Customer Reviews

Tender Mercies (Contemporary American Fiction)

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

 

 

I bought this book and eagerly awaited its arrival having loved Civil Wars and Before and After. This book has an anticipatory depressing premise: a spouse accidentally injures his spouse catastropically. The accident has already occured when the book opens and the family is leaving New York City for the tranquility of their small town, one year after the accident and one year after extensive rehab. This book never has an uplifting moment. Sure, the guilt Dan experiences and the anger of his wife over the accident is expected. But where is the reconciliation? The two kids seem like they are on the periphery throughout the book and despite her injuries, the mother never reaches out to her children. I read this book through hoping it would get better. The Wellseley wife lives this injury solely intellectually. The distance between the husband and wife is palpable yet never breached. I was very disappointed in this book, regretfully so, because I usually adore Ms. Brown's books. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this one.

This is a lovely, well written, and intimate story of a family in a very difficult situation. It is a thoughful reminder of what is important in living any life.

This is a tragic novel dealing with the aftermath of an accident that leaves a woman
paralyzed. How much does it take to destroy a good marriage?

The husband inadvertently turns his wife into a quadraplegic by making messing
around with a boat that he really can't operate. His guilt and her bitterness are the
baggage that is ever present in their marriage.

This book is depressing and tragic but very well-written.

I really do not like the execution of this book at all. And this is mostly on account of one reason: I don't believe it. The voices of the characters are disingenuous--aint nobody talk or think like that. I mean, come on, Brown features scenes with catheters and spasms and then I am supposed to believe that the characters, in spite of all this grotesque reality around them, still live in this flowery level in their heads?

Laura's voice is much, much too poetic to be taken seriously at all. And Brown has a habit of talking about some mysterious, mystic "it" and goes on for sentences at a time without the reader knowing what she's talking about--kind of like this sentence itself. This is the biggest sin in relationship writing.

Also, very, very little HAPPENS in this story, and most of what does is not interesting.

There is also too much sex going on with Dan--and by this I mean that you can actually see Brown trying to construct the male persona, which makes it unbelievable.

I give it two stars because there are some good points--interesting concept, attempt to capture disability through caregiver experience, one or two well written paragraphs--that can be seen through all the textual vomit.

I mistakenly purchased this book at a friend's recommendation. However, I only LATER found out I had gotten the TITLE wrong!

But having bought the book, I proceeded to read it. Talk about a dissapointment! There is enough guilt and depression in life without another story that offers no "hope" or reconcilliation in broken relationships. You can watch soap operas and get the same result! If you want a challenging and uplifting book, try the one that I was originally SUPPOSE to read! "A Severe Mercy" by Sheldon Vanauken. Now THAT book makes you think about what is TRULY important in life! I won't be the same person after reading it!