Rating: 
Summary: Moving and memorable...
Review: The main reason that prompted my buying of this book was the interesting premise. I thought the idea behind this book was something very original and unique, and I was definitely excited about reading it. And while Spilling Clarence did provide me with something out of the ordinary, I believe the novel was more depressing that I anticipated.Spilling Clarence tells the story about a small town, Clarence, and the chemical leak that changed everything. An explosion at the town's psychopharmaceutical plant has sent mind-altering vapors into the air. At first, authorities weren't actually sure what to make of the incident, but soon they got their answers. These vapors, a chemical called Deletrium, unlocks the brain's hidden and repressed memories, encouraging patients (or in this case, town residents) to remember things they had forgotten. At first it doesn't sound so bad -- who doesn't like a trip down memory lane every once in a while? But soon, most of the town starts to unravel -- not everyone's memories bring smiles and joy. While the story talks about many of Clarence's citizens, most of the detail is reserved for three main characters: Bennie, a college psychology professor, whose memories bring his deceased wife, Lizzie, back to life; Madeline, Bennie's mother, who resides at the Sunny Shadows retirement home, remembers the life she led as a wife and as a widow; and Susannah, an aide at the retirement home, who has her own troubled past, mostly in the form of a mentally ill mother. All of these characters are portrayed in rich detail, and author Anne Ursu leaves no rock overturned. Spilling Clarence is an insightful, moving story about memories and the mind's natural process of storing them away. The writing is exquisite and thoughtful, yet simple and easy to understand when the author flits back and forth between past and present. The tone is more depressing than I expected -- there is a lot of "falling down into a crumpled, shaking heap" in this book! -- but then again, that is life and a lot memories we repress mostly relate to an unhappy time. Spilling Clarence is an honest piece of work, and I applaud Anne Ursu for writing it.
Rating: 
Summary: Amazing work by a new author
Review: This book is incredible. I was intrigued first by the title and then even further by the synopsis on the jacket. What would happen if all your memories came back to you as if you were living them all over again? If everything you saw or or smelled or did in the present reminded you of all moments small and large in your past. And is what you remember exactly as it really happened? Are our memories trustworthy, or are we rewriting them for better or worse even as they happen? It's amazing the way the author addresses these questions through the characters, and makes you question your own memories. Right from the start, you are there with these people holding your breath during the "spill" which isn't really a spill, but a release of a chemical into the atmosphere as one of the characters points out. She draws you in and you can't help but get lost in your own memories just as the characters do in the book. As you follow these people as they fight to find their way back to the present, and then struggle to move on after reliving their lives through their memories, you see how their memories have shaped and controlled their lives all along. And how do we break free of the binds that are our memories? Read the book and you may discover the answer for yourself. When I was finished I was so disappointed to find out it was her first book because I couldn't wait to read anything else she had written. Well now there's "Disapparation of James" also a very intriguing book, and I highly recommend that one as well.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing work by a new author
Review: This book is incredible. I was intrigued first by the title and then even further by the synopsis on the jacket. What would happen if all your memories came back to you as if you were living them all over again? If everything you saw or or smelled or did in the present reminded you of all moments small and large in your past. And is what you remember exactly as it really happened? Are our memories trustworthy, or are we rewriting them for better or worse even as they happen? It's amazing the way the author addresses these questions through the characters, and makes you question your own memories. Right from the start, you are there with these people holding your breath during the "spill" which isn't really a spill, but a release of a chemical into the atmosphere as one of the characters points out. She draws you in and you can't help but get lost in your own memories just as the characters do in the book. As you follow these people as they fight to find their way back to the present, and then struggle to move on after reliving their lives through their memories, you see how their memories have shaped and controlled their lives all along. And how do we break free of the binds that are our memories? Read the book and you may discover the answer for yourself. When I was finished I was so disappointed to find out it was her first book because I couldn't wait to read anything else she had written. Well now there's "Disapparation of James" also a very intriguing book, and I highly recommend that one as well.
Rating:
Summary: a unique new voice
Review: With Spilling Clarence, Anne Ursu accomplishes something most writers aspire to and few achieve. This book establishes Ms. Ursu as a unique voice, with a distinct world view peppered by humorous observations, rich characters, and smart insights into the dynamics of life in America. Through the eyes of the people of Clarence, Ms. Ursu displays the many and varied ways that people respond to life, with fear, regret, and honest self-appraisal. And she does so brilliantly. A powerful debut.
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