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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-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
book hive {my selection}
I DNF’d- while the writing was lovely, the narrator (audiobook) left much to be desired, and I personally got bored with the heavy character study, rather than much action.
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
emotional
hopeful
medium-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
3.5 stars rounded up. I realllly loved the first half of this and was into the premise, but the second half really rambled and went off the rails for me.
I wrote a whole review and accidentally deleted it because this app is awful, so trying again.
Updated with full review, *some spoilers ahead*: The writing in Mercury is often very good, and it’s a vivid small town setting that feels rich and full of sparks. I didn’t know I had any interest in roofing but this book made me. Elise and Mick reminded me of my in laws, which is just as fascinating and unsettling as you might expect. The premise is fantastic; a body has been found in the attic of a church. We learn more about a family and how they are all connected to this, and how one woman helped another to cover up an affair.
I would say the first 50% was solid and I was prepared to give five stars. However, things in the second half were not as quality. I understand why Marley and Waylon’s marriage got so much focus — she doesn’t want to end up like Elise, in a dead marriage with a husband who is uninterested in her — but good Lord this section was so boring and it went on for approximately seven billion years. There was way too much time spent on this and I was so bored. Like, there is a dead body and a possible murder also, I do not care. Anyway.
Baylor has a cool name and the depth of a sea sponge. He had potential, yes, but as soon as he tried to kiss Marley and dare I say assault her, it was over for me. And everyone just forgives him! It’s fine! He was drunk and he doesn’t even remember it! Okay?? It would be one thing if the book (or even another character?) was critical of them accepting his behavior, but it is not. At all. Great. We are all expected to brush aside Baylor’s behavior because he is a hero. Well, Pepperidge Farm remembers.
The actual climax of the book felt like a desperate, chaotic attempt to get important characters into the church for a dramatic climax. It was amateur and my disbelief was not suspended, sorry. Which is a disappointing end to a really cool start of a book with a gripping premise.
Baylor and Elise suddenly being focalizing characters felt out of place and the payoff wasn’t worth it to me.
Also, the plot line of Shay’s sexuality kind of disappeared into thin air.
Oh, and Mick being the man whore and possibly wife murderer that he is! That too. I didn’t forget, but this book seems to have.
Listen, I’m okay with shitty endings. I’m okay with people not getting their due, with bad people continuing with bad things. But this book doesn’t read like it’s finding happiness in complexity; it reads like everyone is accepting terrible things from each other because #family and sweeping things under the rug, actually. This is not as deep as it wanted to be.
Anyway, I have feelings. Averaged out to 4 stars, for the 5 star beginning and the 3 star ending.
I wrote a whole review and accidentally deleted it because this app is awful, so trying again.
Updated with full review, *some spoilers ahead*: The writing in Mercury is often very good, and it’s a vivid small town setting that feels rich and full of sparks. I didn’t know I had any interest in roofing but this book made me. Elise and Mick reminded me of my in laws, which is just as fascinating and unsettling as you might expect. The premise is fantastic; a body has been found in the attic of a church. We learn more about a family and how they are all connected to this, and how one woman helped another to cover up an affair.
I would say the first 50% was solid and I was prepared to give five stars. However, things in the second half were not as quality. I understand why Marley and Waylon’s marriage got so much focus — she doesn’t want to end up like Elise, in a dead marriage with a husband who is uninterested in her — but good Lord this section was so boring and it went on for approximately seven billion years. There was way too much time spent on this and I was so bored. Like, there is a dead body and a possible murder also, I do not care. Anyway.
Baylor has a cool name and the depth of a sea sponge. He had potential, yes, but as soon as he tried to kiss Marley and dare I say assault her, it was over for me. And everyone just forgives him! It’s fine! He was drunk and he doesn’t even remember it! Okay?? It would be one thing if the book (or even another character?) was critical of them accepting his behavior, but it is not. At all. Great. We are all expected to brush aside Baylor’s behavior because he is a hero. Well, Pepperidge Farm remembers.
The actual climax of the book felt like a desperate, chaotic attempt to get important characters into the church for a dramatic climax. It was amateur and my disbelief was not suspended, sorry. Which is a disappointing end to a really cool start of a book with a gripping premise.
Baylor and Elise suddenly being focalizing characters felt out of place and the payoff wasn’t worth it to me.
Also, the plot line of Shay’s sexuality kind of disappeared into thin air.
Oh, and Mick being the man whore and possibly wife murderer that he is! That too. I didn’t forget, but this book seems to have.
Listen, I’m okay with shitty endings. I’m okay with people not getting their due, with bad people continuing with bad things. But this book doesn’t read like it’s finding happiness in complexity; it reads like everyone is accepting terrible things from each other because #family and sweeping things under the rug, actually. This is not as deep as it wanted to be.
Anyway, I have feelings. Averaged out to 4 stars, for the 5 star beginning and the 3 star ending.
There is a lot going on here - coming of age, sprawling family drama, a little bit of romance, and a lot of identity formation - but I really liked spending a few days with this hot mess of a family.
Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for an ARC of Mercury by Amy Jo Burns for an honest review.
Mercury was an amazing story that made you feel like you were part of Marly and the Joseph's life. Maybe it was the 1990's setting in a small town that did it for me, I also was a teen in the 90's in a small town. The way the town and it's people were portrayed was spot on. This is a very character driven story with lots of details. It took me longer to read that a lot of other types of books.
This story is about found family and the lengths you will go through for them. Days after finishing Mercury I keep thinking of it.
Mercury was an amazing story that made you feel like you were part of Marly and the Joseph's life. Maybe it was the 1990's setting in a small town that did it for me, I also was a teen in the 90's in a small town. The way the town and it's people were portrayed was spot on. This is a very character driven story with lots of details. It took me longer to read that a lot of other types of books.
This story is about found family and the lengths you will go through for them. Days after finishing Mercury I keep thinking of it.
Never thought I'd fall in love with a story about a roofing family but... this book was another one I just couldn't put down. Mercury kept me guessing what would happen next at the end of every chapter! The characters were each so complex (& in different ways too!) that I was invested in every single one - even the annoying, grandiose Mick. The ending pulled at my heart strings SO hard... Amy Jo Burns is a beautiful writer & I'm so glad I picked up this book! I recommend this book to anyone who's a fan of mystery or historical fiction!
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
This one had some heartbreak and some happiness and a little bit of a mystery. Marley arrives in the little town of Mercury with her mother at 17. She meets a guy named Baylor, who enjoys making out with her in this car until she asks where it was going, he ghosts her. She enjoys and misses his family dinners, later she starts a romance with his younger brother, Waylon and ends up pregnant and married soon after. A pastor ends up dead and his death is covered up for 8 years. There are some interesting and sad parts in this one. Get your tissues.