Customer Reviews

The Divide

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

This was my first book by Nicholas Evans. I know he is an acclaimed author and have seen the "Horse Whisperer" movie. It was the blurb on the book jacket that intrigued me. After I read a few chapters I wasn't sure I wanted to read the rest. I have a daughter that has been missing for 20 years under similar circumstances, and this book really was touching me to the core. But I read on.

Contrary to other reviewers opinions, I think the characters are very believeable. These tragedies do happen to families, good families. Good marriages fall apart for complex reasons. Abbie reacted to her parent's breakup in a very real way. When her world changed she became very insecure and vulnerable to causes and people that gave her a purpose, even if they were wrong. And yes, even kids from good homes and good parents are capable of making grave mistakes that change their lives forever.

I liked Evan's style of writing the ending first, and then backtracking to develop the plot. We know right from the start that Abbie is dead, but we need to know how it all came to be. The story is both compelling and so very tragic. Evan's is a good writer and I plan to read more of his books. Give "The Divide" a chance. You won't be sorry.

Nicholas Evans's new book, THE DIVIDE, may turn out to be one of my favorite books of the year. The story is that of the Cooper family --- Ben, Sarah, Abbie and Josh --- who start out as a typically happy middle class family, until a series of events tears them apart.

The title has a dual meaning. In addition to being the name of the ranch where the Coopers visited for two weeks each summer, the book's title also represents the divide between men and women, which is portrayed in the unraveling of the Cooper family's marriage. The lives of their loved ones are torn apart by this separation, which in turn leads to the more devastating destruction of their daughter, Abbie.

At the start of the novel, two skiers find the body of a young woman embedded in the ice of a remote mountain creek. The police work throughout the night to dig her out. She is later identified as Abbie Cooper, who was wanted by the FBI for murder and acts of eco-terrorism.

The book then proceeds to tell the story of Abbie's family, beginning with Ben and Sarah, their courtship and eventual union. Ben, who has been unhappy for a long time, knows his love for Sarah is not enough to keep the marriage going and therefore announces his decision to leave the family. The "catalyst," as Ben tells Sarah, is Eve, a lovely woman whom they had met at the Divide the last year they vacationed there. While at first Eve was sought out as a friend, she is now the enemy.

Ben's wife and children react a lot more unfavorably than he had anticipated, and each handles his or her grief in slightly different ways. Sarah grows angry and resentful, while son Josh becomes distant. Abbie, who was Ben's favorite, turns her anger toward her father into something destructive and exhibits behavior that is out of control.

The year of her parents' separation, Abbie begins her freshman year at a college in Montana (against their wishes) and finds her interests focused on groups that lead radical protests at major political events. But when she meets a man introduced to her as Rolf, Abbie's life takes an even more dangerous turn as she becomes involved in his treacherous attempts to bring attention to his causes, burning down buildings for the sake of his beliefs.

THE DIVIDE tells two stories --- the breakdown of a marriage, and the destruction of a young girl full of promise. Abbie's story is heartbreaking and tragic, which will prompt readers to ask themselves, "Whose fault is this?" While the bulk of the novel is told in flashbacks, Evans does allow his characters to resolve their issues, giving closure to the mystery of Abbie's death, as well as resolution to Ben and Sarah's relationship.

Like the authors' previous work --- THE HORSE WHISPERER, THE SMOKE JUMPER and THE LOOP --- much of the story is set in Montana, which Evans describes beautifully. In the opening pages readers can see, and feel, the setting. This continues throughout the pages and there are times where the landscape almost becomes a character as much as a place.

Nicholas Evans writes emotion with extraordinary candor. Woven in the story is a stark look at what marriage means and the differences between men and women. Beyond this, Evans is a great storyteller. You will close this book wanting to talk about it. If this book doesn't pick up new fans for Evans's work, I would be greatly surprised. Highly recommended.

--- Reviewed by Marie Hashima Lofton (Ratmammy@lofton.org)

I liked this book and found that it was hard to put down. Mr. Evans writes a very interesting story that kept me turning the pages but I did not feel strongly about the relationships and people. After I read Smoke Jumper a book that blew me away I was eagerly awaiting The Divide. But unfortunately it did not have the intense power that Smoke had. I did not close the book at the end saying to myself that "God I Loved that book"

What is it that divides a man from a woman, a parent from a child, an environmentalist from an eco-terrorist? What makes us whole and what has to give when that wholeness is shattered? Nicholas Evans plots with a poet's pen. His book is addictive; both a thriller and a tender exploration of love and family. It delves into the impossible places, where remaining true to yourself can be at odds with all other obligations. This is a bitingly contemporary tale, full of laughter and beauty, lightness and sorrow. It's definitely Evans' best yet. The characters of the Divide slowly creep up on you. They endear you, engage you, surprise you, make you giggle. Put down this book and you feel enhanced by them -they've become your friends. And it's in this context that Evans performs his magic. For the horror that emerges, emerges largely from his character's love and good will, not their hate or innate evil. In this book, reacting to injustice can poison you, and reacting to your heart can poison others, yet both instincts define us as civilized, caring beings. It isn't easy, bridging the divide: Evans has made a work of art out of it.

The body of a young woman is found, embedded in ice, on a mountain in Montana. Her body is easily identified as that of Abbie Cooper, the daughter of a comfortably off family, who was caught up romantically with an eco terrorist who involved her in the murder of an innocent victim. Wanted by the police and hunted by the FBI, she was estranged from her family and lived, in a similar situation as Patty Hearst, on the streets in squats, in filth and poverty, but still in thrall to her ruthless and non caring lover. Just prior to Abbie separating from her family, they were torn apart by her father, Ben, leaving her mother, Sarah, for another woman, after twenty years of marriage. This situation drives an insurmountable wedge between father and daughter and causes Sarah to accuse Ben of being the cause of Abbie's death, whether it was accidental or murder. It's a good read which skips backwards and forwards between time zones and delves deeply into the inner secrets of a family in trouble.

You know how so many authors write a fantastic first novel but seem to loose something along the way? How subsequent books never quite live up to that first one? I'm happy to say, this is not the case with Evans. I'll be honest.... I've never read the HORSE WHISPERER. I own it and have seen the movie several times, but after making many promises (to myself) to read it, for one reason or another, I just haven't gotten around to it (I did start it a long time ago & have read bits & pieces to compare it to the movie - I do know that the book has an entirely different ending!).

Even tho I've never read HORSE WHISPERER cover to cover, I do know that Nicholas Evans is a fantastic author & THE HORSE WHISPERER is considered by most to be his best piece of work. I did read his last novel, SMOKE JUMPER (HC release 2001). I loved that book, thought it was extremely well written and looked forward to reading future novels from this author. Once I heard a release date was set for THE DIVIDE, I added it to my Wishlist & counted down the days to its release. SMOKE JUMPER is ranked among my favorite novels and after reading it, Evans became one of my favorite authors. I'm happy to say, THE DIVIDE did not disappoint me & has solidified Evans' place among my favorite authors.

When I first read the summary of this book, I wasn't entirely sure it was going to be my "cup of tea." Even after I started reading the first chapter or so - it seemed like it was very slow going, and I had a feeling I would be putting it away in order to read another book. Thankfully, I stuck it out, and once the story got going, I found it very hard to put it down.

Evans devotes a lot of time & attention to each of the main character's backgrounds, and by the time I finished reading it, I felt as if I personally knew each one of them. The book was an extremely emotional read, which builds with each chapter and ends on a very powerful note. I don't think any other (fictional) book I've ever read left me with the same types of feeling and emotion I had once I finished this book. Having raised my own teenage daughter & a younger son, I could easily identify with Benjamin & Sarah in so many ways. Mistakes are made, regrets are had, and the extremes they go to protect their children will leave many parents asking themselves what they might do if found in a similar situation. The many emotions and roller coaster rides that parents experience are explored in great detail, but what is evident in every chapter, on every page is the love they share for their children, and even at the worst of times, each other.

This is definitely not considered a "lightweight" read, and will possibly exhaust some readers emotionally. This could have been the headline story taken from the front page of any current US newspaper. I think it's entirely worth the journey however, and I'm so grateful that Evans decided to tell a story like this. If I have any complaints about the book, it would be that Sarah's "happily ever after" seemed a bit forced and a little unbelievable. Other than that, I thought the story was very powerful and heartfelt, uplifting and sad, and once I was done, I felt like I had taken a journey that no parent ever wants to travel through, but one that they should definitely be aware of.

I highly recommend this book - to fans of Evans and parents everywhere. The subject matter should not be taken lightly, and will give many readers pause for thought, however, I don't think anyone will regret their time spent at THE DIVIDE, and will close the book after reading the final chapter, a little bit wiser and a little more observant. They may even want to give their kids a hug and remind them of how much they are loved.

Looking forward to the next book from Nicholas Evans - I just hope we don't have to wait four more years! If his next book is anywhere near as good as THE DIVIDE, however, it will definitely have been worth the wait!

THE DIVIDE by Nicholas Evans
October 15, 2005

Amazon Rating: 5/5 stars

This is my first book by Nicholas Evans, whose most famous novel is THE HORSE WHISPERER, and I can definitely say that I am now a fan. THE DIVIDE is the story of a family torn apart because of a broken marriage, which in turn triggers the downfall of one of its members.

The book opens in the snow covered mountains of Montana, where two skiers find the body of a young woman. It is apparent she had been dead for a while now. It is later discovered that this woman was the missing fugitive wanted by the FBI, Abbie Cooper. The novel then proceeds with the story of the Coopers - the marriage of Sarah and Ben Cooper, their two children, and the dissatisfaction that Ben felt for his relationship with Sarah. Told in great detail, THE DIVIDE is a riveting story of a family torn in two, told in flashbacks, starting from the early sixties and ending in contemporary times.

Nicholas Evans writes his story with great care, and does a wonderful job in creating a vivid picture in the minds of the reader, drawing three-dimensional characters and describing the setting with such mastery so as to make the reader feel they are there with the characters. I found he is an excellent storyteller, and I could not put this book down, as I wanted to know why Abbie went down that road in life as she chose to do. A girl with a promising future, Abbie is deeply affected by her parents' breakup. While one of the main story lines follows Sarah and Ben's relationship and subsequent divorce, the other main plot is the story of Abbie, and how she finds herself caught up in the world of a wanted Eco-terrorist, a life that ended in tragedy.

I highly recommend THE DIVIDE as it is a book that is hard to put down. One of my favorites so far in 2005.

I just finished reading the THE DIVIDE a few days ago. I loved it.

I don't think that Abbie was the heartless and radical environmentalist at heart that Rolf. After he saved her in Seattle, when the WTO protests were happening, I feel that he found out her background and swooned in. I know it was Abbie's choice to stay with and plot the burning down of McGaugin's home, but I think she was sorry for causing the accidental shooting of the McGaugin Jr.

I wish the author had let us know exactly who Rolf was and where he came from and how he decided to be so radical.

I felt bad that Abbie wasn't able to get away from Rolf. Though thinking about it, he left her many times alone for weeks, I guess it never occured to her to just leave him and turn herself in.

"Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." Had Tolstoy not penned this opening line, Nick Evans certainly could've used it for his newest novel, The Divide, the story of a family faced by a crisis of devastating change. A family in crisis is nothing new; after all, a happy family is an oxymoron and the term dysfunctional family is redundant. What is unique is when a writer causes you to empathize with characters who are in conflict with each other. And this is where Evans shines, he causes the reader to empathize with each character-and this is no small storytelling accomplishment given that one of the central narratives of the novel follows the divorce of Ben and Sarah. In one chapter, you side with Sarah and view Ben as a lout. In the next chapter, you can't help but empathize with Ben. To write this novel, Evans must've reached deep within because it's quite obvious that he has written from the heart. There is immediacy, compassion, and authenticity etched into The Divide that surpasses his previous well-written novels.

While the The Divide contains plenty of tension and each character faces crisis, there is no villain, at least not in human guise. (Granted, Rolf isn't the kind of guy you'd delight in seeing your daughter date, but he's wrestling his own demons.) Fear is the villain, fear of change, fear of the unknown. Initially Ben (the husband/father) fears proceeding down the path that he knows, deep inside, he will inevitably follow and inextricably change his relationship to his family. He fears being unliked. Sarah (the wife/mother) fears a husbandless future and the unknown changes that will come with having to redefine herself. But beneath the surface in this story of a family facing change runs the whisper of an insidious fear, the tentacles of which ensnare an entire nation. And here is where Evans proves his brilliance; he doesn't whack his reader over the head with a didactic message. But I will. The crisis that confronts Abbie (daughter/sister) would prove serious in any political climate, but prior to 9/11 her misdeeds would more than likely have been forgivable. Following 9/11 however, Abbie finds herself on a path from which there is no turning back because of the fear that has pierced the heart of America. While the tremendous loss faced by the Cooper family is literal, I believe Evans asks his readers to consider this: What losses do American families face due to the malignant fear that we've allowed ourselves to be governed by?

But Evans provides a glimmer of hope. Like the Cooper family, America can face its fears and proceed forward. George Herbert (in his wonderful novel Dune) wrote, "I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain."

Each member of the Cooper family eventually faces his or her fear and in doing so, acknowledges the inevitable nature of change. Whether one wants it or not, change happens. The only choice we're given when it comes to change is how we respond. Through his characters, Evans shows us that we can face change with courage and dignity instead of cowering before it in fear.

I just finished this book this morning. It was an enjoyable read and I was quite hooked. There was mystery and romance, and I think it could appeal to either sex, young or older. I found that it slacked off a bit toward the end, however. The well-thought out details of the beginning seemed quickly wrapped up toward the end, sometimes a little bit unsatisfactorily so. All in all, I am glad that I read the book.