Customer Reviews

Sweet Mary: A Novel

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Love books set in Florida, rarely buy hardbacks -- the cover and flap copy on this was pretty irresistible and this was a birthday treat. I was sorely disappointed --it read like a treatment for a movie or tv show that had been quickly and sloppily fleshed out as a "novel." The blurbs seem suspiciously to have been provided by friends of the author. There are others who have done this type of fiction better. Even formulaic TV cop shows have more going on in terms of plot, character, and dialogue. A hardback is a rare treat these days and this was not worth the money.

"I want it all back. My job. My reputation. But most importantly, I want my son"

Another Vine choice from first time author, Liz Balmaseda!

Dulce Maria "Sweet Mary" Guevara is a successful real-estate agent and single mother. Her delicate world however is thrown into a loop when the DEA breaks into her house and arrests her, believing her to be Maria Portilla, cocaine queen. Not even a release and an apology can clear her name, return her job, and return her son. Now, Mary must find "Bad Mary" and prove her innocence!

I Liked:

The first word that comes to mind when thinking about this book is "fresh". Liz Balmaseda is a superb writer, no doubt. I thoroughly enjoyed her set up of the story, which can be one of the most laborious and tedious parts of a book. She writes Sweet Mary so realistically, so honestly that I wouldn't be surprised to find her in Florida! Which brings me to the scenery...amazing! I feel that Balmaseda has a firm grasp on her surroundings, on her characters, and most definitely on Cuban culture!

Sweet Mary was real to me. Balmaseda set up the story so well, so you could feel Mary's pain, torment, agony, at being without her son and unemployed.

The story was very interesting. It is scary to think about what would happen, were you mistaken for someone else. How would you prove your innocence? What would life be like afterwards? I felt that the subject matter was very creative, and I enjoyed seeing what would happen next (for the most part).

I Didn't Like:

The first thing I would change about this book is the silly "intro" passages that make this book read more like a screenplay or a play. It is written in third person present while the rest of the book is in first person past. This abruptly brings me out of the story (a HUGE writing no-no) and usually isn't even necessary. About halfway through, I ignored these "stage directions" (minus the "Little River Guns and Pistol Range--Day 30" type parts) and the story wasn't hindered in the slightest.

The next thing I would change is probably to put in more foreshadowing to Joe. On the flap, he is said to be a HUGE obstacle. In the novel, he pops in, all of a sudden, and is suddenly Mary's ex-fiancé. I couldn't help the WTF? Moment. I felt that, maybe if Mary had still thought about him in the beginning, his appearance later in the novel (and the revelation of his relation to Mary) would make more sense.

Also, the novel was, I daresay, too fast-paced. Things happen at a break-neck speed--Mary's day is going fine then BOOM off to jail then BOOM out of jail then BOOM off to Joe...you get the picture.

And the ridiculous chain of events. Please. Mary finds "Bad Mary" way too easily (within two days of searching!). All Mary, a single soccer mom and real estate agent, had to do was chitchat with Joe and BOOM, there's "Bad Mary"! I mean, if that woman is so easy to find, how did the officials not find her first? Are they that incompetent? Well, if you read the book, you know the answer already. Then, there is no way that Mary could come away from this scott-free, as she did in the books. Does she have a license to hold a weapon? Threatening at gunpoint (no, it was not self-defense, not by a long shot)? Stalking a person? Practically breaking and entering? And why was it necessary for "Bad Mary" to have a daughter? That only detracted from the story (adding an unnecessary detour to Mary sympathising with "Bad Mary" and then the sappy Mary to the rescue taking care of "Bad Mary"'s daughter), and honestly, if it had ended on the cutting floor, no one would be the sorrier.

Then the ending. God, the ending. Talk about making sure all those who wronged her got the middle finger and all those who helped her got a big, huge pat on the back. Smarts of another Mary...a Mary Sue! Too much exposition (the whole "how did it happen" revelation you get at the end of a Nancy Drew book or Scooby Doo episode), too many wrapping up scenes, too over the top. Fortunately, the scenes provided a lot of cheese to counter the sappy sugariness of the ending or I would have gone into a sugar coma.

Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:

Surprisingly clean. Yes, you will find da**, he**, b*****d, and a few f-words, but otherwise, I would rate PG-13 if it were a movie.

Mary sleeps with Joe at one point, but the encounter is "off screen". A woman pole dances to make a sale. Women's "assets" are described. Someone is hinted at having an affair.

The DEA break into Mary's home. Joe works in a seedy side of town. And several characters' lives are threatened. But again, fairly clean.

Overall:

I adored (absolutely adored!) the first half of the book and, minus the crazy stage directions, was prepared to give a four or maybe even five star. But by halfway, the plot got insane and then the conclusion...gah! Don't get me wrong, Balmaseda is a great writer! I have no doubt that with some time and a bit more practice (and editing), she will be amazing. And I will still be keeping an eye out for her, that much is for sure. But as for this book...not terrible, but not amazing either. 3 stars.

Brought to you by:

*C.S. Light*

I consider this book to be unrealistic and a product

of an immature writing style The first part was fairly

interesting, and then the dialogue and plot became

totally implausible. The book was short in content and

I read it very quickly. I have not read anything by

this author before and probably will not do so again.

The premise is certainly different: a real estate agent being pulled from her home and child in a case of mistaken identity, though the case is so flimsy as to suspend disbelief to heights equal to the moon over Miami. But the the whole thing loses steam from there. It isn't that there's anything particularly bad about this book, just that there isn't anything particularly notable about it either. It's basically formulaic, in the style of all those folks solving crimes or getting out of jams in the hot Florida sun, wearing fabulous fabrics and sipping fruity drinks. Not a lot of substances, but fun in the right mood.

I have to agree with a previous reviewer that I LOVED the first half of the novel- the character is really alive and the setting descriptions are fantastic and the writing tight, sharp and witty. Then for the second half it all goes downhill. It is the plot that does not keep up with the writing. She thanks Andy Garcia for "fostering this story in its first incarnation, as a screen play." Maybe the transition from screenplay to novel did not work. I hope that Ms. Balmaseda tries again because she does have it in her t produce a great South Florida novel, she is a terrific writer.

Liz Balmaseda, author of Sweet Mary, seems to be swinging for the quirky and hip vibes given the reader in the books by Carl Hiaasen. Sadly, this is a swing and a miss. Sweet Mary starts out with an unbelievable storyline and under drawn characters. She complicates matters by throwing in stage-type directions that pull the reader out of the story. The story gets better by the second half, as I was able to set aside my disbelief and roll more with the story. This offering is the first novel for writer Liz Balmaseda, and while not a home run, she shows enough talent to be put back in the batting order. I'll read her next novel to find out if she's a ringer.

After reading the description about the plot, mistaken identity and solving a mystery, I was excited to read the book. Once I received it and read the bookjacket though, I lost some of my enthusiasm. Then it took me months to generate enough interest to even open it and try to read the story. Once I finally started, I could not get into the book at all. The writing is choppy and the characters were not believable. I wanted to like the book but just did not. The author clearly tried to write a fast paced action novel but seemed to have missed the mark. Couldn't give it just one star as that seems peevish and petty, but I don't recommend it at all.

I found the plot premise and character development of this book a bit trite and artificial. For it to succeed, the reader must buy into the concept that a real estate agent can go rogue and start sleuthing around and kicking ass in a dodgey milieu. The only element of this otherwise lukewarm story that is mildly compelling is the relationship between the protagonist and a former love. The author does not render the South Florida scene in a particularly vivid or descriptive way. Overall, this is something you could read on a trip or during a hospital stay without feeling unduly cheated and then leave for the next person.

"Sweet Mary" is a well written book...for the first half of the book. The writing style is clear and enjoyable. There is urgency to the writing that allows this book to be a fast read.

The novel is about Mary, a woman wrongfully arrested due to a mistaken identity. Because of this, her life comes tumbling down and she must find the real "Bad Mary" the feds were looking for so she can put her life back on track. Joe is her high school sweetheart and he helps her in her quest to clear her name. The books takes place in Florida. The setting narration was well set-up. Clear pictures of Florida will spring into your head directly from Balmaseda's words.

The character of Mary is well written. I could imagine her doing what she did and reacting as she did (for the first half). Balmaseda created a very interesting and engaging character. She makes us feel sympathy for her and like her even more through her actions. Her character development suffered greatly during the second part of the book as the author pretty much started with Sweet Mary and ended up with Tomb Raider. Secondary characters also suffer disjointed personality. Their actions did not seem up to par with the characters themselves.

Now for the plot. The plot had great potential. It is not very complicated although it throws a few twits here and there. But, it was interesting and engaging. The first half of the novel was really good. It was realistic. Except for the whole mistaken identity part. I know it happens all the time but, this one was pretty bad! They did not even have the same nationality! Which may be the author's argument that to some, all Hispanics are thrown into the same pile without regard to their individual cultures.

The second part of the book just got into the ferry train and high tailed it out of realistic land. It just became way too far-fetched. I mean, it was out there and then proceeded onto the left-field. How a single mom and real estate agent was able to find a fugitive woman in record time when the feds were not able to is beyond me.

The book started out well and then it just went into the realm of even the impossible is possible. It was ok for a weekend read. It would have been better had it stayed consistent with the first part.

I expected much more from a Pulitzer Prize winning author than this insipid so-called thriller. Liz Balmaseda may well be a gifted writer but her gifts do not shine in Sweet Mary: A Novel.

I am admittedly not a fan of the crime thriller but I was tempted by this title's blurb promising a richly textured story "so true to the culture and soul of its setting," one that "shimmers with authentic Florida heat." Rather, what I found is a hackneyed plot embarrassingly reminiscent of a banal TV crime series; flat and one-dimensional, cliched characters; pathetic dialogue; maudlin sentimentality; prerequisite, soap-opera sex; and of course the predictable happy ending.

I forced myself to stay with this silly novel, hoping it would improve and eventually redeem itself but I was left only disappointed and unsatisfied. What a waste of my time.