Tuesday, November 25, 2008

REVIEW: Knit Two

Knit Two
by Kate Jacobs
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Putnam Adult (November 25, 2008)

KnitTwo

Kate Jacobs is back with the much anticipated sequel to The Friday Night Knitting Club, Knit Two. Kate brings us all back to the coziest knitting shop in Manhattan, Walker and Daughter, to catch up with the characters that many of us have come to know and love.

I will admit that I am still in the midst of reading Friday Night Knitting Club (half way through at the moment), as I tend to spend more of my free time knitting, rather than reading. However, I am hooked and ready to finish so I can move on to Knit Two! I really wanted to review Knit Two now, without having read it yet, as I had the pleasure of meeting Kate on her last book tour and despite my not reading fast, I definitely wanted to give props to this second edition to what I hope will now be a series (Kate, if you're reading this, yes that it is hint). I have known for some time now that there is a death coming in Friday Night Knitting Club, however have been good about letting people not tell me who... well, that was until I flipped the "uncorrected proof" copy of Knit Two over and immediately read the who on the back. Shocked? Yes. I was sure it was someone else. But that certainly won't spoil the rest of the book for me.

Since I can't actually read Knit Two just yet, I will rely on the official press release to give you some more information.

As previously mentioned, Knit Two returns to Walker and Daughter. It is five years later and seven women are struggling to move on to the next phase of their lives after the premature death of....... (the review copy's jacket spoiled it for me, but I won't spoil it for those of you who are still in the midst of the first book). Dakota is now a student at NYU. Peri has thrown herself into her handbag business. Darwin is attempting to balance twin infants and a teaching career...

A series of once-in-a-lifetime circumstances will bring four of our favorite knitting club's members to Italy for the summer, where they will embark on an unforgettable journey of romance, self-discovery and surprises. Each is in search of something different, while the three others remain in New York, offering support from across the ocean.

As knitters, we are not surprised at the popularity of Friday Knight Knitting Club and easily understand how women of all walks of life who would otherwise never come in contact with each other, let alone become friends, can form such an amazing bond. After all, most of us see it in our own knitting groups. Women everywhere have responded to Kate's lively and heartwarming portrayal of a group of smart, witty, down-to-earth women whose friendships transcend their differences, who support one another through good times and bad, and whose challenges real women face in their everyday lives. Its no wonder knitting has grown in popularity and why we all love our knitting groups - whether our weekly guilds who meet at the LYS or book store or our groups who spend hours chatting in forums on Ravelry (with members spanning the entire country, and world sometimes). Knitting groups are amazing.

When Kate was asked what it is about knitting that makes it so popular right now, she responded "Knitting is a lot of things all wrapped up in a ball of yarn. It's memory of good old days and sweet grandmothers. It can be an assertion of personality, of irony, of creativity. It can be a luxurious indulgence using the fanciest materials, and it can be a budget-minded holiday scarf using yarn on sale. You can knit all alone, or you can find a group and knit with them. Knitting has the flexibility to meet our needs for a creative and emotional outlet, and it has a very soothing rhythm. It nurtures, and I think that's a very good thing in times of uncertainty." Well said Kate, well said...

About The Author: Kate Jacobs is a former magazine writer and editor who lives in Los Angeles. She is the author of The Friday Night Knitting Club and Comfort Food. The movie rights to Friday Night Knitting Club have been optioned by Julia Roberts. Kate reports that she is happily working on a new book already and that, good for us, there are a lot of stories she wants to tell!

3 comments:

SissySees said...

Hrmph. Thanks for the warning!! I'm behind you in the first book, so I surely don't want to know who dies...

Turtle said...

hmmm. lol, i am number 30 on the wait list at the library for this one!

Anonymous said...

Well, Turtle - I have the book, didn't really enjoy it and would be happy to send it on to you. I just felt - disappointed when the book ended. I will most likely still read Knit Two, but . . . .

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