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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
One of the weirder books I've read this year. Set in Port Sabine, an oil town on the Gulf of Mexico that seems to be modeled on Port Arthur, Texas, Parssinen's novel is an eerie and unsettling look at a life shaped by sports, religion, and most of all, lies.
Mercy Louis is the star player on her high school basketball team. She lives with her grandmother, whose brand of religion is a lot bigger on eternal suffering than it is on grace. Her strict morals have been pounded into Mercy's head so hard for so long, her grandmother doesn't need to be physically present for Mercy to hear her voice, judging her actions and warning her of the consequences.
So instead of chasing boys, Mercy has cultivated a close relationship with her best friend, Annie. Annie's behavior isn't always in line with Mercy's beliefs, and eventually something will have to give. It may not be possible for Mercy to live up to all of her grandmother's expectations—and trying may cause her to lose her grip on reality.
Parssinen's book would probably be cathartic for a reader who escaped a fundamentalist background. She does a great job capturing the kind of conservative Christian culture in which girls are blamed for boys' lack of self-control and taught their only value is an intact hymen. For those of us who believe women have intrinsic value unrelated to their sexuality, the traditions (and the assumptions behind them) of Mercy's community are downright chilling.
I have to admit, I struggled with this one a bit as I read it, because I felt like there were about five too many loose ends, and I could never be sure which parts of the narration I could trust. However, now that I've spent some time pondering it, I see how much there was to chew on despite the vagueness. There's a lot going on here—I haven't even mentioned, for example, that there's a second narrator, or that a bunch of girls in the town develop tics and twitches a la Salem circa 1692. And I've been purposely skirting any reference to the grisly discovery made by a gas station cashier taking a break behind the store.
See what I mean? It's a lot to pack into one 300-page novel. But if you're in the mood for something a little creepy, if you enjoy stories of religion run amok, if you're looking for a book that will make you see feminist issues with fresh eyes, The Unraveling of Mercy Louis should have a place on your list.
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
Mercy Louis is the star player on her high school basketball team. She lives with her grandmother, whose brand of religion is a lot bigger on eternal suffering than it is on grace. Her strict morals have been pounded into Mercy's head so hard for so long, her grandmother doesn't need to be physically present for Mercy to hear her voice, judging her actions and warning her of the consequences.
So instead of chasing boys, Mercy has cultivated a close relationship with her best friend, Annie. Annie's behavior isn't always in line with Mercy's beliefs, and eventually something will have to give. It may not be possible for Mercy to live up to all of her grandmother's expectations—and trying may cause her to lose her grip on reality.
Parssinen's book would probably be cathartic for a reader who escaped a fundamentalist background. She does a great job capturing the kind of conservative Christian culture in which girls are blamed for boys' lack of self-control and taught their only value is an intact hymen. For those of us who believe women have intrinsic value unrelated to their sexuality, the traditions (and the assumptions behind them) of Mercy's community are downright chilling.
I have to admit, I struggled with this one a bit as I read it, because I felt like there were about five too many loose ends, and I could never be sure which parts of the narration I could trust. However, now that I've spent some time pondering it, I see how much there was to chew on despite the vagueness. There's a lot going on here—I haven't even mentioned, for example, that there's a second narrator, or that a bunch of girls in the town develop tics and twitches a la Salem circa 1692. And I've been purposely skirting any reference to the grisly discovery made by a gas station cashier taking a break behind the store.
See what I mean? It's a lot to pack into one 300-page novel. But if you're in the mood for something a little creepy, if you enjoy stories of religion run amok, if you're looking for a book that will make you see feminist issues with fresh eyes, The Unraveling of Mercy Louis should have a place on your list.
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
Great writing, fully realized characters and complex relationships make this one of the best novels I've read this year. This is as much a coming-of-age tale as it is a literary thriller. The starting point of the story is a crime, but the focus is Mercy Louis, high school basketball star in a small town in Texas. Raised by a savagely religious grandmother, she is cripplingly innocent and inadequately equipped to handle normal teen stuff, not to mention letters from her absent drug addict mother. Add to this a dead fetus found in a dumpster and strange affliction that grips the town's teenage girls, and you have a whole town in a state of feverish anxiety (yes, there are some similarities with Megan Abbott's The Fever).
I sometimes feel a little detached when reading novels about experiences radically unlike my own. People talking about rapture and purity balls in all seriousness is completely alien to me, but Parssinen creates such a believable context for it that I became wholly immersed in the story. The misogony and religious superstition is dark and disturbing, all the more so because it is mostly perceived as entirely normal by the characters, but there is enough human kindness for a happy ending to seem plausible.
I sometimes feel a little detached when reading novels about experiences radically unlike my own. People talking about rapture and purity balls in all seriousness is completely alien to me, but Parssinen creates such a believable context for it that I became wholly immersed in the story. The misogony and religious superstition is dark and disturbing, all the more so because it is mostly perceived as entirely normal by the characters, but there is enough human kindness for a happy ending to seem plausible.
I enjoyed this book and its interesting take on the life of a high school star athlete and her environs. However, it seemed to get a bit bogged down by trying to take on too many sources of conflict. The lack of closure for the main mystery was probably intentional but it seemed to just get lost among all the other story lines involving environmental dangers, sexism, racism,poverty, rape and addiction.
Sigh. Not only do we have two POVs, we have two different types: one first person, one third. It's not just adjusting to the new person, it's adjusting to a different writing. Sigh. And, of course, when you're writing in the first person, the first trick should be to make the characters sound different - not the case here. Mercy's voice is too sophisticated, to writerly, much better suited for a third person voice than first. Illa's makes sense the way she's written, but not Mercy.
So, the plot. There are a few competing hooks: the basketball focus, the Bible-belt Purity Ball and church life, the town's decline, the refinery's affect on the environment and, finally, mother-daughter dynamics for both Illa and Mercy. Add in a tinge of Cajun folktales and this is quite the jam-packed book. At times I wished for just a little less range.
ARC provided by publisher.
So, the plot. There are a few competing hooks: the basketball focus, the Bible-belt Purity Ball and church life, the town's decline, the refinery's affect on the environment and, finally, mother-daughter dynamics for both Illa and Mercy. Add in a tinge of Cajun folktales and this is quite the jam-packed book. At times I wished for just a little less range.
ARC provided by publisher.
Wow. I have to admit that I am intimately connected with this story; Port Sabine, Texas is a fictitious amalgam of the area that constitutes the Golden Triangle in southeast Texas - the cities of Beaumont, Port Arthur and Orange - and it is the area in which I was raised. It closely borders the state of Louisiana and, as such, lots of Cajun and Creole influences cross over into the area; I'm sure I never realized how unique an area it really is, until after I'd moved away for college and discovered that my hometown environment was a little different from that of most everyone else. As such, I had no trouble immersing myself in this tale; in fact, there were moments when I could substitute the faces of high school friends and their family members into the roles of the characters in this novel.
For me, this novel was an illuminating way to revisit or examine the culture and traditions of this part of the country with a different perspective; I can relate to the subject matter, but I now see it through a different lens. The overbearing religiosity of Mercy's grandmother, the scandal of Annie's "purity ball" and her questionable status as a virgin, the importance of high school sports to the community, and the good 'ol boys - the refineries, politicians and money-pushers - are all elements that create a lot of tension, emotion and contribute to the way of life for the residents of this area. Author Keija Parssinen nails it and if you've ever wanted a glimpse into this world (and you should, because it's pretty wild) this is your ticket. You could liken this experience to that of the residents of Appalachian coal mining towns: everyone has a family member who works for "the company" and no one wants to jeopardize what "the company" does for the community...well, when they're not killing people in accidents or working them to death. Instead, everyone entertains themselves with small town gossip and drama, especially if you have some good dirt on an influential member of town.
The writing is fantastic, Mercy's journey is captivating and the characters are solidly built; no matter where you're from or how you were raised, there is definitely a story to be enjoyed here. Through Mercy's experiences, readers are reminded that it's not all about the wins and losses but more about the way we play the game; sometimes, what's best for us in the long run may not be what we expected.
For me, this novel was an illuminating way to revisit or examine the culture and traditions of this part of the country with a different perspective; I can relate to the subject matter, but I now see it through a different lens. The overbearing religiosity of Mercy's grandmother, the scandal of Annie's "purity ball" and her questionable status as a virgin, the importance of high school sports to the community, and the good 'ol boys - the refineries, politicians and money-pushers - are all elements that create a lot of tension, emotion and contribute to the way of life for the residents of this area. Author Keija Parssinen nails it and if you've ever wanted a glimpse into this world (and you should, because it's pretty wild) this is your ticket. You could liken this experience to that of the residents of Appalachian coal mining towns: everyone has a family member who works for "the company" and no one wants to jeopardize what "the company" does for the community...well, when they're not killing people in accidents or working them to death. Instead, everyone entertains themselves with small town gossip and drama, especially if you have some good dirt on an influential member of town.
The writing is fantastic, Mercy's journey is captivating and the characters are solidly built; no matter where you're from or how you were raised, there is definitely a story to be enjoyed here. Through Mercy's experiences, readers are reminded that it's not all about the wins and losses but more about the way we play the game; sometimes, what's best for us in the long run may not be what we expected.
Mercy Louis is a star, Illa is not. Mercy lead the basketball team to the championship game last season where they had an unheard of loss that weighs on her since. Illa is the team manager who passes through most of her days feeling utterly invisible. The book alternates between the two girls as they go through the last summer of high school and into their senior year. Both have complex relationships with their guardians with Mercy's grandmother convinced 12/31/1999 will be the end of days and Illa's mother trapped in a failing body after an explosion at the plant that had been the backbone of their small town.
The book opens with a grisly discovery by a store clerk of a dead baby. The discovery leaves all the town's girls marked as suspects based merely on the fact that they are females. This event is followed by a mysterious condition affecting teen girls starting with an uncontrollable tic in Mercy's arm. There are many themes here including the danger of religious fervor, the suffering of the town and its economy after the plant accident, and the confusing time of first loves.
I'm not sure if this is marked Young Adult, but it felt like it based on the text and not just because teens are at the forefront of the story. There's nothing wrong with that, some wonderful books are marketed as YA, but it seems to hold the book back. There are too many themes, all explored with too cursory of a stroke. Some things felt too cliche (ex. the plan developed by Mercy's hyper-religious grandmother) and I never felt the depth of character or plot that make me love a book. I was definitely more interested in Illa's path than Mercy's but neither compelled me to read excitedly, instead I picked up the book in an effort to reach the finish. It wasn't a bad book, but (in my humble opinion, an honest one not influenced by having gotten an advanced copy of the book for free from the publisher) it wasn't good either. Three (of five) stars.
Who might like this? I'd think it would do best with a younger crowd. It does have some sex in it, so if that's a problem then steer clear. It might appeal to people interested in how a powerful message can attract devotees who make dangerous decisions justified by complete, unquestioning belief. There's plenty of plot here so I think it would interest those who like action/plots but be less appealing to readers who focus more on fully fleshed out characters. It isn't a hard read so could be read in public situations (ex. on a train, in a coffee shop, etc)
The book opens with a grisly discovery by a store clerk of a dead baby. The discovery leaves all the town's girls marked as suspects based merely on the fact that they are females. This event is followed by a mysterious condition affecting teen girls starting with an uncontrollable tic in Mercy's arm. There are many themes here including the danger of religious fervor, the suffering of the town and its economy after the plant accident, and the confusing time of first loves.
I'm not sure if this is marked Young Adult, but it felt like it based on the text and not just because teens are at the forefront of the story. There's nothing wrong with that, some wonderful books are marketed as YA, but it seems to hold the book back. There are too many themes, all explored with too cursory of a stroke. Some things felt too cliche (ex. the plan developed by Mercy's hyper-religious grandmother) and I never felt the depth of character or plot that make me love a book. I was definitely more interested in Illa's path than Mercy's but neither compelled me to read excitedly, instead I picked up the book in an effort to reach the finish. It wasn't a bad book, but (in my humble opinion, an honest one not influenced by having gotten an advanced copy of the book for free from the publisher) it wasn't good either. Three (of five) stars.
Who might like this? I'd think it would do best with a younger crowd. It does have some sex in it, so if that's a problem then steer clear. It might appeal to people interested in how a powerful message can attract devotees who make dangerous decisions justified by complete, unquestioning belief. There's plenty of plot here so I think it would interest those who like action/plots but be less appealing to readers who focus more on fully fleshed out characters. It isn't a hard read so could be read in public situations (ex. on a train, in a coffee shop, etc)
This surprisingly sophisticated book starts off more like YA fiction–with intrigue and teenage introspection. But as the story moves deeper into the life of high school basketball star Mercy Louis, Parssinen’s use of religious hysteria as foil to normal human interaction, love, and family togetherness becomes more and more potent. I enjoyed this, especially Mercy’s character. (You can tell Parssinen had fun bringing Mercy’s character to life. Parssinen sometimes describes her in an almost poetic way.) A great story about the potentially destructive and harmful effects of religious fervor where young, impressionable women are concerned.
I wanted to like this book, but it drug on. I debated between a 2 or a 3 star rating - probably more 2.5. I finished it, but only because I kept thinking "It'll get better, right?" It would have been better if the main plot line was developed more and the background info less - I felt the entire book could have been 150 or so pages less.
http://www.anurseandabook.com/2015/03/the-unraveling-of-mercy-louis-by-keija.html
This was the kind of book that you are moved to keep reading, even while you are a bit disgusted by the town, the characters, the story.
The story starts out with a newborn baby abandoned in a dumpster, but this isn't the main storyline. *SPOILER ALERT*, you never even find out who gave birth. There is a detail about the baby having high levels of anti-reflux drugs in it's system, but that too goes nowhere.
Having said that, I just realized that I didn't know who left the baby in the garbage until I started writing this review.
The story went down lots of different paths, a religious grandmother who has visions, a crooked politician father who tries to control his wayward daughter, Mercy's first boyfriend, and her absentee mother.
I wish I knew what happened to Lucille Cloud. I wish I knew how long the factory had been polluting the town. I wish I knew if the girls were truly ill or if it was psychosomatic.
But I didn't get my wishes. But what I did get was a compelling read. I think the description of "brutality...of girlhood in America" is an apt one.
This was the kind of book that you are moved to keep reading, even while you are a bit disgusted by the town, the characters, the story.
The story starts out with a newborn baby abandoned in a dumpster, but this isn't the main storyline. *SPOILER ALERT*, you never even find out who gave birth. There is a detail about the baby having high levels of anti-reflux drugs in it's system, but that too goes nowhere.
Having said that, I just realized that I didn't know who left the baby in the garbage until I started writing this review.
The story went down lots of different paths, a religious grandmother who has visions, a crooked politician father who tries to control his wayward daughter, Mercy's first boyfriend, and her absentee mother.
I wish I knew what happened to Lucille Cloud. I wish I knew how long the factory had been polluting the town. I wish I knew if the girls were truly ill or if it was psychosomatic.
But I didn't get my wishes. But what I did get was a compelling read. I think the description of "brutality...of girlhood in America" is an apt one.
Honestly fought to keep reading this book. The synopsis sounds incredible but I kept waiting for it to deliver only to be disappointed. I got to about page 100 before I decided to stop wasting my time with it. No mystery/suspense drama should take that long to get going.