Reviews

The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd

jennaweston's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

This book was very lukewarm for me. I didn't absolutely love it, but I didn't hate it either. It felt like if Where the Crawdads Sing and Eat, Love, Pray had a baby, which in theory would be good, but it had too much going on for how short the book was. Again, it was not bad, but not my favorite of Sue Monk Kidd.

What I liked 

• The characters and setting were interesting.
• I thought the message of finding yourself was really nice, especially with it being an older woman who has created a life for herself.
• The mystery of her mother and what happened to her father helped move the plot along, though it did feel like it came out of left field.
• Love a sexual awakening.

What I didn’t like

• It was a bit slow at parts
• The plot was all over the place.
• I don’t think she should’ve be able to just walk right back to her husband after what happened on the island.
• Felt very Hallmark-y.

lynnestokes's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

jennyluwho's review against another edition

1.0

Total rot.

I finished it bc I had vague recollections of The Secret Life of Bees being a decent read. I must’ve either been too young to understand good books OR Sue used up all her writing prowess in novel #1 and was forced to spew out this Lifetime movie screenplay to keep some publishing company happy.

stephaniesteen73's review against another edition

3.0

Well-written, engaging plot and an entertaining read...but I just can't endorse this book due to its sketchy views on religion and spirituality. Really, a woman has to "find herself" by destroying her marriage and having an affair with a monk? Really, she neglects her mentally unstable mom to find herself? This felt very "Eat, Pray, Love"ish - finding yourself=pure selfishness. It's disappointing, especially in light of reading Monk Kidd's other work, Traveling with Pomegranates, a book whose spiritual aspect I really identified with.

rduncan's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

rwlongino's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

seremora's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

megletronic's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

jordiebrooks's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

curlyjessreads's review against another edition

2.0

Jessie has to return home to a small island off the coast of South Carolina, when her Mom has an emergency (maybe mental breakdown?). While there she tries to come to terms with her life as it is and what she wishes it may have been. As secrets are revealed she has to come to terms with her past. 
This one wasn't for me. Jessie makes some hugely questionable choices. I am not a fan of midlife crisis stories where a married woman (or man) suddenly meets someone else and instantly falls in love, and tries to convince the reader that it's ok. I didn't get the story and wouldn't recommend it.