This book is the type that you would not hesitate to take to the doctor's office but at the same time could enjoy on the train. It's cover does not hint at the joy and pain that is included in the story of a mother who has lost her mobility and the daughter who strives to care for her. The ending is unexpected and while you would think the content would keep you up at night, this is not the case. It is the book to pick up when you need a dose of reality and a big smile on your face!
Helpful Score: 6
You will not need your bookmark for this book. It is a fast read....it will grab your attention on page one and not let go till the end.
Helpful Score: 6
I read everything Elizabeth Berg writes, and I wouldn't say this is her finest, but the writing has her usual luminous quality and is a pleasure to read. This is written thrugh the eyes of a young teen girl, in the early 1960s, in Tupelo MS, who lives with her beautiful young mother who was crippled by polio when pregnant. The father has deserted, and they are able to live independently, although in poverty, only with round the clock care for the mom, most notably provided by a black woman named Peacie, whose man friend has become active in the civil rights movement. There is a constant threat, not only of civil unrest, but of the state caseworker deciding to institutionalize the mom and put the girl in foster care, for lack of proper caretakers available. The ending is way too 'pat' and easy, but the family and the times they lived in are beautifully rendered.
Helpful Score: 5
Not one of Berg's best books, but it's a good read. It moves a bit slow early on, but picks up a lot. I liked that it was based on a reader's story. I thought it was nice of the author to take a reader's story and turn it into a fictional novel.
Helpful Score: 4
This story was kinda lackluster, despite the fact that it was inspired by a real person. The character development seemed without depth.
