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What Could Be Saved
What Could Be Saved: A Novel | Liese O'Halloran Schwarz
14 posts | 16 read | 18 to read
A harrowing tale of the lies of omission and the lies of commission that can break a family apart, What Could Be Saved is a delicious hybrid of mystery, drama, and elegance: rich with detail, lush in language, and capable of keeping you on the edge of your seat. Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Spark of Light Washington, DC, 2019: Laura Preston is a reclusive artist at odds with her older sister Bea as their elegant, formidable mother slowly slides into dementia. When a stranger contacts Laura claiming to be her brother who disappeared forty years earlier when the family lived in Bangkok, Laura ignores Beas warnings of a scam and flies to Thailand to see if it can be true. But meeting him in person leads to more questions than answers. Bangkok, 1972: Genevieve and Robert Preston live in a beautiful house behind a high wall, raising their three children with the help of a cadre of servants. In these exotic surroundings, Genevieve strives to create a semblance of the life they would have had at home in the USballet and riding classes for the children, impeccable dinner parties, a meticulously kept home. But in truth, Robert works for American intelligence, Genevieve finds herself drawn into a passionate affair with her husbands boss, and their serene household is vulnerable to unseen dangers in a rapidly changing world and a country they dont really understand. Alternating between past and present as all of the secrets are revealed, What Could Be Saved is an unforgettable novel about a family shattered by loss and betrayal, and the beauty that can exist even in the midst of brokenness.
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eraderneely
What Could Be Saved: A Novel | Liese O'Halloran Schwarz
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Pickpick

I read this on my kindle during a lot of insomnia spells.

I generally liked this book, but it ran way too long for me. Between a pick and a so-so.

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Sharpeipup
What Could Be Saved: A Novel | Liese O'Halloran Schwarz
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How the day started.

Luckily, it was just a dead battery.

32 likes1 stack add
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GinaKButler
What Could Be Saved: A Novel | Liese O'Halloran Schwarz
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Reading...on a plane!! #doublespin

15 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Floresj
What Could Be Saved: A Novel | Liese O'Halloran Schwarz
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Mehso-so

It took me a bit to get into this one, and I was curious as to how the book would end. I didn‘t really like any of the characters- the only one I really liked had the smallest POV section. It could be a good beach book if you are looking for a Thai/US/flashbacks/ family mystery.

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Hooked_on_books
What Could Be Saved: A Novel | Liese O'Halloran Schwarz
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Pickpick

Laura‘s family lived in #Thailand for several years when she was a child. They left not long after her brother disappeared and couldn‘t be found. Now, a woman is claiming she knows where Phillip is. The story toggles back and forth between present day and their childhood, slowly telling this family‘s story. My mind wandered at times during this book, but the resolution is so well done, it brought my rating up.

#ReadingAsia2021

Reagan Oooh I am intrigued. Stacked! 3y
Librarybelle Nice! Hooray for strong resolutions! 3y
50 likes2 comments
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BarbaraTheBibliophage
What Could Be Saved: A Novel | Liese O'Halloran Schwarz
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Pickpick

This book combines historical fiction (1970s Bangkok), dysfunctional family drama, and mystery. It captivated me! And I‘ll definitely read this new-to-me-author. She skillfully inhabits voices of several characters and also captures time and place without over describing. I wish it had less colonialism and more Thai voices, but it still illustrates the ideas with finesse.

Full review http://www.TheBibliophage.com #readingasia2021 #thailand

BarbaraBB Sounds really good. 4y
77 likes1 stack add2 comments
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BarbaraTheBibliophage
What Could Be Saved: A Novel | Liese O'Halloran Schwarz
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It‘s mulching season here in Pennsylvania. Now I‘m at the “thank goodness that‘s over” phase. Exhausting work!

I‘ve been accompanied by two audiobooks—how did I ever work in the quiet before?

#audiogardening #springreading

Leftcoastzen Looks beautiful though , hard work! 4y
kspenmoll Your gardens look so healthy and beautiful! 4y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @kspenmoll Thank you! It‘s been a 24 year process and I‘m finally really happy with them. 🪴 🌷 4y
83 likes4 comments
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janeycanuck
What Could Be Saved: A Novel | Liese O'Halloran Schwarz
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Pickpick

This sucked me almost immediately. What you think will consume the story - is the man in the email Philip - turns out to be a minor part. What takes over quickly? The secrets of Genevieve & Robert, the observations of Noi from the sidelines, the relationship between Bea & Laura, all constantly peel away more layers before finally unravelling what happened to Philip in 1972.

Book 1/5 for #FabulousFebruary

Andrew65 Well done. 👏👏👏 Not aware of their book. 4y
32 likes1 stack add1 comment
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janeycanuck
What Could Be Saved: A Novel | Liese O'Halloran Schwarz
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I managed to finish one of my library books last night so I‘m heading into #FabulousFebruary with five books from the library. Time to dive in - I‘m hoping to finish at least two over this long weekend.

Andrew65 Great to have you with us. Good luck 😊👍 Great stack. 4y
29 likes1 comment
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suvata
What Could Be Saved: A Novel | Liese O'Halloran Schwarz
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Pickpick

In the 1970s, the Preston family lived in Bangkok — Robert, Genevieve and their 3 children Bea, Laura and Philip. Philip disappears at the age of 8, never to be heard from again. 35 years later, someone contacts Laura claiming she knows Philip‘s whereabouts. Laura goes to Thailand to see what she can discover and eventually does locate her brother. Where was he all these years? How will he fit in with his newfound family? With American culture?

49 likes1 stack add
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ReadingisMyPassion
What Could Be Saved: A Novel | Liese O'Halloran Schwarz
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Mehso-so

I enjoyed the glimpse into the cultural life of the Thai people. I also liked the descriptions of the Thai landscape. I thought the characters were well-developed.

I did find the pace much too slow for me. As a result, I lost interest about halfway through the book. I also found some of it unrealistic.

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Lauren.Archer
What Could Be Saved: A Novel | Liese O'Halloran Schwarz
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Pickpick
62 likes1 stack add
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Nouveau
What Could Be Saved: A Novel | Liese O'Halloran Schwarz
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Christmas comes early with the UPS driver (or as my daughter calls it the Ups driver) delivering the ARC I won from a Simon & Schuster giveaway along with a page marker inside the book. Thanks Simon & Schuster!

Nute Welcome to Litsy! It‘s a warm and friendly community. I know that you will enjoy yourself here. I‘m looking forward to getting to know you!🙂 3y
3 likes1 comment
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Jas16
What Could Be Saved: A Novel | Liese O'Halloran Schwarz
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Pickpick

In 2019 Laura receives a call saying that her brother needs to come home, the same brother who went missing in Bangkok over 40 years ago. In the 1970s we are shown the events that lead up to his disappearance, a family fracturing even before tragedy strikes. I found almost every character unsympathetic but was swept away by the vivid writing. As events unfolded I came to care about what happened to Phillip and the ripples his disappearance made.

44 likes2 stack adds