The Tiger's Wife

When reading a good book, I've found that there typically comes a point when I stop focusing on the physical act of plowing through the sentences and get sucked right into the story, producing the sensation I imagine all book lovers seek.  Reading becomes less of an "ok, I need to get reading on this chapter tonight" and more of "Geez louise, I can't put this down, oh the baby's crying and the family's hungry?  Just let me read one. more. page."  If I were a runner, maybe it could be described as akin to a runner's high--but I only run if I'm being chased, so I surely wouldn't know.

My favorite is when this sucking in occurs right from the get-go, either on the first page or even the first chapter.  For me, while reading The Tiger's Wife, this didn't occur until well into the second chapter and while I was hooked for several chapter.  Don't get me wrong, there is some beautiful writing in this story.  (insert examples)  I think the author has a tendency to shroud her plotlines in a little too much mystery.  In her defense, though, there may be some really great reveals coming up, I just haven't arrived there yet.  So far we've got several timeframes and setups going on: Natalia and Zora in Brejevina shortly after the death of Natalia's grandfather, Natalia's grandfather as a young boy in his hometown, Natalia in current time(?), and Natalia's grandfather as a young doctor meeting the deathless man.  I want to like this book, I really do.  But I'm nearly halfway through and I'd like to begin learning how all these scenes weave together.  Here's hoping the story takes off again very soon.