Double Bind

by Chris Bohjalian

Interesting book, especially for those who have read and can remember at least something of The Great Gatsby. My last reading was in high school, many many years back, so I went through most of this book puzzling on the mystery of why the narrator treats the characters of Daisy Buchanan, Jay Gatsby, et al, as if they were real historical people. Alternate universe, or was my memory really that bad. This being said, I didn't see the surprise ending ahead of time as I was too engrossed with this above-mentioned mystery. Not a bad book - but not one I would read again either.

Summary - Laurel is assaulted while riding her bike on a wooded road in Vermont. She survives, finishes college, and finds a job as a social worker in a homeless shelter. One of her former clients dies, and leaves behind a treasure-trove of photographs. Laurel is a photographer, and becomes obsessed with the homeless man's collection, which includes photos of Jay Gatsby, Daisy and Tom Buchanan, and others. She becomes convinced that Bobbie was the son of Daisy and Gatsby. In her search for the truth, she begins to detatch from her job, her friends, and her lover.
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Other books read since last post include: M is for Malice by Sue Grafton; Thank You for Smoking by Christopher Buckley; The Wheel of Fortune by Susan Howatch; City of Bones by Cassandra Clare.