Journal: The Short Life and Mysterious Death of Amy Zoe Mason

By Kristine Atkinson and Joyce Atkinson

Book Overview

In Journal , Kristine Atkinson and Joyce Atkinson conjure the voyeuristic appeal of finding a stranger's diary, then becoming transfixed with the secrets contained within. These pages belong to artist, wife, and mother Amy Zoe Mason, whose riveting storytelling relies equally on visual and verbal clues. Using an old book as her canvas, Amy layers words, collages, newspaper clippings, and emails into a personal narrative that at first feels familiar, until the sense of alarm begins to build. Readers will find themselves scouring the pages for missed hints and important evidence , compelled to interpret the signs.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743290380
• ISBN13: 9780743290388
• Release Date: September 2006
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.5" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

A fun read

This was a fun and interesting mystery to read. It was like finding a stranger's diary. I really enjoyed it, and almost had myself, thinking it was a true story. It has the look of a altered book inside, with notes, news paper clippings, and pictures and collages on the different pages. The last page of this journal came too quickly, and I wished the saga could have continued. Reading this book was a great way to spend a quiet afternoon. If you are looking for a gift for a friend who reads mysteries, or enjoys altered book, this is the book to buy.

A treasure inside!

I just finished this book for the second time last night. It is unlike any other book I have ever read - or seen. Yes, you have to "see" this book because it is a work of art! It is presented as an altered book journal created by Amy Zoe Mason and you can see from that little note on the cover that things don't turn out too well for Amy in the end. The first time through the book I just had to keep reading to find out what would happen next. Then I had to read it again to look for all the clues I might have missed and just to enjoy the artwork. It truly is like reading through someone's scrapbook/journal. In fact I really had to remind myself after that it was just a work of fiction, because I really felt like I had read someone's diary! - LOL! It was fun to read something like this just for myself. It also made me want to alter a book! I've always felt funny about doing that because books are so special to me, but it would be fun to find an old book and give it new life with my own art.

Is it true?

This is one of the most beautiful, interesting books I have ever read. I know the publisher has to say it's fiction, but like some of the others reviewing the book, I'm not so sure. Amy Mason's daughter DOES have a myspace page, and a website, and there is lots of evidence on the internet that some of this, at least is true. Even if it isn't, it's still a great read and again, a really beautiful, moving story and book.

A book unlike any other

My mother recently purchased this book and it looked so cool that I picked it up and started reading. I found this book so intriguing that I could not put it down until I had finished the whole thing. Several days later Amy Mason's journal was still on my mind. I ended up going back through the pages looking for additional insight into exactly what happened to this very creative woman. One additional note: While this book is listed as fiction, everything seems so real. I ended looking up some of the characters in the book and found that some of them are real people. Amy Mason's daughter even has a myspace account. It makes me wonder if the ending is also real....

Every page a work of art

This book is unlike any I have read before. It is the journal of Amy Mason, a very gifted artist and mother. She keeps her diary on an old book, so you are sometimes able to read the background story. It's amazing! The story in the old book somehow seems to parallel Amys story. I still have to explore this! I have spent hours looking at each page. Amy was such a gifted artist - she has taken journaling/scrapbooking to a whole new level. I know that this is supposed to be fiction, but Amy seems so real, I'm not sure...I feel like I know her, and wish I could help. It is so interesting to see how her relationship with her husband changes, and to see how her depression affects her art. I haven't been able to get Amy off my mind. There are no easy answers or conclusions at the end of this book, just like in real life.