The Lake of Dreams

A Novel

By: Kim Edwards

Narrated by: Ann Marie Lee

From Kim Edwards, the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Memory Keeper's Daughter, an arresting novel of one family's secret history

Imbued with all the lyricism, compassion, and suspense of her bestselling novel, The Memory Keeper's Daughter, Kim Edwards’s The Lake of Dreams is a powerful family drama and an unforgettable story of love lost and found.

Lucy Jarrett is at a crossroads in her life, still haunted by her father's unresolved death a decade earlier. She returns to her hometown in Upstate New York, The Lake of Dreams, and, late one night, she cracks the lock of a window seat and discovers a collection of objects. They appear to be idle curiosities, but soon Lucy realizes that she has stumbled across a dark secret from her family's past, one that will radically change her—and the future of her family—forever.

The Lake of Dreams will delight those who loved The Memory Keeper’s Daughter, as well as fans of Anna Quindlen and Sue Miller.

Critic reviews

“Once again, Edwards has created a memorable cast of easily recognizable characters . . . This is a powerful story about the influence of history, the importance of our beliefs, and the willingness to embrace them all.”
—Booklist


“Gorgeously written. . . . luminously beautiful.”
—The Dallas Morning News


“[Edwards’s] latest novel, set in the Finger Lakes region of her native New York, is another tour de force that showcases her talent for engaging readers immediately and, her agile prose would argue, effortlessly.”
—Louisville Courier-Journal

“Beautifully written, with vivid imagery and emotion, this book shines with artistry. Edwards has another winner here, and I look forward to reading more of her work.”
—Bookreporter.com


“Kim Edwards writes with great wisdom and compassion about family, choices, secrets, and redemption.”
—Luanne Rice

terrible

not worth your time. I couldn't even get though the first part. The story jumps from one to the other and it is really hard to follow. The narrator has a difficult voice (I'm sure she does justice to other stories) but this one just wasn't a good fit for her.

Obsessed with the past

The most irritating thing about this story was the way sentences, scenes, and thoughts were repeated. It was like deja vu. I think they forgot to edit it and when the story was revised, they did a copy and paste, rather than a cut and paste. The narrator was overly dramatic in the scenes when nothing was really happening other than foreshadowing. I wonder if she read the book before starting her narration? The story itself was all about the past of the family, but had very little action. The main character was continually expressing her emotional turmoil, but really seemed to have very little to be upset about. I did like the focus on stained glass windows and the descriptions of the village and towns near the lake. It was a relaxing and low key read with an unusual storyline. Pleasant, but bordering on tedious at times.

Both Story and Narrator Got Better

It took me a while to get into this book, and I really hated the narrator for most of the book. But at some point and 2/3 in, I got hooked into the story. Narrator was still flawed but not as annoying as earlier. I agree with the reviewer who said sing-song voice. Also overly dramatic.

I want to enjoy this book, but I just can’t…

The story is REALLY slow getting started. I’m in chapter 5, and I could probably get through except the narrators voice just makes it unbearable.

I loved it

What made the experience of listening to The Lake of Dreams the most enjoyable?

I liked the narrator despite the other reviews.

Any additional comments?

I read the reviews and have now listened to the audiobook 3 times. I think the narrator has a sense of peacefulness in her voice, it does not seem slow to me. For those of us obsessed with genealogy, this audiobook fit the bill. I found myself wishing I could find out what Lucy had found out and to actually find a relative in their family still alive is priceless. I enjoyed the story and will listen to it again.