Although I can completely understand why some felt this book was not their cup of tea, I really love Mary McGarry Morris' novels and this is no exception. I think she is one of the most underrated novelists in part because she does her job so well as she tends to focus on the different, the uncomfortable and the painful. And, she does it exceptionally well here with the story of Martha. This character is so interesting to me - fascinating really. We never really find out for 'sure' what Martha is in terms of a diagnosis. We know she's 'off' but not what really causes her very odd and uncomfortable demeanor. I found the character to be so compelling while at the same time so difficult to read about. It gave me a great deal to think about in terms of how I (and society) treats those who are different. How we make assumptions. How we make judgments. I felt that the author's writing of her story really made me feel what it must be like to be Martha as well as what it must be like to be around her. At times, I felt as if I were THERE, watching it all unfold in front of me. I found the story to be heartbreaking overall. The story is dark and there isn't necessarily a light at the end of the dark tunnel. But, in the end, I think that was appropriate. I think a 'happy ending' would have been contrite and missed the entire point of the story. I really enjoyed this book and plan to seek out other books by this author that I haven't yet read. ( )

Although I can completely understand why some felt this book was not their cup of tea, I really love Mary McGarry Morris' novels and this is no exception. I think she is one of the most underrated novelists in part because she does her job so well as she tends to focus on the different, the uncomfortable and the painful. And, she does it exceptionally well here with the story of Martha. This character is so interesting to me - fascinating really. We never really find out for 'sure' what Martha is in terms of a diagnosis. We know she's 'off' but not what really causes her very odd and uncomfortable demeanor. I found the character to be so compelling while at the same time so difficult to read about. It gave me a great deal to think about in terms of how I (and society) treats those who are different. How we make assumptions. How we make judgments. I felt that the author's writing of her story really made me feel what it must be like to be Martha as well as what it must be like to be around her. At times, I felt as if I were THERE, watching it all unfold in front of me. I found the story to be heartbreaking overall. The story is dark and there isn't necessarily a light at the end of the dark tunnel. But, in the end, I think that was appropriate. I think a 'happy ending' would have been contrite and missed the entire point of the story. I really enjoyed this book and plan to seek out other books by this author that I haven't yet read. ( )

Although I can completely understand why some felt this book was not their cup of tea, I really love Mary McGarry Morris' novels and this is no exception. I think she is one of the most underrated novelists in part because she does her job so well as she tends to focus on the different, the uncomfortable and the painful. And, she does it exceptionally well here with the story of Martha. This character is so interesting to me - fascinating really. We never really find out for 'sure' what Martha is in terms of a diagnosis. We know she's 'off' but not what really causes her very odd and uncomfortable demeanor. I found the character to be so compelling while at the same time so difficult to read about. It gave me a great deal to think about in terms of how I (and society) treats those who are different. How we make assumptions. How we make judgments. I felt that the author's writing of her story really made me feel what it must be like to be Martha as well as what it must be like to be around her. At times, I felt as if I were THERE, watching it all unfold in front of me. I found the story to be heartbreaking overall. The story is dark and there isn't necessarily a light at the end of the dark tunnel. But, in the end, I think that was appropriate. I think a 'happy ending' would have been contrite and missed the entire point of the story. I really enjoyed this book and plan to seek out other books by this author that I haven't yet read. ( )

Although I can completely understand why some felt this book was not their cup of tea, I really love Mary McGarry Morris' novels and this is no exception. I think she is one of the most underrated novelists in part because she does her job so well as she tends to focus on the different, the uncomfortable and the painful. And, she does it exceptionally well here with the story of Martha. This character is so interesting to me - fascinating really. We never really find out for 'sure' what Martha is in terms of a diagnosis. We know she's 'off' but not what really causes her very odd and uncomfortable demeanor. I found the character to be so compelling while at the same time so difficult to read about. It gave me a great deal to think about in terms of how I (and society) treats those who are different. How we make assumptions. How we make judgments. I felt that the author's writing of her story really made me feel what it must be like to be Martha as well as what it must be like to be around her. At times, I felt as if I were THERE, watching it all unfold in front of me. I found the story to be heartbreaking overall. The story is dark and there isn't necessarily a light at the end of the dark tunnel. But, in the end, I think that was appropriate. I think a 'happy ending' would have been contrite and missed the entire point of the story. I really enjoyed this book and plan to seek out other books by this author that I haven't yet read. ( )

I much prefered Morris's "Songs in Ordinary Time." Essentially this is a book about a "dangerous" woman who is a woman who just makes her own choices and is a bit odd and different. Nothing too dangerous about that. The protagonist seemed a bit of a hyperbole, though, and I wasn't too interested in her and her choices. ( )