While I won’t go so far as to say this is the first time I’ve been let down by a Kristin Hannah book, I do have to admit that On Mystic Lake is not one I believe will stand out years from now when I think back upon it. If this book were composed by any other author, I would arguably find it to be pretty good, but because Kristin Hannah and her ridiculous talent have set such a stark precedent in my mind, On Mystic Lake seems a wee bit inferior to some of her other masterpieces, such as The Four Winds and The Nightingale.
This might sound a bit ridiculous, but in a way, it wasn’t nearly as heart-wrenching for me as most of the other books I’ve read by Hannah. I’m not meaning to imply the woman is only permitted to write stories that will rip you clean in half emotionally, but emotional distress is a core theme in many of her works.
I really enjoyed the characters and the story of this text, but found the ending to be rather disappointing. On Mystic Lake tells the story of a middle-aged woman named Annie, who seemingly has it all in life – a rich, lawyer husband named Blake, a beautiful mansion, the highest quality clothing and vehicles, and a grown daughter, Natalie, who is her world. Annie’s world is shattered when her husband of 20 years informs her he has fallen in love with a different woman and asks for a divorce, and suddenly, she finds herself back in her hometown, Mystic Lake, where she was raised by her father.
Annie reunites with Nick, one of her childhood best friends, and in doing so, she begins to realize that materialistic things are not what encompass love or happiness.
As I said, the characters and the story of On Mystic Lake are excellent, but the ending is lacklustre. Regardless, I would still say this one is a read, not a rid.
Photo by Gülfer ERGİN on Unsplash
ontheedgeofeverything 