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    The Love Ceiling
    The Love Ceiling
    The Love Ceiling
    Ebook304 pages12 hours

    The Love Ceiling

    By Jean Davies Okimoto

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    E Fiction Winner in 2009 Next Generation Indie Book Awards
    After the death of her mother, sixty-four year old Anne Koroda Duppstaad confronts the toxic legacy of her father, a famous artist and cruel narcissist, to become an artist in her own right.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherJean Davies Okimoto
    Release dateAug 22, 2009
    ISBN9781452301044
    The Love Ceiling
    Author

    Jean Davies Okimoto

    Jean Davies Okimoto is the author of many award-winning books for young people, including The Eclipse of Moonbeam Dawson, Take A Chance, Gramps! and Jason's Women. She is the recipient of the ALA "Best Books for Young Adults" Award, the IRA/CBC Young Adults' Choice and the Parents' Choice awards.

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    Reviews for The Love Ceiling

    4/5

    11 ratings11 reviews

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    • 4/5
      The novel is well written, using sensitive language and dealing very well with the characters' feelings. It has been one of the best Members' Giveaway read I have had in terms of literary narrative and style. The main drawback, in this book, is that it only appeals to US readers. I have found many, many unnecessary cultural, political and artistic references (that I did not know about); it sort of changed the pace of my reading to the point where I had to look some of them up in Wikipedia. This was not helping me to get a grasp of the story, I found these references useless in terms of plot and, while I enjoyed the book, I had difficulties dealing with them or achieving a good reading pace.All in all, this is a very 'US-centric' book and I would not recommend it to non-US readers because of the reasons mentioned above.
    • 5/5
      The Love Ceiling is a novel maybe better appreciated by women of a certain age who can really relate to the heroine's life. I know Annie faced many of the problems and situations and choices that have been a part of my life. The ceiling is equivalent to the glass ceiling only this is the effect on our life's path caused by the people we love, their needs and their life paths. Annie is in her 60s, a woman whose famous artist father destroyed her confidence as a budding artist when she was still a child. In her 60s to fulfill a final promise to her dying mother, she takes up the serious study of art and that decision has many ramifications for her husband and grown children. I found her courage during this transition very stirring and recommend this book to women everywhere.
    • 4/5
      From My Blog...The Love Ceiling by Jean Davies Okimoto is a beautiful, engaging and moving novel about two women, 64-year-old Anne Duppstadt and her 32-year-old daughter Cass, each struggling to discover who they are. Annie has unresolved issues with her narcissistic father, dealing with the aftermath of her mother's recent death, doting on her grandson, worrying about her daughter, and hoping to fill a void in her life. Cass is in a failing relationship and is struggling with her life and the direction she wants to take it, and while she does not have the years of experience her mother has, she has a loving family and supportive friends. The Love Ceiling is told in the alternating voices of Annie and Cass and is done rather seamlessly, helping the reader to better understand each of the women. Okimoto tackles the tough issues of being a daughter, sister, spouse, parent and grandparent while tackling the question of ones identity. While Cass is neither married nor a mother, she has her own struggles to face. The Love Ceiling is a unique look into the lives of women easy to relate with and feel compassion towards. Life is ever changing and women can and are resilient and resourceful, as Okimoto clearly shows the reader through her strong female characters. The Love Ceiling is a rather refreshing look at women in differing ages and stages in life and one I truly enjoyed reading and feel that other women too would benefit from reading. One final note, this book would make an excellent pick for a women's discussion group.
    • 5/5
      One of the things I loved best about this fantastic novel was that unlike most contemporary fiction that take place in a tepid political vacuum, this beautiful story of a woman's search for identity depicted fully realized characters that had feelings about gay marriage and the war in Iraq, it reminded me of Anne Lammott and the novels of May Sarton, it is simply inspiring!
    • 3/5
      I truly appreciated being chosen to receive this book as a reviewer. There was much of the story that was intriguing and enjoyable, however the relationship between Annie and her father seemed implausible in many ways. Annie attributes no blame in any form to her mother who continued to allow the abuse throughout her lifetime, and I don't feel her fathers narcissism was fully realized as revealed in the story to cause the reader to view Annie as a likable protagonist, instead she seems weak and ineffectual.I also disliked the political bent regarding Dick Cheney; I am no fan of his, however the many slights towards him were simply annoying and felt intrusive to the story.I did however very much enjoy the storyline regarding her re-immersion in the art world she so longed for, and the mentor she finds to bring out her talent is interesting and a good read.
    • 3/5
      When i started reading the book i didn't feel very attracted to the story since the main character was so old compared to me, but after some chapters i just couldnt put it down. I loved the characters, i was impressed by Annie and really finished hating her father.Its very well written, i like very much the way the author switched between the daughter and her mother to tell the story, like that we are able to know their different point of views.Its a beautiful story of the challenges that women must face in their lives regardless of their age.
    • 3/5
      The Love Ceiling is a book about the daughter of a notable artist, and her desire to pursue life as an artist in her golden years. Set in Seattle, which is blatantly apparent from the constant mentions of Starbucks and Microsoft, we meet Annie, who's mother, a descendant of Japanese Americans, has just died. Her father, Alexander Gunther, a great artist, has been a horrible husband to her mother, and a father to her. Annie's husband, Jack, wants to uproot their lives and move to Cambodia for a research project. Annie's daughter is hit with a paradigm shift when she finds her long-time boyfriend is cheating on her. Annie also has a son and a grandson, but no serious trauma seems to be happening in their lives.Annie, who has always had a dream to be a painter, like, but unlike, her father, has never had the gumption to pick up a brush again, ever since her father destroyed one of her paintings in her childhood. It is her mother, or her mother's dying wish, that spurs her on to start painting once more.While she juggles her new passtime and a part-time job as an art counselor, she also adds to her repertoire her husband, who is doing everything he can to keep from having to retire, her daughter, with her relationship problems, and her grandson, who enjoys doodling, like every child does.The book, while having fully-realized characters, and being well-written, really did not do much to pull me into the story. I knew I was supposed to feel sorry for Annie, and for her mother, and dislike her father, and so forth, but, seriously, I didn't care. I didn't sympathize with Annie (granted, I'm not a 60-year-old woman). I didn't hate her father. I didn't care that her daughter delved deeper and deeper into depression. The hooks that grab the reader and pull them into the story were missing here for me.This book will probably appeal to you if you like art, or have considered pursuing a career as an artist. Especially if it's later on in life. It will appeal to you if you've faced a foe who told you that you were no good. But, will it draw you in? I think you need to give a little first before you can receive.For all the coffee that's consumed in this book, it wasn't my cup of tea.
    • 4/5
      I really thought this book would be boring and one of those books I cannot finish. The cause of that thought is the fact that I knew that the book will be about 60 something woman, does not sound very interesting for a young reader like me. I am happy to say that I totally disagree with my first thought now when I have read the book.Annie seems to be the perfect wife, perfect mother and otherwise perfect. She really is, I think she is adorable character. I love the fact that even though Annie seems perfect there are problems in her life. Biggest of the problems in her 80 something father, a famous artist Alexander Gunther. For her whole like Annie has been despised by her father. With the love of her mother and later on with the love of her husband, Jack, she has gone on. When her mother dies, everything changes. The last wish of Annie's mother was that Annie would start to paint again. As a teenager Annie's father told Annie that she does not have the talent to paint and she stopped and believed her father. Now, with the couragement of Fred, an old artist and a new friend Annie starts to try to paint again and discovers her talent once more.. this time without her father's "advice".Cass, Annie's 30 something daughter hasn't been herself for a while. When she gets to know that her boyfriend Richard has been laying to her for a long time everything changes. Cass is in a new situation and it takes her time to discover a way to go on. With the help of her friends and family Cass eventually finds the new happiness to her life.'The Love Ceiling' is amazingly written book about growth, past and future. It is a beautiful story about a woman who on her old age realizes that there are so many things she wants to do and she has to start to do them now since she does not know how much time she has left. The adorable characters and the story itself make this book a wonderful read!
    • 3/5
      Jean Davis Okimoto weaves a simple, inspiring story in “The Love Ceiling”. In this book, the main character, Anne Duppstadt, wrestles to pursue her life-long dreams against the reality of several obstacles. With the death of her mother, Anne faces her twisted relationship with her famous father with courage and strength. Loaded with artistic talent, Annie has spent a lifetime running from the very thing that she loves – painting. The voice of her abusive father rings loud and clear from her childhood, even as she moves into her golden years.With the encouragement of a patient teacher and an elderly woman, however, Annie slowly learns to see herself as an individual, separate and free from the bondage of her inner demons. At time same time, she feels caught between her passion and her love for her family, especially her daughter, Cass, who is fighting her own personal battles.The themes of self-respect and setting healthy boundaries play throughout the story, showing us that many of our obstacles are truly of our own making. Nearly every mother finds herself making deep sacrifices for her children, and Annie slowly comes to terms with meshing her personal goals with her roles as wife, mother, and grandmother.There were a couple of threads that ran throughout the book that did little to move the story forward. For example, Anne’s hatred of Dick Cheney is mentioned several times. This felt more like the author’s personal political platform than it did a part of the heroine’s personality. I was also distracted by the side story of two lesbians caught in the middle of their own family drama with an upcoming wedding. The stories of Anne’s relationships with her husband, children and father provided more than enough drama to keep the story interesting without adding some inconsequential side bars.Overall, I found Okimoto’s fiction work to be a fascinating tale of redemption and healing. I enjoyed watching Anne Duppstadt mature and grow, and I took to heart the idea that people are capable of huge paradigm shifts even later in their lives. “The Love Ceiling” inspires hope and courage to move through life with deliberate purpose.
    • 4/5
      I truely enjoyed this book. I was able to relate to Annie and her pangs of guilt and unworthiness, trying to find herself after 60, as well as her daughter Cass' struggles to build a new life after an emotional break up.Okimoto's descriptions of the conflicts going on, personal, emotional and physical hit a mark. Annie's struggle to reach her goals while supporting family is a reality most of us older ladies face. It is on my shelf for rereading!
    • 5/5
      I really liked this book and thought it was originally going to be boring, centering on a female character that is in her sixties. In fact, I found it quite the opposite and it has a little bit of everything in it. Almost every character in this book has some sort of inner conflict. The main character Annie has the most conflict of all, a husband who does not know what to do with his life, a daughter who returns after she has her heart broken by a cheating heart, and her mean spirited father. The good memories she has are of her mother, but once she is gone, Annie is left to pick up the pieces. Her father is a famous artist and he is very controlling. I really love that she tells him off in the end. I highly recommend this book to anyone and I am so grateful that I won an autographed copy.

    Book preview

    The Love Ceiling - Jean Davies Okimoto

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