Rating: - Couldn't finish it
I'm stunned that a former screenwriter would start her novel with a cliched, boring dream scene. It was downhill from there, with indistinct characters and much overwriting--scenes that dragged on without making a point. I put it down when I was about 70 pages in, with no desire to pick it up again. This could have been a riveting subject, but it doesn't live up to the promise--by a long shot.

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Rating: - Puzzled
I am puzzled by the good reviews of this book. There really was not much of a story there. Every minor plot, in my mind was left hanging and incomplete. I can't say more without giving it all away but none of it made sense in the end.

I gave it two stars because it was an interesting read but without much substance.

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Rating: - Interesting
Although the book was a little slow in taking off for me, overall I enjoyed it. A little far-fetched at times, the plot twist at the end pulled it all together for me. Not a must read, but definitely enjoyable.

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Rating: - confusion as a plot device
I enjoyed this book. While I wasn't 100% invested in the characters I found the secondary plotlines and scenery compelling enough to keep reading. My biggest complaint would be that the author throws so many confusing twists at you towards the end that you wonder not only what happened, but what does it matter? Confusion as a plot device seems like a weak effort at depth. Overall I enjoyed the book but will not be re-reading it, even if only to sort out the various twists.

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Rating: - A Disjointed Story with a Shocking Twist
Brunonia Barry's "The Lace Reader" is a complicated novel. It tells the story of Towner, a thirty something year old woman who has returned to Salem, MA from California after her beloved great aunt has gone missing. The reader quickly discovers Towner fled Salem after a series of traumatic events, which she begins reliving soon after coming to town. A series of violent events begin happening to people close to Towner, and it soon looks like Towner herself may be the next victim. A fantastic twist at the end of the novel leaves everyone--including the reader--in shock at the magic and mystery that surrounds old Salem.

"The Lace Reader" is a hard novel to get into, and then to follow. Three characters narrate different parts of the novel, the story does not follow a linear time sequence, and several of the characters are constantly changing their version of the story. On top of these obstacles, Barry's language is choppy and often confusing making it hard for the reader to follow the complicated story line. This novel would have benefited from a good editor and some enhancement of the central storyline, which at times becomes so vague the reader isn't sure what's happening.

Overall, the story in the "The Lace Reader" was interesting, but too disjointed to really like. I would recommend this book to people interested in Salem or in witchcraft, but not necessarily to the casual reader.