Tomato Girl is the story of Ellie, a young girl whose family is falling apart like the petals on a dying flower. Increasingly disturbing events take place, and through Ellie's eyes the reader witnesses her mother's staggering mental illness, her father's ever-bolder infidelity, and the intrusion of the immature Tomato Girl, her father's mistress, into the family. Ellie, being young, internalizes all of these events, sure that they are all somehow her fault, and just as sure that she can erase them and heal her family if she can only keep all the secrets straight that are being piled on top of her from all sides. The petals of the story fall faster and faster, until there is only a barren stump remaining.
This was one of the best books that I have ever read. The entire premise, that of a child dealing with a family's decent into madness, is fascinating. The characters are engaging, and the transition of the father's character from savior to a destroyer who is himself destroyed is absorbing. Ellie is a wonderful, heart-felt, entirely believable character, and her poor mother, though horrifying, entreats such sympathy and heartache. The secondary characters are well-integrated and equally well-written. The tale, while tragic, does end in a hopeful way, and I felt satisfied with its conclusion, yet it has remained swimming around in my head since I put it down for the first time, when I finished it. That's right - I read it in one sitting.
Rating: Five stars. RUN to the bookstore. Go on! GO!
Saturday, February 21, 2009
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6 comments:
Oh man, my book reading list just keeps getting longer and longer. I will push this one to the top of the pile!
Yay the library had it in stock. I will have it next week!
This book sounds great. I've just picked up my copy from the library!!!
I am half way through this book and I can barely put it down. It is amazing. Thanks for the tip, I had never even heard of it. I am going to add it to my Library Thing page now.
I finished it. I thought it was amazing. When Jerico picked Ellie up off the pavement to rescue her I could almost feel his hands. Such an amazing novel. I searched out her blog, did you realize she wrote a thank you to reviewers and quoted your blog. Check: http://jaynepupek.blogspot.com/2009/02/updates.html
I just finished Tomato Girl, and OMG. It's absolutely amazing. I feel pretty confident in saying that it is one of the best books I have ever read. And I've read a lot of books! I can't remember the last time I read a book where the characters felt so real. I feel an intense need to scream from the rooftops about this book. It's definitely a must read!
Thanks, Astarte, for letting me know about it! I would have never found it without your recommendation.
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