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• I really loved this book. Douglas Kennedy really understands lose and grief.

  5.00 out of 5

  web2.0.2.0

• This is a great book. It enthralled me, and I would highly recommend it to others to read. I've enjoyed a lot of this author's books, but this is by far the one that I've enjoyed the most.

  5.00 out of 5

  caoimhe.nimhaicin

• Douglas Kennedy has created a character, Jane Howard, who survives multiple betrayals and then endures a heart break that leaves her wanting to "leave the world." This was an engrossing, well-written book with the exception of a laspe in judgment by the author toward the end of the book when Jane becomes involved in the case of a missing girl. This was one sub-plot that simply lacked credibility and added nothing to our understanding of Jane's character. I will definitely read more books by Douglas Kennedy despite my disappointment in this portion of an otherwise engaging novel.

  4.00 out of 5

  pdebolt

• I had forgotten how much I liked Douglas Kennedys books. I have read a couple of them a while ago, and am not so much able to remember the stories ( it was before I really got onto library thing). But I do remember that I enjoyed them and this one is no different. I found the story line really gripping - I wanted to keep reading to find out how things developed. Kennedy's other strength is that he is really able, to me, to get inside his characters and from what I have read of his so far the main characters seem to be women going through difficult times in their lives. It is harder to believe that it is a man writing these books.The main character in this book is Jane, an academic with a PhD from Harvard. I do not want to reveal details of the story here. I would rather let it happen for you as it did for me. Suffice to say Jane's life over the time of the book goes through major ups and downs that she must come to terms with. The last of these is so bad that Jane feels she must , as the title of the book says "leave the world" and retreat from the people who do care for her. Kennedy does say in the book that unhappiness isn't simply a state of mind, that it is a habit and it is a habit that Jane must learn how to break. I came to like Jane and I wanted her to come through and be able to reenter the world, and after reading this one I will be back to Douglas Kenneyy to read all the ones I have missed and maybe those I have read and forgotten.

  4.00 out of 5

  kiwifortyniner

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