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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
It took awhile for this story to get going for me but the family dynamics were written very well. The toxic family traits and how Marley just jumped right in there and shook things up. It was a great read if you like family dramas.
Thank you to Celadon for an early review copy of Mercury and for the audiobook copy from MacMillan. I am a huge fan of Amy Jo Burns, Shiner is one of the books I recommend often as it's a bit under the radar but so good, and this was a big win for me too.
The audiobook is nicely performed and well produced and I have to say that my physical review copy is filled with annotations so clearly a big win for me.
What works for me:
1. I love character driven stories and Burns writers characters who are relatable but not predictable. She clearly loves the voices she writes, wants readers to get invested in the characters, and writes their stories with care.
2. Literary writing.. Burns has a lovely lyrical style (without getting bogged down in overly detailed expositions) and her work often sings to me. There are often wonderful turns of phrase throughout her work that showcase her talent.
3. Family drama and well rounded characters...always important to make a character driven story work. Burns pays homage to her own family (roofers) and to themes on love and friendship and messiness but also strength and resilience.
The audiobook is nicely performed and well produced and I have to say that my physical review copy is filled with annotations so clearly a big win for me.
What works for me:
1. I love character driven stories and Burns writers characters who are relatable but not predictable. She clearly loves the voices she writes, wants readers to get invested in the characters, and writes their stories with care.
2. Literary writing.. Burns has a lovely lyrical style (without getting bogged down in overly detailed expositions) and her work often sings to me. There are often wonderful turns of phrase throughout her work that showcase her talent.
3. Family drama and well rounded characters...always important to make a character driven story work. Burns pays homage to her own family (roofers) and to themes on love and friendship and messiness but also strength and resilience.
***4.5 stars rounded up***
Despite the rather lackluster cover, I am always eager to read a multi-generational family drama and this one didn't disappoint with its multiple point-of-views, complex characters, and themes of love, loyalty, loss, and regret. Marley was undoubtedly my favorite character with her strength, resilience, and ability to both forgive and give of herself so freely. However, every character was illustrated so fully that I empathized with each one despite his or her flaws and mistakes. I wish the ending was a little less rushed and I would have appreciated a bit more closure. Still, Burns's writing style definitely hooked me and I've added her backlist to my TBR as a result.
Despite the rather lackluster cover, I am always eager to read a multi-generational family drama and this one didn't disappoint with its multiple point-of-views, complex characters, and themes of love, loyalty, loss, and regret. Marley was undoubtedly my favorite character with her strength, resilience, and ability to both forgive and give of herself so freely. However, every character was illustrated so fully that I empathized with each one despite his or her flaws and mistakes. I wish the ending was a little less rushed and I would have appreciated a bit more closure. Still, Burns's writing style definitely hooked me and I've added her backlist to my TBR as a result.
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
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
I loved this one. Gut punches and all. Loved the people in it, their tenacity, the storylines.
Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.
emotional
tense
medium-paced
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes