Saying Grace (Paperback)

~ (Author) "It was two days before the opening of school when the Spanish teacher dropped dead..." (more)
Key Phrases: Catherine Trainer, Ann Rosen, Kenny Lowen (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In her mid-40s, Rue Shaw, the head of a country day school in a small California town, has much to be thankful for: satisfying and meaningful work; a warm and loving marriage; a talented 19-year-old daughter who has never caused her a moment's worry. Yet in Gutcheon's elegiac fourth novel (after Domestic Pleasures), even a life as well composed and stable as this is vulnerable to unexpected changes. Rue is depicted as a warm, wise woman able to navigate school politics and to accept bravely the changes for her family when her daughter leaves home to attend Julliard. But when an unthinkable disaster occurs, even Rue cannot cope. After an absorbing if slow-paced setup, Gutcheon errs in focusing the denouement too closely on Rue, abandoning the points of view of crucial minor characters (such as the secretary who plays an important role in Rue's marriage) who added dimension to the first half of the story. By relying too heavily on the perspective of a character who responds to heartbreak primarily with dignified composure, this quiet novel fails to deliver sufficient emotional impact.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Choosing an offbeat milieu for her roiling soap opera, Gutcheon sets her novel in a posh elementary school. Headmistress Rue Shaw is a paragon, an immensely capable woman with brains and principles. However, she is soon tested on all fronts: her own daughter has announced that she plans to drop out of Juilliard and join a heavy-metal band; one of her longtime, valued teachers has gone on the fritz, and the parents are up in arms; and an aggressive board member is attempting to gain control of the school. But that's not all. Rue's daughter is killed in a hit-and-run accident, Rue loses her job, and her husband runs off with a school employee. Narrative vigor and likable characters can't save this one from sinking under the weight of all that turmoil. Indeed, Gutcheon packs so much misery into each chapter that more than a few plot strands go missing. There's also something slightly creepy about the way child abuse is reduced to a rote plot device. Still, Gutcheon's last novel, Domestic Pleasures (1991), was a selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club, so expect requests for this one. Joanne Wilkinson --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 312 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial (May 10, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060927275
• ISBN-13: 978-0060927271
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #249,970 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Truly Depressing!, November 15, 2001

By	Chantel Sloan (Oracle, AZ. United States) - See all my reviews

I thought that, "Saying Grace" was an excellent novel and I became so involved in the lives of very well-developed chanracters, I felt like I knew each one of them personally. I also became entangled in the very well-depicted issues within the school and I felt as if I was also involved in the many stories and trials. However, I finished the book feeling distressed and emotionally drained because of the sad, shocking events towards the end. I was so entrapped in the characters lives, that I felt like I knew them personally and as if I could also feel the pain they felt. What a wonderful novel.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Lesson For Today's Parents, July 2, 2000

By	Technical Trainer (Aurora, CO USA) - See all my reviews

I think every person who is contemplating parenthood should read this book, or teach 5th grade for a day.

Saying Grace tells the story of an amazing woman while she faces the challenges that life throws her way: her job as the headmaster at a private school, her marriage, her daughter.

I loved the authors style. She broke it up into small digestible parts - like a soap opera. And isn't that what life is - a series of wild events? She drew you in - gave you mystery and a sense of righteousness for this crazy world we live in and made you empathize with her characters. I think we can all recognize a little of ourselves in each of the characters.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Saying Grace in the 90s, May 2, 2000

By	Jodi (Orland Park, Illinois) - See all my reviews

I found this book to be a pleasant change from the others I've read recently.....more in tune with the 90s/00s. If you've ever worked at, attended or sent a child to a private school, you can really relate to this book and its characters. Her writing displays a true knowledge of the workings of a private school and it's very obvious she did her homework!