Customer Reviews

Good to a Fault

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

At the urging of my wife I broke down and read this one; a type of novel that is not normally my cup of tea. I am so grateful that she, my wife, forced the issue. This in many ways was one of the more satisfying reads I have had in quite some time.

The plot has been given a pretty good going over here by other reviewers so I will not linger long. A lady, Clara who is divorced, 43 and who has a job and a boss that she absolutely hates, who has nursed here dying parents through to the end and is now living in their old home, happens to hit a car occupied by a homeless family. While no one is horribly hurt, it is found that the mother of this homeless crew has a very serious illness. As the story slowly evolves, we have Clara taking this entire family in to her home and become in reality a member of their family, the care giver, if you will.

The plot develops very slowly and may put off some readers, but it is this sort of slow development that in the end makes for a very profound read. It is the type of development I personally enjoy. In this case it gives the author more than ample time to develop her characters, and make no mistake, this is a character driven work. When you finish this read, you will certainly feel that you truly know the individuals inhabiting the pages of the book.

Most importantly though, this story addresses just what is good. What is the "right thing" to do in a given situation? Just how responsible are we for our fellow travelers in this world? Were does being taken advantage of start and where does it end? Just how involved should we be? What is ethical, what is doing something out of pure guilt end or begin?

The author does a wonderful job describing the interactions of her cast. We watch as Clara becomes completely captivated by her new family, the nice members of the family as well as the not so nice. She has decisions to make and we are allowed to follow her decision making process. We are forced to ask ourselves "would I do that?" "Would I go that extra mile; would I do the right thing?"

I have to admit that I was completely captivated by this work. For some reason it struck a cord with me. The author is certainly good at her craft and I suppose since I do enjoy a well written story that that was part of it, yet there was more to it than that. It forced me to look into myself for a bit, and I suppose to wonder if I could live up to certain human standards.

This is a good read and I truly enjoyed it. I must admit though, that like other reviewers here, the ending lift me sort of out there hanging in the wind.

Don Blankenship

The Ozarks

This is my first read of Endicott's writings but I'll be looking for more.

A great debut and a compelling story in the style of Christopher Bohjalian and Joseph Monninger.

Another moving novel exploring male / female relationships, the dysfunctional family and even social justice.

The story keeps you turning the page for a touching finale.

I didn't want to put this book down. Of course, I was interested in finding out how the story played out, but it was more that I fell in love with the characters and wanted to spend more time with them. Each personality seemed very distinct and "real". I felt that the book was well plotted and well paced, and the ending (pleasantly) surprised me.

The storyline reminded me in some ways of Anne Tyler's "Saint Maybe" and of Cynthia Voight's "Homecoming". Those are two of my old favorites, so "Good to a Fault" had to be pretty darn good to measure up in my eyes. Endicott had her own satisfying take on the orphaned/abandoned children plot. I hope that she will write many more books. I'd love to see a sequel, although this book stands well on it's own.

This is a book about a plain vanilla woman who crashes into a carload of color. Her life becomes filled with pain, mystery, love, and light.

This book asks a lot of questions about ethics and goodness, whether any righteous acts are done from mixed or selfish motives, whether it matters. Do our characters shape our actions or is it the other way around?

I'd love to talk with you about this book.

I think you will like this if you like Amy Tan, Anne Tyler, Precious Ramotswe. I'm not recommending it to my husband who mostly reads science fiction, or my children because of some adult content.

When I first heard about Good to a Fault, it appealed to me because I enjoy books that provoke thought and raise questions. I wanted to know, what were Clary's motives? Why did she invite an entire family to live with her, when she had no real obligation to them? Was it some sort of charity, perhaps inspired by her religion?

After having read the book, it is clear that there is no real answer to these questions. Clary does something enormously generous, inviting three children and an elderly woman to live with her when she has no obligation towards the family. She did run into their car, which they were living in at the time, so there was some measure of guilt in Clary's mind. Also, there was a little bit of selfishness thrown in; as the book unfolds, it is clear that Clary wants a family. But what else is there? It is an interesting question, especially when you look at it from the other mother's perspective. Specifically, what does Lorraine owe? Clary is spending her life savings looking after Lorraine's kids; though Clary does not expect to be repaid, how does Lorraine accept this charity? Is the family merely using Clary, without considering how much she is giving them?

The characters in Good to a Fault are also extremely well-written. I imagine it is difficult to write a character like Clary and make it believable that she would make this offer to a stranger's family. But as I was reading the book, I found it completely within Clary's character to do so. It just seemed natural at the time, though I kept reminding myself, "Wait. She doesn't owe them anything."

However, the problem with the book was that it. is. slow. Though it may be a literary device to give the reader a chance to ponder the questions posed in the book, it makes the book a bit unwieldy and much too long. At almost 400 pages, I feel as though it could have been condensed a bit and delivered the same effect to the reader. There is just not enough going on in the novel to keep the reader hooked for the amount of time it takes to finish the book.

Despite the pace of Good to a Fault, I would still recommend it to anyone interested in the questions posed by the novel. I found that an effective way to read and enjoy it is to read it alongside other books. The chapters are short, so there is always a convenient stopping point. When it gets too be too slow, simply put it down and start another novel!

**A note about the main character's name: In the book, sometimes she is referred to as Clara, other times as Clary. I just wanted to put that out there in case people thought I read the entire book and couldn't get the main character's name correct!

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

Clara Purdy's life is entirely upended when she takes in the Gage family. She had been a divorcee on her own, her parents gone, her life routine. She now has a family, she feels deeply and is given back so much love, yet of course that also can lead to deep heartbreak.

The comparisons to Anne Tyler others have mentioned are very apt. The characters are drawn so you feel you know them; ordinary, good, somewhat eccentric, much like Tyler's. Endicott describes them lovingly, with great psychological insight, clarity and precision. She is an excellent writer.

The pace is leisurely, but it's kind of like life! Lots to think about after reading this book. I highly recommend it.

This book is an excellent character study on human kind and human spirit. Clara Purdy is the central character of the story. At 43, she is living in her deceased parents home where she stayed while she was caring for them and continued to stay after they were gone. Then there is Lorraine and Clayton and their 3 children, Darlene, Trevor and baby Pearce whom are homeless and live in their car. Lorraine works as a maid when possible and Clayton picks up jobs here and there. He has a hard time sticking around. There is also Grandma Pell who lives with them in their car as well, an old and cranky woman. Paul Tippet is a "non-catholic" Priest who is struggling in his marriage and has trouble communicating to others. Mix in other relatives and neighbors and you have a group of people with "character".

The book begins with a car accident. Clara is distracted while driving and runs into Lorraine and Claytons car. Fortunately there are no serious injuries but while Lorraine is in the hospital they notice bruises and later diagnose her as having cancer, something that she probably had for awhile. Clara feels a need to let them live with her in her home while Lorraine is in the hospital. She struggles with this and is detached but finds herself later becoming attached instead. Paul, her Priest, helps with her decision but is not as sure that she should do this, yet he does go to Lorraine and pray with her for healing.

Meanwhile Lorraines brother comes to be by her side and other friends and neighbors as well become involved in the lives of these people. There is joy and love as well as sorrow and loss throughout with an end result that satisfies this reader.

I am glad I chose to give this book a chance. Very good indeed.

After reading a number of disappointing (yet recommended novels) over the summer, what a delightful surprise to get so engrossed in the lives of these characters. What seems to be a very contrived opening scene that sets the plot in motion--the accident that brings a homeless family into the lives of another driver who wonders whether she is a good person--unfurls into a winding road of revelations, explorations, and all kinds of generosity.

Daughter Dolly, the oldest of the three given a stable home for the first time and still in grade school is portrayed with such an interesting set of habits, interests, and insights, that I'd love to read another novel that features the young woman this girl is going to become.

It took me a few days longer than I expected to finish "Good to a Fault" by Marina Endicott. I was distracted by some of the opening events with the car accident and questioning the reality of the situation. The other driver, husband, Clayton, appears to be a violent, good-for-nothing scoundrel. Why on earth would someone act as Clara Purdy does? Shortly, I fell in love with Clary and the family she "adopts" after the mother of the kids is found to have a dangerous, previously undiagnosed condition.

In Endicott's portrayal, Clary finds herself enjoying the busy, distracting craziness of parenting. She has been single so long, thinking her life is just what it needs to be, although even she would admit it is somewhat boring. Once she meets the Gage family, she re-sets her own barometer for what it means to be alive. Each of the children, Dolly, Trevor, and Pearce, brings into her house a different challenge.

The mother-in-law character is hilariously flawed and nicely contrasted with the burgeoning goodness of the neighbor, Mrs. Zenko.

As Clary lets go of her notions of "a quiet life," her heart opens to the possibility of love for herself: will it be Paul the minister or will it be the wayward Darwin? Or maybe she needs to keep things simple?

I don't want to throw in any spoilers, but every page is filled with the kinds of chaos only children can cause. Clary endures fear and heartache. She struggles to achieve a sense of balance. This book throws a unique light on loving children.

A 43-year-old, divorced woman's life becomes entangled with a down-on-their luck family. When their two cars collide and the hospital discovers the mother has cancer, Clara moves the three children, their father and grandmother into her home putting her life into a tailspin. With humor, honesty and tenderness, Endicott tells the story of a woman who finally finds herself through others. The characters are wonderful and I was sad to leave them.