Today’s TLC tour is for Jane McCafferty’s First You Try Everything, which tells the story of a woman’s inability to face the dissolution of her marriage…
About Jane McCafferty:
Jane McCafferty is the author of the novel One Heart and two collections of stories, Thank You for the Music and Director of the World and Other Stories, which won the Drue Heinz Literature Prize. She is the recipient of an NEA award, the Great Lakes Colleges Association’s New Writers Award, and two Pushcart Prizes. She lives and works in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
About First You Try Everything:
An engrossing tale of a marriage that’s falling apart and a wife who will stop at nothing to keep it together.
From their early days in college, Evvie and Ben were drawn to each other by feelings of isolation stemming from their wounded childhoods, passionate idealism, and zeal for music. Sheltered by their love, they weathered the challenges and trials of the imperfect world around them. But as the years passed, they grew apart. Now Ben has his sights set on a completely different kind of future — alone, or with someone else.
Convinced that Ben cannot live without her, Evvie begins to unravel, as she obsessively devises ways to reclaim the love that she cannot let go of. She gambles on a spectacularly dangerous scheme, one that may ultimately have devastating consequences.
Jane McCafferty has written a highly original, utterly beguiling, and emotionally satisfying novel about marriage. Told from alternating viewpoints, this gripping, psychologically astute, and madcap novel illuminates the power of love to define and transform our lives, for better or for worse.
ISBN-13: 9780066210629
ARC: 285 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins, 2012
Purchase at IndieBound, Amazon, The Book Depository
Source: HarperCollins
drey’s thoughts:
First You Try Everything is sad and disquieting, and you cannot help but be drawn into Evvie’s chaos as she tries to make sense of what’s happening to her marriage. You feel her confusion, her helplessness, her fear.
Things come to a head when Evvie takes drastic action to make Ben realize he still loves her. She cannot imagine that he doesn’t – especially when he tells her there isn’t someone else and it’s just him. What wife wouldn’t assume that he’s just going through a mid-life crisis? And you want to smack Ben upside the head for not being honest with her. Sometimes, sparing the truth only brings more hurt than what you meant to avoid.
I didn’t love this story – maybe because the subject matter is a difficult one, and it’s always hard for me to like difficult topics when it’s not wrapped in humor. I call it a personal failing, and you should give this a whirl and make up your own mind about it. Check out the other tour stops to see what others think – the links are on TLC Book Tours.
drey’s rating: Pick it up!
Have you read First You Try Everything? What did you think? And if you haven’t, here’s a chance to win a copy!
Giveaway!
I have one copy of First You Try Everything for you, courtesy of TLC Book Tours and the publisher! This one’s for US residents only (no PO Box, please). To enter, fill out the form below before February 28th. Good luck!!
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I’d love a chance to read this!
This sounds like a book worth reading. And you’re right, not telling the truth can sometimes cause more pain than the truth would have.
Thanks for having the drawing.
what’s worse…an affair or just him?
Wow, it sounds like she lost her dignity when their marriage ended.
Many thanks for this fascinating giveaway.
I’m dying to know what this drastic action is that Evvie takes! I think this would be interesting to discuss with a book club or friends, but it sounds like it would hit too close to home for some people.
Thanks for being on the tour!
I haven’t read it yet ~ thanks for the opportunity to win a copy
I’d like to know what happens in this book. Makes me really want to read it!
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net
Sounds interesting to me. I’d really like to read it. Thanks for this chance.
this books sounds intriguing! thanks for the giveaway
ahhh this sounds so sad and so good at the same time!
at first I loved the cover, then I read the synopsis and fell in love again. Sounds like a good book club read as well!
This compelling book would be memorable and special. thanks.