Customer Reviews

A Trick of Light

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Karen Blomain takes the controversial subject of bigamy and makes it into something poignant, thought provoking and compassionate with a very compelling plot and unforgettable characters. A TRICK OF LIGHT can't help but touch your heart in all the nooks and crannies as it explores the creativity of an extraordinarily talented author whose characters seem so real that they shatter you emotionally as you become involved in their lives. When you finish the book, you can't help but wonder what you would do if faced with the same set of circumstances. Yes, it certainly is food for some lengthy discussions isn't it when you think about bigamy, middle-aged sexuality, agoraphobia, and widowhood!"

A TRICK OF LIGHT is one heartbreaking eye-opener as to how something like this could ever happen. Ms. Blomain handles it with the finesse of a master storyteller. I know this reader cried her eyes out many a time while reading this emotional roller coaster of a novel. Karen Blomain delves into the deepest of human emotions as she takes a woman's love for her husband, her memories of their life together, his death and what it means to his two wives, and mixes it with the stark reality of facing the truth behind years of deception and lies that were the result of a man's love and compassion for the two women he loved. The twister is that Hattie finds herself caught in the same web that caught up her dear Ben, a man who experienced the dilemma of falling in love with two women and adjusted his life to accommodate the two families.

This is the first book in a trilogy spanning 40 years in the lives of three women in a small town. Look for A TRICK OF LIGHT as a CBS movie by Barbara Streisand's Barwood Films in the future!

A Trick of Light took me away from my own experience to a place of more understanding and empathy. Karen Blomain is a storyteller in the tradition of the Irish seanchai. No pressure, but I'm looking for the second in her quartet.

A Trick of Light is a beautifully accessible novel with specific characters and events shaped by the real world. They are touching and familiar, and the voice that tells of them is honest, respectful, and unpretentious. What is particularly impressive is the construction of the novel's chapters. In some cases, they are no longer than a prose poem, bringing our attention to the smallest nuances, pauses, gestures, that collectively bring a character to life. In a sense, one could argue that the book works cinematically in the way that it moves gracefully from scene to scene, but it is the poetry of the language that really shines through and makes each "scene" satisfying and moving. What is more? It's a page-turner, a piece of literature that is immediately engrossing and one I found very hard to put down.

Too sentimental. Takes too long and to little action. Moves too slowly
I won't try any more of her books.

It was interesting and kept my interest.The ending was a let down and could lead to a second book . Overall I enjoyed it.

A very intriguing read. Didn't expect that at all. Made me wonder if I could be that forgiving, umm probably not.

The book was caught up in a lot of subliminal thoughts but not enough forward movement in the story. Not my favourite book.

This is a well written story involving a very touchy subject but done with great empathy and taste. I certainly became involved with the characters and enjoyed the resolution. Would recommend this book to everyone. Not light reading but written in such a way as to not bog the reader down.

I enjoyed this book. It reminded me of a book I read a long time ago called The Pilot's Wife. If you liked that book you will enjoy this one.

This was not a bad book. It kept me reading wanted to find out how it ended. Did not end like I thought it would but it still was ok