The Book of Speculation
The Book of
Speculation by
Erika Swyler.
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin(May 31, 2016)
ISBN-10: 1250055636
An Amazon Best Book Water shrouds the fascinating, often doomed characters of The Book of Speculation. Featuring mermaids, swarms of horseshoe crabs, deadly floods, and the silent secrets of an ancient tarot deck, The Book of Speculation is split like a savory peach between the odd ventures of a traveling carnival in the late 1700s and the modern-day discovery by librarian Simon Watson of an old, handwritten volume containing his grandmother’s name. The water-damaged book may reveal the root of certain mysteries in his family, such as why the women can hold their breath far, far longer than normal, and the inexplicable reason they have all drowned while young women on the exact same date—a date that is only a few days away as the book begins. When Simon’s sister, Enola, unexpectedly returns home, vibrating with an angry sadness Simon has never seen before, Simon dives deeper into the book and the dark waters of their family history, hoping to change what he fears is her destiny. Erika Swyler has written an engrossing literary tale-spinner with an assurance rarely mastered in debut novels, allowing a well-placed detail or a lyrical phrase to paint a character or sketch even as she builds tension like a pro. As Simon grows obsessed with unraveling the secrets in his book, so will you become bewitched by The Book of Speculation.
I picked this book up at a thrift store. The cover read like it was more of a family mystery then anything else. And it was! It was a nice break from detective books. It read a lot like digging up ancestry, but in this case it wasn't just an interest... it turned into fear for life.
I read it pretty quickly so that means it held my interest, and it did have some surprises along the way.
I was never much into "side shows" or Tarot cards, but in this case it worked well. By the end of the book I was wondering how people put so much belief in Tarot cards.. and made me curious at the same time . Has anyone ever had the fortune told?
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin(May 31, 2016)
ISBN-10: 1250055636
An Amazon Best Book Water shrouds the fascinating, often doomed characters of The Book of Speculation. Featuring mermaids, swarms of horseshoe crabs, deadly floods, and the silent secrets of an ancient tarot deck, The Book of Speculation is split like a savory peach between the odd ventures of a traveling carnival in the late 1700s and the modern-day discovery by librarian Simon Watson of an old, handwritten volume containing his grandmother’s name. The water-damaged book may reveal the root of certain mysteries in his family, such as why the women can hold their breath far, far longer than normal, and the inexplicable reason they have all drowned while young women on the exact same date—a date that is only a few days away as the book begins. When Simon’s sister, Enola, unexpectedly returns home, vibrating with an angry sadness Simon has never seen before, Simon dives deeper into the book and the dark waters of their family history, hoping to change what he fears is her destiny. Erika Swyler has written an engrossing literary tale-spinner with an assurance rarely mastered in debut novels, allowing a well-placed detail or a lyrical phrase to paint a character or sketch even as she builds tension like a pro. As Simon grows obsessed with unraveling the secrets in his book, so will you become bewitched by The Book of Speculation.
I picked this book up at a thrift store. The cover read like it was more of a family mystery then anything else. And it was! It was a nice break from detective books. It read a lot like digging up ancestry, but in this case it wasn't just an interest... it turned into fear for life.
I read it pretty quickly so that means it held my interest, and it did have some surprises along the way.
I was never much into "side shows" or Tarot cards, but in this case it worked well. By the end of the book I was wondering how people put so much belief in Tarot cards.. and made me curious at the same time . Has anyone ever had the fortune told?
posted by DesLily | 8:53 AM
2 Comments:
Oooh, I do love the sound of this one! Sounds like it might be ok for OUaT? Might have to look into it. Nope, never had my fortune told with Tarot cards or anything like that. I think Susan F knows a lot about them though. Not really my thing. lol
I have seen people read this but I guess I haven't paid attention to what it is about exactly. Sounds good!
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