On Exhibition

Not only does Forbes write beautifully, the story she tells is riveting. Peeling back layers of what she thought to be true, a young woman discovers the real identity of her father. He is not the brutal shiftless man that her mother has portrayed, but a man of greatness, a war hero and perhaps the best downhill skier of his day. And she discovers something else. He loved her. There is a twist in the novel. The child abuser of the story is not the father, but the mother. And it is to her father the young woman turns for protection, even though he is now dead and only a faint memory framed by a two-year-old, a memory she builds on and fleshes out in her mind from stories told by his friends, old newspaper clippings, and articles from ski magazines. If for nothing else, the novel is worth the read to take a peak at the chilling child-rearing practices of the Brahmins of Boston One can only wonder what monsters inhabit the souls of these children once they reach adulthood, hands grasping the reins of power that affect the fate of corporations and states. One note about the writing. It is wonderful. Forbes has a descriptive talent, and a facility with language that makes reading her a joy. It is a must read!

On Exhibition is a beautifully written and suprisingly gripping read. I had trouble putting it down and I kept turning the story over in my mind, even days after I completed reading it. This author deserves attention.

A page turning glimpse behind the closed doors of a priviledged childhood gone awry. Neither clinical nor mushy. It draws you into a tale of curiosity and I await more from this interesting writer!

Great reading, personal but not mushy. A glimpse past a priviledged childhood's closed doors. It makes you curious and therefore you want to keep reading it like a mystery - even though it has some uncomfortable revelations. I look forward to more good reading from this author!