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bhunsberger's review against another edition
4.0
A Kindle freebie/cheapie that I downloaded. Good story, fairly quick read.
byashleylamar's review against another edition
2.0
When her sensitive son, Quinn, is being bullied at school and her teenage daughter Katie is being, well, a teenager Susannah does what she has always done - she runs away. She takes her two children and she flees to the remote island of Sounder, just off the coast of Washington, so that she can protect them even if it means leaving her husband, their school, their friends, and their routine life behind. On Sounder the children must share a room (although Quinn ultimately sleeps in the utility room instead), there is no hospital, no refrigerator, no grocery store, limited cell phone access, limited internet access and a ton of unsupervised free time. This is the perfect situation to keep an eye on, and protect, two children, right? Let's also keep in mind that Susannah is terrified of boats, of the water and of having her children anywhere near the water. That alone makes her decision to move to an island stupid but it's ridiculous once you factor in all of the other things. If it hadn't been for Betty's story I would have given up on this book in the early chapters.
The characters, aside from Betty, were so one-dimensional and so cliche! There was the:
Damaged, whiny and self-loathing adult woman - Susannah
Doormat of a husband - Matt
Sensitive and misunderstood son - Quinn
Rebellious and defiant teenage daughter - Katie
Wise and free-spirited older man - Barefoot
Wise and loving older woman - Betty
Then factor in Jim and his sons (the "perfect" man and his two too-good-to-be-true boys) and the book was painstakingly full of your standard sappy women's fiction people. None of them showed any depth or growth until the final two chapters of the book when Susannah finally (and barely) overcomes her fears and only then because her teenage daughter was talking her through it. The change in Katie seemed to happen with the flip of a switch and all of her problems wrapped up so neatly in the end.
The saving grace of this novel was Betty. The book is told in an alternating POV between Susannah and Betty which is the only reason I was able to read this through to the end. When Susannah's chapters came up I groaned knowing it was going to be more of the same whining and being overcome with this gripping fear of the water and a childhood incident that still haunts her but when Betty's chapters began I would excitedly read. She was a great character! She evolved as the story progressed and she had a story to tell. Her marriage to an untrustable dog, her fertility struggles, her son, her relationships, her life on Sounder, all of it was worth reading. If this book had been all about Betty it would be, undeniably, a better book. Even though Susannah's story was the one driving the novel it was Betty's story that stole the show. The author picked the wrong story, and the wrong character, to write about.
It's tolerable but nothing special.
Closed the Cover
The characters, aside from Betty, were so one-dimensional and so cliche! There was the:
Damaged, whiny and self-loathing adult woman - Susannah
Doormat of a husband - Matt
Sensitive and misunderstood son - Quinn
Rebellious and defiant teenage daughter - Katie
Wise and free-spirited older man - Barefoot
Wise and loving older woman - Betty
Then factor in Jim and his sons (the "perfect" man and his two too-good-to-be-true boys) and the book was painstakingly full of your standard sappy women's fiction people. None of them showed any depth or growth until the final two chapters of the book when Susannah finally (and barely) overcomes her fears and only then because her teenage daughter was talking her through it. The change in Katie seemed to happen with the flip of a switch and all of her problems wrapped up so neatly in the end.
The saving grace of this novel was Betty. The book is told in an alternating POV between Susannah and Betty which is the only reason I was able to read this through to the end. When Susannah's chapters came up I groaned knowing it was going to be more of the same whining and being overcome with this gripping fear of the water and a childhood incident that still haunts her but when Betty's chapters began I would excitedly read. She was a great character! She evolved as the story progressed and she had a story to tell. Her marriage to an untrustable dog, her fertility struggles, her son, her relationships, her life on Sounder, all of it was worth reading. If this book had been all about Betty it would be, undeniably, a better book. Even though Susannah's story was the one driving the novel it was Betty's story that stole the show. The author picked the wrong story, and the wrong character, to write about.
It's tolerable but nothing special.
Closed the Cover
zennalei's review against another edition
4.0
Two women, two lives, two generations, one island. A simple thing is a poignant story of two different ladies whose lives crosses with each other on an island that provided a haven for both of them.
Told with two POVs, this book is a page turner.
Told with two POVs, this book is a page turner.
bookishnicole's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't hate this book, but there were parts of this book that made me want to pull out my hair. Those things of course, were things that were supposed to get a reaction out of a person, and so it was only fitting that I did have these reactions. For starters I wanted to kill Katie, the insolent teenager, through the entire book, at least until she became a real person at the end and not a spiteful child.
I felt for Susannah as she tried to protect her children, but her husband Mark was right when he said that she was running away and not just trying to protect her children. That actually really frustrated me about Susannah, because it was understandable that she had a lot of emotional baggage that got explained later in the book, but that is no reason to take your children out of school and move to another part of the country.
I enjoyed Betty's story, sad as it was, it showed that every situation is what you make of it. I totally hated her husband, but she made it work being on the island. I also loved learning about how she made it to the island. There didn't seem to be very much of a relationship between Betty and Susannah except for a few conversations, but I guess thats all it takes?
I guess back to why Katie made me so mad. Besides being a 14 year old, and just hating everyone, she was just an awful person, yes she was remorseful, but only when she seemed to get caught. The way that she spoke to her mother too, I mean, I know I wasn't a great teenager, but she was insufferable. I would probably have CPS called on me because I would hit my child if they called me a bitch (or I would be locked in my room crying about how much of a failure of a parent I was and how my kid hates me)(also, I know I'm a terrible person for saying that, but sometimes teenagers, myself included, need some sense knocked into them), either way, bad things.
I felt like the ending was a little bit abrupt, like McCleary realized she found a great ending, but then left a few things unresolved, so she jammed them in. It was hard not to feel that way when the rest of the book was very carefully constructed. Overall, it was a good book, it evoked a lot of strong emotions, but those emotions (which could go either way) didn't lead me to love the book like a lot of people did. It was well written, so go and enter my giveaway!
I felt for Susannah as she tried to protect her children, but her husband Mark was right when he said that she was running away and not just trying to protect her children. That actually really frustrated me about Susannah, because it was understandable that she had a lot of emotional baggage that got explained later in the book, but that is no reason to take your children out of school and move to another part of the country.
I enjoyed Betty's story, sad as it was, it showed that every situation is what you make of it. I totally hated her husband, but she made it work being on the island. I also loved learning about how she made it to the island. There didn't seem to be very much of a relationship between Betty and Susannah except for a few conversations, but I guess thats all it takes?
I guess back to why Katie made me so mad. Besides being a 14 year old, and just hating everyone, she was just an awful person, yes she was remorseful, but only when she seemed to get caught. The way that she spoke to her mother too, I mean, I know I wasn't a great teenager, but she was insufferable. I would probably have CPS called on me because I would hit my child if they called me a bitch (or I would be locked in my room crying about how much of a failure of a parent I was and how my kid hates me)(also, I know I'm a terrible person for saying that, but sometimes teenagers, myself included, need some sense knocked into them), either way, bad things.
I felt like the ending was a little bit abrupt, like McCleary realized she found a great ending, but then left a few things unresolved, so she jammed them in. It was hard not to feel that way when the rest of the book was very carefully constructed. Overall, it was a good book, it evoked a lot of strong emotions, but those emotions (which could go either way) didn't lead me to love the book like a lot of people did. It was well written, so go and enter my giveaway!
karak's review against another edition
3.0
Susannah and Betty both gave up lives in the city for life on a small island off the coast of Washington. Susannah in response to her teenage daughter acting out, and her pre-teen son getting bullied. Betty moved 50 years earlier to placate a cheating husband.
The book was good, but not great. The narration jumps between Susannah and Betty, in different time periods, but the date and narrator is introduced on the title of each chapter.
Susannah really bothered me. She's obsessively worried about the safety of her children, due to her own childhood. The anxiety is used to move the plot along. Until a final conflict towards the end of the novel clears up everything.
Betty is more interesting, and her story is revealed over the chapters. I wish there was more Betty, but this is Susannah's story. In fact, if there was more anyone except Susannah, the story would be better.
The book was good, but not great. The narration jumps between Susannah and Betty, in different time periods, but the date and narrator is introduced on the title of each chapter.
Susannah really bothered me. She's obsessively worried about the safety of her children, due to her own childhood. The anxiety is used to move the plot along. Until a final conflict towards the end of the novel clears up everything.
Betty is more interesting, and her story is revealed over the chapters. I wish there was more Betty, but this is Susannah's story. In fact, if there was more anyone except Susannah, the story would be better.
asealey925's review against another edition
3.0
The end was predictable and a little disappointing. Loved the idea though. Wish more had been spent on the simplifying portion.
caitlinxmartin's review against another edition
4.0
I don't read a lot of domestic fiction. Too often it's about the problems of suburban housewives/mommies or families with a much higher than average income and I just don't really relate having been neither of those categories. I was an urban mommy and have never had a stratospheric income. I decided I was interested in A Simple Thing because the story sounded different and also because it takes place on one of the San Juan Islands - one of my favorite places in the Pacific Northwest. As I child I was in a camp at the Seattle Zoo and one of thing things we got to do was go camping for a weekend in the San Juans and I've never forgotten the experience.
A Simple Thing did not disappoint. A good read with issues of anxiety, mourning, death, learning to trust, marriages ending or renewing, a new awareness of self threaded throughout. I loved that there were two stories here - that of Susannah and of Betty. The friendship that develops between the two women in the book and the ways their stories intertwined really works for the reader. They both gave me some things to think about. Highly recommended.
A Simple Thing did not disappoint. A good read with issues of anxiety, mourning, death, learning to trust, marriages ending or renewing, a new awareness of self threaded throughout. I loved that there were two stories here - that of Susannah and of Betty. The friendship that develops between the two women in the book and the ways their stories intertwined really works for the reader. They both gave me some things to think about. Highly recommended.
stacey_kenny's review against another edition
2.0
This was a selection for my local book club. Let me start out by saying that contemporary fiction is just not my cup of tea unless it has a "little something extra" such as an unpredictable story line or an author who really knows how to get you to connect with the characters. This was neither of those things, although it wasn't a bad story. I like a little more depth to my characters, these characters seemed very one-dimensional and cliched. If you're looking for a feel-good mother/daughter coming to understand one another, overcoming family issues novel this might be for you. As I mentioned, it's just not my idea of an enjoyable read.
shelbyjo's review
5.0
This was a good quick read. I was drawn into the story right off the bat. The characters were believeable and interesting, and the story was realistic. I liked how similar Betty & Susannah's stories were.
There were times when I told myself, "oh, I know what will happen to these people" or "I bet that this happens" but I was almost always wrong! I liked the suprise of the story not going exactly where I thought it would!
I have a few more of Kathleen McCleary's books on my bookshelf. I'm looking forward to diving into those as well.
There were times when I told myself, "oh, I know what will happen to these people" or "I bet that this happens" but I was almost always wrong! I liked the suprise of the story not going exactly where I thought it would!
I have a few more of Kathleen McCleary's books on my bookshelf. I'm looking forward to diving into those as well.
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