The Mermaid's Chair

[Shantimama]

Is anyone else reaing this yet? I have been waiting for it to come out for months and just picked up a copy tonight. The Secret Life of Bees Is one of my all time favourite books and I also loved reading The Dance of the Dissident Daughter.

Does ayone want to discuss the book?

[Alkenny]

I'm about 3/4 of the way through it right now....won't say much yet, but I don't think it's as good as Secret Life of Bees.

[Shantimama]

I finished it late last night. It was a hard book to read. Good writing, but I agree not as good as The Secret Life of Bees. "Bees" had some hard stuff in it but I loved every bit of the book - "Mermaid" made me uncomfortable at times. Probably says more about me than Sue Monk Kidd but I didn't have the same strength of feeling at the end of the book.

I don't want to spoil it for anyone else. Parts of it were wonderful to me and I am so glad I read it, it just may take awhile for the story to settle in me.

[Alkenny]

I have probably 30 pages to go...did it seem more like a cheap "middle age crisis" romance novel or was that just me? Of course, maybe that will all change in the last 30 pages...I can hope!

[OnTheFence]

I just bought this. I haven't read "Bees" yet but plan too. I havent got into reading it yet, but loved to read your reviews.

Kim

[librarymom]

I read it and would love to discuss.



I thought it was every bit as good as "The Secret Life of Bees", just in a different way.

[Shantimama]

Tell me more.

I am actually re-reading it now. The subject matter got me this time, wasn't as comfortable for me as Bees. Now that I know what happens I think I will read it differently. It makes me want to re-read bees too!

What did you like about it? How was it as good as Bees for you?

[Verity]

I'm in the minority in that I read The Mermaid Chair before I read The Secret Life of Bees. I found things to love in both books. I feel some of Lily in me because I lost my mom 20 years ago. I didn't spend my childhood without a mother, but I've spent most of my adult life without one. OTOH, I feel Jessie IS me, but for some (ahem) details. The Mermaid Chair may well be easier to appreciate if you're in your 40s or older.

I don't believe I've ever read anyone whose writing cuts at my heart the way Sue Monk Kidd's can. Sometimes when I read books I think, "I just don't get it," or they seem to be just stories. Her books hit me where I live.

[MamaBug]

I JUST got this from the quick read list at the library so I only have until next Friday and no renewals to read it. I loved Bees very much but had heard this was not as good. I am going to try and read it quickly and then I will be back!

[loftmama]

Ooh, I got this from the library this morning. I'll be back.......

[bobica]

just finished it last night. i liked it but kinda zipped through it. it never truly grabbed me the way bees did.

[Shantimama]

I loaned it to someone but I'll take a look through again when I get it back. I read The Mermaid Chair just after moving my mother into a nursing home - she has Alzheimers and mental illness, so the book was a bit too real when it first came out. I liked it and appreciated the complexity of Jessie's character. I missed having an August Boatwright in this book, though.

[Verity]

Has anyone else finished it? I'd love to talk more about it.

[mamabearsoblessed]

geez, I read it several weeks ago now :LOL but I did love it and agree with a pp that it was just 'different' from Bees. I do think Bees was a bit more illustratd, more vibrant? more... maybe because of Lily' age the images were fresher, the way she (kidd) established surroundings -clearer... omy I am surely making no sense :LOL
Maybe because of where Jessie was in her life even a majority of the daily precipitation was fogged. as if sue monk kidd gave jessie's being to all that surrounded her.reflecting her plight?
i did love the young monk and my heart hurt for his loss, as for jessie' mother.