Testimony

So heavy

This book was okay, but could have been SO much better. It was hard to get into because of the way it was written. I think that had the book been told from the eyes of only one narrator, perhaps just Mike, then it would have been better. The potential for a good plot is there, the author just didn't take advantage. Mike and Anna's affair came out of the blue, even though it was integral to the story and what happened to Silas. The cameraman remained a mystery until the end, even tho he too was important to the story. I'm all for giving Anita Shreve a “do-over” for this book and letting her write it again and tell the story better.

Three young men at a private school ruin their lives when they get drunk and are videotaped in compromising situation with an underage girl. This book is the story of the young men and their families and their teachers and the young girl.

I found the strength of the book to be in the way it was told. I liked the way the author told the story in chapters using various points of view. It felt very real.

I thought the tale was a bit too Oprah-ish, the social problem of the week. None of the characters was terribly likable, except for Silas who seemed to have been caught up in the drinking amid family difficulties and was a victim of circumstances.

All in all, a ho-hum Shreve.