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beastreader's review
5.0
John and Mary Margaret is both a heartbreaking and heartwarming story. This book touches on Alzheimer, Parkinson, and Lewy body dementia diseases. Yet, in a thoughtful way. The story also featured social and racial injustice. Which really makes this book very relevant for present day.
John and Mary only spent time together briefly in the beginning and for most of the book, they did not interact or meet each other again until years later. Yet, I feel there was a strong connection between them; despite the distance.
While it is a short book, I found myself taking my time reading it. This is because I was savoring every moment. This is a five star recommended read for me.
John and Mary only spent time together briefly in the beginning and for most of the book, they did not interact or meet each other again until years later. Yet, I feel there was a strong connection between them; despite the distance.
While it is a short book, I found myself taking my time reading it. This is because I was savoring every moment. This is a five star recommended read for me.
brandy_reads's review
3.0
Happy pub day to this sweet little book.
This story alternates between the present - where John and Mary Margaret are telling their story - to the past where we learn about how they met and their lives up to present day.
What I didn’t like - Their reason for inviting this person to discuss their history just didn’t add up. Even when they finally got to explaining why they invited her over to talk about this, the explanation was just swept under the rug. Cushman explains in the authors note why this character was included but I didn’t think it was necessary, or a better explanation was needed.
What I liked - Real events and people were included in the story. As a non-American, and someone who grew up with zero interest in history, there is so much I don’t know so this has given me some things to look into. Cushman also provides some book recommendations at the end which I have already added to my TBR list.
Thank you Uplit for my gifted copy.
This story alternates between the present - where John and Mary Margaret are telling their story - to the past where we learn about how they met and their lives up to present day.
What I didn’t like - Their reason for inviting this person to discuss their history just didn’t add up. Even when they finally got to explaining why they invited her over to talk about this, the explanation was just swept under the rug. Cushman explains in the authors note why this character was included but I didn’t think it was necessary, or a better explanation was needed.
What I liked - Real events and people were included in the story. As a non-American, and someone who grew up with zero interest in history, there is so much I don’t know so this has given me some things to look into. Cushman also provides some book recommendations at the end which I have already added to my TBR list.
Thank you Uplit for my gifted copy.
stinas_fav_books's review
5.0
Thank you @uplitreads & @sjcushman for the opportunity to read this ARC copy!
This novel grabbed my attention and heart from the very first chapter. I was truly captivated at how @sjcushman told the story of 2 completely different people, growing up in completely different ways, over a span of almost 7 decades, in under 200 pages!! The chapters and writing moved seamlessly from John’s story to Mary Margaret’s and as Adele (a character in the novel) would say “I could not wait to hear the rest of the story!” I was taken on a journey through two separate sets of eyes that showed strength, courage, and bravery. This one will stay with me for a very long time. I can’t wait to read the rest of Susan’s work!
#johnandmarymaragret #susancushman #gifted
This novel grabbed my attention and heart from the very first chapter. I was truly captivated at how @sjcushman told the story of 2 completely different people, growing up in completely different ways, over a span of almost 7 decades, in under 200 pages!! The chapters and writing moved seamlessly from John’s story to Mary Margaret’s and as Adele (a character in the novel) would say “I could not wait to hear the rest of the story!” I was taken on a journey through two separate sets of eyes that showed strength, courage, and bravery. This one will stay with me for a very long time. I can’t wait to read the rest of Susan’s work!
#johnandmarymaragret #susancushman #gifted
shobizreads's review
4.0
This is a short but powerful book. It’s historical fiction, specifically focused on the Ole Miss campus riots in the late 1960s when 8 Black students were expelled.
The author uses a love story between John Abbott, a Black man, and Mary Margaret, a White Woman, to highlight the cultural realities of Mississippi in the 1960s including the danger involved in a biracial relationship. The authors own experience as a White woman and lack of hearing about that incident even though she was on campus at Ole Miss during that time highlights they racism and White privilege present.
Told in alternating storylines about John and Mary Margaret’s life after splitting up their freshman year of college - we get to see how their lives played out and the continuing racial dynamics of the south - particularly in Memphis and Oxford, MS.
This would be a great book club book - and the author even included discussion questions in her book.
The author uses a love story between John Abbott, a Black man, and Mary Margaret, a White Woman, to highlight the cultural realities of Mississippi in the 1960s including the danger involved in a biracial relationship. The authors own experience as a White woman and lack of hearing about that incident even though she was on campus at Ole Miss during that time highlights they racism and White privilege present.
Told in alternating storylines about John and Mary Margaret’s life after splitting up their freshman year of college - we get to see how their lives played out and the continuing racial dynamics of the south - particularly in Memphis and Oxford, MS.
This would be a great book club book - and the author even included discussion questions in her book.
bookish_bethany's review
3.0
Happy Hump Day and happy belated #PubDay to JOHN AND MARY MARGARET by Susan Cushman! Thank you to @uplitreads for the advanced copy to read and review.
This book follows two characters, John and Mary Margaret, through their childhoods, to their time spent at Ole Miss during the 1960s, to their adult years, and even past retirement. The two briefly dated during college, however, Mary Margaret was a sorority woman with aspirations of becoming a teacher or writer, and a housewife, and John was one of the college’s few Black students, who dreamed of law school and helping out the civil rights movement. The books shows show their lives eventually intersect again.
Overall, this was a cute book; it read almost like a less-problematic version of THE NOTEBOOK. Young love, which didn’t last, and a reconciliation later in life. However, I do believe it tried to address a lot in such a short book (less than 200 pages) from interracial dating, to the civil rights movement, to private vs public schooling options during integration, to health issues like dementia; so, it was a bit overwhelming and I felt like some of the issues (especially Mary Margaret, as a white woman’s, behavior and thoughts towards racism and related issues) were not given the time necessary to really unpack.
JOHN AND MARY MARGARET is out now.
https://www.instagram.com/bookish.bethany/
This book follows two characters, John and Mary Margaret, through their childhoods, to their time spent at Ole Miss during the 1960s, to their adult years, and even past retirement. The two briefly dated during college, however, Mary Margaret was a sorority woman with aspirations of becoming a teacher or writer, and a housewife, and John was one of the college’s few Black students, who dreamed of law school and helping out the civil rights movement. The books shows show their lives eventually intersect again.
Overall, this was a cute book; it read almost like a less-problematic version of THE NOTEBOOK. Young love, which didn’t last, and a reconciliation later in life. However, I do believe it tried to address a lot in such a short book (less than 200 pages) from interracial dating, to the civil rights movement, to private vs public schooling options during integration, to health issues like dementia; so, it was a bit overwhelming and I felt like some of the issues (especially Mary Margaret, as a white woman’s, behavior and thoughts towards racism and related issues) were not given the time necessary to really unpack.
JOHN AND MARY MARGARET is out now.
https://www.instagram.com/bookish.bethany/
nobookendinsight's review
4.0
This is a short read, giving an overview of the fictional lives of the now elderly John and Mary Margaret. The author also includes details about several civil rights events that occurred in the '60s. I appreciated the attention to careful research and the compassionate telling of very disheartening life experiences of the fictional couple and of our recorded history. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and uplitreads for the gifted copy to read and review.
rachreads925's review
4.0
A short book at less than 200 pages, it still contains 60 years of stories and weaves in the Civil Rights movement, racial issues, and Alzheimer's. This is a book that left me wishing it was longer, I was pulled into these characters who felt so real to me. I even shed a tear towards the end.
John and Mary Margaret are the main characters: John a Black man from a middle class family and Mary Margaret a white woman from a wealthy family, both growing up in Mississippi in the 1950s and 1960s. The story covers their early lives, their story of meeting and becoming friends in 1966 at Ole Miss, and the later years. I don't want to give away any spoilers so I won't say more, you'll want to read it and find out yourself.
This would be a great book club, with so much to talk about and it being a quick read. It's out this Tuesday (June 8th). Thank you to Uplit Reads for the advanced copy, all opinions are my own.
John and Mary Margaret are the main characters: John a Black man from a middle class family and Mary Margaret a white woman from a wealthy family, both growing up in Mississippi in the 1950s and 1960s. The story covers their early lives, their story of meeting and becoming friends in 1966 at Ole Miss, and the later years. I don't want to give away any spoilers so I won't say more, you'll want to read it and find out yourself.
This would be a great book club, with so much to talk about and it being a quick read. It's out this Tuesday (June 8th). Thank you to Uplit Reads for the advanced copy, all opinions are my own.
reyesreadingreview's review
4.0
This novel follows John and Mary Margaret and how their relationship has evolved through the years with alternating past and present timelines. They both grew up in the South, with Mary coming from a white, privileged family and John, a young black boy, hoping to study law at Ole Miss, a predominant white university in the 1960s. An event on campus pushes them apart, but when they reconnect, it feels like no time has passed. There are some heavy topics touched on, especially the fight for civil rights in the South and the impact of Alzheimer’s in a family unit.
While I did enjoy this novel, it felt rushed since it was so short, under 200 pages. There were a lot of moments that deserved more unpacking and I didn’t understand the situation in which the characters were telling their journey. That being said, it reminded me a bit of The Notebook (which I love!), especially with the Alzheimer’s and flashbacks, and the characters were likable.
Thank you @uplitreads for this gifted copy!
While I did enjoy this novel, it felt rushed since it was so short, under 200 pages. There were a lot of moments that deserved more unpacking and I didn’t understand the situation in which the characters were telling their journey. That being said, it reminded me a bit of The Notebook (which I love!), especially with the Alzheimer’s and flashbacks, and the characters were likable.
Thank you @uplitreads for this gifted copy!
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