Customer Reviews

Eden Close

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Eden Close is one of Anita Shreve's best. The story has a slow, meandering quality with an undercurrent of mystery. As is often true with Ms. Shreve's books, the reader suspects that things may go a bit awry, or take an unsuspected turn, as one approaches the end of the story--and Eden Close is no exception. As a result, I find that I often put her books down for a bit when I get to the last ten or so pages, at least for a couple of hours if not for a day, both because I don't want to finish the book (which has been a good read) and because I like to ponder just what will happen before finding out exactly what does. If you haven't read anything by Shreve, this is a great one to start with; if you have, you'll truly enjoy this one!

The first book I read by Anita Shreve was Where or When. The year was 1993 and I came across this book while browsing at the library. I remember thinking when I closed this book that this title was the book, which deserved all the praise or at least sales that Bridges of Madison County was receiving at the time. I thought the book Where or When better written in comparison to Bridges and that Eden Close had a more intriguing plot as well as a chilling outcome. After reading Where or When I went back and read Shreve's earlier books, Eden Close, Strange Fits of Passion and then Resistance. I remember thinking that Anita Shreve was one of the most overlooked new writers of that time. Then a woman named Oprah selected Shreve's book The Pilot's Wife for her television book group and overnight, one of my favorite authors became a household name. And her succeeding books, Fortune's Rock, The Weight of Water, The Last Time We Met and her latest title Sea Glass continue to illustrate why Shreve's books are such rich reading experiences.

Now that I have read all of this author's books at least once I gave some thought to rereading some of her books. But it wasn't until one of my online book groups selected Close, Shreve's first novel, that I actually picked up this book and began reading it for the second time. I did wonder what I would think about a book I read close to ten years ago and one that I remembered enjoying so much that I always recommended it to others looking for a good book. I am happy to say that my second reading of the book Eden Close if anything has improved with age. The plot of this book, the characters and descriptive passages glued me to my seat once again. I found the subject matter continues to be as relevant today as it was when it was first published and the lives of the characters still as heartbreaking. And as Shreve does with all of her books, this time she puts you smack into this midwestern town where within two farm homes side by side we watch innocent lives torn apart by an unspeakable tragedy.

If you have enjoyed Anita Shreve with her more recent books, be sure and go back and read her earliest novels like Eden Close, Strange Fits of Passion and Where or When and see why I considered Anita Shreve a favorite author before she was as popular as she is today.

I really enjoy Anita Shreve's books and this book is no exception. It is a quick read and a thought-provoking little book ~~ one that I couldn't put down after picking it up.

Andrew returns home to ready the house for sale after his mother died, only to embark on a personal journey to rediscover love with his oldest childhood friend, who lives next door ~~ Eden. Haunted by the incidents that had happened to Eden during her teen years ~~ the summer before Andrew left home for college ~~ Andrew begins to investigate what had really happened that summer. And to his surprise, the answers weren't what he expected.

It is a quick read ~~ perfect for a hot summery day of reading. I recommend this book ~~ it's just as good as Shreve's later books and it will haunt you for a while after you put the book down. It's a rare glimpse inside of a man's soul and mind as he explores the possibilities of love again.

Like all of Anita Shreve's works that I have read thus far Eden Close has kept me on the edge of my seat. It was a thoroughly entertaining and engrossing novel, Eden Close was a story that really pulled me in.

While I guessed what the "Secret" was early on, it did not matter at all to the enjoyment of the novel. Full of twists and turns, what really makes this novel incredible, as well as all of Anita's other works, is her character development and her unique style of writing. She really makes you feel as though you know these people and you begin to care what happens to them.

If you pick this one up - you won't want to put it down. Also try Pilot's Wife and The Weight of Water.

Don't get me wrong--I loved the Weight of Water. But this one? Yes, I guessed the "secret" about twenty seconds in. But what really kills the book is the crashing symbolism (the thunderstorm crashing down just as the climax approaches....he wants to run away, but his car won't start, maybe because he doesn't REALLY want to go! etc.) and Andy's incredibly irritating condescension towards Eden. Not to mention the fact he fell in love with her based on what? No conversations, nothing but their past as TEENAGERS. Whatever!

One flash of promise, though--the friend TJ. He could've easily fallen into a stereotype, what with his "Andy-boys" and "I work out, don't you?", but he showed more insight and depth than that. I would've added 1/2 a star to the rating for him, except Amazon doesn't accept decimals, and 2 stars is too generous for what is essentially a gothic nightmare of a novel. I'm so glad I didn't read this one first, or I probably never would have tried Shreve again!

I started this book one night. Read for 30 minutes. Woke up the next morning and didn't stop reading until the very last page!!

Eden Close is a compelling story of Andrew and his beautiful next door neighbor Eden. Andrew, after many years away, returns to his hometown to plan his mothers funeral. Planning to stay only a few days, he is never the less drawn into the memories of a tragedy that occured one hot Summer night seventeen years ago. A gunshot. Piercing screams. A tormented girl.

This story is mesmerizing, compelling, haunting and a story you won't soon forget.

I loved this book!!

Most of Anita Shreve's books contain a mystery and most end with a dramatic twist; "Eden Close" is no exception. The problem is, most readers will be able to guess the ending twist long before the last page. This doesn't, however, negate all the fine points of this sometimes lovely, sometimes harrowing, book.

As the book opens, Andrew, then a teenage boy, hears shots coming from the neighboring farmhouse where a tragedy is in the making. The book then flashes forward to Andrew as an adult and his meeting with Eden, the teenage girl who was his neighbor at the time of the tragedy. Gradually, piece by little piece, we learn the details of what took place that night and the (sometimes) surprising facts of the tragedy itself.

Eden and Andrew were close friends as teenagers; Eden was even made an "honorary boy" by Andrew and his friends. This was good for the adopted Eden, for, while she was adored by her father, her mother saw her as little more than an intrusion. As they grew, however, Andrew and Eden naturally drifted apart and Andrew eventually lost all contact with Eden until he returned to his home town as an adult. As Andrew and Eden rebuild their friendship and become close once again, we learn, with Andrew, the details of the tragedy that befell Eden that night so long ago.

I think Shreve is especially good at description in this book. She really catches the feel and ambiance of "small town USA." Additionally, both the present action (which takes place when Andrew and Eden are adults) and the flashback action (which takes place when Andrew and Eden are younger) take place during oppressive summer heat. Shreve seems to have used this heat to link the two sections and achieve a common bond between them. If that is truly what she has done, it works and it works well.

The characters in "Eden Close" are fully drawn and very believable. They act in ways keeping with the personalities Shreve has given them, even when they are confronted with the most disturbing elements of the book. I think Sherve did a particularly good job at bringing Andrew to life; his guilt over his past was easy to feel, as was his need to rehabilitate himself psychologically.

It is very easy to become emotionally involved with these characters and their plight. And, unlike "The Last Time They Met," Shreve does reward us for our caring. But "Eden Close" is far from a sentimental book with a "feel good" ending. In fact, there may be a touch too much melodrama in this book, but just a touch. Overall, the story tension is balanced and it certainly holds our interest despite its rather predictable end.

"Eden Close" is definitely not Shreve's best work. I think you need to read "The Weight of Water" for that. But "Eden Close" is well-written and intriguing. Some readers may not like Shreve's poetic use of language, but I did and I thought it fit this storyline very well. And, despite the fact that I could guess the "secret" tragedy of Eden's life, that didn't stop me from enjoying this book. It was enjoying to see how the characters dealt with the past and how it would impact their future. Shreve is a good storyteller and she is very good at portraying ordinary people caught in extraordinary situations.

Although the storyline is a bit over-the-top, Shreve did handle the details with sensitivity and caring. Despite some flaws, and despite not being Shreve at her best, I still think "Eden Close" is well deserving of four stars for its very good points, most particularly the beautiful use of the English language and the sensitivity with which Shreve has endowed her characters.

EDEN CLOSE by Anita Shreve

EDEN CLOSE by Anita Shreve centers on a murder that takes place almost 20 years ago in a small rural town in upstate New York. Andrew, now working in sales and advertising in New York city, returns home for his mother's funeral and brings back with him memories of his childhood friend Eden and that murder which took place next door at the Close family's residence.

Eden Close was a childhood friend of Andrew, he being seventeen at the time of the murder, and Eden only fourteen. He recalls the blossoming of their friendship, the recklessness that was part of Eden's personality, and the murder of her father that was still a mystery to Andrew all these years later. He remembers bits and pieces of what may have happened, but on that fateful night, all he remembers is hearing a gunshot, screams, and nothing more.

Upon his return home for the funeral, Andrew stays to deal with the family property and get it ready for sale. He is the only surviving member, his father having passed away five years earlier from a heart attack, and he is an only child. As he goes through the many old items in the house, he recalls his childhood and the murder and accident that caused Eden to lose her sight. While Eden was such a big part of Andrew's life when they were growing up, he has had nothing to do with her since the murder. He finds out that she's been shut inside her home with Edith Close for all these years, except for a few years where she spent time in a special facility. He becomes obsessed with his need to get in contact with Eden, and to find out what has happened to her, despite Edith's determination to keep Andrew away from Eden.

Andrew does succeed in getting in contact with Eden again. And slowly, she feeds him the story about what really happened twenty years ago, as they slowly rekindle their friendship and lost love, behind Edith's back. What Andrew finds out is a shocker, and the book culminates in a scene straight out of the movies.

I really enjoyed EDEN CLOSE. I started the book having no idea what it was about, but I was not disappointed. A page-turner from the very first page, it took me only two days to read the entire book. While parts of the plot I did find predictable, it was the journey of the story that kept me going, not the ending. EDEN CLOSE comes highly recommended.

I loved this book - in my opinion it is better than 'The Pilot's Wife'.
Eden is beautiful and mysteriously haunting, Shreve seems to stir up a range of emotions in me through Eden.
Simple, easy to read and wonderfully written - a kind of tragically beautiful masterpiece.

This, the author's debut fiction novel, is a well crafted work that keeps the reader turning its pages. The book is premised upon unfinished business in the past that needs closure, before the future can begin anew. Here, Andrew, a divorced man in his mid thirties, returns home to the upstate New York town in which he grew up, in order to attend his mother's funeral and take care of her estate. Being there, in his childhood home, brings back memories of a night, half a lifetime ago, in which his neighbor's home reverberated with the sound of gunfire, forever changing the life of his childhood friend and neighbor, Eden Close.

Adopted by Jim and Edith Close after being left in a box on their doorstep shortly after her birth, Jim lavished love and a great deal of physical affection on Eden, while Edith always remained strangely aloof from this beautiful child whom she seemed to view as an intrusion in their lives. Eden, friends with Andrew while growing up, was blinded in the terrible tragedy which engulfed her home one night and saw Jim Close killed. Withdrawing from the world at large, she remained a virtual recluse in her adoptive mother's home, while Andrew got on with his life, went to college, and left home.

In returning for his mother's funeral, Andrew sets about trying to unravel the mystery that has enshrouded Eden since that terrible night. The author gives the reader glimpses into the past through a series of flashbacks, which show the bittersweet relationship that Andrew and Eden had shared when younger, a bond which to this day had remained unbroken. It is this unspoken bond that prompts Andrew to try and bring Eden out of her reclusive state. It is an attempt that is to have great ramifications for all. The author weaves a seamless tapestry that fully engages the reader. It is a haunting and beautifully rendered story that will leave the reader eagerly awaiting the author's next book.