Ms. Harrington has taken a hard subject, infantcide, and brought it out into the bright, harsh light of day. Just reading the prosecutor's opening statement had me thinking "but for the Grace of God". You see, I had post-partum depression and am bipolar, which wasn't properly diagnosed for years. It also wasn't talked about like it is now, I had a beautiful child, what was there to be sad about! No one understood, no one talked about their own experiences. They are now and that has to be a good thing.
I've only read the prologue and the very first of Part 1 and my stomach is clenched tight and there are tears in my eyes. Looks like it's going to be a great novel.
Just listen to this: "Here Dave paused long for the effect, and I found myself waiting to breathe. I noticed a young female juror glance at Dave and smile. It probably didn't hurt my defense that he was so good-looking. It's not that I am unattractive. I'm tall, fit, green-eyed and still have all my hair. But cast us together in a movie and Dave is James Bond and I'm Man in elevator #2. Can't you just see them?
Off to read some more.......
Jane, and what she did is a small part of the novel and yet it is everything. Most of the novel is the aftermath. Tom dealing with only having one twin, questioning why he didn't stop it, being charged with child endangerment. What? That's right, the great state of Texas, in her ultimate wisdom, has decide that Tom is guilty of leaving his children in the care of their mother.
Wow, how do you defend against that? And the big question....is he guilty?
After getting over the OMG factor of it could have been me, I enjoyed the novel very much. I had to take it in small doses, open my mind (as does Tom) to retro-cognition. That's right, most of the story is flashbacks while Tom. his attorney, and a clairvoyant dig through Jane's possessions listening to the stories they tell.
Okay, I confess, I actually love the idea that you could do this. Haven't you ever looked at a picture or a ratty stuffed animal and wondered what stories they could tell?
I cried, cringed, wanted to shake some characters and slap some sense into others. But in the end, I have to ask myself if it was worth spending the time to read this book, was I satisfied at the end, did I want more?
My answer is yes. Hey, Karen? I'd really like to know what happens to Sarah.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary review copy of this book without any obligation to write a positive review. The opinions expressed in this post are mine and may differ from yours. Book information courtesy of Ms. Harrington's website, and amazon.
Janeology
by Karen Harrington
publisher: Kunati Inc.
ISBN: 978-1601640208
Release date: April 2008
Hardcover
family drama, courtroom, nature vs nurture
256 pages
also available in paperback and for Kindle
Product Description:
After his wife Jane commits an unthinkable murder, her grieving husband struggles to find a possible explanation for her actions – were they due her lack of nurturing as a child? Did she inherit a tendency toward violence from her ancestors, some with dark, criminal lives? Did he miss the signs that she was about to unravel?
When a prosecutor decides Jane's husband Tom is partially to blame for the death and charges him with "failure to protect," Tom's attorney proposes a radical defense. He plans to create reasonable doubt about his client's alleged guilt by showing that Jane's genealogy is the cause of her violence, and that she inherited her latent violence in the same way she might inherit a talent for music or a predisposition to disease. He argues that no one could predict or prevent the tragedy, and that Tom cannot be held responsible.
With the help of a woman gifted with the power of retrocognition—the ability to see past events through objects once owned by the deceased—the defense theory of dark biology takes form.
What unfolds is an unforgettable journey through the troubled minds and souls of eight of Jane's ancestors, spanning decades and continents, this debut novel deftly illustrates the ways nature and nurture weave the fabric of one woman's life, and renders a portrait of one man left in its tragic wake.
copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2011
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3 comments:
I never did get to read this book, but I gave it to a friend who liked it.
Whoa...I thought this was going to be another one of those ubiquitous Jane-Austen-themed books. Was I surprised!
Thanks for your moving review! I appreciate it very much.
And as for what happens to Sarah - that happens to be the subject of my next novel, due out from Little, Brown in early 2013! Happy Holidays to you and your family.
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