The Next Great Lifetime Movie
This novel, Long Week End
by Harlow Estes made its debut in 1941, long before the advent of what I like to call the Lifetime Movie genre of story. These are stories filled with tearful drama, unimaginable tragedy and, usually, a pretty tidy ending. Often they star Valerie Bertinelli or Nancy McKeon. There are women done wrong, women misunderstood and women in love with the wrong man. There is usually some kind of romance. Or murder. Or suicide. Or appletini's. Sometimes there are all of the above. This is that kind of story.
by Harlow Estes made its debut in 1941, long before the advent of what I like to call the Lifetime Movie genre of story. These are stories filled with tearful drama, unimaginable tragedy and, usually, a pretty tidy ending. Often they star Valerie Bertinelli or Nancy McKeon. There are women done wrong, women misunderstood and women in love with the wrong man. There is usually some kind of romance. Or murder. Or suicide. Or appletini's. Sometimes there are all of the above. This is that kind of story.This book started out promisingly enough with a description of the protagonist, Livvy. On the train ride to visit her gentleman friend Ames Chelsea, and his family, for a long weekend, she self-reflects that "she had experimented wth subtlety a few times; she wouldn't again, ever; the results had been frightful." Loved that description. Definitely, it would be my new life motto had I ever been subtle. It was my favorite part.
It was on page three.
There were 310 pages.
Sigh.
3 comments:
Eve,
I love to read your reviews, insights, observations and reflections. Your generous nature is never more clear than when you share a glimpse of your own experiences and emotions. I was disappointed this one was so brief. On the other hand, I didn't have to sift through an additional 307 pages.
Keep writing.
~H
I guess you wouldn't recommend this one, huh? I like your subtlety...
you crack me up. :) I just finished Bo Caldwell's City of Tranquil Light and wept at the end. It didn't begin as well as Distand Land of My Father, but it sure ended beautifully.
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