Customer Reviews

Testimony: A Novel

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I'm a diehard fan of Anita Shreeve, and this book kept my rapt attention and I consider it one of her finest.
It's about a sex scandal at a private high school in New England and shows how one event can seriously alter the path of one's life--in fact, this event devastated many lives. One learns of a videotape early on in the book, but the sex scenes are tastefully depicted.
What I found interesting is that at least one of the boys involved is a very sympathetic character and the girl, who one might assume to be the victim, is depicted as manipulative and callous. I certainly could feel for the mother whose son committed suicide (we know this up front--in the beginning we know this even will ruin many lives, we're just not sure who and how).
As a writer, I found it curious that she mixes up point of view--first, third and even second, which is usually a no-no in writing; and she mixes up past and present tense. I was looking for a review to see what others thought about that. I assume she did it experimentally, and because she is a famous writer, she did it because she could. I found it to be a little disconcerting--the change of point of view and tense--but it did not detract from the story itself, which was quite riveting.
What I really like about her writing is that it's not just escape fiction. There is a message about how one event can serious change one's life--in this case, quite devastatingly. In a way, the book is about the negative consequences of sex--how teenage boys can be easily seduced and in another case, how an affair can damage lives, but it's not moralistic. I think it is very true that one event, one bad decision, can have a serious impact on people's lives.
I would definitely recommend the book. The characterization is rich. There are a variety of personalities and she's quite adept at getting inside the skin of each and every one.

I would give the book 4 stars for its main idea, 5 for writing style and 2 for plot and logic.
LIKED:
-The voices are believable despite the large number of viewpoints.
-The writing is evocative but free of overblown metaphors and pretentiousness.
DISLIKED:
-After a strong opening, the action stalls for at least 100 pages while the author introduces the full cast and describes the lead-up to the incident.
-There are hardly any twists in the events that follow the incident (except for a death, which can still be predicted at least 30 pages before it happens). Although the resulting destruction is masterfully conveyed, the extent of the devastation and the characters' reactions are somewhat predictable too. No character stands out, or does anything that really surprises or awes the reader.
OTHER THOUGHTS:
(Potential spoilers)
-The main point of the novel - that a moment in life can have catastrophic consequences - is served to the reader at the very beginning. That point is repeated a number of times throughout the book but no additional insight is offered in the end.
-The question of the person behind the camera is not satisfactorily resolved, although the author lets expectations build from the very beginning, frustrating the reader in the process. This is also unfortunate because there is a lot of potential there - the person behind the camera could turn out to be Rasheed (at least we have met him before) or someone unexpected, a girl perhaps... The question of who edited and posted the video is just as important, and similarly given only minimal attention.
-We are reminded of the UVM researcher's existence in almost every chapter; her faceless presence feels creepy at times. The novel might have benefited from "showing" that person at the end - by either giving her her own chapter, or telling us what became of her research project. What were her conclusions anyway?
-It is not credible that the administration of an institution such as Avery would not have a process or internal policies which require resort to legal counsel. In addition, the headmaster's intentions and logic in extracting the confessions are unconvincing.
-At times, the book feels like a drawn-out Law & Order: SVU episode. However, unlike the show, the novel does not show or discuss at any length what would have been the right thing to do for any of the participants, and does not have a character who could serve as a moral compass.

Testimony's primary setting is a prep school in New England. The focus is on the build up to and aftermath of an alcohol-fueled incident enacted by a group of teenagers ranging in age from 14 to 19. The kicker is that the incident is captured on film. Although a work of fiction, the events in Testimony are believable. There is a that-could-happen-any-time-and-anywhere-to-anyone quality. Shreve shows how the trajectories of many lives and relationships can be altered permanently as the result of a single unfortunate event in which none of the parties considered the consequences of their decisions and actions. The incident itself, however, is not the whole story. There are several carefully crafted back stories that Shreve presents in different and distinct voices that set a chain of events into motion for which there is no turning back. I highly recommend this engaging, multi-layered and moving novel.

What a tragic yet wonderful book about the ways in which several intertwined lives can be derailed, or worse, destroyed, in one thoughtless moment. The narrative is told from several different points of view and travels back and forth through a limited period of time - this tactic might have been confusing from a lesser author, but Shreve kept each voice so clear and distinct that I had no trouble falling seamlessly into the many stories being told.

The idea of teenagers and sex isn't new, nor is it often particularly interesting - here, though, the story was less about sex and more about reason and consequence, about the fine lines between action and reaction. Four students and one night had the power to change the course of history for themselves, their parents and their school at large - a power they never considered nor ever seemed fully to realize throughout the story. Shreve captured the various characters and kept them rich and true to life, and though I had a feeling early on where the story would end, I couldn't put it down until I got there and saw for myself. I highly recommend this book - 5 stars!

This was a wonderful, tragic, and unforgettable book about actions and consequences, about sinning and redemption, about life and death, about guilt and blame. At first I found the shifting perpectives a little difficult, but once I sank into the story, I ceased to even notice. It is hard to talk about the plot without spoiling the narrative- the central element for each person's story is one bad decision that ties into the bad decisions of others eventually escalating into a terrible act. Even though it became clear fairly quickly where the story was moving, I was still gripped by the hope that I was wrong. As events unfolded as I knew they must, I couldn't stop myself from crying even though I knew the whole time exactly where we were going to end. Shreve is a gifted writer, and this is an excellent book that will stick with you long after you have finished reading. 5 strong stars- highly recommended!

I want to give enough positives so you will be intrigued enough to read this book, but not set expectations so high that you will think it is fantastic. Not sure how to walk this balancing act. The story in "Testimony" is fantastic. If you think of the ripple affect you will have an idea where Anita Shreve is taking you. It is amazingly intertwined and gives a realistic depiction of how all of our lives are so delicately balanced. The delivery is distracting and cumbersome. Anita uses the first person for dozens of voices and she does an average job at best in delivering each one with their own personality.

"Testimony" is set in Vermont at a private school, Avery Academy, and takes you through the lives of the headmaster and several of the students. In the midst of this tranquil environment a sexual encounter occurs between several students and with the new age of the interne, it is broadcast to the public very quickly. Interestingly enough the children, who all go to the same school, are of varying ages. The girl is fourteen and the boys are eighteen and nineteen. While the law is very clear cut in this matter, reality is a little more obscure on when a child becomes an adult.

In the middle of this scandal there are various catalysts that all form a triangle leading to the destruction of many lives and in some cases even death. The public finger pointing, the presses relentless pursuit of a story and the fumbled attempts to keep things quiet all play a part in escalating the event beyond a mere night of sexual exploration. What if, what if, what if, can be asked hundreds of times, but always in reflection. Sadly the events have already occurred.

I loved the story, enjoyed the book and would recommend it to all teenagers as a must read, and to most adults as well. The delivery Anita chose is very distracting. She made a valiant attempt at delivering each characters perspective but you do get lost at times in the first person perspective coming at you from so many different angles. Toward the end of the book she even introduces a cafeteria worker and her perspective on preparing meals which seemed completely unnecessary. It took you away from focusing on the story and the characters she has so brilliantly crafted.

So in a nutshell, the book is definitely worth reading. You will enjoy it immensely, just be prepared to trudge through some obscurity as you jump from one person telling the story to another. I think Anita was actually trying to enlighten the reader by choosing this unique style but I fear it had the opposite effect. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and absolutely loved the story.

Books by Anita Shreve rarely disappoint and Testimony is no exception. An incident at a private school changes the lives of all the people touched by it and Anita Shreve navigates the consequences by using 1st, 2nd & 3rd person - giving each person an individual and unique voice - like a symphony that builts to an exciting climax.

I find Shreve's books are usually a very easy read. While exploring complex and often painful subjects her presentation, while seeming simplistic, are skillfully crafted, and consequently very satisfying, as is this one!

I thought the controversial subject matter of this book would make it an interesting read, but I couldn't have been more wrong. Shreve's attempts to use multiple POVs and narrators could have been executed well, but it came off as clunky and awkward. I found the Avery headmaster to be very unsympathetic and annoying, and his plot line was just weird and didn't sit right.

After reading page one I became hooked! Anita Shreve managed to capture and contain my interest throughout the entire book. Contrary to another reviewer, I certainly didn't think it too steamy but rather very thought provoking. It did make you think and say to yourself... "Hmmmm, what if?"

I read this book for my Book Club and am looking forward to a very heated discussion with varying opinions about the book and the characters. I also like the fact that Anita Shreve includes a Book Club Question Section. Even if you're not in a Book Club you can participate for self introspection.

The novel did raise interesting issues and everyone will have a definite opinion but not everyone will agree with that opinion and that alone makes for good reading!

A perfect summer read!

I have read almost all of Anita Shreve's books, and this is the first one that I have had difficulty with. The concept is elegant, and the story fascinating. It involves a scandal that affects a great many people, and that is the theme of the novel. At the end, there is evidence that a couple of the people may someday escape the effects of the incident, but it is obvious that most will not.

My difficulty is that the story is told by some two dozen characters, each with their own prejudices and opinions, and it is so hard to keep track of them and their relationships to others; I found myself constantly going back to find out how this person I'm reading about is related to the others. And the time line was not easy, as it wasn't linear, but skipped all over the lot.

I still enjoyed the book and recommend it, but be forewarned: it's vastly different than any of her other books.