While reading this novel I realized that the adjectives book reviewers use don't make a lot of sense. If you were to enjoy reading The Invaders, for example, you might call it "tight," as a complement, as in "a tight novel about the unraveling lives of a country-club-set woman and her stepson." If you thought it was too "tight" though you might call it "thin" which is a word not related semantically to "tight" except in the world of book reviews, where if you squeeze a story too tightly it gets thin.

I wavered as I read between "tight" and "thin" as I read this novel and ended up thinking "thin". While I appreciated the tight lens and the linear drive of the story, in the end there just wasn't enough meat for me to care about the characters. A big disadvantage to the author is that the setting she chose was Cheever territory and she writes without any of the mordant charm or startling juxtapositions or humanity of Cheever--just the drinking and the pool parties and the adultery and the shallowness of people living with too much money and too little imagination.

My other complaint is that the bones of plot were way too exposed, where the crisis points felt manufactured and unrealistic rather than organic to the characters or their story.

All that said, I read to the end. It held my interest that much in spite of these judgmental feelings and I'll probably give the author another try. It feels like a first novel even though it isn't. ( )

surprised to see 'praise' blurbs from Tom Perrotta and Jami Attenberg (neither of whom I've read, I admit, but they're notable mainstream authors) because it was barely OK. Too simplistic (which could work well depending on how it enhances a story, but more might have given this book a better chance); cliche scenes (returning to her mother's empty house and the intolerant, snobbish behavior of her neighbors). Some situations are not resolved accept perhaps at the end which was barely satisfying. Nice cover though. ( )

I love the idea of this book, but the execution is just too on the surface -- you can see all of the plot machinery turning. It's the book equivalent of a dress with an exposed zipper. It feels more like an outline than an actual novel, which makes it very hard to fully engage with it.

Still, I'm awarding a bonus star for an strong and effective ending -- strong enough that I'll keep an eye out for the author's next book. ( )

I love the idea of this book, but the execution is just too on the surface -- you can see all of the plot machinery turning. It's the book equivalent of a dress with an exposed zipper. It feels more like an outline than an actual novel, which makes it very hard to fully engage with it.

Still, I'm awarding a bonus star for an strong and effective ending -- strong enough that I'll keep an eye out for the author's next book. ( )

Not that suspenseful but fairly gripping story of east coast beach resort populated by rich men and trophy wives, all somewhat deranged. Townies play a minor role. ( )