Susana "Lost in Fantasy Land"

It's been a few days since I finished this story, and in that moment, I gave it a three star rating. The beginning was really good; if you like beautiful writing, but in the second part the story doesn't exactly evolve. There were situations that should have been more developed, namely the ones related with the magical realism aspect. Things that happened that felt strangely out of place and that left me with a sour taste in my mouth.

Thing is, this is a quiet story that follows the lives of a couple that has been together for more than twenty years. They're quirky, intelligent, and after all those years they still like to keep their personal space. After more than two decades together, they still keep their own houses. They have their own lives with their very different interests: Del, a flight attendant, is always on the move, her non stop rhythm finding a pause in Abe's quieter way of life.

Abe is a reformed professor who is in the process of writing a book. His hobbies involve brewing domestic beer and messing with his neighbour's peace and quiet: Abe likes to play the harmonica.

My enthusiasm for the story rested heavily on their relationship.

And then Lioness appears...

Lioness is beautiful with a presence that would make her right at home in times of old... and strangely both Abe and Del end up entranced by her.

Why?

I have absolutely no idea, since I found her extremely dull.

And that's when things started unravelling. Lily's, Del's daughter from her only marriage also falls head over heals over Lioness. Everyone falls for Lioness. Strange things start happening, but they are mostly told in a dispassionate format.

I start reading only one or two pages per day: let's face it, my enthusiasm had disappeared with Lioness's dull character.

And then Abe goes and

Then the explanation for why Abe behaved the way he did was so lame. And so weak.

I've read about compulsion... maybe in the last book that I truly enjoyed of the Mercy Thompson series. Well, until that scene :/

Abe didn't act under a compulsion!!

So, yeah, after that I was like "what the hell am I reading?"

Now, a couple of days after having finishing it, I feel that reading "Summerlong" was akin to a dream: you may remember a couple of things, but mostly, the story it is already forgotten.