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energyrae's review against another edition
5.0
"Silence is not an absence of noise, and it was an actual thing, a creature with weight and bulk."
This was my first ARC. I received it in 2001 when you gave your feedback directly to the publisher. It is my most favorite book. It came at a time when I was newly diagnosed with PTSD after 5 years of wandering lost with no diagnosis. King gave me Rae, a woman who was so much more than just a shared name. While Rae struggled with a different diagnosis than me, we both struggled together. It gave me hope that things could get better. That I must have some strength to have made it that far, and I could learn about that strength, and see where it could take me. Folly was a lifeline for me. I’ve reread it countless times, and as I write this review after reading it yet again, I find the kinship I felt with Rae swimming back to the surface, with renewed hope and strength.
Thank you, Laurie, for Folly. For Rae and the feeling that while life takes constant effort and hard work, it’s a life worth fighting for.
This was my first ARC. I received it in 2001 when you gave your feedback directly to the publisher. It is my most favorite book. It came at a time when I was newly diagnosed with PTSD after 5 years of wandering lost with no diagnosis. King gave me Rae, a woman who was so much more than just a shared name. While Rae struggled with a different diagnosis than me, we both struggled together. It gave me hope that things could get better. That I must have some strength to have made it that far, and I could learn about that strength, and see where it could take me. Folly was a lifeline for me. I’ve reread it countless times, and as I write this review after reading it yet again, I find the kinship I felt with Rae swimming back to the surface, with renewed hope and strength.
Thank you, Laurie, for Folly. For Rae and the feeling that while life takes constant effort and hard work, it’s a life worth fighting for.
mkatinsky's review against another edition
5.0
One of my favorite books ever along with its sequel. Well written, engaging, suspenseful, a fearless look into mental illness.
quoththegirl's review against another edition
2.0
I managed, with difficulty, to finish Folly. It wasn't terrible, it was just astounding mediocre, and I almost have more trouble finishing mediocre books than I do terrible ones. I don't understand! Her Beekeeper's Apprentice series is absolutely wonderful! Apparently everything else she wrote (a series about a lesbian NY detective and some other equally random stuff, including Folly - which is not about a lesbian detective, just to clarify) is absolute rubbish. Sigh.
whatandreawrote's review against another edition
2.0
I picked this up since I just blazed through most of the Mary Russell novels and am developing an interest in woodworking and house construction. It was an interesting read given that the protagonist is a middle-aged widow with mental illness -- certainly not your typical heroine. And it was pretty interesting to read about rebuilding a house, learning about framing, different types of wood, etc.
But the main plotlines about Rae's enemies, her daughter's family drama, and her relationships with the various other island dwellers didn't grab my attention at all. I found myself skimming the bits about so-and-so coming to visit with sandwiches so that I could get back to roofbeams. And I could foresee both end twists about 2/3 of the way through. Meh.
But the main plotlines about Rae's enemies, her daughter's family drama, and her relationships with the various other island dwellers didn't grab my attention at all. I found myself skimming the bits about so-and-so coming to visit with sandwiches so that I could get back to roofbeams. And I could foresee both end twists about 2/3 of the way through. Meh.
onceandfuturelaura's review against another edition
3.0
I'm a sucker for fan-fiction, and on the recommendation of one of my former co-clerks, I gave this series a try, even though I'm no big fan of mysteries. I was told it was about Sherlock Holmes taking on a teenage, lesbian, apprentice, which turned out to not quite be true. Maybe. Anyhoo, it's not my genre, but this one had a pleasing amount of metatexualism. Layers and layers of metatexutalism. And - SPOILER -- a piano used in a marvelously murderous way.
A good bus book.
A good bus book.
jenpsz's review against another edition
5.0
I read this purely because I have enjoyed every other LRK book I’ve read and needless to say I am planning to buy the book book. A very candid view on living with mental illness, with a grand mystery to enjoy overlaid. Different to TouchStone and yet similar... very worth reading.
theocbookgirl's review against another edition
4.0
Wonderful book. This author is so talented and can really build tension. Rae is the main character with her daughter Tamera and granddaughter Petra. Rae has struggled with depression and attempted suicide and as a result is estranged from her family. After the most recent tragedy, Rae decides to isolate herself on a small island and rebuild her ancestors home in an attempt to rebuild herself. Meanwhile her forced solitude is making her paranoid. She discovers far more than she bargained for but also gains a new understanding and faith in herself. Rich character development and gorgeous descriptions of wood and woodworking. Satisfying ending. Loved it!
dreesreads's review against another edition
My least favorite of all of her books. This one just didn't catch me.
rartastic's review
5.0
As I was putting this book back on my shelf, all I could say was "She's GOOD!"
2000ace's review against another edition
5.0
The main thing I brought away from this book, oddly enough, was new insight into the lives of Vietnam War veterans. I thought I really understood them, but I didn't until I looked through Laurie King's eyes. In some ways, this is an emotionally difficult book to read, because the heroine, Rae, is wrestling with the demons of her ancestor, as well as those of her own. King is a very fine writer, and she succeeds beautifully in the telling of this story.