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A Simple Thing
How far would you go to protect your children? Would you do it at the expense of your marriage? How far would you go to protect yourself?
For Susannah Delaney, the answers lie thousands of miles away, off the northwest corner of Washington state. When Susannah discovers her young son is being bullied and her adolescent daughter is spinning out of control, she moves them to remote Sounder Island in the San Juans to live off the grid for a year. Susannah hopes to save her children from the risks they've encountered at home, and to come to terms with her own haunted past. But the move threatens her marriage to the man she's loved since childhood, and her very sense of self.
For Betty Pavalak, who first moved to Sounder to save her own troubled marriage, the island has been a haven for more than fifty years. But Betty also knows the guilt of living with choices she made long ago and actions that cannot be undone.The unlikely friendship between Susannah and Betty ignites a journey of self-discovery for both women that brings them both home to what they love most. A SIMPLE THING moves beyond friendship, children, and marriages to look deeply into what it means to love and forgive--yourself.
For Susannah Delaney, the answers lie thousands of miles away, off the northwest corner of Washington state. When Susannah discovers her young son is being bullied and her adolescent daughter is spinning out of control, she moves them to remote Sounder Island in the San Juans to live off the grid for a year. Susannah hopes to save her children from the risks they've encountered at home, and to come to terms with her own haunted past. But the move threatens her marriage to the man she's loved since childhood, and her very sense of self.
For Betty Pavalak, who first moved to Sounder to save her own troubled marriage, the island has been a haven for more than fifty years. But Betty also knows the guilt of living with choices she made long ago and actions that cannot be undone.The unlikely friendship between Susannah and Betty ignites a journey of self-discovery for both women that brings them both home to what they love most. A SIMPLE THING moves beyond friendship, children, and marriages to look deeply into what it means to love and forgive--yourself.
294 pages, Paperback
First published July 24, 2012
68 people are currently reading
2182 people want to read
About the author
Kathleen McCleary
10 books78 followersI've worked as a journalist, bookseller, bartender, barista, and college professor—all great fodder for fiction. My non-fiction articles have appeared in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Good Housekeeping, More, Health, and other publications. I'm currently working on my fourth novel, teaching creative writing to kids with Writopia (a non-profit), and hiking the Appalachian Trail in small bits (59 miles down!)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
July 22, 2012
I am so excited when I find books that really speak to the heart of things I had to endure in my personal life before I found God and this is the perfect example, A Simple Thing by Kathleen McCleary. The subject matter is true to life in this imperfect world but yet the story speaks volumes to those of us hurting in so many different ways, that it doesn't have to stay that way. There is hope and there are ways to deal with those extremely painful times and move forward.
Sounder Island is that place for two remarkable women who come to this isolated island for a much more simple life, a place for solitude and a place to deal with things in their own way. Susannah Delaney is having issues in three very different but understandable ways. Her daughter, Katie at 14 is pulling away from her overly controlling mom by sneaking out late at night, attending parties her mother knows nothing about and drinking while seeing a older boy that both parents know is influencing her in negative ways to rebel. When her drinking gets out of hand, almost killing her, Susannah feels that a change in environment is the cure. Her youngest son, Quinn is the subject of being bullied and when he comes home from school, badly beaten up, she feels her decision to move the family to Sounder Island is the right one.
However for two very active kids, they aren't looking forward to complete isolation on the island at a cottage with no electricity, indoor plumbing and living off the land. Yet is Susannah doesn't take action, she believes she will lose one, if not both of her children to a lifestyle she can't control. However, her husband Matt, doesn't believe that running away with the kids is the answer, but Susannah is firmly convinced that the next 9 months will be life-saving to her kids. If Matt won't support her, she'll go anyway. So she pulls the kids out of school and makes plans to rent a cottage and live there until the end of the school year.
Betty Pavalak has moved to the island as well to avoid a very painful past. When her husband Bill wanted a change of pace from his day to day, nine to five, life style, he attempted to convince Betty to move to Alaska so he could pursue a life of a fisherman and provide a more stable financial life for them, but Betty didn't want to give up her family, friends or her job, for the excitement Bill wanted in Alaska. But when she miscarries three of her children, she wonders if a change of pace might just be the thing to restore the distance between her and Bill. However when she compromises and settles for a life in Sounder Island instead, Bill is content, but his commitment to his marriage wavers and Betty soon learns that Bill is having an affair. She doesn't know what to do anymore and feels that she can't live with Bill any longer but doesn't want to divorce him either, now that she learns she is pregnant again. Will she be able to find the peace and love she so desperately needs?
I received The Simple Things by Kathleen McCleary compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review and I have to say, this book captivated me in a different way than I thought possible. It takes a hard look at the unfortunate set of circumstances each of these women have been dealt in life, and shows you how each of them weathered through them to get to the other side. While faith is rarely mentioned, it does portray each set of problems in very real ways in my opinion. While the choices are not easy made, they do move forward at their own pace, dealing with a wide range of emotions that really tugs on your heart strings. I could relate to so many of their issues, even though teenage drinking wasn't an issue for me. This is a very real and believable book that I think women can honestly relate to. For that reason, I give this a 5 out of 5 stars. While I don't condone the decisions some of these women made, its the believability and vulnerability of the characters, Kathleen McCleary creates that I enjoyed the most and I loved how the story is told from both Betty and Susannah's perspectives in alternating chapters.
Sounder Island is that place for two remarkable women who come to this isolated island for a much more simple life, a place for solitude and a place to deal with things in their own way. Susannah Delaney is having issues in three very different but understandable ways. Her daughter, Katie at 14 is pulling away from her overly controlling mom by sneaking out late at night, attending parties her mother knows nothing about and drinking while seeing a older boy that both parents know is influencing her in negative ways to rebel. When her drinking gets out of hand, almost killing her, Susannah feels that a change in environment is the cure. Her youngest son, Quinn is the subject of being bullied and when he comes home from school, badly beaten up, she feels her decision to move the family to Sounder Island is the right one.
However for two very active kids, they aren't looking forward to complete isolation on the island at a cottage with no electricity, indoor plumbing and living off the land. Yet is Susannah doesn't take action, she believes she will lose one, if not both of her children to a lifestyle she can't control. However, her husband Matt, doesn't believe that running away with the kids is the answer, but Susannah is firmly convinced that the next 9 months will be life-saving to her kids. If Matt won't support her, she'll go anyway. So she pulls the kids out of school and makes plans to rent a cottage and live there until the end of the school year.
Betty Pavalak has moved to the island as well to avoid a very painful past. When her husband Bill wanted a change of pace from his day to day, nine to five, life style, he attempted to convince Betty to move to Alaska so he could pursue a life of a fisherman and provide a more stable financial life for them, but Betty didn't want to give up her family, friends or her job, for the excitement Bill wanted in Alaska. But when she miscarries three of her children, she wonders if a change of pace might just be the thing to restore the distance between her and Bill. However when she compromises and settles for a life in Sounder Island instead, Bill is content, but his commitment to his marriage wavers and Betty soon learns that Bill is having an affair. She doesn't know what to do anymore and feels that she can't live with Bill any longer but doesn't want to divorce him either, now that she learns she is pregnant again. Will she be able to find the peace and love she so desperately needs?
I received The Simple Things by Kathleen McCleary compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review and I have to say, this book captivated me in a different way than I thought possible. It takes a hard look at the unfortunate set of circumstances each of these women have been dealt in life, and shows you how each of them weathered through them to get to the other side. While faith is rarely mentioned, it does portray each set of problems in very real ways in my opinion. While the choices are not easy made, they do move forward at their own pace, dealing with a wide range of emotions that really tugs on your heart strings. I could relate to so many of their issues, even though teenage drinking wasn't an issue for me. This is a very real and believable book that I think women can honestly relate to. For that reason, I give this a 5 out of 5 stars. While I don't condone the decisions some of these women made, its the believability and vulnerability of the characters, Kathleen McCleary creates that I enjoyed the most and I loved how the story is told from both Betty and Susannah's perspectives in alternating chapters.
January 16, 2016
I think this is going to be my favorite book of the year! This was an amazing story in so many ways. If you were to ask me "What kinds of books do you like?" I say - this kind! Beautiful writing, excellent character development, outstanding scenery descriptions! Absolutely couldn't get any better than this for me. I loved this book! I just read and read but didn't want it to end. This book kind of reminded me of another one of my favorite books - "Still Life With chickens" which I have read twice! I have a feeling I will be re-reading this one sometime.
This book was just about - life. I got it, I understood it, I agreed with it! I am a real "scenery type person". I want to feel like I can just walk into the book, I want to feel like I am right there. I want to look it up on a map and know that I could go there and actually feel like I had been there before. This book made me feel all those things. I did look up those islands on Google maps and found them. I even looked up houses for sale in the area just to get a feel for what it was like. I know, I know I'm a strange person! But that's what I do for fun! LOL
This story really made me feel like I had been there. I could very easily picture everything, the cabins, the shore, the boats, the people, the kitchens, everything.
There are so many great lines in this book!
"You can only be as happy as your unhappiest child."
"Teenagers... Raised one of 'em, now have a couple of twerps for grandchildren. I'd be happy to just skip from twelve to eighteen. That's when they become human again."
"I am not like my mom!" Katie said.
"You are', said barefoot... 'I'll tell you, its only when I learned to accept that I was a lot like my mother that I began to be happier. I suspect you'll find that to be true yourself. Our Mothers are the most influential in making us who we are. As long as you regard your mother with distaste, its not possible to view yourself charitably, with kindness, and self-acceptance so essential to personal happiness. I suggest you practice standing in your mother's shoes and seeing the world, including yourself, from her perspective. If you do, you might begin to be happier and leave behind the miseries and discomforts that plague all of us in adolescence." - WOW! I am going to save this line for my grandchildren!
All through the book Susannah kept thinking that she was a terrible mother. And everyone else kept saying that she was too overprotective. But I didn't think that at all! If I found my 14 yr. old daughter passed out drunk and had to take her to the hospital, or if I found her with a boy's hand up her shirt - I would take them all to an Island too! I don't think she was too over protective at all. I think she was just right. This book really made me think about the choices I made as a mother. I think I would have done all the same things as Susannah did. I would have done anything to save my family, to save my daughter.
The character development for the teen daughter, Katie, was excellent! I have never believed in hitting kids, but I would have found it very difficult to resist smacking the heck out of that girl! Seriously! What a brat - with a mouth (the worst kind!). The author got it just right. Katie really seemed like a snotty know-it-all sassy teenage girl! And then... the ending... well I am not going to give it away! But I do begin to like her a little better.
At one point in the book I had to stop reading - I knew it was going to be sad and it was just not a good time for me to be crying! So I put the book down then picked it up later and had a good cry.
As I read on, I thought I was going to be disappointed in the ending - but I wasn't - the ending was great! Sad, and with a twist!
THE ALL-IN-ALL -
I am going to say - that if you like books about life, if you like books about family, about starting over, about island life, or about friends helping each other - this is the Must read of the year!
Slight warning - some swearing, and adult situations. But I just don't think a teenager would be interested in reading this, it is definitely a woman type book.
This book was just about - life. I got it, I understood it, I agreed with it! I am a real "scenery type person". I want to feel like I can just walk into the book, I want to feel like I am right there. I want to look it up on a map and know that I could go there and actually feel like I had been there before. This book made me feel all those things. I did look up those islands on Google maps and found them. I even looked up houses for sale in the area just to get a feel for what it was like. I know, I know I'm a strange person! But that's what I do for fun! LOL
This story really made me feel like I had been there. I could very easily picture everything, the cabins, the shore, the boats, the people, the kitchens, everything.
There are so many great lines in this book!
"You can only be as happy as your unhappiest child."
"Teenagers... Raised one of 'em, now have a couple of twerps for grandchildren. I'd be happy to just skip from twelve to eighteen. That's when they become human again."
"I am not like my mom!" Katie said.
"You are', said barefoot... 'I'll tell you, its only when I learned to accept that I was a lot like my mother that I began to be happier. I suspect you'll find that to be true yourself. Our Mothers are the most influential in making us who we are. As long as you regard your mother with distaste, its not possible to view yourself charitably, with kindness, and self-acceptance so essential to personal happiness. I suggest you practice standing in your mother's shoes and seeing the world, including yourself, from her perspective. If you do, you might begin to be happier and leave behind the miseries and discomforts that plague all of us in adolescence." - WOW! I am going to save this line for my grandchildren!
All through the book Susannah kept thinking that she was a terrible mother. And everyone else kept saying that she was too overprotective. But I didn't think that at all! If I found my 14 yr. old daughter passed out drunk and had to take her to the hospital, or if I found her with a boy's hand up her shirt - I would take them all to an Island too! I don't think she was too over protective at all. I think she was just right. This book really made me think about the choices I made as a mother. I think I would have done all the same things as Susannah did. I would have done anything to save my family, to save my daughter.
The character development for the teen daughter, Katie, was excellent! I have never believed in hitting kids, but I would have found it very difficult to resist smacking the heck out of that girl! Seriously! What a brat - with a mouth (the worst kind!). The author got it just right. Katie really seemed like a snotty know-it-all sassy teenage girl! And then... the ending... well I am not going to give it away! But I do begin to like her a little better.
At one point in the book I had to stop reading - I knew it was going to be sad and it was just not a good time for me to be crying! So I put the book down then picked it up later and had a good cry.
As I read on, I thought I was going to be disappointed in the ending - but I wasn't - the ending was great! Sad, and with a twist!
THE ALL-IN-ALL -
I am going to say - that if you like books about life, if you like books about family, about starting over, about island life, or about friends helping each other - this is the Must read of the year!
Slight warning - some swearing, and adult situations. But I just don't think a teenager would be interested in reading this, it is definitely a woman type book.
November 9, 2012
Susannah and Betty both gave up lives in the city for life on a small island off the coast of Washington. Susannah in response to her teenage daughter acting out, and her pre-teen son getting bullied. Betty moved 50 years earlier to placate a cheating husband.
The book was good, but not great. The narration jumps between Susannah and Betty, in different time periods, but the date and narrator is introduced on the title of each chapter.
Susannah really bothered me. She's obsessively worried about the safety of her children, due to her own childhood. The anxiety is used to move the plot along. Until a final conflict towards the end of the novel clears up everything.
Betty is more interesting, and her story is revealed over the chapters. I wish there was more Betty, but this is Susannah's story. In fact, if there was more anyone except Susannah, the story would be better.
The book was good, but not great. The narration jumps between Susannah and Betty, in different time periods, but the date and narrator is introduced on the title of each chapter.
Susannah really bothered me. She's obsessively worried about the safety of her children, due to her own childhood. The anxiety is used to move the plot along. Until a final conflict towards the end of the novel clears up everything.
Betty is more interesting, and her story is revealed over the chapters. I wish there was more Betty, but this is Susannah's story. In fact, if there was more anyone except Susannah, the story would be better.
January 18, 2013
I didn't hate this book, but I didn't much like it either. I think the two star description of "it was ok" fits this book well. Mostly I just feel glad to be finished with it.
First off, the main character Susannah bugged the ever lovin' crap out of me. Im sorry, but every one has problems and every mother with a teenager probably has the same problems and feelings about wanting to keep their kids safe. It in no way constitutes up and leaving your home and husband to go live on a remote island somewhere with the notion that "I'm just trying to protect my kids". I get that she supposedly had some sort of pent up guilt for her sister's death but those feelings and their conclusion didn't come to a climax until the very end of the book. I still felt that those issues could have been dealt with in a different way. It's called therapy or talking to your husband who you supposedly love and "is your whole life" although we didn't find that out until the very end of the book either when this stupid woman finally has her epiphany.
Also, the teenage girl bothered me as well. She was selfish and stupid and immature throughout the entire book until yup...you guessed it, the very end! The author wrote such one dimensional characters and then suddenly decided all their problems and feelings needed to be concluded in the last 6 pages.
The friendship between Susannah and Betty also wasn't very well developed either. The story goes back and forth between both of their lives but in present day time they only have a few conversations with each other. The bond between them made little sense to me. With that being said I actually didn't mind Betty's character. A secondary character but much more well developed than the main characters, I felt that she was the only one in the book whose personality and reasonings behind her actions made any since.
Ok...rant done. Maybe I should have saved that for the book club meeting about this one next weekend!
First off, the main character Susannah bugged the ever lovin' crap out of me. Im sorry, but every one has problems and every mother with a teenager probably has the same problems and feelings about wanting to keep their kids safe. It in no way constitutes up and leaving your home and husband to go live on a remote island somewhere with the notion that "I'm just trying to protect my kids". I get that she supposedly had some sort of pent up guilt for her sister's death but those feelings and their conclusion didn't come to a climax until the very end of the book. I still felt that those issues could have been dealt with in a different way. It's called therapy or talking to your husband who you supposedly love and "is your whole life" although we didn't find that out until the very end of the book either when this stupid woman finally has her epiphany.
Also, the teenage girl bothered me as well. She was selfish and stupid and immature throughout the entire book until yup...you guessed it, the very end! The author wrote such one dimensional characters and then suddenly decided all their problems and feelings needed to be concluded in the last 6 pages.
The friendship between Susannah and Betty also wasn't very well developed either. The story goes back and forth between both of their lives but in present day time they only have a few conversations with each other. The bond between them made little sense to me. With that being said I actually didn't mind Betty's character. A secondary character but much more well developed than the main characters, I felt that she was the only one in the book whose personality and reasonings behind her actions made any since.
Ok...rant done. Maybe I should have saved that for the book club meeting about this one next weekend!
August 5, 2012
I just finished this book and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. It hit home in many ways in my own life. It is very introspective and lets the reader look at these characters lives as an outsider but all along there are so many ways it lets you look at your own life journeys. I love the two stories in one. To get to know the two women characters and understand their life struggles made the book have a wonderful depth. I think this author has sent up a flair for all us who have gotten sucked into the ways society is going and we need to stop and take a look at what is important to us, as individuals and as a society.
July 23, 2012
Very good. Imperfect characters that you can identify with and a story that could have been plucked from real life. The main character Susannah, moves her children to a remote island community to save them from themselves, but ends up reminding them all to treasure the simple things. Susannah morphed, changed, and grew throughout this book, a real change, not a cop out ah-ha moment that some books like this give you. Her growth was realistic and rang true. If you like inspirational stories of hope and family- this is a must read. 5 stars.
June 15, 2012
I have to revise my first review, which was not good...As I continued to read I found a couple of the characters hard to deal with ( maybe they pushed a button for me). Susannah was so passive aggressive I wanted to drown her, but I love love loved Barefoot. All women should have a Barefoot. What a unique person who has to be developed in a magical mind. Thanks for the fulfilling read. Anyone struggling with this novel, give it a chance. Good Summer Read.
May 28, 2013
I wandered in to this reading at the Gaithersburg Book Festival and am so happy I did. What a great book. What a great representation of women and parenting and the most wonderful man. I started it this morning and am almost finished, great day for sitting on the deck and reading, but don't want it to end. When I spoke to Ms. McCleary she said that she wrote "henlit" as opposed to chicklit. I am loving it.
October 13, 2012
Loved this story set in the San Juan islands off Seattle, where there's no electricity but a lot of heart. I found myself cheering for the main characters as they struggled along the bumpy road of mid-life and parenting tweens.
July 27, 2012
The novel pivots around two women– Susannah and Betty. Susannah is in her forties, and is married to a geologist named Matt with whom she has two children. Quinn is your typical nerdy outcast in sixth grade and Katie is your typical rude wild child in eighth grade. Betty is in her late seventies, early eighties, is a widow, and has a son named Jim who has a wife named Fiona with whom he has two eighth grade twin boys– Hood and Baker.
Their lives are brought together when Katie gets herself involved with the wrong guy and does something pretty stupid. On top of that, Quinn is being incessantly bullied and Susannah is dealing with some personal demons stemming from her own early teen years. Her solution to fixing everything? Packing the kids and herself up and moving to Sounder Island– a tiny little island off the coast of Washington. It has no telephones, no electricity, and limited plumbing. Cell phone, internet and television connections vary according to the weather. In other words, they go off the grid while her husband stays behind working his new job.
And so the story is about their time on Sounder Island and the personal development they go through with Betty (Susannah’s landlord on Sounder) and her clan acting as a foil to Susannah.
I really enjoyed this book. It’s perfect summer reading as it’s easy and interesting enough to keep the pages briskly turning. It’s also pretty short which I appreciate. I thought many of the characters were fleshed out really well. Funny enough, the character I identified the most with was the problematic Katie. Another fantastic character, and my second favorite, was a Sounder Island long time resident named Barefoot.
It’s not that I didn’t like the main characters, I did, but McCleary does a good job of fleshing out some of the minor characters as well. Betty’s story is pretty fascinating and complex and works beautifully as a foil for Susannah who took some time for me to warm up to her. Unfortunately, not all supporting characters get the four-star treatment Katie and Barefoot did. Quinn remains pretty one-dimensional, Susannah’s husband remains an enigma to me, and one of the twins seems entirely unnecessary and forgotten.
This is definitely a character-driven book so if you’re more into things like the challenges of facing your fears, love in unconventional forms, mother-daughter relationships, and making peace with your demons rather than the practical complexities of living off the grid, I’d highly recommend this book. The challenges of living off the grid become one of McCleary’s not very fleshed out supporting characters if that makes sense. It presents itself strongly right in the beginning and then pretty much fades into the background making occasional cameos here and there.
For me, that’s just fine. I’d much rather dwell on the WHY than the HOW anyways.
The study of mother-daughter relationships is interesting. It’s pretty much non-existent in Betty’s case but it is nicely examined in Susannah’s story. There was even a passage I read aloud to Teenager who is the same age as Katie and having issues with her feelings towards her mother. Is that a standard thing for Teen Daughters to go through? If so, I’m glad I will only have to experience it once, that’s for sure.
The book is sentimental and if you time it just right hormonally, you’re sure to whimper a few tears here and there (guess how I know). I think this is a great one for book clubs or just groups of friends to share. It’s definitely a nice read– a good escape if you will.
Their lives are brought together when Katie gets herself involved with the wrong guy and does something pretty stupid. On top of that, Quinn is being incessantly bullied and Susannah is dealing with some personal demons stemming from her own early teen years. Her solution to fixing everything? Packing the kids and herself up and moving to Sounder Island– a tiny little island off the coast of Washington. It has no telephones, no electricity, and limited plumbing. Cell phone, internet and television connections vary according to the weather. In other words, they go off the grid while her husband stays behind working his new job.
And so the story is about their time on Sounder Island and the personal development they go through with Betty (Susannah’s landlord on Sounder) and her clan acting as a foil to Susannah.
I really enjoyed this book. It’s perfect summer reading as it’s easy and interesting enough to keep the pages briskly turning. It’s also pretty short which I appreciate. I thought many of the characters were fleshed out really well. Funny enough, the character I identified the most with was the problematic Katie. Another fantastic character, and my second favorite, was a Sounder Island long time resident named Barefoot.
It’s not that I didn’t like the main characters, I did, but McCleary does a good job of fleshing out some of the minor characters as well. Betty’s story is pretty fascinating and complex and works beautifully as a foil for Susannah who took some time for me to warm up to her. Unfortunately, not all supporting characters get the four-star treatment Katie and Barefoot did. Quinn remains pretty one-dimensional, Susannah’s husband remains an enigma to me, and one of the twins seems entirely unnecessary and forgotten.
This is definitely a character-driven book so if you’re more into things like the challenges of facing your fears, love in unconventional forms, mother-daughter relationships, and making peace with your demons rather than the practical complexities of living off the grid, I’d highly recommend this book. The challenges of living off the grid become one of McCleary’s not very fleshed out supporting characters if that makes sense. It presents itself strongly right in the beginning and then pretty much fades into the background making occasional cameos here and there.
For me, that’s just fine. I’d much rather dwell on the WHY than the HOW anyways.
The study of mother-daughter relationships is interesting. It’s pretty much non-existent in Betty’s case but it is nicely examined in Susannah’s story. There was even a passage I read aloud to Teenager who is the same age as Katie and having issues with her feelings towards her mother. Is that a standard thing for Teen Daughters to go through? If so, I’m glad I will only have to experience it once, that’s for sure.
The book is sentimental and if you time it just right hormonally, you’re sure to whimper a few tears here and there (guess how I know). I think this is a great one for book clubs or just groups of friends to share. It’s definitely a nice read– a good escape if you will.
November 12, 2012
When I first picked up this book I wondered if it was going to be one of those character-driven novels where there is a lot of talking, very little actually going on, and by the end of which you're wondering what is it exactly you've just read. I am not too big of a fan of those. But "A Simple Thing" turned out to focus both on the characters and on plot. From the very first chapter it was obvious that Susannah is a woman who is not afraid to act, even if fear is what propels her. She, as well as her children, made things happen, and I liked that about them as much as I liked that Susannah recognized her mistakes and was willing to correct her course when necessary. She may seem flighty to some, but to me she is a woman figuring it out as she goes, and I feel that this makes her relatable for most people. Betty, the second protagonist, is her antipode in many ways, a solid, sure woman who makes plans and follows them, even if she realizes later on that she has made a mistake somewhere. The blurb on the back cover suggests that both Susannah and Betty undergo a transformation but I found this misleading. Suzannah is the one discovering herself and while Betty's story often mirrors that of the younger woman she has already recovered from the pain of her past and is now there to sympathize, listen, and provide a gentle nudge in the direction of healing.
There are a few good messages woven into this novel, and one of my favorites is the one that talks about the necessity of nurturing oneself. We forget about that much too frequently and it really is a universal truth that applies to both men and women, although women are the ones who need reminders most frequently. Susannah getting in touch with her artistic side after a hiatus of many years was the turning point of the book for me, echoed by Betty's recollection of the time whine she remembered that she was more than just a woman who took care of everything and everyone. The parallels between these two women's lives were eery at times, and while they are very different people their stories somehow anchored each other, showing that no matter how different the people the same principles of recovery apply.
For the most part this was a very enjoyable book filled with interesting characters (Barefoot stole every scene he was in and Katie definitely made things interesting with her indomitable spirit) and sage advice on subjects such as guilt, responsibility, knowing when to hold on and when to let go, and it worked for me until almost the very end when a dramatic event seemed to be too over the top to fit in with the rest of the story while remaining its climax. That chapter was well-written but it was just too much for me, although it did help Susannah put a lot of things in perspective and move forward with her life. Throughout the book this was a relatively subtle story with the struggle mostly internal and turning it almost into an adventure story at the eleventh hour seemed incongruent.
A friend offered me an ARC of this book when she somehow got two copies and I'm glad that she did. It is a solid novel and I won't hesitate to pick up other novels by Kathleen McCleary should I happen upon them.
For more of my reviews visit Bibliophile's Corner
There are a few good messages woven into this novel, and one of my favorites is the one that talks about the necessity of nurturing oneself. We forget about that much too frequently and it really is a universal truth that applies to both men and women, although women are the ones who need reminders most frequently. Susannah getting in touch with her artistic side after a hiatus of many years was the turning point of the book for me, echoed by Betty's recollection of the time whine she remembered that she was more than just a woman who took care of everything and everyone. The parallels between these two women's lives were eery at times, and while they are very different people their stories somehow anchored each other, showing that no matter how different the people the same principles of recovery apply.
For the most part this was a very enjoyable book filled with interesting characters (Barefoot stole every scene he was in and Katie definitely made things interesting with her indomitable spirit) and sage advice on subjects such as guilt, responsibility, knowing when to hold on and when to let go, and it worked for me until almost the very end when a dramatic event seemed to be too over the top to fit in with the rest of the story while remaining its climax. That chapter was well-written but it was just too much for me, although it did help Susannah put a lot of things in perspective and move forward with her life. Throughout the book this was a relatively subtle story with the struggle mostly internal and turning it almost into an adventure story at the eleventh hour seemed incongruent.
A friend offered me an ARC of this book when she somehow got two copies and I'm glad that she did. It is a solid novel and I won't hesitate to pick up other novels by Kathleen McCleary should I happen upon them.
For more of my reviews visit Bibliophile's Corner
July 25, 2012
First off, you can tell a lot of heart went into this book. I really love reading a book that obviously had a lot of love, care, and thought put into it because it just makes it that much better.
The book bounces back and forth between Susannah who is pretty much having a mid life crisis once her daughter hits a rough teenage rebellion patch and her son turns out to be kind of an oddball, bully target. Instead of coming together with her husband Matt to figure out a plan for them to move forward as a family, Susannah packs up her and her kids and moves them to Sounder Island temporarily and leaves Matt at home. Then we have Betty who is a really complicated yet simple character (yes, she's both) and we learn about her past and early years of her marriage and how that morphed into her present day widow status. The two women come together and they both learn something about each other, about love, about family, and what's really important.
The book also touches on when a tragic loss or event can shape a person's life and the decisions they make with their own children. Admittedly, I don't understand how people can't put things into perspective and move on from them. I've had some pretty crap things happen to me my whole life but I've always been able to look at them, know my role, and make future decisions trying to improve on things. But Susannah effectively ignores her children and puts blinders on to everything except for the worst of the worst. A lot of her family issues wouldn't be issues if she stopped trying to control everything and be the perfect mom to everyone else... and focused on her children and what they need from her.
I will have to say- I really loved the ending. I felt like every character got the closure that they needed, story lines were wrapped up nicely and everything comes full circle. I have to say though that my favorite part of the book is Betty's story and Barefoot, another islander. What a great story with an ending that I have my own take on. But it's a really good book that is a fast read and it might make you think about what would you do if you were in Susannah's shoes.
Kathleen has a website, Twitter and Facebook that you can check out. Another cool thing is that Kathleen will be talking about A Simple Thing on Book Club Girl on Air on August 21 at 7pm Eastern. So hurry up and read the book so you can call in and ask her questions about her book and listen to the discussion!
The book bounces back and forth between Susannah who is pretty much having a mid life crisis once her daughter hits a rough teenage rebellion patch and her son turns out to be kind of an oddball, bully target. Instead of coming together with her husband Matt to figure out a plan for them to move forward as a family, Susannah packs up her and her kids and moves them to Sounder Island temporarily and leaves Matt at home. Then we have Betty who is a really complicated yet simple character (yes, she's both) and we learn about her past and early years of her marriage and how that morphed into her present day widow status. The two women come together and they both learn something about each other, about love, about family, and what's really important.
The book also touches on when a tragic loss or event can shape a person's life and the decisions they make with their own children. Admittedly, I don't understand how people can't put things into perspective and move on from them. I've had some pretty crap things happen to me my whole life but I've always been able to look at them, know my role, and make future decisions trying to improve on things. But Susannah effectively ignores her children and puts blinders on to everything except for the worst of the worst. A lot of her family issues wouldn't be issues if she stopped trying to control everything and be the perfect mom to everyone else... and focused on her children and what they need from her.
I will have to say- I really loved the ending. I felt like every character got the closure that they needed, story lines were wrapped up nicely and everything comes full circle. I have to say though that my favorite part of the book is Betty's story and Barefoot, another islander. What a great story with an ending that I have my own take on. But it's a really good book that is a fast read and it might make you think about what would you do if you were in Susannah's shoes.
Kathleen has a website, Twitter and Facebook that you can check out. Another cool thing is that Kathleen will be talking about A Simple Thing on Book Club Girl on Air on August 21 at 7pm Eastern. So hurry up and read the book so you can call in and ask her questions about her book and listen to the discussion!
July 8, 2012
Hopes nearly dashed by her daughter’s online scandal and suspension from school, Susannah Delaney moves her sweet son and sullen daughter to a remote island off the Oregon coast. So begins A Simple Thing by Kathleen McCleary.
Thirty years ago, Betty Pavalak relocated to Sounder Island as well to raise her son while her fisherman husband was away. Drastic measures must be taken when your family is foundering. Sometimes protecting your children outweighs working on your marriage. Suffering brings both women to Sounder Island. The bond they develop is an unlikely balm for their troubles and a bolster to their identities.
Sounder Island, six square miles of rich forest and beautiful beaches west of Vancouver, seems light years away from the Delaney’s busy suburban life in Virginia. Susannah’s son, Quinn, is clearly excited about the move, but Katie, thirteen and bound to be resentful, complains that their new life is just, “water, island, water, island…” Living on an island with no electricity becomes not just a respite from the hectic, problematic life they lived before, but also a challenge. Storing food in a cold cellar because no refrigerator is available tests their adaptability. You will meet a crotchety old hermit suspicious of the newcomers and a handsome one-room schoolhouse teacher. Be prepared to fall in love with Barefoot.
McCleary’s characters are layered and imbued with humanity for the mistakes they fear and the courage they display. Long distance marriage and its effects on children as well as spouses is a major theme. The book explores its complications and implications. Although the author handles each character’s voice clearly and with grace, the multiple characters introduced in flashbacks confused this reader. A discrepancy in the story happens when the teacher states that he doesn’t pass on to the parents what students confide in him and then proceeds to give Susanna much detail about Katie’s problems.
A Simple Thing is a wise mediation on love and the implications of the difficult decisions it demands.
I thank William Morrow Paperbacks, a division of Harper Collins, for the advance release copy.
Thirty years ago, Betty Pavalak relocated to Sounder Island as well to raise her son while her fisherman husband was away. Drastic measures must be taken when your family is foundering. Sometimes protecting your children outweighs working on your marriage. Suffering brings both women to Sounder Island. The bond they develop is an unlikely balm for their troubles and a bolster to their identities.
Sounder Island, six square miles of rich forest and beautiful beaches west of Vancouver, seems light years away from the Delaney’s busy suburban life in Virginia. Susannah’s son, Quinn, is clearly excited about the move, but Katie, thirteen and bound to be resentful, complains that their new life is just, “water, island, water, island…” Living on an island with no electricity becomes not just a respite from the hectic, problematic life they lived before, but also a challenge. Storing food in a cold cellar because no refrigerator is available tests their adaptability. You will meet a crotchety old hermit suspicious of the newcomers and a handsome one-room schoolhouse teacher. Be prepared to fall in love with Barefoot.
McCleary’s characters are layered and imbued with humanity for the mistakes they fear and the courage they display. Long distance marriage and its effects on children as well as spouses is a major theme. The book explores its complications and implications. Although the author handles each character’s voice clearly and with grace, the multiple characters introduced in flashbacks confused this reader. A discrepancy in the story happens when the teacher states that he doesn’t pass on to the parents what students confide in him and then proceeds to give Susanna much detail about Katie’s problems.
A Simple Thing is a wise mediation on love and the implications of the difficult decisions it demands.
I thank William Morrow Paperbacks, a division of Harper Collins, for the advance release copy.
June 5, 2012
If you read my blog regularly, you'll note that I read a lot of Christian fiction. That's partly by choice and partly by happenstance--yes I like it but I've also managed to get myself on the mailing lists of more than a few publicists who handle Christian fiction so I'm offered a lot of review copies. While different books and different authors have different amounts of religion in their books and handle it in ways ranging from sermons dressed as stories to relatively subtle product placement of God, certain themes are prevalent and with few exceptions, characters are good or bad, and the good believe in God and/or Jesus. A Simple Thing is not Christian fiction though its main theme--forgiveness--is frequently used in Christian fiction. Its characters are not so black and white and most admit to having no faith.
Kathleen McCleary's writing is wonderful. Her descriptive writing is top-notch. Her characters are multi-faceted and very human. Chapters alternate between Susannah's story and Betty's and are dated to let us know when the action occurred. As readers we see what brought these women to where they are today. While it is very much the story of these two women, A Simple Thing explores how the men in their lives have very much made them the people they are.
As I said earlier, this isn't Christian fiction so there is no salvation scene at the end however there is a scene of forgiveness and acceptance and part of that scene surprised me given the professed lack of religion of the characters, and yet it comported completely with my moral beliefs on life issues. It is part of the reason I'm giving this book an A, but by no means the only one.
I'd like to thank the publisher for making a review copy available via Edelweiss Galleys. I was not obligated to write a positive review, but I'm please to do so with this book.
Kathleen McCleary's writing is wonderful. Her descriptive writing is top-notch. Her characters are multi-faceted and very human. Chapters alternate between Susannah's story and Betty's and are dated to let us know when the action occurred. As readers we see what brought these women to where they are today. While it is very much the story of these two women, A Simple Thing explores how the men in their lives have very much made them the people they are.
As I said earlier, this isn't Christian fiction so there is no salvation scene at the end however there is a scene of forgiveness and acceptance and part of that scene surprised me given the professed lack of religion of the characters, and yet it comported completely with my moral beliefs on life issues. It is part of the reason I'm giving this book an A, but by no means the only one.
I'd like to thank the publisher for making a review copy available via Edelweiss Galleys. I was not obligated to write a positive review, but I'm please to do so with this book.
August 2, 2012
I don't read a lot of domestic fiction. Too often it's about the problems of suburban housewives/mommies or families with a much higher than average income and I just don't really relate having been neither of those categories. I was an urban mommy and have never had a stratospheric income. I decided I was interested in A Simple Thing because the story sounded different and also because it takes place on one of the San Juan Islands - one of my favorite places in the Pacific Northwest. As I child I was in a camp at the Seattle Zoo and one of thing things we got to do was go camping for a weekend in the San Juans and I've never forgotten the experience.
A Simple Thing did not disappoint. A good read with issues of anxiety, mourning, death, learning to trust, marriages ending or renewing, a new awareness of self threaded throughout. I loved that there were two stories here - that of Susannah and of Betty. The friendship that develops between the two women in the book and the ways their stories intertwined really works for the reader. They both gave me some things to think about. Highly recommended.
A Simple Thing did not disappoint. A good read with issues of anxiety, mourning, death, learning to trust, marriages ending or renewing, a new awareness of self threaded throughout. I loved that there were two stories here - that of Susannah and of Betty. The friendship that develops between the two women in the book and the ways their stories intertwined really works for the reader. They both gave me some things to think about. Highly recommended.
September 14, 2012
I surprised myself with how much I enjoyed this book. The author did an excellent job of depicting the internal conflicts around struggles with guilt, shame, and trauma. There were two main stories dealing with regret and guilt, both from different time periods, both involving different circumstances and outcomes. But they were tied together well and the separate journies to healing merged beautifully. It was a great story about self forgiveness abd acceptance for those things you cannot change.
October 10, 2012
I initially found it hard to get into this book, but once I got there I could not put it down. I found the characters easy to connect with and I loved the emotion flowing through the book. It really is an example of how experiences in life can form us and form our future responses/reactions to situations. It demonstrates the impact family of origin can have on our personalities! It's about love, the difficulties and how life can become mundane. I think it demonstrates that life isn't an easy journey, it's full of challenges and about how you overcome them. I really enjoyed it.
April 30, 2013
This is a wonderful book about family and about learning from your past and letting it go.
Through her characters Kathleen McCleary reminds us all that we are not defined by the mistakes we make in life, but by how we move forward and carry on with the business of living the best lives we can.
I highly recommend this book!
Through her characters Kathleen McCleary reminds us all that we are not defined by the mistakes we make in life, but by how we move forward and carry on with the business of living the best lives we can.
I highly recommend this book!
October 31, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. A distraught mother takes her troubled kids away from everything they are familiar with to a remote area. They think their life is surely over and she even starts to question her motives for making such a drastic decision. A fast read. Somewhat predictable, but I enjoyed it and read it in a couple of days.
August 11, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed this beautifully written, relatively short read. The fullness of the characters and the descriptive language are stand-outs as are the themes of acceptance and self growth through letting go. A must read for any forty-something mothers with challenging teenagers in particular. Great wisdom for a fictional novel.
January 20, 2013
This book is about a woman who leaves the big city to go live on an Island with her two children to get them away from the pressures of a big school and bad friends. She discovers many things about herself along the way of this new journey.
January 23, 2013
Two women, two lives, two generations, one island. A simple thing is a poignant story of two different ladies whose lives crosses with each other on an island that provided a haven for both of them.
Told with two POVs, this book is a page turner.
Told with two POVs, this book is a page turner.
May 28, 2017
This story is about overcoming fears, and figuring out who you are, and forgiving yourself for mistakes you've made.
April 9, 2017
When her sensitive son, Quinn, is being bullied at school and her teenage daughter Katie is being, well, a teenager Susannah does what she has always done - she runs away. She takes her two children and she flees to the remote island of Sounder, just off the coast of Washington, so that she can protect them even if it means leaving her husband, their school, their friends, and their routine life behind. On Sounder the children must share a room (although Quinn ultimately sleeps in the utility room instead), there is no hospital, no refrigerator, no grocery store, limited cell phone access, limited internet access and a ton of unsupervised free time. This is the perfect situation to keep an eye on, and protect, two children, right? Let's also keep in mind that Susannah is terrified of boats, of the water and of having her children anywhere near the water. That alone makes her decision to move to an island stupid but it's ridiculous once you factor in all of the other things. If it hadn't been for Betty's story I would have given up on this book in the early chapters.
The characters, aside from Betty, were so one-dimensional and so cliche! There was the:
Damaged, whiny and self-loathing adult woman - Susannah
Doormat of a husband - Matt
Sensitive and misunderstood son - Quinn
Rebellious and defiant teenage daughter - Katie
Wise and free-spirited older man - Barefoot
Wise and loving older woman - Betty
Then factor in Jim and his sons (the "perfect" man and his two too-good-to-be-true boys) and the book was painstakingly full of your standard sappy women's fiction people. None of them showed any depth or growth until the final two chapters of the book when Susannah finally (and barely) overcomes her fears and only then because her teenage daughter was talking her through it. The change in Katie seemed to happen with the flip of a switch and all of her problems wrapped up so neatly in the end.
The saving grace of this novel was Betty. The book is told in an alternating POV between Susannah and Betty which is the only reason I was able to read this through to the end. When Susannah's chapters came up I groaned knowing it was going to be more of the same whining and being overcome with this gripping fear of the water and a childhood incident that still haunts her but when Betty's chapters began I would excitedly read. She was a great character! She evolved as the story progressed and she had a story to tell. Her marriage to an untrustable dog, her fertility struggles, her son, her relationships, her life on Sounder, all of it was worth reading. If this book had been all about Betty it would be, undeniably, a better book. Even though Susannah's story was the one driving the novel it was Betty's story that stole the show. The author picked the wrong story, and the wrong character, to write about.
It's tolerable but nothing special.
Closed the Cover
The characters, aside from Betty, were so one-dimensional and so cliche! There was the:
Damaged, whiny and self-loathing adult woman - Susannah
Doormat of a husband - Matt
Sensitive and misunderstood son - Quinn
Rebellious and defiant teenage daughter - Katie
Wise and free-spirited older man - Barefoot
Wise and loving older woman - Betty
Then factor in Jim and his sons (the "perfect" man and his two too-good-to-be-true boys) and the book was painstakingly full of your standard sappy women's fiction people. None of them showed any depth or growth until the final two chapters of the book when Susannah finally (and barely) overcomes her fears and only then because her teenage daughter was talking her through it. The change in Katie seemed to happen with the flip of a switch and all of her problems wrapped up so neatly in the end.
The saving grace of this novel was Betty. The book is told in an alternating POV between Susannah and Betty which is the only reason I was able to read this through to the end. When Susannah's chapters came up I groaned knowing it was going to be more of the same whining and being overcome with this gripping fear of the water and a childhood incident that still haunts her but when Betty's chapters began I would excitedly read. She was a great character! She evolved as the story progressed and she had a story to tell. Her marriage to an untrustable dog, her fertility struggles, her son, her relationships, her life on Sounder, all of it was worth reading. If this book had been all about Betty it would be, undeniably, a better book. Even though Susannah's story was the one driving the novel it was Betty's story that stole the show. The author picked the wrong story, and the wrong character, to write about.
It's tolerable but nothing special.
Closed the Cover
August 19, 2012
4.5 stars. After learning that her kids are both having problems (her teenager daughter is getting out of control; her pre-teen son's being bullied for his germ phobias), Susannah decides the best course of action is to move them to Sounder Island, a remote island in the San Juans. There, Susannah grows close to Betty, an older woman who moved there years before with her own husband. The island seems to have a lot of charm to life, but life is also hard because of how removed the place is from the rest of the world, and although Sounder Island seems to be improving Susannah's kids lives in many ways, Susannah begins to realize that the move is also complicating her life in ways she didn't imagine.
The book is alternately narrated by Susannah and Betty, going back and forth in time with Betty's story to also show her life when she first arrived on Sounder. They both had very distinct voices, and I loved seeing how their stories both differed and repeated. The author did a great job bringing their emotions to life and definitely did not shrink from giving attitude to Susannah's kids. Susannah arrived on the island believing that she was just running away to help her kids, but as she then has so much time to herself because of the quiet surroundings, she begins to realize that there's so many family issues that she's never really resolved. There was both an external journey and an internal one, and the stories played off each other well.
Betty's story was equally as interesting. Her life had clearly been hard, both before and after she arrived on the island, but the place seemed to speak to her perfectly. I loved how she quickly became Susannah's confidant and was able to offer advice and suggestions because she'd gone through so many of the same issues herself. Betty was such a strong character, and it was interesting to go back in time and see how she'd developed into the woman she ultimately became.
The descriptions of the island and the people there were absolutely beautiful. I don't know how much was factual and how much was imagined, but the place was brought to life very vividly. Hardships of day to day life there were described but neither dwelled upon nor glossed over. Susannah (and, earlier, Betty) was clearly in for a bigger challenge than she'd anticipated, both because of the island's remoteness and her distance from everyone else in her life. Seeing the way Susannah's relationship with her husband, who'd stayed behind, changed because of her remoteness was well done and very touching.
Although I wish there had been a little more to the ending, I really enjoyed this book overall. The story had me hooked from the very beginning; it was a quiet story overall, but it never felt slow.
I received a free copy of this book through the First Reads program.
The book is alternately narrated by Susannah and Betty, going back and forth in time with Betty's story to also show her life when she first arrived on Sounder. They both had very distinct voices, and I loved seeing how their stories both differed and repeated. The author did a great job bringing their emotions to life and definitely did not shrink from giving attitude to Susannah's kids. Susannah arrived on the island believing that she was just running away to help her kids, but as she then has so much time to herself because of the quiet surroundings, she begins to realize that there's so many family issues that she's never really resolved. There was both an external journey and an internal one, and the stories played off each other well.
Betty's story was equally as interesting. Her life had clearly been hard, both before and after she arrived on the island, but the place seemed to speak to her perfectly. I loved how she quickly became Susannah's confidant and was able to offer advice and suggestions because she'd gone through so many of the same issues herself. Betty was such a strong character, and it was interesting to go back in time and see how she'd developed into the woman she ultimately became.
The descriptions of the island and the people there were absolutely beautiful. I don't know how much was factual and how much was imagined, but the place was brought to life very vividly. Hardships of day to day life there were described but neither dwelled upon nor glossed over. Susannah (and, earlier, Betty) was clearly in for a bigger challenge than she'd anticipated, both because of the island's remoteness and her distance from everyone else in her life. Seeing the way Susannah's relationship with her husband, who'd stayed behind, changed because of her remoteness was well done and very touching.
Although I wish there had been a little more to the ending, I really enjoyed this book overall. The story had me hooked from the very beginning; it was a quiet story overall, but it never felt slow.
I received a free copy of this book through the First Reads program.
December 28, 2012
I didn't hate this book, but there were parts of this book that made me want to pull out my hair. Those things of course, were things that were supposed to get a reaction out of a person, and so it was only fitting that I did have these reactions. For starters I wanted to kill Katie, the insolent teenager, through the entire book, at least until she became a real person at the end and not a spiteful child.
I felt for Susannah as she tried to protect her children, but her husband Mark was right when he said that she was running away and not just trying to protect her children. That actually really frustrated me about Susannah, because it was understandable that she had a lot of emotional baggage that got explained later in the book, but that is no reason to take your children out of school and move to another part of the country.
I enjoyed Betty's story, sad as it was, it showed that every situation is what you make of it. I totally hated her husband, but she made it work being on the island. I also loved learning about how she made it to the island. There didn't seem to be very much of a relationship between Betty and Susannah except for a few conversations, but I guess thats all it takes?
I guess back to why Katie made me so mad. Besides being a 14 year old, and just hating everyone, she was just an awful person, yes she was remorseful, but only when she seemed to get caught. The way that she spoke to her mother too, I mean, I know I wasn't a great teenager, but she was insufferable. I would probably have CPS called on me because I would hit my child if they called me a bitch (or I would be locked in my room crying about how much of a failure of a parent I was and how my kid hates me)(also, I know I'm a terrible person for saying that, but sometimes teenagers, myself included, need some sense knocked into them), either way, bad things.
I felt like the ending was a little bit abrupt, like McCleary realized she found a great ending, but then left a few things unresolved, so she jammed them in. It was hard not to feel that way when the rest of the book was very carefully constructed. Overall, it was a good book, it evoked a lot of strong emotions, but those emotions (which could go either way) didn't lead me to love the book like a lot of people did. It was well written, so go and enter my giveaway!
I felt for Susannah as she tried to protect her children, but her husband Mark was right when he said that she was running away and not just trying to protect her children. That actually really frustrated me about Susannah, because it was understandable that she had a lot of emotional baggage that got explained later in the book, but that is no reason to take your children out of school and move to another part of the country.
I enjoyed Betty's story, sad as it was, it showed that every situation is what you make of it. I totally hated her husband, but she made it work being on the island. I also loved learning about how she made it to the island. There didn't seem to be very much of a relationship between Betty and Susannah except for a few conversations, but I guess thats all it takes?
I guess back to why Katie made me so mad. Besides being a 14 year old, and just hating everyone, she was just an awful person, yes she was remorseful, but only when she seemed to get caught. The way that she spoke to her mother too, I mean, I know I wasn't a great teenager, but she was insufferable. I would probably have CPS called on me because I would hit my child if they called me a bitch (or I would be locked in my room crying about how much of a failure of a parent I was and how my kid hates me)(also, I know I'm a terrible person for saying that, but sometimes teenagers, myself included, need some sense knocked into them), either way, bad things.
I felt like the ending was a little bit abrupt, like McCleary realized she found a great ending, but then left a few things unresolved, so she jammed them in. It was hard not to feel that way when the rest of the book was very carefully constructed. Overall, it was a good book, it evoked a lot of strong emotions, but those emotions (which could go either way) didn't lead me to love the book like a lot of people did. It was well written, so go and enter my giveaway!
February 11, 2014
I started out really liking this book, but it fell flat for me as it progressed. Susannah takes her two troubled children, 14 year old Kate and 11 year old Quinn to live on isolated, rustic Sounder Island. She leaves Matt, her husband, behind on the east coast with his promise to visit once a month. (Well, that didn't happen.) He believes that Susannah is once more running away from her own tragic past is being "overprotective" of the children. Somehow, I don't think that a mother is overprotective when she is devastated when Kate nearly dies of alcohol poisoning and when Quinn comes home from school bloodied and beaten. Matt really annoyed me with his disinterest of his children's lives.
Susannah meets Betty, her landlady, a crusty woman who had a long distance relationship with her own husband and managed to raise Jim, now an upstanding citizen of the island and father of twin boys of his own. He and his wife also have a long distance marriage. Huh, small world. His sons and Susannah's children become fast friends as do Susannah and Jim, Betty, and her good friend Barefoot.
Then, Lila, Susannah's mother makes an appearance. She, too, has her own problems and is partly due to Susannah's insecurities. There was just too much going on as the story progressed and the whole story became a bit too much for me to be sympathetic to any one character.
The lessons at the end did come across well: you have to acknowledge your past and face it realistically and sometimes you have to bend your way of thinking and let trust in others take over. I also appreciated the ending. It was not the expected ending and that was a saving factor for me to make this book an ok read.
Susannah meets Betty, her landlady, a crusty woman who had a long distance relationship with her own husband and managed to raise Jim, now an upstanding citizen of the island and father of twin boys of his own. He and his wife also have a long distance marriage. Huh, small world. His sons and Susannah's children become fast friends as do Susannah and Jim, Betty, and her good friend Barefoot.
Then, Lila, Susannah's mother makes an appearance. She, too, has her own problems and is partly due to Susannah's insecurities. There was just too much going on as the story progressed and the whole story became a bit too much for me to be sympathetic to any one character.
The lessons at the end did come across well: you have to acknowledge your past and face it realistically and sometimes you have to bend your way of thinking and let trust in others take over. I also appreciated the ending. It was not the expected ending and that was a saving factor for me to make this book an ok read.
July 2, 2012
Review first posted on my blog: http://memoriesfrombooks.blogspot.com...
A Simple Thing turns out to be anything but simple. Susannah Delaney decides to move to Sounder Island with her son and daughter for a year. Her husband stays behind.
Sounder Island is supposed to be a return to a simpler time - no electricity, no rush of day to day life, a life closer to nature. What she hopes is to bring her family away from the struggles and challenges of life at home - social pressures, bullying, and the rat race so to speak.
What she finds is that no matter where you go, your struggles and your thoughts come with you. A lesson that Betty who has lived on the island for fifty years has learned. The book becomes their story - a story of facing the past, overcoming fears, learning forgiveness, and finding happiness within.
I would consider this book a good beach read. A story about love, the past, and family. Not a memorable book, but not a bad way to spend the afternoon.
*** Reviewed for LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program ***
A Simple Thing turns out to be anything but simple. Susannah Delaney decides to move to Sounder Island with her son and daughter for a year. Her husband stays behind.
Sounder Island is supposed to be a return to a simpler time - no electricity, no rush of day to day life, a life closer to nature. What she hopes is to bring her family away from the struggles and challenges of life at home - social pressures, bullying, and the rat race so to speak.
What she finds is that no matter where you go, your struggles and your thoughts come with you. A lesson that Betty who has lived on the island for fifty years has learned. The book becomes their story - a story of facing the past, overcoming fears, learning forgiveness, and finding happiness within.
I would consider this book a good beach read. A story about love, the past, and family. Not a memorable book, but not a bad way to spend the afternoon.
*** Reviewed for LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program ***
October 5, 2012
I really enjoyed reading this story, although I wouldn't rank it among my favorites. The main characters quickly drew me into their stories, and there were some wonderful ideas touched upon and a few that were developed. The physical setting felt like a character too, in its beauty and and as it was the place that allowed for significant change and personal growth in the lives of all who dwelt there. However, the end felt too rushed and abruptly wrapped together for me give it 4 stars.
August 5, 2012
Loved this book! Good story & great writing. I've never been near an Island in my life but I could see it so clearly. Easy to read, great characters, made me cry at the end. Hope to see more by Ms. McCleary.
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