June 21st, 2010 
Leaving Unknown: A Novel
follows Maeve, the younger sister. I love these books. The older sister, Vi is Type A and very together, while Maeve has taken several extra years to graduate from college and initially seems like a free spirit. I won’t give the story away, but in reading the book, but it’s basically about a young woman driving from Charlotte, North Carolina to L.A. on a journey to find herself. As Maeve finds herself, the reader discovers just why it took Maeve so long to graduate, why she is so superstitious, and a bit of a hypochondriac.
I want to share just one of the many poignant passages from Leaving Unknown that I completely agree with:
…why did Bill Gates rise to the top?”
“You don’t believe in natural talent?”
“The premise can be insidious. If we find something doen’t come naturally, we might conclude we have no talent for it and abandon the pursuit, even if it’s to our detriment.”
“So what causes success?”
“If you believe in deliberate practice, carefully designed hard work andalways stretching beyound your abilities. It’s not as simple as ‘Practice makes perfect.’ It’s continually focusing on your weakest elements and trying to improve them. Those who persevere are high achievers.”
“So I’m not born a violin prodigy?”
“I believe you could become a violin prodigy without innate talent if you wanted it badly enough. The key lies in knowing what you deeply want. The more you want something, the easier it is to sweat through the deliberate practice.”
“So you can make your own luck?
When I met Kerry years ago, she was an attorney with a degree from Duke University School of Law. In a city filled with attorney, Kerry stood out.
Kerry Reichs, The Washington Post's Amy Argetsinger and Andrea Rodgers
Unlike so many in Washington, Kerry always has something interesting to say — something that makes you really think. I’m so impressed at how she has transitioned from a successful legal career to a successful career as a novelist, very much like another friend of mine who lived across the hall from me at Wake Forest University, Emily Giffin. I don’t know how often Kerry has practiced deliberately, but I do know that she has great talent, and is and will become even more so, a huge success!
Kerry gives her characters such depth, and personality that I come away from her books wanting to be friends with Vi and Maeve, and all the other characters who come into their lives. Sadly, this isn’t possible. I’m just grateful to have Kerry as a friend as it’s her warmth, intelligence and sense of humor that shines through in her characters. The only thing better than enjoying a great books, is enjoying a great books written by a close friend!
I hope you will pick up both of these books for your summer reading! I know you’ll love them and won’t be able to put them down!
- Miss A
You know a book is a hit when you want the characters to be real so you can be friends with them!
I’m glad you enjoyed this so much – thanks for being a part of the tour.
I loved both of these books, however, despite the continuing character line these books seem to have nothing to do with each other. Don’t get me wrong they are both beautifully written but in the first book Maeve was already partially through college, and funny/slacker/lovable sister, and a reformed vegetarian, and then poof, new story line, and almost a brand new character.There was no mention in the first book AT ALL of certain events related to Maeve that featured prominently in the second book. Where was Vi’s love of her life from the first book. While I understand that Vi is now a minor character I feel as though something is missing in the connection. I would have enjoyed this work more if this would have written without the Connelly sisters connection.