Echoes

Now in a beautiful new trade paperback edition?the second novel by the #1 New York Times bestselling author.

David Power and Clare O?Brien both grew up dreaming of escape from the battered seaside town of Castlebay, but they might as well have had the ocean between them. David is the cherished son of a prosperous doctor, while Clare lives with her large family behind their faltering store, longing for a moment of quiet to study. When they both go to university in Dublin?he as a matter of course, she on a hard-won scholarship?their worlds collide. They find freedom in each other?until the families, lovers, and secrets they left in Castlebay come back to haunt them.

Customer Reviews:

Best of the 'rites of passage' genre by far

By Dr W. Richards "wmr-uk" - May 27, 2000

I've read everything Maeve Binchy has written, and in my opinion this is by far the best of her many novels. It's about a group of friends growing up together in a small seaside town in 1950s Ireland. As they get older they discover there are differences of status between their families, and Claire and David, who are beginning to fall in love as teenagers, discover his family is not receptive to their relationship.The story moves on, through their college years and beyond, and along the way Binchy shows the passage of time by subtly blending social and political changes in with the characters' lives. Binchy has fantastic story-telling skills, and these are best exhibited in her earlier books, such as this and Light a Penny Candle; I did find some of her later books a little disappointing.

Soul wrenching at its finest

By A Customer - March 14, 1999

I have never, repeat never, read a book as touching and involving as this one. I have no clue why this was my first introduction to such a superior storyteller as Maeve Binchy. I'm only saddened that I've waited so long to read one of her books. I can't wait to get another. This lady has a gift. This book is enthralling. Definitely not a story you will soon forget if ever. The characters are amazingly real, you grow so attached to them faults and all. You will be happy for them at times and your heart will absolutely break for them at other times. Simply fabulous. Although a little slow in the beginning you won't be able to put it down when things start happening. Although I didn't like the way the ending left me hanging, I couldn't dare think it wasn't worth it. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves a good story! However this one isn't good, it's wonderful!

Left me unsatisfied

By Lakala2 - April 26, 2001

I started reading this book about 6:00 one night, and ended up staying awake until about 4:00 to finish it. I loved it, the beginning anyway. The characters were very real and the story was very good. I got very caught up it in, and couldn't put it down. Then came the last fifty or maybe a hundred pages. Maeve Binchy set up an amazing plot, a little depressing maybe, but still good, but the ending was no where near my expectations based on the rest of the book. It seemed like she spent months building up the story, then realized "Oh no! I only have two days to my deadline!" then hastily wrapped up the book in a very unsatisfying way that was untrue to the characters and very disappointing. Read it anyway, it's still a very good book, just don't take the ending as personnally as I did. I spent the next day very sad and very tired.

AVAILABILITY
Merchant	Format	Price
Amazon US	Paperback	$0.01 - $16.00
eBooks.com	Digital (PDF)	$12.99

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