Customer Reviews

The Assigned Visit

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In The Assigned Visit, Susan, the naïve girl from the South meets Caleb, the yet-unformed young man from the Northeast. They become friends at Harvard while the angst-driven Vietnam War shapes their generation's values. Camille, the monster hurricane, outdone only by its evil twin Katrina, sweeps away a portion of Susan's beloved South and Caleb drifts from Susan's life. Twenty years later, they find each other because of a promise they made to write the story they could not write for themselves.

Verbal portraits are Shelley Fraser Mickle's forte. She transports her readers with the eye of an artist whose metaphors ring with reality. This story sticks in the heart of anyone who ever second-guessed a life altering decision and remains long after being put on the shelf for safekeeping

Julie Eberhart Painter

Florida

Shelley Mickle is a fantastic writer. In "The Assigned Visit" she revisits the South of the 1960s. Her characters sparkle with a freshness not often found in today's literature. And her love story reads as topical as today's headlines. Seesawing back and forth from today and yesterday, Harvard and the Mississippi Gulf coast, "The Assigned Visit" is well worth the visit.

A not-so-simple tale of unrequited love becomes an absorbing story of the late 60s. The author weaves the mood of those times with long-forgotten historical detail, a passionate love story, ominous plot lines and an unpredictable ending. Both the main and minor characters are well-drawn. Mickle uses an interesting literary device to write from a man's perspective as a woman. Much more than a beach read, but just as enjoyable.

I got a copy of this after hearing it was good; I read it in one sitting. Wonderful style of writing and a different sort of "predictable" ending. Not as predictable as I thought it might be. The ending seemed a little rushed but overall a good read.

My usual reading material includes suspense, mystery and an occasional historical novel. This book is all of that without a single murder! I was so absorbed with the characters that I could hardly put it down. If you love the South, you will appreciate the book all the more. The style in which the story is told fascinated me and pulled me along on the characters' journey. This was pure entertainment.

This is the odessy of a young southern girl entering the world of higher education at Harvard University in Boston, the heart of New England culture. Susan's music studies offer her friendships which grow as she grows. After Harvard, Susan returns to the South persuing her career and new friendships which seem to only skim above those peaceful depths of her Harvard friendships. The climax is the surprise that is natural. The detailed main characters make this story real and enjoyable.

Mickle is interested in how we learn about ourselves, a few of the people close to us, and bigger groups of people around us--cultures. Her characters, like us, are good people who do a lot of things right and make the best of their mistakes, learning along the way about affection, desire, kindness, devotion, and sacrifice--many of the things we call love. Interesting subjects and interesting story telling.

The Assigned Visit is an enjoyable journey back in time, a reminder of what it was like to be young and unsure about love. Shelley Fraser Mickle has created a clear sense of place and time, transporting us with vivid imagery from Cambridge, Mass., to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, during the late 1960s-early '70s. Whether or not this was your era, this story moves well. It kept my attention throughout, and I found myself thinking and caring about the characters even when I wasn't reading the book.

This beautiful love story is set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and Hurricane Camille, both of which mirror current and intensely emotional issues in our time. The characters navigate the confusing politics and cultural struggles just as we are doing now. Reading this book was a great way to spend my time, and I highly recommend it.

I loved this book.It took place in a time I am very familiar with and I relived it while reading.I learned a lot of extras while following fascinating characters and a very unusual story line.It kept my interest piqued.I actually saved the last part to read when I would have no distractions.I definitely recommend this book.