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Etta and Otto and Russell and James Emma Hooper 9780241003329 Books

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Etta and Otto and Russell and James Emma Hooper 9780241003329 Books

**SPOILER WARNING**

Plot synopsis: Etta, an 83 year old Canadian woman, has always longed to see the sea. One morning, she sets off alone after telling her husband, Otto, goodbye in a letter. As the reader follows Etta's journey, she is treated to glimpses of Etta's past life as well as the life of her husband. Growing up in the dry, dusty land of central Canada, they had starkly different childhoods (Otto was one of fourteen children - Etta was one of two; Otto grew up on a farm - Etta grew up in town; Otto struggled with learning - Etta became a teacher) but eventually found comfort in each other through the letters they exchanged when Otto went off to war. They both share a friendship with their neighbor, Russell, who was treated as part of Otto's large family when growing up. Now, Etta has found herself plagued with dreams of the horror that Otto experienced, losing bits of herself every time she falls asleep. She's determined, though, to see the sea before she is completely lost. She picks up a companion along the way: a coyote named James who helps her remember. As Etta goes, people begin to recognize her and, by the end of her journey, she's become quite famous. Crowds gather at the edges of towns to greet her, hand her gifts and wish her well. Etta doesn't want the attention and seeks out the wild country whenever she can. At the end of her journey, her story melds once again with Otto's in a sad, ambiguous ending.

My review: Until the last few chapters of this book, I really loved it. But then, the ending came, and it left so much unsaid - so many questions and loose ends - that I was disappointed. I felt let down. The book was so full of promise and it just didn't deliver. Granted, the poor ending doesn't take away from the meaning I got from it, but I still feel cheated. I give it three stars for the effort but it could have been so much better.


Tags : Etta and Otto and Russell and James [Emma Hooper] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. <b><b>Finalist for the 2017 Frank Hegyi Award for Emerging Authors</b> A bestselling debut that has captured readers' imaginations with a story of an elderly woman's last great adventure</b>      Eighty-two-year-old Etta has never seen the ocean. So,Emma Hooper,Etta and Otto and Russell and James,Simon & Schuster,0241003326

Etta and Otto and Russell and James Emma Hooper 9780241003329 Books Reviews

This is a rather strange book. About half the women in my book club really liked it, while the others were less positive. It does require a significant suspension of disbelief, so if you find that hard, it's not the right book for you. But while I don't normally like magic realism very much, I did like this book. I found the style delicate; two of my book club cohorts liked it because it was smooth/restful and at the same time engaging.
There is a linear plot at the heart of the book, but it is woven through the more fantastical elements. There are no great heros or and no great denouement--something that some of the book club liked a lot and that others didn't like at all, so again it's a matter of taste. I live in Saskatchewan and have known people of the same generation and with some of the same growing up experiences as the three human characters, and Hooper gets this right. The landscapes and geography are a bit more tangled, but again, this book works only if you can flow along with it and suspend the more literal aspects of your mind. The book club was more divided about James but I thought he was fine. The book draws on mythical elements that are fairly universal, but you don't get tangled up in intrusive symbolism as you read. Again, I liked this book, and would recommend it--but to the right readers.
I am not sure what to say about a novel that was satisfying on many levels yet left me feeling unfulfilled in the end. I am still not sure if Etta's journey was supposed to be real or metaphorical. I tend to think the latter since there are so many dream sequences, fits and starts. Given that we have very clearly drawn characters and settings, I would have liked to understand more of what really happened whereas she tends to give short short shrift to these in favor of leaving the reader to fill in the blanks. For example"threads that connect this to that," that remind him "that there is that and that that is still something." Although beautiful as prose, it is not explanative enough to satisfy me. Were I able to suspend this admitted flaw this book would be a delight in fact because of that, not in spite of it. Maybe it would hold up better if read as an extended poem. After reading a book I usually have a pretty good feel for which of my friends to recommend to; however, with this book I do not know.
I was completely engrossed in this story although it did jump around a lot but it was fine with me. I read someone else's review about this book having a dreamy quality and that is such a good description! I agree! For me it's difficult to describe and well, a bit of it was confusing but all
in all it had me spellbound.
This book is captivating. The writing skill and style are at least as much of its charm as the story it tells. The writing is beautiful without being remotely pretentious or precious. We begin with Etta, an elderly woman, walking out her farmhouse door in Alberta. She is on her way to walk to the sea. The Pacific coast would have been far enough, but Etta heads to the east to reach the Atlantic. It is an impossible journey by any measure, but just don’t think too hard about it. There is something captivating about this type of journey. The tale of Etta’s journey is interspersed with flashbacks to her husband Otto as a child, as a soldier, and as an elderly man left at home. The transitions are so fluid that the novel never feels clumsy or jumpy. This was a book group selection for us and there was much to talk about. We talked about the story, the beautiful writing, and our multi-talented author. Most of us found our favorite parts in the flashbacks. The descriptions of life in rural Alberta are rich and evocative. You could feel the dust. The characters were portrayed realistically and sympathetically. Even less dominant characters were three dimensional. I read this book quickly and enjoyed it.
**SPOILER WARNING**

Plot synopsis Etta, an 83 year old Canadian woman, has always longed to see the sea. One morning, she sets off alone after telling her husband, Otto, goodbye in a letter. As the reader follows Etta's journey, she is treated to glimpses of Etta's past life as well as the life of her husband. Growing up in the dry, dusty land of central Canada, they had starkly different childhoods (Otto was one of fourteen children - Etta was one of two; Otto grew up on a farm - Etta grew up in town; Otto struggled with learning - Etta became a teacher) but eventually found comfort in each other through the letters they exchanged when Otto went off to war. They both share a friendship with their neighbor, Russell, who was treated as part of Otto's large family when growing up. Now, Etta has found herself plagued with dreams of the horror that Otto experienced, losing bits of herself every time she falls asleep. She's determined, though, to see the sea before she is completely lost. She picks up a companion along the way a coyote named James who helps her remember. As Etta goes, people begin to recognize her and, by the end of her journey, she's become quite famous. Crowds gather at the edges of towns to greet her, hand her gifts and wish her well. Etta doesn't want the attention and seeks out the wild country whenever she can. At the end of her journey, her story melds once again with Otto's in a sad, ambiguous ending.

My review Until the last few chapters of this book, I really loved it. But then, the ending came, and it left so much unsaid - so many questions and loose ends - that I was disappointed. I felt let down. The book was so full of promise and it just didn't deliver. Granted, the poor ending doesn't take away from the meaning I got from it, but I still feel cheated. I give it three stars for the effort but it could have been so much better.