Alice Hoffman, the bestselling author of The Rules of Magic , asks how we can find the courage to face the unthinkable in this compelling New York Times Notable Book. When Ethan Ford fails to show up for work on a brilliant summer morning, none of his neighbors would guess that for more than thirteen years, he has been running from his past. His true nature has been locked away, as hidden as his real identity. But sometimes locks spring open, and the devastating truths of Ethan Ford's history shatter the small-town ...
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Alice Hoffman, the bestselling author of The Rules of Magic , asks how we can find the courage to face the unthinkable in this compelling New York Times Notable Book. When Ethan Ford fails to show up for work on a brilliant summer morning, none of his neighbors would guess that for more than thirteen years, he has been running from his past. His true nature has been locked away, as hidden as his real identity. But sometimes locks spring open, and the devastating truths of Ethan Ford's history shatter the small-town peace of Monroe, affecting family and friends alike. Now, the police are at the door. Ethan Ford's life as an irreproachable family man and heroic volunteer fireman has come to an end--and Jorie Ford's life is coming apart. Some of the residents of Monroe are rallying behind Ethan. But others, including his wife and son, and wondering what remains true when so much is shown to be false--and how capable we really are of change.
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Good. Good condition. audioCD. Case Very Good. Disc slightly scratched. Slipcase Very Good. Abridged edition. 5 CDs. Quality guaranteed! In original artwork/packaging unless otherwise noted.
Hoffman paints her story in broad strokes as she tackles the phenomena of the vampire. She does seem to leave out some deeper exploration of the psyche of the vampire and his effect on other people, so the story is a little crude but utterly readable and may still lead to some deeper speculation on the mystical potent of good or evil.
The vampire Ethan is seen to cast no reflection in the mirror by the neighbor girl Kat Williams who is also a friend of Ethan's son Collie. Hoffman also describes the young Ethan as one whose dreams "stuck to him and made him shine" although they were empty.
Don't you know anyone like this? They often have a mate because always they need someone to feed on. Vampires have a lot of discipline: they know how to suck it up, but deep inside they are still evil. The can turn it on and shine and be oddly beguiling at times but seem to cast a long shadow and at other times bring out the worst in people who may be unaware of whence comes the dark influence. Leaving others with "sympathy for the devil" when their mate blows up. In their past they have dark sins; not necessarily murder but, like plagiarism, or the worst kind of sabotage of the romance of others, or other professional and personal infidelities and they tend to believe their own lies.
In the broadest strokes Hoffman asks how can someone this good be this bad or vice versa, and how can we be so deluded by them. Actually she gives the deepest exploration to the character Kat Williams who "knows she's bad" but shows compassion and care for other characters unlike Ethan who merely performs for an audience. Also Kat is the character that sees Ethan's true empty self lacking reflection in the mirror.