Book Report: Her Fearful Symmetry

Audrey Niffenegger's newest book, Her Fearful Symmetry, was the latest conquest in my literary journeys. I'm having a hard time figuring out this book though; two sets of twins, three married couples, a few ghosts... it was a good read and the main plot was tied up pretty well, but the side stories really left something on the table for me. Given her last book, I expected things to be left hanging out with promise for the main story, which they were. I expected the magic and the discovery of how it works, but I thought that more would be explained about controlling it and the reasons behind it.

I did like the struggle that the people went through dealing with all sorts of love. The love sisters have for each other, new love, parent-child love, mourning for deceased love ones... The challenges and craziness you leave behind when you die. I also liked the unique atmosphere she put them in: London, Highgate Cemetary, an odd apartment building. I liked the use of newcomers to London to help the readers explore if they've never been, and the character Robert's occupation as a historian and tour guide so we could learn about Highgate Cemetery.

I do think, though, that the very end (the last chapter) was bollocks and that not enough was really explained. It felt to me like she gave up on the characters and just needed to put the pen down. Maybe that's because how the end of most real stories occur- people just drift apart. They leave one day, and you don't see them again.

The last book I read of hers, The Timetraveller's Wife, is one of my all-time favorite love stories. Its up there with The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks, as well as the Anne of Green Gables series and the Twilight series.

All in all, I thought it was a good read, but I'd really like to have a sit-down with others who've read it and talk it through so I understand or can appreciate why the author wrote it. It was cleaver and a nice story, but I think she could have added some more polish for me. 3.5 Stars for this one.