PositiveThe Associated Press... jarring, riveting and, for journalism, necessary. The book\'s most compelling aspect is old-fashioned reporting—knocking on doors, obtaining records, clandestine meetings, tapping sources—and is the structure that holds up this book ... The nuts and bolts reporting techniques add to the drama ... The mechanics of the deadline reporting, with the knowledge that Ronan Farrow of The New Yorker (also a Pulitzer-Prize winner for his work on this subject) wasn\'t too far behind them, also makes for a compelling narrative. Having this in all one place is overwhelming and historic and disturbing.
Margaret Atwood
PositiveThe Associated Press...a wild ride ... The structure of the three testimonies of the three characters works well in this book, propelling the story and the fate of Gilead ... these three characters are tested. And we are treated to a book that satisfies many of the questions left hanging at the end of The Handmaid’s Tale by a writer who seems to enjoy this ride.
Ann Patchett
PositiveThe Associated PressPatchett\'s storytelling abilities shine in this gratifying novel, particularly as she moves toward the surprising and delightful conclusion ... It\'s important to note, though, that architectural history fans may feel a little slighted if they were drawn to the title looking for a story about an old vernacular Dutch house. The mansion is a hodgepodge of styles named for its inhabitants\' lineage, with a few blue Delft mantels \'pried out of a castle in Utrecht.\'
Lucy Ellmann
RaveThe Associated PressDucks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann is brilliant—and addictive ... The listings, beginning with \'the fact that\' and separated by commas, aren’t just lumped together. There’s an art to them, a rhythm, that sort of takes you ... The reason this book resonates is that we all seem to be thinking in spirals, fueled by nonstop news, social media, and multiple screens. While the narrative seemingly jumps from one topic to another in a random stream of consciousness, reading it is an act of focus because it’s so mesmerizing ... The book could easily dissolve, considering its length, but Ellmann fortifies it with mini-surprises tucked in throughout the narrative. (Yes, this book has a plot and sticking with it offers a big payoff ending.) ... It\'s the lovely bits of this beautiful life despite all the ugliness that makes this book really resonate. It\'s not all a horror show, especially when the character talks about the tender relationship that she has with her family and her husband, Leo.
