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Book Review: The Manicurist by Phyllis Schieber

October 11, 2011 by Darlene

The Manicurist is Phyllis Schieber’s newest novel and what a captivating tale she has created with this work.  This author isn’t new to me.  I read Willing Spirits a few years ago and loved it and this novel is no different.  Phyllis writes about women, about their relationships and she does it with finesse.  In The Manicurist she takes us into the sometimes volatile world of mental illness and the damage it can do to everyone involved.  This novel is at once as heart breaking as it  is touching.

Tessa is a manicurist but that isn’t her only talent; she also has the ability to see into people’s lives, an ability she has had from a young girl.  She has a family, her husband Walter and daughter Regina, and while they look like the perfect family on the outside they really aren’t underneath it all.  Her husband has always been extremely uncomfortable with her being able to see things, with her past, with her family, and mostly he would just like it to all go away so they can live in peace.  Yet life with Tessa has never really been peaceful because she has always had a huge piece missing – her mother left her when she was just a young girl.

Tessa’s mother Ursula was bi-polar consequently Tessa’s childhood was anything but normal.  She lived in fear; always wondering when her mother’s next downward spiral would occur.  For Tessa life revolved around living through the highs and lows of her mother’s moods.  Then comes the day when tragedy strikes and her mother disappears.  From them on life for Tessa is never the same. She always wonders why her mother left her, wasn’t she a good enough girl to keep her mother with her?  This plagues Tessa and worse yet is the feeling that never leaves Tessa – that her mother is still alive somewhere.

Then one day a woman named Fran walks into the salon Tessa works in and nothing is ever the same again. There are decisions to be made, decisions that leave Tessa questioning everything about herself as a woman and as a mother.  Tessa looks back on the past and relives various times in her childhood with her mother.  She has to find forgiveness in herself or her mother in order to move on and forward in her life.

I found the characters in this novel quite complex.  Then again, I find when stories deal with mental illness in any way that the characters seem more deep and developed to me.  I really liked the character of Tessa who was so broken from her childhood yet yearning to be able to love her mother again.  If you like novels that deal with mental illness and it’s effects along with a twist of some palm reading then The Manicurist is definitely a novel you should try!

 

I read The Manicurist by Phyllis Schieber for her book tour with Pump Up Your Book.  You can see the other tour stops here and be sure to visit Phyllis’s website as well as finding her on Goodreads, Shelfari, Facebook and Twitter.  Your own copy of The Manicurist can be purchased here in the US and here in Canada.

My copy of The Manicurist was received for review from Pump Up Your Book and the publisher.

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Filed Under: 2011 Challenges, 2011•100 Books or More Challenge, 2011•ARC Tracking Challenge, 2011•eBook Tracking Challenge, Pump Up Your Book

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Beth F says

    October 11, 2011 at 4:59 am

    This sounds intense. My ex-sister-in-law is bipolar and I’m always drawn to books about the disease.

    • admin says

      October 13, 2011 at 10:05 pm

      Beth F, this novel was a bit intense especially in the descriptions of Tessa’s childhood. I’m always drawn to novels that deal with mental illness as well.

  2. Beth(bookaholicmom) says

    October 11, 2011 at 5:46 am

    Great review. This is a new to me author and title. This sounds like an emotional read. I’ll have to keep an eye out for this book.

    • admin says

      October 13, 2011 at 10:06 pm

      Beth(bookaholicmom), Phyllis is a great author. This is the second of her books that I’ve read and I’ve really enjoyed both. Willing Spirits is another excellent story.

  3. Serena says

    October 11, 2011 at 6:04 am

    I enjoyed one of Schieber’s other books…this one sounds interesting and the characters seem to be complex. Great review.

    • admin says

      October 13, 2011 at 10:07 pm

      Serena, the characters are complex in this one – Tessa especially. I think you read Willing Spirits around the same time I did.

      • Serena says

        October 14, 2011 at 3:13 am

        Yup, that’s the one…for some reason the title escaped me.

  4. zibilee says

    October 11, 2011 at 7:45 am

    I think this book sounds rather interesting, and like one that I would like to check out. In the past few months, I have read quite a bit about mental illness and though I do need a bit of a break from it now, this is something that I know I will come back to. Thanks for the great review, Dar!

    • admin says

      October 13, 2011 at 10:09 pm

      Heather, yes you have been reading quite a few books on mental illness lately but then again we’re both intrigued by these kinds of books. This one is worth reading when you can get around to it.

  5. bermudaonion (Kathy) says

    October 11, 2011 at 8:46 am

    Wow, Tessa’s life is some kind of messed up. This book sounds like quite a page turner.

    • admin says

      October 13, 2011 at 10:10 pm

      Kathy, yes Tessa’s has a bit of a messy life going on. I found it to be a page turner plus I really enjoy this author’s writing style which always goes a long way to enjoying a novel.

  6. Beth Hoffman says

    October 11, 2011 at 1:46 pm

    Ooooo, this book intrigues me … I’m going to read it asap.

    Terrific review, Dar!

    • admin says

      October 13, 2011 at 10:11 pm

      Beth H, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this novel if you do get a chance to read it.

  7. Phyllis Schieber says

    October 11, 2011 at 5:11 pm

    So lovely to hear from so many of you! Thank you, Dar, for such an in-depth review of THE MANICURIST.
    I hope to hear more from all of you!

    • admin says

      October 13, 2011 at 10:12 pm

      Phyllis, thanks for stopping by and than you for another great novel!

  8. Staci says

    October 11, 2011 at 7:21 pm

    I love book like this….see we are kindred spirits!! I think this would be a fascinating read and I have never read anything by this author. I’ll need to change that!

    • admin says

      October 13, 2011 at 10:13 pm

      Staci, we are definitely kindred spirits in our reading and otherwise! I think you’d likely enjoy this book as well as her other that I’ve read Willing Spirits. If you have the chance to check either of them out I’d love to hear your thoughts.

  9. blodeuedd says

    October 11, 2011 at 11:57 pm

    It sounds different and I really should take more chances, well I do, but not that often

    • admin says

      October 13, 2011 at 10:14 pm

      Linda, that’s why I visit your blog – in order to see all the different kinds of books from what I read. I imagine you’re the same. It’s interesting to see what’s out there but not always something we’re willing to venture into reading.

  10. Laura's Reviews says

    October 12, 2011 at 11:38 am

    This sounds like an intriguing novel. I haven’t read any of this author’s work yet. Thanks for the great review!

    • admin says

      October 13, 2011 at 10:15 pm

      Laura, you should give this author a try. Both of the novels I’ve read of hers I’ve liked.

  11. TheBookGirl says

    October 12, 2011 at 11:45 am

    I never would have thought that this would be the serious book it is judging from the title and cover. It sounds quite good — I’m intrigued with the way the husband copes, (or doesn’t cope) with his wife’s gift..

    • admin says

      October 13, 2011 at 10:17 pm

      Beth(Bookgirl), you know I actually thought the cover suited the book in that she is a manicurist but also because of her ability to read into a person with her hands – it’s like she’s reaching out to learn about someone.

  12. Jenners says

    October 12, 2011 at 6:58 pm

    After seeing the cover and hearing the title, I was expected a completely different book! This sounds like one where the cover and the insides don’t quite match up.

    • admin says

      October 13, 2011 at 10:18 pm

      Jenners, you’re the second person to think that about the cover but I think once one reads the book, the cover makes more sense. To me anyway I felt that the hand reaching out was somehow connected to the way that Tessa reads people with her hands – like she’s reaching out…

  13. kaye says

    October 13, 2011 at 12:11 pm

    The cover does not do justice to the deepness of the plot. Your review is fabulous, Dar; made me want to run out and get the book.

    Hope all is well with you.

    • admin says

      October 13, 2011 at 10:20 pm

      Kaye, I’m not sure how my comments work with this new system so I’m going to say this again just in case but I think the cover does suit the book. As Tessa is a person who can see into others with her hands I felt that the hand reaching out was like Tessa reaching out for someone’s thoughts.

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