In the Cut is a very arty, literate mystery. The narrative is very dreamy and stream-of-conciousness. The writing is good, but I found myself getting irritated by the how the protaganist let herself be swept into constant peril, without any apparent appreciation of the danger she was putting herself into. It's hard to believe an inner-city linguist, a teacher of underachieving teens, could be dumb-ass enough to ride subways by herself at night, even when a disarticulating serial killer is on the loose right in her neighbourhood. WTF. Oh yeah, and live in a heritage building with no secured entrance, walk in dark alleys at night coming home from peeler bars, and allow menacing brooding students to come back with her to her apartment at night. Even after her supposed best friend is beheaded and she is the first on the bloody scene, and has to retrieve her friend's head, she doesn't wake up. It was hard to sympathize with her eventual, inevitable demise.

I didn't read this copy as I had read the same book a few years ago. It is very well done, although it seemed to smack of a "look at me slumming in the mystery genre" sensibility.

I never saw the movie, but was stunned when it came out with Meg Ryan as the lead. America's girl next door as the risk taking (stupidly so) professor? Doesn't fit especially with the shocking ending.

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

Bringing to Meet up.

Picked up at the Vancouver Bookcrossing Meetup!

I wasn't quite sure what to expect but this was certainly not it. Though I appreciate Susanna Moore's openness with sexuality and the way in which her female characters (both Pauline and Frannie) seem comfortable in their skin and with their actions - regardless of how outrageous they seem - I found all of the characters unlikeable and I just couldn't figure out their motivation.

Not one I can recommend.

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

Releasing at June's Vancouver Bookcrossing Meetup!

Where: Rhizome Cafe, 317 East Broadway, Vancouver, BC V5T 1W5
When: Tuesday, June 9th 7PM

Who’s coming? 13 Bookcrossers!