Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #217804 in Books
• Published on: 2006-10-06
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Mslexia
'Alice is a fantastic creation -a strong female character whose fallibilities only make her more endearing.'

Mslexia
'Pollen's ending, with its restraint and lightness of touch is testament to her considerable skill.'

Easy Living
'You can be assured of a sophisticated yet gripping page-turner'

Customer Reviews

Disappointed
In the back of this book Bella Pollen credits Daphne Du Maurier 'Frenchmans Creek' as inspiration for this story. Unfortunatly for anyone who has read the brilliant Frenchmans Creek this story is predictable from the moment you pick the book up. The similarities between the two stories are too obvious - bored wife runs away with her two children to remote property of her husband - loyal servant (Benjamin in this book, William in Frenchmans)- heroic stranger (Duval a cowboy vs Jean a pirate) - inevitable return of the husband.

Having thought that Hunting Unicorns was an enteratining read (albeit an unchallenging one at that) I was completley disappointed by this book. If you haven't read Du Maruiers book you might enjoy this but given a choice between the two Frenchmans Creek is a better written, more enjoyable read.

Suburban housewife discovers her true nature on the USA/mexico border
This was the first Bella Pollen novel that I have read and found it to be an enjoyable work. The story itself is somewhat lite with surprisingly fewer characters than expected.

Ms. Pollen has a good grasp of children's language and the relationship between Alice and her kids does come across very well. These are the more realistic characters in the book and to be honest I thought Duval, Hogan and Chavez were at times straight out of central casting.

The strong point of the book is Alice's reaction, feelings and growing awareness of life on the USA/Mexico border and this gives the book a solid backbone.

***Minor Spoiler****
The weak point is the appearance and actions of Alice's husband in the final 3rd of the book and his subsequent hurried departure.
***end spolier***

Overall I found this to be an easygoing read that has appeal to most tastes and ages.

Mexican Border
Thoroughly enjoyed this,the drama of a mother escaping from London to Arizona, getting drawn into the underworld of the US/Mexican border,the stereotypes, the ups and downs, the tension and suspense is well constructed, well written overall although I agree with other reviewers that Part 2 was a stretch of the imagination, but then that's what literature is for.Read one description of her son - 'like an old woman'.What the hell is that supposed to mean Ms Pollen? Grey and slow? or what?Luckily the plot was so full of suspense that I couldnt put it down, otherwise describing someone as 'an old woman' is a real turn off