The Lacuna

[Madondogs]

Anyone read or reading this? I have just finished it and thought it was really good. Mind you I am fascinated by Frieda Khalo, and a bit of a trot , so that probably helped!

I have to admit to having given up on it, I think that I might try again-I loved Poisonwood Bible.

Me too exotic - a friend has just about convinced me to try again....

I was hoping this thread would be full of people saying 'try it again' but it didn't get going.

Oh do try it again exoticfruits - it is so worthwhile. She is so good at pulling off a story in two completely different voices. I found it really compelling (and don't really care about Frieda Khalo or the 1950s!)

It's worth trying again. It gets better as the boy grows up and is 'able' to explain what he's witnessing rather more clearly - but do pay attention to the swimming hole bit near the beginning.

I loved it, and The Poisonwood Bible.

I thought it was a bit disappointing compared to her previous books. I didn't really care about or feel for any of the characters, and while it was interesting to read about the history of the time (she'd clearly done a lot of research) there wasn't really much plot going on.

I loved it. Found all the Trotsky bits fascinating as it was something I knew nothing about

I have loved every one of her books... except this one. Gave up after a chapter or so. Will bear it in mind next time I am desperate for something new to read.

I like her writing style, and the 'flavour' of the book was good but it was just too long-winded.....it could have been edited down and lost a quarter of the volume of words and it would have improved it no end. It's still a decent book though....but I can understand why some will lose patience with it.

Oh The Lacuna is a fantastic read but there is an obvious criticism. It's a book of three halves, and the first 'half' takes a hell of a lot of hard work to get through. Once you move on to the Diego Rivera / Frieda Karlo section it's brilliant. I actually have Trostsky's autobiography at home, with an intro written by his private secretary during the time he was in Mexico and what's incredibly obvious is that whatsername did an enormous amount of research (as is obvious at the beginning).

The whole thing really shifts up a gear again in the last 'half' and the way she weaves together all of the different threads in this end section is brilliant.

...but you do have to fight your way through the first bit. Do that, and you'll want to read it all again by the time you've finished it.

This thread is very encouraging, I've tried to read The Lacuna twice and, both times, given up within the first chapter. I will give it one more go!

Oh Christ, I'm stuck halfway through this. We read it in our book group about two months ago and nearly everyone loved it but said it was only in about the last third of the book that it got good.

I limped through to when Trotsky first appeared and thought 'whoo, it'll get good now' but it's still dragging. I want to finish it but there are too many other things I want to read so I've shoved it back on the shelf. I feel bad about it because I loved The Poisonwood Bible and think Barbara Kingsolver is ace but the thought of limping on for a few juicy chapters at the back end of the book isn't enough motivation for me to keep going at the moment.

I enjoyed it but I didn't struggle with it at the start so can't say keep going to people who didn't. Read something else and if it's your own copy try again some other time.

I am in the middle of it and am really enjoying it. I think the main character's voice is really interesting. First 80 pages or so were a bit slow but I thought after that, it really got going. I loved the depictions of Mexico.

Some of the narrative devices are a wee bit clunky in the beginning but I find them more enjoyable later on.