Disfigured by the blow of an abusive husband, and suffering her entire life with severe social anxiety disorder, the widow Mary McAllister spends a...
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Oct 18, 2011
Elaine
rated it: 
Having finished this novel, I feel as sugar sick as I did once after pigging out on my mother's home made fudge
This is the sort of tale I would have loved when I was 7. I was a very precocious 7, however, having already read Pearl Buck and Havelock Ellis. However, at 76 I need more than plot or facts from a book. I need good writing.
The heavy-handed prose plodding through the banal plotting had me groaning. So why did I finish it? Boredom. Disbelief. That others gave it 5 More...
This is the sort of tale I would have loved when I was 7. I was a very precocious 7, however, having already read Pearl Buck and Havelock Ellis. However, at 76 I need more than plot or facts from a book. I need good writing.
The heavy-handed prose plodding through the banal plotting had me groaning. So why did I finish it? Boredom. Disbelief. That others gave it 5 More...
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(25 people liked it)
Jan 31, 2012
Robin
rated it: 
A disappointing book better suited for a cheesy lifetime movie.
With a feel-good factor of 10, believe-abilty factor of 0 and poor dialogue this story is best suited for a lifetime made-for-tv movie starting some washed-up sitcom actress from the 80s. There is potential in the story of Mary--she was raped by her high school teacher, she married a wealthy aristocrat, she was physically abused by her cheating husband, she was widowed at a young age yet she maintained a peaceful existenc More...
With a feel-good factor of 10, believe-abilty factor of 0 and poor dialogue this story is best suited for a lifetime made-for-tv movie starting some washed-up sitcom actress from the 80s. There is potential in the story of Mary--she was raped by her high school teacher, she married a wealthy aristocrat, she was physically abused by her cheating husband, she was widowed at a young age yet she maintained a peaceful existenc More...
Feb 16, 2012
Andie
rated it:
I downloaded a sample of this book after hearing about it on Len Edgerley's "The Kindle Chronicles" podcast. It's an excellent podcast and Len has an MFA so I just assumed he would only recommend good books. I am quite disappointed. The sample drew me in enough that I figured it was worth the .99 to download the book, but after reading it I have to say...I don't understand over 400 5-star reviews for this work.
The characters are entirely 1-dimensional, either all-good or all- More...
The characters are entirely 1-dimensional, either all-good or all- More...
Oct 16, 2011
Gloria
rated it: 
Well that's the best 99 cents I ever spent (kindle ebook). I've spent much more on books I've liked less. This has a little bit of everything, and is very original. Strong 4.5 rating from this reader. I just do not understand the other low ratings I've seen here.
The town of Mill River seems like a character itself in this captivating tale of a widowed recluse who lives high on a hill in a marble castle-like home overlooking the town. This character-driven novel holds the readers More...
The town of Mill River seems like a character itself in this captivating tale of a widowed recluse who lives high on a hill in a marble castle-like home overlooking the town. This character-driven novel holds the readers More...
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(7 people liked it)
Jan 30, 2012
Lyn M
rated it:
When I read the synopsis of this book I was expecting the normal, run of the mill contemporary fiction book. In fact, what Ms. Chan has given us in her first outing as an author is more than that. She has a wonderfully descriptive writing style that is easy to read. Her descriptions of living with Social Anxiety Disorder, everyday life in a small Vermont town, and the landscape of Vermont are spot on.
The characters in the book are wonderfully developed. Most of them are flawed i More...
The characters in the book are wonderfully developed. Most of them are flawed i More...
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(1 person liked it)
Jan 30, 2012
HerbieGrandma
rated it: 
The Mill River Recluse lives in a marble mansion atop a hill over looking the small Vermont town. The people of the town know little about her and few have even seen her. She is the widow Mary McAllister who suffers from an anxiety disorder and from the mistreatment of an abusive husband. We learn about her life, mostly from the memories of the elderly local Priest who is her connection to the outside world, and has been for 60 years. A priest with an obsession with spoons . . .
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Oct 27, 2011
Andrea
rated it:
I think the author had a wonderfully soft, kind story to tell but she had to work way to hard to try and convince me that I should love her character, Mary, the town recluse. I never felt connected to Mary. Too much time was spent telling me that Mary was crying. Eventually I lost patience with her. As a reader I would have been better served if I'd been allowed to get into the character's thoughts. Mary was one dimentional and spent way too much time crying. Who knew there were so many varr
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Sep 13, 2011
William
rated it:
I've been a Kindle reader since the very beginning of the Kindle and ebook revolution. I try to read forty books a year, but that can be very expensive. EBooks are cheaper. But now the publishers are forcing up the price of ebooks (I saw one recently where the ebook was more expensive than the paperback! But that's a different subject.) The counter to more expensive ebooks is causing an even bigger revolution, and I don't think the publishers realize it yet. The book in question is a self publis
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5 comments
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(6 people liked it)
Sep 06, 2011
Lexy
rated it: 
In a word ... wonderful!
Though I love literary fiction, I tend of avoid it because it connects to the melancholia inside me. But some books are just too irresistible to ignore. I made the mistake of downloading a sample of this book when I noticed the way it was shooting up the Kindle bestseller chart. Almost from the first word I knew that I had to buy the book. I lay in bed this morning and read it in one sitting...sublime!
In a strange way The Mill River Recluse remind More...
Though I love literary fiction, I tend of avoid it because it connects to the melancholia inside me. But some books are just too irresistible to ignore. I made the mistake of downloading a sample of this book when I noticed the way it was shooting up the Kindle bestseller chart. Almost from the first word I knew that I had to buy the book. I lay in bed this morning and read it in one sitting...sublime!
In a strange way The Mill River Recluse remind More...
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(4 people liked it)
Aug 11, 2011
Heidi
rated it:
I first saw this book advertised for sale for $.99 on "Pixel of Ink" which is a Kindle Blog that publishes all the near free book offers. The description looked intriguing and there were about 30 4-5 star ratings for the book on Amazon, so I downloaded the sample and found the first chapter to be extremely well written so I got it. The Mill River Recluse is Darcie Chan's first book. It is not yet in "print" and can only be read electronically (not sure if Amazon has the e
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Dec 26, 2011
Jo Anne
rated it:
"You must take a hard look at yourself, your actions, and how you treat others. Continue to do the best you can. That, especially, is all anyone can do."
Sounds cheesy and makes you want to vomit like Richard Paul Evans' books do but it's true. That's the thing with books like this, they are sickeningly moral but they are good reminders to us to be a better person. Sometimes reading it in a story like this will make this stick in your head so that we act the right way when t More...
Sounds cheesy and makes you want to vomit like Richard Paul Evans' books do but it's true. That's the thing with books like this, they are sickeningly moral but they are good reminders to us to be a better person. Sometimes reading it in a story like this will make this stick in your head so that we act the right way when t More...
Jul 18, 2011
Jeanette
rated it:
Disfigured by the blow of an abusive husband, and suffering her entire life with severe social anxiety disorder, the widow Mary McAllister spends almost sixty years secluded in a white marble mansion overlooking the town of Mill River, Vermont. Her links to the outside world are few: the mail, the media, an elderly priest with a guilty habit of pilfering spoons, and a bedroom window with a view of the town below.
Most longtime residents of Mill River consider the marble house and its oc More...
Most longtime residents of Mill River consider the marble house and its oc More...
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(5 people liked it)
Jan 18, 2012
Sophie
rated it:
Wow. What an incredibly well-written novel. I can't believe this is only selling for $.99. The story is captivating. The pace is fantastic. The characters are intriguing, likable and realistically flawed. The story is about a woman who suffers from social anxiety disorder and refuses to leave her house. Her fear of people prevents her from having any real relationships in her life save a life-long friendship with a good-hearted but quirky priest and a spunky, potion-making, free-spirited woman w
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Dec 29, 2011
Erin
rated it:
As this book started out I wasn't impressed. I could see the coming romance, the skeevy cop bad guy was introduced and it all seemed so predictable. Also, one character's weight issues bordered on disordered behavior and that really bothered me. But then Mary was introduced and everything changed. As a person who suffers from slight a social phobia I found that I completely related with her and the trials in her life. Also refreshing was that while this book deals with adult issues, there i
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Oct 17, 2011
Candace
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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(2 people liked it)
Oct 03, 2011
Anna
rated it:
The Mill River Recluse is the story of a woman, Mary McAllister, who lives with severe social anxiety triggered by a trauma during childhood. The town in which Mary lives is home to many other characters that drift in and out of Mary's story, whether they realize they are a part of her life or not.
While I would tag this book as a page turner, I was disappointed at the choppy dialogue between the characters and the predictability of the story. Often times, it seemed that the autho More...
While I would tag this book as a page turner, I was disappointed at the choppy dialogue between the characters and the predictability of the story. Often times, it seemed that the autho More...
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(2 people liked it)
Sep 24, 2011
Glenda
rated it:
Mary McAllister spends almost sixty years secluded in a white marble mansion overlooking the town of Mill River, Vermont. Disfigured by the blow of an abusive husband, and suffering her entire life with severe social anxiety disorder, she chooses to live her life away from people.
Her links to the outside world are few: the mail, the media, an elderly priest with a guilty habit of pilfering spoons, and a bedroom window with a view of the town below. The townspeople know nothing about her, e More...
Her links to the outside world are few: the mail, the media, an elderly priest with a guilty habit of pilfering spoons, and a bedroom window with a view of the town below. The townspeople know nothing about her, e More...
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(1 person liked it)
Dec 16, 2011
Darlene
rated it:
I was so sad to see the last page of this book. Darcie Chan did a wonderful job developing the many characters in the small town that spoke to me from in my little Kindle world.
This must have been a freebie from Kindle or someone in one of my many online groups had spoken highly, so when I saw an article about Darcie Chan I looked and found to my surprise that I had one of her book sitting there in my Kindle wanting to be read.
How to describe it? Hallmark? Lifetime movie? But More...
This must have been a freebie from Kindle or someone in one of my many online groups had spoken highly, so when I saw an article about Darcie Chan I looked and found to my surprise that I had one of her book sitting there in my Kindle wanting to be read.
How to describe it? Hallmark? Lifetime movie? But More...
Feb 12, 2012
Kasi
rated it:
Disfigured by the blow of an abusive husband, and suffering her entire life with severe social anxiety disorder, the widow Mary McAllister spends almost sixty years secluded in a white marble mansion overlooking the town of Mill River, Vermont. Her links to the outside world are few: the mail, the media, an elderly priest with a guilty habit of pilfering spoons, and a bedroom window with a view of the town below.
Most longtime residents of Mill River consider the marble house and its occupa More...
Most longtime residents of Mill River consider the marble house and its occupa More...
Oct 31, 2011
April
rated it:
The Mill River Recluse was one of those books that I put into that unexplained category of 'books that kept me reading due to intense curiosity, but that I didn't necessarily enjoy.' The story wasn't particularly deep or interesting, but there was a lot of foreshadowing and I kept wanting to know what happened next. There were a few twists and turns that kept me interested, but a book doesn't become interesting due to plot twists alone.
Also, maybe I am just being a killjoy here, but I fo More...
Also, maybe I am just being a killjoy here, but I fo More...
Oct 10, 2011
Jennifer
rated it:
My book club originally chose this book, but then because it was only offered electronically, we chose another one. I am not sure that this would have been the best book club book - providing a good conversation/dialogue, but I really enjoyed it. Can't say it was perfectly written, and I did grow a bit weary of the Leroy story (was not believable), but...I really liked this book. It simply made me feel good about people and man(woman)kind.
Mary is a relatively quiet but well-adju More...
Mary is a relatively quiet but well-adju More...
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(1 person liked it)
Aug 25, 2011
Diane
rated it:
Summary: Disfigured by the blow of an abusive husband, and suffering her entire life with severe social anxiety disorder, the widow Mary McAllister spends almost sixty years secluded in a white marble mansion overlooking the town of Mill River, Vermont. Her links to the outside world are few: the mail, the media, an elderly priest with a guilty habit of pilfering spoons, and a bedroom window with a view of the town below.
I really enjoyed this book. Mary is a sympathetic character eve More...
I really enjoyed this book. Mary is a sympathetic character eve More...
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(3 people liked it)
Feb 09, 2012
Catherine
rated it:
An okay, easy read. It's not a brilliant masterpiece or an emotionally gripping book. But it is entertaining. There were times that it was a page turner - other times you are just waiting for something to happen.
The characters are predictable and one dimensional - except for the book's namesake - the recluse of Mill River.
There are some scenarios in the book that will really make you groan and roll your eyes. Eg. "This is the police! Open the door and come out w More...
The characters are predictable and one dimensional - except for the book's namesake - the recluse of Mill River.
There are some scenarios in the book that will really make you groan and roll your eyes. Eg. "This is the police! Open the door and come out w More...
Jan 06, 2012
Rachel
rated it:
The Mill River Recluse tells the story of Mary McAllister and her final days. Crippled by social anxiety, Mary has lived in a large mansion on the edge of the sleepy little town of Mill River for years. Locals view the old house and its occupant with suspicion. Kids believe she is a witch and only a small handful of people have ever met her.
Only one priest and longtime friend knows the truth about Mary. Through this one man she has come to know the people of Mill River. Through him she More...
Only one priest and longtime friend knows the truth about Mary. Through this one man she has come to know the people of Mill River. Through him she More...
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(1 person liked it)
Oct 03, 2011
Norma
rated it:
Who says you cannot judge a book by its cover? That's what I did with Darcie Chan's book, The Mill River Recluse, and I have not regretted it for an instant. As a result of purchasing and reading Darcie's book, I met two of the most beloved characters I've had the privilege of meeting in fiction, Michael and Mary. Furthermore, witnessing the friendship blossom between these two - spanning 60 years - was a reward, in and of itself.
In case you have not read this book, I really must sugge More...
In case you have not read this book, I really must sugge More...
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(3 people liked it)
Oct 26, 2011
Jim
rated it:
This is a very well written little book that I stumbled upon in some e-read recommendations. Apparently, the book has not been a commercial success, because I bought it online for $0.99.
The character development of each of a number of different characters is very well done, and one leaves the book with the sense that he knows the people of this small charming New England town. The plot was very well constructed, but not complicated to the point of being taxing. The book seems to m More...
The character development of each of a number of different characters is very well done, and one leaves the book with the sense that he knows the people of this small charming New England town. The plot was very well constructed, but not complicated to the point of being taxing. The book seems to m More...
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(1 person liked it)
Aug 22, 2011
Sheila
rated it:
An elderly woman, Mary is an elderly recluse living in a marble mansion up on the hill looking down onto Mill River. She has a facial disfiguration caused by an injury from an abusive husband when she was a younger woman. An original traumatic experience earlier in her life sent her into a severe anxiety state from which she never really recovered. Two stories are interlocked in the book, the story of Mary as she ages from a teenager to an elderly woman dying and her long friendship with Father
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Jul 04, 2011
Shari
rated it:
Mary McAllister is a widow who was disfigured by her abusive husband, and she also suffers a sever anxiety disorder. She spent her whole life secluded in a white marble mansion on the hill of the small town of Mill River. Her best friend is a priest who has a habit of stealing spoons.
Very few of the townspeople have ever seen Mary, but only Father O'Brien and Mary know the secret she keeps, and when it's revealed, it will change all of their lives forever.
I really enjoyed More...
Very few of the townspeople have ever seen Mary, but only Father O'Brien and Mary know the secret she keeps, and when it's revealed, it will change all of their lives forever.
I really enjoyed More...
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(2 people liked it)
Jan 18, 2012
Pat
rated it:
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel set in Mill River. It's main character as the novel begins is a young naive woman, set on a harsh life from an attack from a teacher, as a younger girl. She suffers from Social Anxiety, and is nearly unable to even communicate with anyone but her father, and her beloved horses. Along comes the dashing hero, or so we think! The characters in this lovely New England town capture your heart. Most are kind generous, caring people, the prime example is Father Micha
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