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The Condition by Jennifer Haigh

September 6, 2008 by Darlene

This is my first selection for the 2nds Challenge that is being hosted by my friend Joy from Thoughts of Joy. The first book of Haigh’s that I read was Mrs. Kimble for my bookclub a few years back and I had really enjoyed it.

This second one had me on a bit of a rollercoaster I must say. It started out really good for me. The family portrayed in the story was at the beach for a family vacation. The family dynamics were explained a bit and then ended on the family finding out that the daughter had Turner’s syndrome. This is a genetic condition that prevents kids from maturing-they are trapped in their kid bodies their whole lives.

The novel then fast forwards twenty years and this is where a bit of my discontent with it came in. All of a sudden we’re jumping into the lives of the whole family without any explanations of what happened in between. Eventually it does go on flashing back and forth with little glimpses into this past time and we learn some of what had gone on. I guess I was just a bit disappointed that it didn’t carry on from the vacation a bit more before going ahead so far-it felt disjointed for me for a while.

That all being said I was pulled into the lives of these characters. The author does a good job of introducing the main characters; Frank (the father), Paulette (the mother), and the kids Billy, Scott and Gwen and then sucking us into their past and present lives. I was most drawn to Gwen and her issues with Turner’s syndrome and her family. It’s an awful struggle to remain in a child’s body your teenage and adult life-it comes with taunts and people always staring at you like you’re a freak. Another interesting character was Paulette-she was the type of mother who felt the need to control everything and ignore anything that didn’t fit into her idea of what was right throwing Gwen into turmoil quite often. She makes this statement that stuck with me, ‘for years, struggling to raise the daughter she’d expected to have, she had failed to see the one she’d gotten’. She had done this with all of her children. It was interesting to see her come to this realization and want to change things for the future.

There were parts of the story I could have done without-parts I felt really didn’t serve much of a purpose to the story but that could have just been me and how I took the book as a whole. I did enjoy it, especially towards the middle and end-it kept my interest and I did want to know what would happen to all these characters that I’d come to know so well.

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Comments

  1. Mary says

    September 6, 2008 at 6:17 pm

    Dar, I’ve read two other Haigh books and look forward to The Condition. It will probably be out in pb before I get around to it. I liked your review and will come back to it after I read the book.

  2. Dar says

    September 6, 2008 at 6:47 pm

    Have you read Bakers Towers, Mary? That’s one I’d like to read next.

  3. Joy says

    September 6, 2008 at 7:10 pm

    I’ve had Mrs. Kimble on my TBR list forever it seems, but never even attempted to pick it up. No reason other than other books always tugged at me more. Glad you ended up enjoying this one.

  4. Dar says

    September 6, 2008 at 7:44 pm

    Isn’t that always the way Joy. That’s really one of the biggest reasons I like a challenge-it forces me to pick up that book that I always meant to.

  5. Tracy says

    September 6, 2008 at 9:42 pm

    I’m in the middle of this one right now and am really liking it too. Great review!

  6. sheistoofondofbooks says

    September 6, 2008 at 10:32 pm

    I haven’t read either book, but *The Condition* has been on my radar (not yet on my bookshelf!). Maybe I’ll pick up *Mrs. Kimble* first, since you give it such high marks …

  7. Joy says

    September 7, 2008 at 12:06 am

    That was the main reason I created the challenges I did. I began the process by thinking about certain themed books (first in a series, YA, etc.) that I really wanted to read, but didn’t seem like I would get to any time soon. So, I decided to make a list of certain books, then I was going to post them. After thinking a bit more I wondered if others would like to participate with me. The challenges (not just mine) have been so good in whittling down my TBR list and I have enjoyed finally getting to books that I have truly wanted to read.

  8. Linda Jacobs says

    September 7, 2008 at 11:56 am

    I’ve never heard of that syndrome. What a frustrating condition that must be. I’m going to have to read this book for sure, now!

    As always, I enjoy your writing style!

  9. J. Kaye Oldner says

    September 7, 2008 at 8:54 pm

    Great review! During Gustav, I was able to read a book for this challenge. 🙂 So some good did come out of the experience.

  10. Ramya says

    September 8, 2008 at 5:33 pm

    I have had this book on my TBR list for a while now and i am glad you read it before i got around to picking it up:) your review gives me a good heads up on what to expect from the book.thanks!:)

  11. Ti says

    September 8, 2008 at 6:04 pm

    This one is on my wish list. I like reading about family dynamics in the midst of a crisis. I’m not too fond of flashbacks and flash-forwards but the story still sounds appealing enough. I have so many in my pile right now though to read that it will probably be in paperback before I get to it.

  12. Shana says

    September 8, 2008 at 6:16 pm

    Dar, I haven’t read anything by this author. I’ve been seeing The Condition around though and it looks good. Your review was interesting … it definitely seems like it has its good and bad, but I’m still interested!

    I just read a book about WWII that skipped from 1939 to 1943 and I felt the same … that’s leaving out a lot in a war story.

  13. Dar says

    September 8, 2008 at 6:21 pm

    Thanks Tracy! I look forward to reading your review.

    Dawn, if you do read Mrs. Kimble I’d be curious to see what you thought. We all really liked it.

    Joy, you are so right. I’m thinking a historical fiction challenge is in order somewhere so I can get a few of those read. lol.

    Thanks Linda! I couldn’t imagine living like Gwen did, never having your body growing up. It would make your whole life much more difficult.

    Thanks J.Kaye. I’m glad you were able to get some books read for challenges. I’m also so glad you’re back!

    Ramya, I think you’ll like it. It is a good book even though I was a bit disappointed in the way the story first started. It surely picked up and got me out of that funk.

    Ti, I’m the same as you. Stories such as these where the families are in crisis always interest me too. I guess that’s why I had wished they had spent more time dealing with the condition in the beginning than they did. Still, a good story though.

  14. Dar says

    September 8, 2008 at 6:38 pm

    Hey Shana, yes I think it’s a book worth reading and definitely a good author. Yes, that’s too many years to leave out in a war story-the thing is it kind of leaves you in limbo when they do that. At least that’s how it makes me feel until I can get myself absorbed back into the book.

  15. Trish says

    September 9, 2008 at 11:25 am

    I’ve never heard of this author before (sheesh–you would think I crawled out from under a rock!). The premise sounds interesting, but it also sounds like it could have used a little heavier editing. I’m glad, though, that in the end you came to care about the characters–there is nothing worse for me than NOT caring!

  16. Red lady-Bonnie says

    September 9, 2008 at 2:47 pm

    Dar,

    I’ve read Mrs. Kimble by this author and plan on reading this one as well. Thanks for the review.

    I’m going to have to seriously consider joining one of Joy’s challenges!!

  17. Dar says

    September 9, 2008 at 5:08 pm

    Trish, I agree. That really saved this story for me-coming to know and care about the characters.

    Thanks Bonnie, I want to read Bakers Towers next. There will probably be a whole new set of challenges in the new year I imagine.

  18. susan says

    September 13, 2008 at 6:32 pm

    I read Mrs. Kimble a few years ago. I did enjoy reading it by myself and again with my book club.
    For some reason I seem to gravitate to New England authors.
    I still have Baker Towers on my shelf. I was hoping to get The Condition. But Like all book blog
    Too many books, not enough time.

  19. Dar says

    September 13, 2008 at 7:56 pm

    That’s for sure Susan. There’s never enough time for reading with work and everything else. I hope to get to Bakers Towers soon but you know-it’ll probably be a long while.

  20. Anna says

    September 14, 2008 at 3:52 pm

    I bought this book recently and I can’t wait until I have time to read it. I’ve never read anything by this author before.

  21. Dar says

    September 14, 2008 at 6:40 pm

    Anna, she’s a good author. I’ve enjoyed both I read. I’ll be looking for your review when you do read it.

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