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3.44 AVERAGE
3.44 AVERAGE
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Stronger on character rather than plot (kind of like real life).
I would have given this 3.5 if I could. It took me a long time to get into this story and the end was not as satisfying as I would have liked, but I did become attached to the characters and missed them when I was finished.
Again, I'm wanting a half star. 2.5 really fits better and I will probably keep waivering between 2 and 3.
Songs in Ordinary Time is written in a lovely prose and is focused on developing characters and place. These tend to be winning qualities for me. The tale explores many inhabitants of a small Vermont town with a focus on a single mom, her drunk ex, her three kids, and the con-man who takes up residence in her life with promises of riches and, perhaps more importantly to her, stability. I got lost in the names at first but did get past that (which speaks well of the author...she put enough into each character to make them memorable and I admit I'm not great at juggling lots of names and plot lines).
The problem with Songs is it is just an overwhelmingly depressing read. I don't need books to be fountains of joy and happiness. I actually prefer novels that feel real rather than fake happy endings. I've never flocker to rom-coms at the movies and don't look for that in books. But this just was too far...too sad and down. There were some glimmers that some people might end up okay, but they were faint and overshadowed. I tried to think of a time and place that would fit the book (i.e. beach read, airplane read, educational read, serious thinking read...)...I couldn't find a real spot or audience for which I'd recommend it.
So...stylistically strong and well-written but just too bleak to be able to earn my kudos.
Songs in Ordinary Time is written in a lovely prose and is focused on developing characters and place. These tend to be winning qualities for me. The tale explores many inhabitants of a small Vermont town with a focus on a single mom, her drunk ex, her three kids, and the con-man who takes up residence in her life with promises of riches and, perhaps more importantly to her, stability. I got lost in the names at first but did get past that (which speaks well of the author...she put enough into each character to make them memorable and I admit I'm not great at juggling lots of names and plot lines).
The problem with Songs is it is just an overwhelmingly depressing read. I don't need books to be fountains of joy and happiness. I actually prefer novels that feel real rather than fake happy endings. I've never flocker to rom-coms at the movies and don't look for that in books. But this just was too far...too sad and down. There were some glimmers that some people might end up okay, but they were faint and overshadowed. I tried to think of a time and place that would fit the book (i.e. beach read, airplane read, educational read, serious thinking read...)...I couldn't find a real spot or audience for which I'd recommend it.
So...stylistically strong and well-written but just too bleak to be able to earn my kudos.
Was slow to warm on this one. I think it’s because all the characters are strange and miserable, which was sad at first. I liked reading the relationship between siblings, and the author captures all the bickering, glances and looks, teasing, loving so perfectly. Like how it ended like an action drama movie with a big fight at the end where the cowardly character is the one who saves them all.
For some reason I did not make a journal entry on this book other than the fact I really loved it and the date I read it. I will obviously need to revisit this one soon.
With writing like this, HOW can people give this book low ratings and negative reviews?
[On a bus trip] He was distantly aware of the wheels turning under them, the stench of exhaust through the dusty sliding windows, and beside him, the wet crunch of Lucille's pointy teeth into a pear.
[Keep in mind this is happening at a formal business dinner!!!] Biggs was a carpet installer from Detroit whose bad knees had ordained a new line of work. His life's savings as well his mother's had been invested in Presto. "Hear that?" he'd asked Omar during the cocktail hour, raising each leg up and down. 'That's cartilage crunching."
I enjoy so much, getting to scrutinize other people's miserable lives. And I love how we get into the characters heads and know all their dramatic thoughts.
Please, Mary McGarry Morris, let all your other books be this good!!! This one goes on my favorites shelf, but, I put the paperback itself directly into the trash. Why? Because the printer or bookbinder really screwed up. There were 60-ish pages missing in the middle and then a whole section of pages were in the book twice!! Luckily, the ebook is an "always available" title on Hoopla so I was able to download it, read the missing pages on Hoopla, and then return to the paperback.
[On a bus trip] He was distantly aware of the wheels turning under them, the stench of exhaust through the dusty sliding windows, and beside him, the wet crunch of Lucille's pointy teeth into a pear.
[Keep in mind this is happening at a formal business dinner!!!] Biggs was a carpet installer from Detroit whose bad knees had ordained a new line of work. His life's savings as well his mother's had been invested in Presto. "Hear that?" he'd asked Omar during the cocktail hour, raising each leg up and down. 'That's cartilage crunching."
I enjoy so much, getting to scrutinize other people's miserable lives. And I love how we get into the characters heads and know all their dramatic thoughts.
Please, Mary McGarry Morris, let all your other books be this good!!! This one goes on my favorites shelf, but, I put the paperback itself directly into the trash. Why? Because the printer or bookbinder really screwed up. There were 60-ish pages missing in the middle and then a whole section of pages were in the book twice!! Luckily, the ebook is an "always available" title on Hoopla so I was able to download it, read the missing pages on Hoopla, and then return to the paperback.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i liked it but it was just way too long like unbelievably long
