DNF Review: The Absence of Evelyn

The Absence of Evelyn

by Jackie Townsend

Why did you choose this book? The synopsis sounded interesting

When did you read this book? November 2017

Who should read this book? Readers who enjoy detailed descriptions and have patience for a slow-moving plot

Source: Library Thing Early Reviewers

My Rating: DNF

Here is a synopsis of The Absence of Evelyn from Goodreads

Newly divorced Rhonda, haunted by her sister Evelyn’s ghost, travels to an old palazzo in Rome to confront Marco, the man who stole her sister’s heart—only to find out he’s vanished in the wake of Evelyn’s death. Meanwhile, Rhonda’s nineteen-year-old daughter Olivia, adopted by Rhonda at birth, travels to the mysterious and lush waters of northern Vietnam, where she’s been summoned by the missing Marco—a man she only knows from her parents’ whispers, a man she has never met or seen.

Soon, truths are exposed and lives unraveled, and the real journey begins. Four lives in all, spanning three continents, are now bound together in an unfathomable way—and they tell a powerful story about love in all its incarnations, filial and amorous, healing and destructive.

My Review

This will be a very short review, as I did not finish the book. The synopsis sounded interesting, and even now, after officially DNF-ing the book, I read the synopsis and it captures my interest.

But though I tried to stick with it, after reading through about one-third of the book, I just couldn’t do it. The scenes set in Italy relatively interesting, but once the setting switched to Vietnam, I really struggled with it.

It took me a long time to give up on the book.I left it on my shelf with the idea that I would pick it up later and continue. The truth is, though, that I just don’t care what happens. I still feel like I’m missing something others were seeing in the book, so the book is still on my shelf waiting to be picked up, but I don’t think it’s going to happen. If it does, I’ll write and post a second review. But for now, the only thing I’m committing to is that the book is off my shelves by the end of this year, whether I’ve finished it or not!

I won a copy of this book through the Library Thing Early Reviewers program.