting emotions and events using an economy of brushstrokes in carefully interlaced fashion. Criticizing her for this technique reminds me of the academicians in Paris who couldn't comprehend the Impressionists. The story "1980 Florence" is a true masterpiece. I recommend Walbert heartily to any readers who want to experience the very best in contemporary writing.

Where She Went shines in part because the subject is so expertly handled in a genre ( the mother-daughter story) that often falls back on stereotypes. Its rare when you find a novel that is true and a pleasure to read. Where She Went, is even a bigger treat -- it spans the lives of two women - a mother and a daughter, but it is never sappy and the story is always original. It unravels the intricacies of their lives and their problems -- seeing each woman as a person even while they are seeing each other in the roles their families have prescribed. The insight and clarity into this family is neither hokey nor predictable. A totally great read. I loved this book and highly recommend it.

I had the honor and pleasure of recently hearing Kate Walbert read an excerpt from "Where She Went," and the reading was so intriguing that I purchased the book. It certainly lived up to my expectations, and clearly this is the voice of a writer with a great future ahead of her.

The main characters of Walbert's book are colorful, refreshing and very imaginable. A continuous flow of descriptive metaphors keeps the reader yearning for more. I very much enjoyed her carefully woven stories of Marion, intertwined with both humor and sadness- a combination that captures Walbert's sensitive thoughtful style of writing. She is a very talented writer. I'm looking forward to reading her next book!

This is a great collection of stories that reads like a novel. A mother and daughter adjust their lives in different ways to accomodate constant corporate moves. As the reader you become sympathetic to the mother and curoius about the daugher. The writing is extraordinarily well crafted. I really recommend it!