The Other Side of the Bridge

The Other Side of the Bridge by Katharine Swartz

Ava Lancet's world has completely fallen apart.  After losing her baby, her job, and her marriage, she discovers that her late grandmother has left her a house in Greece.  Hoping fervently for a chance to separate herself from the emptiness around her she jumps on a plane and heads out to investigate her inheritance.  Little does she know that so much more is involved than a rustic, abandoned house and one broken life.  She embarks on a journey of not only self-discovery, but discovery of a life she never knew her grandmother led.

For the sake of full-disclosure, I am not a big women's fiction reader.  There are a lot of big emotions involved in women's fiction that sometimes I find a bit overwhelming.  That being said, this book doesn't disappoint on the emotions front.  Dealing with everything from grief and marital strife, to fear, hunger, and post-traumatic stress, this book is a clear-cut, "how to deal" story, with one major, over-arching moral tying everything together nicely.

Overall, I actually did like this story.  It might not be my regular cup of tea, but the story is memorable, in a good way.  I think I walked into this with a different expectation, so it took me a while to adjust my perception.  After I finally did, I discovered that it was an enthralling book filled with mystery, and ending with excitement and adventure.

Ratings:

(1=unacceptable, 2=poor, 3=acceptable, 4=good, 5=excellent)

Continuity/Flow – 4

Sex – N/A 

Language – 4

Storyline – 4

Overall – 4