Let me begin by saying the last third of this book is much more engaging than the first two-thirds. Still, only awarded three stars on Goodreads.
Cressida Hartley heads to her parent’s remote vacation cabin to write her dissertation. Looking for any excuse to delay, she gets involved with the locals, including, ultimately, an affair with a married man.
Along the way and through other characters, the author explores the nature of love and passion as it plays out in a small community, full of people with differing values. It also forces you to look at how and when does love become obsession and how much will one person endure to keep it going?
That sounds interesting but I didn’t find myself caring that much for the main characters, nor believing the strength of their emotions. Then, by the time I did get engaged (the last third of the book), there was an ending that simply tied everything up too neatly in too few pages. So, to me, the book isn’t nearly as believable or interesting as it might have been.
I chose this book because I read an article that suggested that OFF COURSE would be a good contemporary choice for MADAME BOVARY fans. Maybe not surprisingly, MB is MUCH richer.
Toby A. Smith 