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MaidMerry

MaidMerry@books.theunseen.city

Joined 1 year, 4 months ago

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Vanishing Half (2020) 4 stars

Reminded me of 'The Wedding'by Dorothy West (1920). Although, this spans three generations. A humane …

Review of 'Vanishing Half' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

The book was engaging and the characters (mostly) well-developed. I felt that Part 5 dragged, though, which is one reason I couldn't give it five stars. I think the book should have ended sooner.

The narration was brilliant.

Fight Night (2021, Knopf Canada) 5 stars

Review of 'Fight Night' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

I love Miriam Toews' characters, and the ones in this novel are no exception. They have a sense of humour even in the face of trauma. They are like dandelions: cheerful and plucky and surviving, in spite of difficult circumstances.

I loved Swiv's relationship with her grandma, and I adored her grandma (as did all the characters in the novel).

The ending in the novel is inevitable, but is handled with such love and sensitivity and grace that it softens the blow, and the reader is left with a sense of hope and a recognition of the unending circle of life.

Review of 'Almost Wife' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

I'm an Anderson-Dargatz fan, but I did not care for this 'Chick Lit With an Edge' book.


*Spoilers ahead.*

One reason I can't stand chick lit is that the heroines are usually so stupid (oh, but I'm in loooooooove), and the protagonist in this book is no exception.

While it's true that many women miss the warning signs of an abuser, and that abusers can be charming and lovable at times, there didn't seem to be any really strong reasons for this heroine to be missing those signs, especially since she seemed torn from the beginning between her slick city fella and her rural childhood sweetheart. (Hallmark Christmas movie much? Bring on the plaid shirts and hot chocolate.)

Throw in the soap-opera-ish elements, such as the paternity test to determine who the real father is, and the action-film elements, such as the chase scenes, with events happening incredibly fast, …