Re: JCO: falls/mom

Hi, Pat. I've been out of town. Glad to be back to discussion. I found MM
a very 70s type novel -- as far as Mom's character.
As soon as I saw the crossed-out home phone number on the detective's
card, I knew he and the journalist heroine were going to hook up. Unlike the
heroine's married boyfriend, the detective was the kind of guy who would follow
thru with his divorce, not keep everybody hanging. The detective did not
really engage me as a character, but the heroine's process of exploring Mom's past
was the most interesting part of the novel. As in a classic detective novel
-- or a folk tale or Indian legend -- her search prompted her to speak with a
lot of unpromising, unusual people and find out clues she had never dreamed
might pan out. Her talk with the prudish aunt in the mansion was the most
memorable part of the book to me. She had to hang in with the elderly aunt's
off-putting attitudes long enough to get the crucial info.
MM isn't among my fav. JCO books, but it was good to read, if a tad long.
But that's not unusual with JCO.
Cyrano

In a message dated 11/7/2005 8:49:13 PM Eastern Standard Time,
rousep001@hawaii.rr.com writes:

<< On the other hand, having just finished Missing Mom I thought
it was hysterical to read at times, the stereotypes from the 50's
culture were drawn out and drawn out some more, but the book as a whole
was just this side of boring. There were the good girl/ bad girl
sisters, bread ad nauseum, the chorus of relatives, the revelations from
the past, identity issues with Mom, the rituals, give me a break! Maybe
it was meant to be tongue in cheek. Who had a real personality? Who
wasn't predictable? The cat? How about anyone else ringing in on this
novel? Pat Rouse
>>
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