Nothing Is As It Seems Here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     When I picked up "The Daughter," for a diversionary read, I expected a generic novel about Every Parents' Nightmare--the child that goes missing.  The novel does, indeed, cover that--The Malcoms, a British family, who have a fifteen year-old overachieving daughter who should be having the time of her life, discover, over the course of a year, that she never was, and so goes missing.  The genius of the novel is that it works from within, dissecting the family so that their flaws carefully emerge, giving enormous insight into why what happens to them does.

                                        I don't want to hint at too much. Yes, daughter Naomi goes missing. Yes, there is a search, and an investigation. But that is as far as convention goes, here. Everything else is flipped over and turned on its side, so that what might be routine and typical emerges as fresh and engaging.  And it ends in ambiguity.  I have one idea about who Jenny, Naomi's mother, sees, at the end, and I think I am right, but anyone who reads the book, or has, feel free to air in with what you think.

                                         Don't expect the expected from this book. Or you will make the mistake of missing a compelling read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!