LORELEI BIRD IS MARRIED TO COLIN AND THEY HAVE FOUR CHILDREN - MEGAN, BETH
& TWINS RORY AND RHYS. THEY LIVE IN A LOVELY COTTAGE IN THE COTSWOLDS AND
ON THE FACE OF IT LIFE IS IDYLLIC. BUT OF COURSE, THIS IS A FAMILY AND A WE ALL
KNOW ALL FAMILIES HAVE SECRETS.
LORELEI'S DESPERATE ATTEMPTS TO GIVE HER CHILDREN THE PERFECT CHILDHOOD GO
HORRIBLY WRONG ONE DREADFUL EASTER Sunday AND THE GLOSS BEGINS TO LOSE ITS
PERFECTION. FROM THAT DAY ON, LORELEI WILL NOT THROW ANYTHING AWAY - EVEN THE
MOST MUNDANE AND ORDINARY ITEM HOLDS MEMORIES AND FEELS AND SHE WILL NOT BE
PARTED FROM EVEN THE HUMBLEST SWEET WRAPPER. THIS COMPULSIVE HOARDING BECOMES
MORE AND MORE EXTREME UNTIL THE HOUSE IF FULL OF JUNK EVERYWHERE.
THE MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GRADUALLY BREAK UP UNTIL LORELEI IS ALONE AND WE
FOLLOW HER LIFE THROUGH THE EMAILS SHE SENDS TO A MAN SHE HAS MET ON THE
INTERNET. COLIN EVENTUALLY FINDS HAPPINESS, MEGAN CONCENTRATES ON HER OWN
FAMILY AND ON KEEPING THEIR LIVES NEAT, CLEAN AND UNCLUTTERED; BETH SEARCHES FOR
HAPPINESS AND RORY DROPS OUT, LIVING INITIALLY IN SPAIN THEN THAILAND.
THIS IS A WONDERFUL READ AND AN EXTRAORDINARY STUDY OF A COMPULSIVE
HOARDER. ALL THE CHARACTERS ARE VERY WELL WRITTEN AND SITUATIONS AND PLACES
VIVIDLY DESCRIBED. POOR LORELEI IS TOTALLY SYMPATHETICALLY WRITTEN ALTHOUGH
QUITE INFURIATING AT TIMES AND THE READER FOLLOWS HER DETERIORATION WITH
INCREASING HORROR AND SADNESS.
I QUITE UNDERSTAND WHY THIS BOOK WAS IN THE BESTSELLER LIST FOR SO LONG.
IT IS VERY, VERY GOOD.
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