Judy's Reviews > All Things Cease to Appear

** spoiler alert ** This book is populated with sad, lonely, disaffected characters, and truly one of the most malevolent ones I've ever read: George Clare. The centerpiece is a sad farm house, haunted by the cruelty and death its inhabitants suffered.

This was a tough go - I got very busy and did not start until weeks after I planned - but it was not a book I could sail through. The perspectives switched and were offered in the first person voice without clear identification at the start; it was dense with detail and asides. These were a bit of a distraction but were ultimately necessary. The pace picked up midway. There's one story line that was too neatly tied up at the end (if you follow my reviews, you know this is a peeve), but overall the ending left enough hint of mystery to satisfy. Brundage is an excellent writer; this book makes you think and I expect I'll be pondering the story for awhile. Four stars.

Highly recommend for a book group; there's plenty to discuss. I went to a dinner party and a cookout over the long weekend and this book became my icebreaker; I was trying to find someone who's read the book. I needed some guidance as I was making my way through; never had that experience before.