About this title: A troubled young woman named Mickey Bellsong tries to find a handicapped little girl named Leilani Klonk, who has been spirited away by her evil stepfather.
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Bantam Books
Date published: 2001
ISBN-13:9780553801378ISBN:0553801376
Description: Good in very good dust jacket. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. 624 p. Audience: General/trade. spine has slight tilt, and outer page edges has a faint smudge. very good otherwise no markings insode except name on title page. Thank you read more
Edition: Book Club Edition.
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Bantam Books
Date published: 2001
ISBN-13:9780553801378ISBN:0553801376
Description: Very good in very good dust jacket. DJ has very minor shelf wear, binding is tight and square, pages are clean and unmarked. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. 624 p. Audience: General/trade. read more
Edition: Book Club Edition.
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Bantam Books, New York
Date published: 2001
ISBN-13:9780553801378ISBN:0553801376
Description: Very Good in Very Good jacket. Black paper on boards, clean. corners sharp, hinges tight. private owners sticker on front pastedown. text clean as new, 606 pages. dust jacket intact, clean, lightly rubbed. nice reading copy. read more
"Pay Attention: This bioethics stuff is frightening. This is the same movement that gave Nazi Germany their racial purity program outline. As a work of fiction it was a long book, most of which I enjoyed. It was witty and fast-paced with some really interesting characters and action. The ending was really botched up though. It was too long, and just worse than sentimental. The answer to the question about what is behind the door "one door away from heaven" was convoluted and confusing. The dog was a great character, and then suddenly there ALL these dogs and doggy "connections". The description of the alien was stupid sounding? And why did the pursuit suddenly seem to go cold even though he had to start at the beginning with his "energy signature" again? Probably because the book was already too long."
"I loved the beginning of this book. In fact I loved it until the stories started to really merge at around the 450 page mark. I think it was probably 50-100 pages that didn't really need to be there. The ending however was wonderful, especially the end chapter, it wrapped up the story nicely.
The character of Curtis and his sister become Old Yeller had a way of making me identify with him and in part described the bond between me and my adopted cat (but as you will find when you read the book - not 100% the same). The relationship between Micky (a woman who had a "unpleasent" childhood and therefore a wasted adulthood) and Leilani ( a girl in trouble and also experiencing an "unpleasent" childhood but with a different stregth and outlook most wouldn't find) was also very engaging and shows the path any life can take and what each individual must life through and fight on a daily basis. However there are too many of the Prestons in the world and this is one character, who inparticular when he became a narator towards the end, makes my skin crawl. It makes you think about the nature of mercy killings and the decisions that are made behind them.
The bioethics behind the story was yes as other reviewers have put it scary but in some ways a bit dated and creating an occasionally faulse sterotype. Not all bioethics believe in the extremes that were Presten and other characters although I'm not too sure where there exact thoughts lie e.g. the current debate of prenatal testing and allowing termination for autisim has had Australian Bioethics saying that termination should maybe not be an option due to the stregths that certain autistic people have brought to the world.
Overall this is a great book to read, with some really great characters through the whole book. I would have given it a 5 except for those 50 -100 pages towards the end that didn't seem to add much to the overall story."
"After reading other peoples reviews of this book I am thinking I should re-read it. It seems like alot of people got a lot out of this book and I really didn't think it was the bee's knees. It was good - but it didn't alter my life profoundly like some of the other fine folks on goodreads reported.
"As with most of the characters in his books, sooner or later, they end up together. This book is no exception. Many have said it was not their favorite. It's not every one's cup of tea for sure. While the characters are quirky, smart and irreverent to be sure, I can see where the subject matter could cause some to shy away. Good! It shows that you are human and have a heart instead of a "thumping gizzard" as some southerners would say. Life can be "messy" plain and simple. Unless you have lived under a rock or in a cave, it's the truth. All of us have experiences in our life things that kills, mames or makes us stronger. Some live the "Brady Bunch" and "Beaver Cleaver" life style. Most don't. Without putting any spoilers in my review, let me just say that I for one enjoyed it and didn't want to put it down once I got started. As with all of his books, the plot line is very plausible if not possible and more likely than not, truer than most know. It might make people shy away from it because it hits too close to home for some. Regardless, the basic message should ring true for all. Whatever the situation, it is possible to overcome if the spirit is willing, and we put our faith in a higher power."
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