Other Wise

Other Wise #1

by Mary Lou Bagley

The first in a series, OTHER WISE introduces a cast of characters who will find their way into your dreams and beyond. Sixty-two-year-old Margaret Meader is both a native Mainer and an outsider. Though she's not "from away," many in her community deem her an oddity, an "other." Plain-spoken and direct, Margaret is gifted with second sight-an intuitive ability to see beyond ordinary perception and distill what is seen to its practical essence. For decades her gift has benefited many while frightening others, often making her a target for jealousy, suspicion, and hatred. She has her friends and protectors, including the young Emily Donne, whom Margaret encourages to recover abandoned gifts of her own, the mystery that is her mother, and to learn who her long-dead father truly was. But even as Margaret supports friends in need and helps find those who are lost, some old business is coming back around, setting the stage for confrontations rooted in tragedies of the past.

Genres: Fiction

374 pages, ebook

Published August 18, 2018

Reviews

[Shari Ring Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, descriptive writing

A very beautiful story. I'm usually a fast reader, but I took this one slow. I I've how the author made the everyday feel comforting as well as extraordinary. I could hear the sounds, taste the goods described, see the colors. There are a few plots interwoven in the book; two main plotlines prevail.
Emily is a young woman taking a break in life to find herself and her voice as a writer, and healing her relationship with her mother. She befriends a 62 year of woman who has the gift, or responsibility, of intuitive wisdom. This has her small home town in Maine divided, and makes her a target for hate crimes against her. I
There is a lot of everyday charm inherent in the story, with romance and Native American spirituality thrown in. There's art, poetry, and a bit of domestic violence. Family and friendship are prominently featured.
I loved the whimsical flavor of the "second sight" and loving magic the author wove in to extra ordinary daily life. It's the kind of story that left me feeling calm and happy.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent characters from this Maine writer! Interesting story line about a women with a gift of being able to "see" things. She uses her second sight to warn or to help others. This is the first book in the trilogy. Eager to read the next installment!

[Dana Clinton · Rating 2 out of 5]

The February choice for the local library is a novel by a local author, Mary Lou Bagley. It is called Other Wise, and the title is a good one for this novel of a 60ish woman named Margaret Meader (an unfortunate choice, in my opinion, as it is so close to Margaret Mead...) who has special gifts: she is connected to the world in psychic ways that few people are. She uses her visions to help save people, to warn people, to connect herself to herself. I really wanted to like this book more than I did, and this may be due to my own makeup more than the book itself. I actually do believe there are realms of connection to the universe that cannot (yet) be explained rationally but which are nonetheless vibrant and sensory. The specificity of Margaret's foresights are way too detailed for me to embrace, and this hyperabundance of minor accumulation of details also is a stylistic tool in the prose which ended up making the reading a bit tedious for me. It was perhaps a hundred pages too long. There are many characters who are interesting, lots of events in a short space of time to draw them all together, somewhat forced coincidences. I felt that the author, who has real gifts for description of landscapes, created rather predictable characters with all the catch phrases of her own philosophy of living. The weakest characters are the bad guys, the ones who provide the foil to Margaret's friends who are supportive and even entranced by her gifts; the bad guys are presented with broad brushstrokes as the hysterical witch hunters. There are different unfolding love stories with the men perfect matches for the two troubled females, all too tidily. So I will be interested to see how this discussion goes, especially if we get to meet with the author, as that makes it difficult to be honest in one's appraisals, for, after all, it takes a lot of patience, skill and imagination to put together such a long novel, and I have a lot of respect for anyone who can pull that off!! Not the kind of work I could ever do.

[Pam Porell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. It grabbed my heart strings from the very beginning. The writing is just so beautifully descriptive. The characters are rich, warm and you want to be part of their community. I want to have tea with Margaret in her garden and feel her intuitive care. I had the opportunity to hear the author last night at our library and she is just as sweet and warm as Margaret. I ordered book two and look forward to book three when it is released. I can see this story being a wonderful bing worthy series on Netflix or Prime.

[Jerilynn L · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Peaceful Read

This is the only book I’ve written a review on. It washed over me like a soft dream. The characters are introduced with such clarity that one feels like they know them. A lovely read.

[Jodi Paloni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mary Lou Bagley is a modern day Mary Stewart who captured my attention decades ago with her novel Thornyhold, a story about a lonely woman who flees a known life and unearths the remnants of a difficult childhood, finding mystery and solace and love among the magical woods and gardens of her sanctuary under the tutelage of a wise woman. Other Wise also has cottages set among trees and gardens, a wise woman, Margaret, and her young friend, Emily. Other Wise mines identity and perspective in both of the main characters, alone, and in relationship to others in a close-knit, oft times at-odds rural Maine community. The novel explores the many possible ways of "seeing," seeing with one's eyes, one's second sight, and one's heart. This is a book for an snowy Sunday afternoon with a pot of tea and plate of shortbread, or for a summer day swinging in the hammock, hummingbirds buzzing the flowers. While reading and wanting to find out what will happen to these characters with so much at stake, reaching the end is further satisfying knowing this is the first book in a series. More to come!

[Sandy Carr · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was thrilled to come across this book in a second-hand bookshop in Damariscotta, Maine. It was written by a Maine woman, centering around an older Maine woman (and others in her community). I am an older woman who lives in Maine part of the year.

I loved Margaret's (the central character) visions and her ability to help others (referred to as her "second sight"). I loved the descriptions of her visions, so dreamlike and fluid. At other times, however, I found the author's single adjectives choppy: "a bouquet of purple blossoms in a milk-glass pitcher on a nearby table." I particularly got tired of the word "thick," used 40 times throughout the novel. Thick trees, thick underbrush, thick tufts of meadow grass, thick cloud of dust, thick pencil lines, thick tomato slice, thick wedges... Whatever happened to dense, heavy, or generous?

Overall, this is a very readable, enjoyable book. Just don't count the number of times tea is made or served :)

[Kelly Hudson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good book. The pace keeps the reader interested, and there’s plenty of suspense as well. The shifting of point of view is handled well. The characters have depth and are believable. Just a couple of notes. First it seems unlikely that nearly all the characters are craftsmen or artists or poets and they are all at the top of their fields. Museum quality art, prize winning builder, and so on. Second, in the compressed time frame of the major action, either Emily or Margaret has a melt down crying fit almost daily. It’s too much to be believable. Emily shouldn’t even be crying so much for a boyfriend she hardly knows, especially after she knows he is out of danger. Lastly, for the supernatural element - I can believe the esp/telekinesis parts, but when he dead speak to Margaret I chalk that to pure fiction.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel came into my life at the exact time that I needed it. This was a gentle, lovely story about engaging people in an interesting place. There's Margaret/Maggie - the older woman with the gift of second sight, Emily - the young writer wannabe who has a difficult relationship with her mother and all the people in the small Maine town. There's a faction that thinks Maggie is a witch and another faction that loves Maggie for the person she is.

As I was reading this, I didn't want it to end. I just really enjoyed this novel. That rarely happens. I would love to meet and spend time with most of the characters in this story.

It was a free download, I'll look into the author's other work to see if there are other must-reads there.

[JB Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this novel on a bookseller’s recommendation. I really enjoyed it. It kept my attention and the writing itself was also very good. I rated it 3.5 stars but goodreads doesn’t give half stars. The reason I bumped it down a bit despite the very interesting story and the fact that it made me want to turn off the TV and go read is because there were a bunch of storylines and not all of them got resolved over the course of the novel. To be fair this author has more novels and it’s possible that in the next books some of these issues will be resolved. But over all this was a fun read and it kept my attention all the way through.

[andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magical ... I so enjoyed the tempo, and wish I were a guest at Margaret's banquet table, complete with wonderful characters and naturally, view Margaret's appreciation for the real and true, as well as gifts that come one's way when one is open to them - all so beautifully arranged and set before us. Having seen the author on stage here at the Hackmatack Theatre in the role of Hannah, owner of the Spitfire Grill, I couldn't help picturing her as being Margaret here. looking forward to the "next chapter"!

[Kendra Chubbuck · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Maine author. A loved the setting and the characters. I hope there is a sequel. . .what an ending. So much bullying going on when the main character was younger. Of course, we know it is still happening in schools today even with a zero tolerance. I loved the theme of the story as I know people personally that have that extra sense including my mother. I grew up around it and so wished I had that extra sense!

[Susan Weintrob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully and powerfully written

Beautifully written, with strong characters, this novel has much pain, trauma, growth and joy. Powerful friendships help guide. The second sight of a main character is at the core of the plot, a good woman with her own journey, a woman harmed by those who do not understand what a psychic is and fear her. I was sorry when the book ended and hope to read more by this author.

[Marlene Dick · Rating 5 out of 5]

An unusual insightful read

I really enjoyed this book. It looks at the love of family and friends in a small Maine community and the experiences of an older woman who has always had the "sight".
The only unfortunate part is the ending which feels like a sequel is needed to answer some of the questions raised.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful, lush descriptions of the main character's surroundings. It was almost like entering an enchanted land. There were too many characters and not enough background information on them. Later in the story, when re-introduced to them, I couldn't recall who they were. I loved the idea of a seer.

[Barbara June Pettibone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clairvoyant

Good book. About an older woman who senses deeply and clairvoyantly the profound experiences of others. For this gift, she is loved by many and despised by some. Great read!

[sharn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful storytelling

Interesting characters, and vivid settings. Cannot wait to read more. There is really more than one principal character. Author winds the storyline wonderfully around them.

[Sharyn Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I’ve read this year!

I love this book and the story and the lessons will Stay with me. I hope she writes more soon!!!

[louisa dyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

astonishingly good - clean - easy read. I am impressed. Following this author now.

[Vernell Schutte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cliffhanger

Really enjoyed this book until the end. I hate hate hate cliffhangers and this book has a big one. Upsetting!!

[Pam Ackerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mary Lou is a gifted story teller

I really enjoyed this book. This author knows how to keep your interest with compelling characters and a good plot.

[Maryc76904 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read

This is not my typical read but I was captured from the start. Well written and keeps you thoroughly entranced.

[Linda, Linda, Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did not want it to end!

One of the best books I have read in a while. I could read it again....and, again! I did not want the story to end!

[BonusMom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read

This is an entertaining novel with a unique take on our 'second sight'. It is a great story and written in a way that speaks to your heart.

[Teresa Hawkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful

Want to be hypnotized and learn how to access all your sense by following a story of unfolding, growth, and insight? Well, this is the book for you.

[Lynn Leach · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, it spoke to my soul. The characters were beautifully written in their depth and complexity. They are people I would want to know.

[Karen May]

Recommended by Anne Marie

[Maurine · Rating 3 out of 5]

meh,

[Anessa]

Dnr🤧

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am intrigued by the premise of second sight/ intuition. However, I struggled to read the entire book.