Reviews

Mercury: A Novel by Amy Jo Burns

booksalabrooke's review against another edition

emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

missywhidden's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

sheilasamuelson's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Rating: 5 Stars 
Review: 
Thank you to  BookishFirst for picking me to win this FREE ARC Copy in a Raffle on their website earlier this year.  

This was my first time reading a novel by Amy Jo so I wasn't sure what to expect but I have to say I really enjoyed it more than I thought I would. This book was about the Jacob family who owned a roofing company in Mercury Pennsylvania as they go through the trials of life in the 90s.

The characters were fun and enjoyable to read about. Marley and Waylon were my favorites I even shipped them by the middle of the book. I didn't care for Ruth since she came off as pushy when Marley told her about her pregnancy but I was glad that Marley ended up making her own decision about it.

The setting was beautifully described which made me feel like I was actually in the 1990s Mercury Pennsylvania while reading especially when the scenery was described.

Overall a phenomenal contemporary fiction novel. Can't wait to read more by Amy in the future.

spow's review against another edition

5.0

When trying to decide whether I wanted to read this book or not, I kept seeing the words “slow-burn” to describe it. Now that I’ve finished it, this was no slow burn for me. Mercury is a powerful look at one family’s dynamics, what makes them work and what tears them apart. It’s beautifully honest in drawing out each character’s flaws while also highlighting their redemptive qualities.

While the synopsis talks about the Joseph boys, I think this story revolves around the women in the Joseph family, who are the overlooked glue of the family. Marley is a high school senior who shows up to town and quickly starts a romance with one Joseph brother but ends up marrying another. As she works to gain acceptance into the family and her mother-in-law’s graces, she entwines herself into the Joseph brother’s lives, giving them each something they need. Meanwhile, Elise Joseph gives all she has and more to her husband and children with little acknowledgment. She sees how her life has fallen away to the whims of her boys and wishes more for Marley.

What’s beautiful about this book is we get to see into the hearts and minds of each character, seeing both the good and bad that lives in each of them. Each Joseph boy is extremely complex internally even if his external actions seem simplistic. Just when you are ready to write off a character, the author goes inside their mind to help you understand where they come from and why they deserve redemption.

I could not put this book down, which is why this was not a slow burn for me. At first I wanted to see how the story enfolded, and then I could not stop learning more about the characters in that story. By the end of this book, I felt so connected to each character, flaws and all, that I was sad to say goodbye to them. This will not be a story that I will easily forget.

** Thank you so much to NetGalley and Celadon books for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.**

eavers's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

emilyctrigg's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

alysapear's review against another edition

challenging hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

katrinadm's review against another edition

While there have been flashes of beauty in this book, I’m finding the author is asking me to accept characters and behaviors that aren’t shown. Lots of “types”— gruff, silent men, typical women, complicated relationships that are described but that I’m not believing. I don’t have time to work through this one.

me_alley's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

Beautifully written novel.  Just a scoch too long. 
Scoach?
Skosh?
Scosh?
Anyway.  Slightly too long. 
I loved Marley and Waylon.  

gerikrempa1's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5