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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Amy Jo Burns’ Mercury is a compelling, yet complex novel about family, loyalty, and the secrets that bind us. The story follows Marley West, a seventeen-year-old who arrives in the small town of Mercury, Pennsylvania, seeking belonging. She quickly becomes enmeshed in the lives of the Joseph brothers, eventually taking on the roles of wife, surrogate mother, and caretaker to a fractured family. While Marley’s rapid integration into the family was intriguing, her almost superhuman ability to juggle these roles, all while being heavily pregnant, felt unrealistic and at times made her character seem more like a saint than a relatable person.
The other characters in Mercury are equally complex, particularly Elise, the cold and controlling matriarch, and Mick, the self-absorbed patriarch whose selfishness creates tension throughout the novel. While Elise’s harshness was understandable given her difficult past, her cruelty toward Marley was hard to overlook. Mick’s immature and toxic behavior provided much of the story’s conflict, but his character felt too familiar and often frustrating. The most unsettling aspect of the book was the dynamic between Marley and the Joseph brothers, with emotional and physical tensions that veered into uncomfortable territory. The lines between familial love and romantic attraction often blurred, which made the relationships feel a bit exploitative at times.
The novel takes a surprising turn with a murder mystery that feels out of place and ultimately underdeveloped, leaving an unsatisfying conclusion to that thread. Despite these issues, Mercury still captivated me with its exploration of family dynamics and the emotional depth of its characters. It’s a thought-provoking novel about love, sacrifice, and the secrets we keep, even if some of the plot points felt strained or unresolved. Ultimately, it’s a gripping story that makes you question the true cost of family loyalty.
Four out of five stars.
I received this book for free from Goodreads First Reads.
The other characters in Mercury are equally complex, particularly Elise, the cold and controlling matriarch, and Mick, the self-absorbed patriarch whose selfishness creates tension throughout the novel. While Elise’s harshness was understandable given her difficult past, her cruelty toward Marley was hard to overlook. Mick’s immature and toxic behavior provided much of the story’s conflict, but his character felt too familiar and often frustrating. The most unsettling aspect of the book was the dynamic between Marley and the Joseph brothers, with emotional and physical tensions that veered into uncomfortable territory. The lines between familial love and romantic attraction often blurred, which made the relationships feel a bit exploitative at times.
The novel takes a surprising turn with a murder mystery that feels out of place and ultimately underdeveloped, leaving an unsatisfying conclusion to that thread. Despite these issues, Mercury still captivated me with its exploration of family dynamics and the emotional depth of its characters. It’s a thought-provoking novel about love, sacrifice, and the secrets we keep, even if some of the plot points felt strained or unresolved. Ultimately, it’s a gripping story that makes you question the true cost of family loyalty.
Four out of five stars.
I received this book for free from Goodreads First Reads.
Mercury by Amy Jo Burns is a love story. It’s the story of life shared in a family, between each member of a family. It was one of the best family dramas I’ve read lately.
Marley is an only child of a single mom. She arrives in Mercury, PA and is quickly engulfed by the Joseph family. Mercury tells the story over 9 years.
Baylor, Waylon and Shay are the Joseph brothers. Each will impact, and be impacted by, Marley and their love for each other, as they grow from teenagers to adults.
But this isn’t a perfect love story. Things aren’t wrapped up in tidy bows at the end. These stories are messy, and there are hurts that go unacknowledged, and unresolved. But I loved my time with the Joseph family—all of them.
Thank you to @netgalley and @celadonbooks for the e-copy of #mercury. This book published 1/2/2024 and is available wherever books are sold.
Marley is an only child of a single mom. She arrives in Mercury, PA and is quickly engulfed by the Joseph family. Mercury tells the story over 9 years.
Baylor, Waylon and Shay are the Joseph brothers. Each will impact, and be impacted by, Marley and their love for each other, as they grow from teenagers to adults.
But this isn’t a perfect love story. Things aren’t wrapped up in tidy bows at the end. These stories are messy, and there are hurts that go unacknowledged, and unresolved. But I loved my time with the Joseph family—all of them.
Thank you to @netgalley and @celadonbooks for the e-copy of #mercury. This book published 1/2/2024 and is available wherever books are sold.
Mercury by Amy Jo Burns is a love story. It’s the story of life shared in a family, between each member of a family. It was one of the best family dramas I’ve read lately.
Marley is an only child of a single mom. She arrives in Mercury, PA and is quickly engulfed by the Joseph family. Mercury tells the story over 9 years.
Baylor, Waylon and Shay are the Joseph brothers. Each will impact, and be impacted by, Marley and their love for each other, as they grow from teenagers to adults.
But this isn’t a perfect love story. Things aren’t wrapped up in tidy bows at the end. These stories are messy, and there are hurts that go unacknowledged, and unresolved. But I loved my time with the Joseph family—all of them.
Thank you to @netgalley and @celadonbooks for the e-copy of #mercury. This book published 1/2/2024 and is available wherever books are sold.
Marley is an only child of a single mom. She arrives in Mercury, PA and is quickly engulfed by the Joseph family. Mercury tells the story over 9 years.
Baylor, Waylon and Shay are the Joseph brothers. Each will impact, and be impacted by, Marley and their love for each other, as they grow from teenagers to adults.
But this isn’t a perfect love story. Things aren’t wrapped up in tidy bows at the end. These stories are messy, and there are hurts that go unacknowledged, and unresolved. But I loved my time with the Joseph family—all of them.
Thank you to @netgalley and @celadonbooks for the e-copy of #mercury. This book published 1/2/2024 and is available wherever books are sold.
It is always fun for me whenever a book comes through as a donation for my Little Free Library Shed that I also think I will want to read. In this case, this one also appeared to be an exclusive Barnes & Noble Book Club edition. I have never read a B&N Book Club edition, so I was hopeful that this would be a good selection.
Mercury is a town in Pittsburgh. And it is a story that revolves around the Joseph family, the owners of a local roofing family.
The story starts around a gruesome discovery in the attic of a church when the brothers are summoned to fix the leaky roof. And…they come upon a decomposed body. Will this be a mystery, who-dun-it? Or more a character-driven-story in which by the very nature of who we meet along the way, people will be revealed? And, maybe even a love story might emerge, too?
This is a narrative about small town life. Imperfect. Flawed. Complex family dynamics. Who have a strong desire for belonging. Engrossing, beautifully crafted characters, that feel real. It may take a while to get in to it – you may wonder if the mystery will be solved, or if it is important to solve it. You may wonder if the love story is central to everything. If you can stay with it, it might be a semi-satisfying read.
And yes, I can see why this would be a good book club selection.
Mercury is a town in Pittsburgh. And it is a story that revolves around the Joseph family, the owners of a local roofing family.
The story starts around a gruesome discovery in the attic of a church when the brothers are summoned to fix the leaky roof. And…they come upon a decomposed body. Will this be a mystery, who-dun-it? Or more a character-driven-story in which by the very nature of who we meet along the way, people will be revealed? And, maybe even a love story might emerge, too?
This is a narrative about small town life. Imperfect. Flawed. Complex family dynamics. Who have a strong desire for belonging. Engrossing, beautifully crafted characters, that feel real. It may take a while to get in to it – you may wonder if the mystery will be solved, or if it is important to solve it. You may wonder if the love story is central to everything. If you can stay with it, it might be a semi-satisfying read.
And yes, I can see why this would be a good book club selection.
emotional
reflective
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
Was this even that dysfunctional? But I do love some family drama.
meh. dysfunctional family drama with incredibly slow pacing but is the first book i made it through in over a month which i guess counts for something.
2.5 stars.
2.5 stars.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more egregious example of the consequences of not following show don’t tell but I think this book might hit for people if they’re able to care about the characters? Idk man
This book is of a “type”. It’s a very readable story and I was engaged to see what would happen and the varying perspectives. But after a bit it becomes somewhat forced and various extraneous themes woven in. By the time it was over it felt like she had to make all the pieces fit. I probably won’t remember much about this book in a few months.
However glad to learn of the author as her memoir sounds interesting and I’m looking forward to reading that.
However glad to learn of the author as her memoir sounds interesting and I’m looking forward to reading that.