December

Built up a good portrait of the family and all the stresses they were under. Very slow moving ( which might have been the intention) but would have liked a bit more action. Ending rather quick.

It did not meet my expectations, especially considering the title which leads you to expect and want another type of story, a bit boring.

good condition

Well written, but disappointing. This book is about an eleven year old girl who is an elective mute. There is no description of the advice the parents or school were given to alleviate the condition. I wondered how long the author was going to make it last…..too long!

This book was really good and, having finished it, I'm not sure what I will follow it with.The story follows Isabelle and her family. Isabelle is mute, by choice, and her parents just aren't coping. No one can or will help and as Christmas is approaching, so is breaking point.

This novel could be a straightforward account of an exraordinary gifted child of parents whotry to treat Isabelle as a normal child. a pieceUnfortunately the precis of the novel on the back of the paperback does not do justice to Winthrop's prose. Also Winthrop has been advised that even though Isabelle is only eleven years old she has mystical powers the novel would be more interesting if a mystical element was introduced into the plot. Winthrop's characters have to face the annual freezing cold in twenty -first century New England and to introduce mysticism which was relevant about five hundred years ago turns the novel into fantasy. I have encountered extraordinary mentally gifted individuals from parents not blessed with an rating of genius who could learn the Moonlight Sonata of Beethoven without a piano teacher . Winthrop suggests that Ruth and Wilson struggle with Isabelle's mental ability but ultimately try and make Isabellefeel normal. Hopefully Winthrop's current novel will burst on the literary world and it will havebeen worth waiting for.

I thought this was an interesting plot but it is quite slow and, as so many others have said, not a lot happens. My main problem was that Isabelle was supposed to be 11 yet she acts all sorts of ages. For example, at the Christmas lights, Isabelle wants her dad to lift her on to his shoulders like a 5 year old. At other times she seems much more mature than any 11 year old. I didn't find her spoilt or unpleasant at all and it made me sad to read reviewers describe her as such. She's just a rather sad little girl. I also felt rather depressed that Ruth was displayed so harshly and Wilson as such a nice easy going guy. After all, which one of them has had to put her own life on hold to look after their daughter?

Absolutely loved this book and couldn't wait to go to bed each night to read it! An intriguing and beautifully crafted storyline with credible characters and great resonance. Fabulous.