The Cradle    by Patrick Somerville Order:  USA  Can Little, Brown & Co., 2009 (2009) Hardcover Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Lori Waddington In June of 1997, Marissa is eight months pregnant with her first child. When Marissa was fifteen years old, her mother disappeared, along with the antique cradle Marissa had been rocked in as a child. When Marissa tells her husband Matt that she wants him to retrieve the cradle for their own child, this begins a journey of discovery that will completely change their lives. In 2008, Bill and Renee Owen are getting ready to see their only son, Adam, head off to war. Adam's departure brings back memories for Renee of the child she gave up for adoption almost forty years before. It becomes obvious to the reader that these two stories, told in alternating chapters, are connected. My problem with The Cradle is that the ending failed to satisfy, which is a shame, as I found Patrick Somerville's debut novel to be quite intriguing. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Contemporary books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews