No, the boy isn't abused, and there are few details of the woman's abuse. It's just that everything takes place in this one space, told by a 5 year old. The back story comes out in his conversations with the mother. You couldn't imagine that there would be that much to say about one room, but this one room is his entire world, quite literally. A table is like a country in this world.
And his eyes have never looked at anything further away than 11 feet, and usually much closer. I never thought about how that would affect you. Really fascinating, that's the only word for it.
I just finished James Herriott's Every Living Thing. It was published in 1992 but I somehow managed not read it when it came out (I have all his other books). I happened to find it in a used book store where I was window shopping. Like all his books each chapter is a short memoir of people and animals he has lived with and treated in his vet practice in Yorkshire.
Permalink Reply by GBK on November 5, 2010 at 2:57pm
I have his whole series too Nina and I LOVE them. I could read them over and over.
Just got "Bliss to You" by Trixie Koontz. It will be great to hear her story from a dog's point of view. Also reading "She's Come Undone" by Wally Lamb.
I have read all the Diana Gabaldon Outlander series! Jamie and Claire are the protagonists, and I was so hooked on the series that I did nothing but read in my spare time this past summer. I just finished book 8 in the series last week. I am anxiously awaiting the next book!
Permalink Reply by GBK on November 14, 2010 at 7:47pm
This is my FAVORITE series of all time!!!!! I am so bad that everytime the next book is due out, I go back and reread the series. And you know how long all the books are :)