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Morning Glory
New York Times bestselling author Sarah Jio imagines life on Boat Street, a floating community on Seattle’s Lake Union—home to people of artistic spirit who for decades protect the dark secret of one startling night in 1959.
Fleeing an East Coast life marred by tragedy, Ada Santorini takes up residence on houseboat number seven on Boat Street. She discovers a trunk left behind by Penny Wentworth, a young newlywed who lived on the boat half a century earlier. Ada longs to know her predecessor’s fate, but little suspects that Penny’s mysterious past and her own clouded future are destined to converge.
Fleeing an East Coast life marred by tragedy, Ada Santorini takes up residence on houseboat number seven on Boat Street. She discovers a trunk left behind by Penny Wentworth, a young newlywed who lived on the boat half a century earlier. Ada longs to know her predecessor’s fate, but little suspects that Penny’s mysterious past and her own clouded future are destined to converge.
304 pages, Paperback
First published November 26, 2013
167 people are currently reading
7911 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Jio
28 books4,696 followersSarah Jio is the New York Times bestselling author of WITH LOVE FROM LONDON, coming from Random House (Ballantine) 2/22, as well as seven other novels from Random House and Penguin Books, including, ALWAYS, ALL THE FLOWERS IN PARIS, THE VIOLETS OF MARCH, THE BUNGALOW, BLACKBERRY WINTER, THE LAST CAMELLIA, MORNING GLORY, GOODNIGHT JUNE, and THE LOOK OF LOVE. Sarah is a journalist who has contributed to The New York Times, Glamour, O, The Oprah Magazine, Glamour, SELF, Real Simple, Fitness, Marie Claire, and many others. She has appeared as a commentator on NPR’s Morning Edition. Her novels are translated into more than 25 languages. Sarah lives in Seattle with her husband, three boys, three step-children and two puppies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,075 reviews
July 13, 2013
I wrote this novel while renting a houseboat in Seattle as my "office"--it was one of the most memorable times of my life. I hope you enjoy the characters as much as I enjoyed dreaming them up! xoxo
November 21, 2013
Having read all of Sarah Jio's novels, I was super excited to win this through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program. But as I was reading this novel, I couldn't help but think that with this, her fifth novel, Ms. Jio is following a formula for her novels:
1. Something bad/emotional happens to woman in modern day.
2. Something bad/emotional also happened to woman in past.
3. Modern day woman finds unexpected love while also stumbling upon the "mystery" of the woman in the past.
4. Coincidences between modern day and the past abound.
5. Mystery solved.
6. Happy ending.
Don't get me wrong, the story was engrossing as it traveled back and forth from the past to modern day, and it kept me reading, to find out what was going to happen. The setting, a houseboat community on Seattle's Lake Union, was interesting.
But at times the story was just too predictable, and some of the characters actions were unrealistic. Modern-day Ada is a stereotypical Type A working mom that had a REALLY BAD THING happen to her. Past-time Penny was a weak, naive girl who married a man 20 years her senior who didn't treat her right. Something REALLY BAD happened to Penny in the past. Ada is uncovering clues to find out what happened to Penny, as she also is getting over her own REALLY BAD THING.
If you've liked Ms. Jio's other novels, you'll like this one too. It's a quick, easy read. But don't expect anything new or different. Ms. Jio is a talented writer - I hope that with her next novel, she can break free of this formula and write a story with more depth to it.
1. Something bad/emotional happens to woman in modern day.
2. Something bad/emotional also happened to woman in past.
3. Modern day woman finds unexpected love while also stumbling upon the "mystery" of the woman in the past.
4. Coincidences between modern day and the past abound.
5. Mystery solved.
6. Happy ending.
Don't get me wrong, the story was engrossing as it traveled back and forth from the past to modern day, and it kept me reading, to find out what was going to happen. The setting, a houseboat community on Seattle's Lake Union, was interesting.
But at times the story was just too predictable, and some of the characters actions were unrealistic. Modern-day Ada is a stereotypical Type A working mom that had a REALLY BAD THING happen to her. Past-time Penny was a weak, naive girl who married a man 20 years her senior who didn't treat her right. Something REALLY BAD happened to Penny in the past. Ada is uncovering clues to find out what happened to Penny, as she also is getting over her own REALLY BAD THING.
If you've liked Ms. Jio's other novels, you'll like this one too. It's a quick, easy read. But don't expect anything new or different. Ms. Jio is a talented writer - I hope that with her next novel, she can break free of this formula and write a story with more depth to it.
November 7, 2022
"Morning Glow" is built according to the usual template for Gio: two female destinies. in the same space, but separated by time, in this case half a century between 1959, where Penny lives and 2008 Ada. The scene is a marina with houseboats in Seattle. In the middle of the last century, a young Penny lives there with her far from young husband, the famous artist Dexter. In the current century, the same house is rented by the editor of the fashionable gloss Ada, who is hard going through the tragedy of the death of her daughter and husband.
Both women are deeply unhappy, Penny, because her husband does not appreciate her attempts to become an ideal wife and she does not fit into the circle of his refined intellectual friends, Ada for obvious reasons. Both women meet young muscular tanned handsome men, from whose looks they have something somewhere trembling. In Penny's case, it's Colin, who is upgrading a yacht for some rich guy, and Ada has Alex, a former military commander, now a food photographer for cookbooks.
In that distant 1959 Penny mysteriously disappeared, now Ada accidentally finds the key to a locked chest, the contents of which can shed light on that long-ago disappearance, and begins an amateur investigation. In parallel, both heroines have romantic lines unfolding with muscular handsome neighbors, whose seductive buttocks and torsos do not prevent one from appreciating love for her husband, the other deep sorrow.
At Penny's, this is accompanied by increased baking of various flour products, a recipe for a cinnamon roll has been added to the book for complete happiness, which needs to be baked at 375 degrees, I think. that the output should just turn out to be firebrands. In the case of Ada by multiple flashbacks, from which the reader can conclude that a). she has a delicate nervous organization; b). before the trouble, she had an ideal family; c). she is a hysterical woman who has attracted misfortune into her life with her fears.
The latter was hardly part of the writer's plans. but her writing is such a combination of cloying sweetness, sentiment, inappropriate pathos, breaths and jumps with coups that the reader involuntarily comes to this conclusion. Stylistically, this is a perfect example of template writing, where every phrase, every turn of speech seems to be rewritten from hundreds of other ladies' novels, and the characters from pure cardboard behave as unnaturally as possible.
Лютики-цветочки
Интересная вещь читательская статистика, вот например, можно задаться вопросом, отчего в России так популярна Сара Джио? Смотрите у этого романа на Goodreads восемь тысяч читателей, а на LiveLib пять. При том, что когда сравниваешь книгу, ставшую реально международным хитом, разбег в десятки, а то и в сотню раз. И это нормально, у Гудридс многоязычная аудитория и мировой охват, Либ преимущественно для русскоязычного пространства.
Но если количество читателей почти одинаково, значит именно к уму и сердцу русскоговорящей читательницы писательница сумела подобрать волшебный ключик. Косвенным подтверждением может служить то. что другой ее роман "Тихие слова любви" стал самой продаваемой в России книгой 2017 года.
"Утреннее сияние" построено по привычному для Джио шаблону: две женских судьбы. в одном пространстве, но разделенные временем, в данном случае полвека между 1959 годом, где живет Пенни и 2008 Ады. Место действия пристань с плавучими домиками в Сиэтле. В середине прошлого века там живет юная Пенни со своим далеко не юным мужем, знаменитым художником Декстером. В нынешнем веке тот же домик берет в аренду редактор модного глянца Ада, тяжело переживающая трагедию гибели дочери и мужа.
Обе женщины глубоко несчастны, Пенни потому что ее попыток стать идеальной женой не ценит муж и она не вписывается в круг его изысканных друзей интеллектуалов, Ада по понятным причинам. Обе женщины встречают молодых мускулистых загорелых красавцев, от взглядов которых у них что-то где-то трепещет. В случае Пенни это Колин, занимающийся апгрейдом яхты для какого-то толстосума, у Ады Алекс - бывший военкор, ныне фотограф еды для кулинарных книг.
В том далеком 1959 Пенни таинственно пропала, сейчас Ада случайно находит ключ от запертого сундука, содержимое которого может пролить свет на то давнее исчезновение, и начинает любительское расследование. Параллельно у обеих героинь разворачиваются романтические линии с мускулистыми красавцами соседями, чьих соблазнительных ягодиц и торсов одной не мешает оценить любовь к мужу, другой глубокая скорбь.
У Пенни это сопровождается усиленным выпеканием разных мучных изделий, в книгу для полного счастья добавлен рецепт рулета с корицей, который нужно печь при 275 градусах, думаю. что на выходе как раз должны получиться головешки. В случае Ады множественными флэшбэками, из которых читатель может заключить, что а). у нее тонкая нервная организация; б). до беды у нее была идеальная семья; в). она истеричка, своими страхами притянувшая в свою жизнь несчастье.
Последнее в планы писательницы вряд ли входило. но ее писанина такое сочетание приторной сладости, сантиментов, неуместного пафоса, придыханий и подскоков с переворотами, что читатель поневоле приходит к такому выводу. Стилистически это совершенный образец шаблонного письма, где каждая фраза, любой речевой оборот словно бы переписана из сотен других дамских романов, а герои из чистого картона ведут себя максимально неестественно.
Громоздя нелепости одну на другую, заставляя персонажей поступать с каким-то даже эталонным идиотизмом, автор доволакивает повествование до счастливого для одной и несчастного для другой финала. Впрочем, это неточно, потому что в самом конце выяснится, что у другой тоже все сложилось нехреново. Вы, презиравшие Дарью Донцову, вот вам Сара Джио, наслаждайтесь.
Both women are deeply unhappy, Penny, because her husband does not appreciate her attempts to become an ideal wife and she does not fit into the circle of his refined intellectual friends, Ada for obvious reasons. Both women meet young muscular tanned handsome men, from whose looks they have something somewhere trembling. In Penny's case, it's Colin, who is upgrading a yacht for some rich guy, and Ada has Alex, a former military commander, now a food photographer for cookbooks.
In that distant 1959 Penny mysteriously disappeared, now Ada accidentally finds the key to a locked chest, the contents of which can shed light on that long-ago disappearance, and begins an amateur investigation. In parallel, both heroines have romantic lines unfolding with muscular handsome neighbors, whose seductive buttocks and torsos do not prevent one from appreciating love for her husband, the other deep sorrow.
At Penny's, this is accompanied by increased baking of various flour products, a recipe for a cinnamon roll has been added to the book for complete happiness, which needs to be baked at 375 degrees, I think. that the output should just turn out to be firebrands. In the case of Ada by multiple flashbacks, from which the reader can conclude that a). she has a delicate nervous organization; b). before the trouble, she had an ideal family; c). she is a hysterical woman who has attracted misfortune into her life with her fears.
The latter was hardly part of the writer's plans. but her writing is such a combination of cloying sweetness, sentiment, inappropriate pathos, breaths and jumps with coups that the reader involuntarily comes to this conclusion. Stylistically, this is a perfect example of template writing, where every phrase, every turn of speech seems to be rewritten from hundreds of other ladies' novels, and the characters from pure cardboard behave as unnaturally as possible.
Лютики-цветочки
Интересная вещь читательская статистика, вот например, можно задаться вопросом, отчего в России так популярна Сара Джио? Смотрите у этого романа на Goodreads восемь тысяч читателей, а на LiveLib пять. При том, что когда сравниваешь книгу, ставшую реально международным хитом, разбег в десятки, а то и в сотню раз. И это нормально, у Гудридс многоязычная аудитория и мировой охват, Либ преимущественно для русскоязычного пространства.
Но если количество читателей почти одинаково, значит именно к уму и сердцу русскоговорящей читательницы писательница сумела подобрать волшебный ключик. Косвенным подтверждением может служить то. что другой ее роман "Тихие слова любви" стал самой продаваемой в России книгой 2017 года.
"Утреннее сияние" построено по привычному для Джио шаблону: две женских судьбы. в одном пространстве, но разделенные временем, в данном случае полвека между 1959 годом, где живет Пенни и 2008 Ады. Место действия пристань с плавучими домиками в Сиэтле. В середине прошлого века там живет юная Пенни со своим далеко не юным мужем, знаменитым художником Декстером. В нынешнем веке тот же домик берет в аренду редактор модного глянца Ада, тяжело переживающая трагедию гибели дочери и мужа.
Обе женщины глубоко несчастны, Пенни потому что ее попыток стать идеальной женой не ценит муж и она не вписывается в круг его изысканных друзей интеллектуалов, Ада по понятным причинам. Обе женщины встречают молодых мускулистых загорелых красавцев, от взглядов которых у них что-то где-то трепещет. В случае Пенни это Колин, занимающийся апгрейдом яхты для какого-то толстосума, у Ады Алекс - бывший военкор, ныне фотограф еды для кулинарных книг.
В том далеком 1959 Пенни таинственно пропала, сейчас Ада случайно находит ключ от запертого сундука, содержимое которого может пролить свет на то давнее исчезновение, и начинает любительское расследование. Параллельно у обеих героинь разворачиваются романтические линии с мускулистыми красавцами соседями, чьих соблазнительных ягодиц и торсов одной не мешает оценить любовь к мужу, другой глубокая скорбь.
У Пенни это сопровождается усиленным выпеканием разных мучных изделий, в книгу для полного счастья добавлен рецепт рулета с корицей, который нужно печь при 275 градусах, думаю. что на выходе как раз должны получиться головешки. В случае Ады множественными флэшбэками, из которых читатель может заключить, что а). у нее тонкая нервная организация; б). до беды у нее была идеальная семья; в). она истеричка, своими страхами притянувшая в свою жизнь несчастье.
Последнее в планы писательницы вряд ли входило. но ее писанина такое сочетание приторной сладости, сантиментов, неуместного пафоса, придыханий и подскоков с переворотами, что читатель поневоле приходит к такому выводу. Стилистически это совершенный образец шаблонного письма, где каждая фраза, любой речевой оборот словно бы переписана из сотен других дамских романов, а герои из чистого картона ведут себя максимально неестественно.
Громоздя нелепости одну на другую, заставляя персонажей поступать с каким-то даже эталонным идиотизмом, автор доволакивает повествование до счастливого для одной и несчастного для другой финала. Впрочем, это неточно, потому что в самом конце выяснится, что у другой тоже все сложилось нехреново. Вы, презиравшие Дарью Донцову, вот вам Сара Джио, наслаждайтесь.
January 28, 2024
БОЖЕ, ЯК Я ОБОЖНЮЮ КНИГИ САРИ ДЖІО 🤧
Сьогоднішній вечір був чудовий тому, що я прочитала чергову книгу улюбленої авторки. Сарі майстерно вдалось передати неймовірну атмосферу Човникової вулиці, тому що і я також захотіла відвідати та відчути на собі як це – жити у плавучому будиночку.
Чесно кажучи, у мене десь після сторінки 66 постійно були очі на мокрому місці, я таак сильно хотіла щасливого кінця для Пенні та Коліна, я надзвичайно вдячна за епілог, та й за цю книгу загалом ❤️🩹
Обидві історії є дуже щемкими. І жодна з них не є менш цікавою, хоч обидві досить трагічні.
З цієї книги ми можемо винести для себе таке: Щоб не сталось, ми повинні продовжувати жити далі, яким би сильним не був біль.
Сьогоднішній вечір був чудовий тому, що я прочитала чергову книгу улюбленої авторки. Сарі майстерно вдалось передати неймовірну атмосферу Човникової вулиці, тому що і я також захотіла відвідати та відчути на собі як це – жити у плавучому будиночку.
Чесно кажучи, у мене десь після сторінки 66 постійно були очі на мокрому місці, я таак сильно хотіла щасливого кінця для Пенні та Коліна, я надзвичайно вдячна за епілог, та й за цю книгу загалом ❤️🩹
Обидві історії є дуже щемкими. І жодна з них не є менш цікавою, хоч обидві досить трагічні.
З цієї книги ми можемо винести для себе таке: Щоб не сталось, ми повинні продовжувати жити далі, яким би сильним не був біль.
May 8, 2017
If this were my first Sarah Jio book, I might have give her the benefit of the doubt and an extra star or two. But I'm honestly just bored at this point. She's a perfectly fine writer, but it would be awesome if she'd start exploring some new story structures and themes aside from the modern lady drawn in by the historical lady whose mysterious life mirrors her own. This felt like it had been written by opening the Word document of The Violets of March, replacing the names, and tweaking the finer details and the setting. The result made this feel so cliched, so cheesy that I actually laughed out loud when a character's tragic death is described. I might give Sarah a chance if she decides to write a different story, but as long as she keeps regurgitating the same tropes three or four times a year, I'm not into it.
November 21, 2013
Every now and again a book comes along that is just what the doctor ordered. For me that book is Morning Glory by Sarah Jio. Morning Glory is inspiring, uplifting, and heartening.
Ada Santorini leaves behind her career as the editor for Sunrise magazine and her home in New York to escape from that life. She's still in a constant state of mourning after losing her family in an accident. Her psychiatrist offers to help in this escape by telling her of a houseboat in Washington that is for rent. Ada jumps at the opportunity. The quiet is a welcome reprieve for Ada who's guilt and depression are suffocating her, rendering her incapable of living her life.
A trip to the local market sparks a new interest encouraging Ada to stay busy. Misery works best when the mind is at rest. Ada learns of a woman who has gone missing during the 50s. A twist of irony makes it so that same missing woman once lived in the houseboat Ada now occupies.
Morning Glory alternates between Ada and Penny Wentworth's story. Penny is the woman who went missing from Boat Street in the 50s. Penny, a beautiful young wife of a popular artist, wishes to escape the life she has as well. What she thought would be a perfect love story ending with roses and butterflies turns out to be anything but. Often left alone, feeling empty, and without purpose, Penny begins to find life is not going the way she hoped it would.
Sarah Jio makes both Ada and Penny come to life on the pages of this novel. Although they are both in dire need to escape for different reasons, their quests are still the same. To be happy. To have hope. To live again. They both feel like imposters in the lives they had at one point and are anxious to get to a place of happy. Sometimes that happy can come in the form of a dashing man, spirituality, or in the blossoming of morning glory flowers.
There's a lot of tension surrounding Penny's story and I loved that. Jio expertly fuses a suspenseful mystery in a genre that's usually the sum of its parts that cause the water works. Yes there is a bit of romance and cause to say "awe", there's also moments of tension that an avid mystery reader like myself did not see coming.
Although I really enjoyed this novel and consumed it in just a few hours, I did find one huge flaw with it. The epilogue! It was so unnecessary. It actually made me not like a character I was most interested in for much of the novel. The epilogue should be taken away and banished to another boating community.
Morning Glory by Sarah Jio is definitely a refreshing read and I can't wait to read more by this author. One other thing I didn't note in the review is that it has a couple of recipes in it. I thought that was an awesome touch for all the foodies out there. I'd recommend this novel to lover's of women's literature, romance, and mystery. I'm left thinking I want to be like morning glory and shine no matter what.
Copy provided by Netgalley
Ada Santorini leaves behind her career as the editor for Sunrise magazine and her home in New York to escape from that life. She's still in a constant state of mourning after losing her family in an accident. Her psychiatrist offers to help in this escape by telling her of a houseboat in Washington that is for rent. Ada jumps at the opportunity. The quiet is a welcome reprieve for Ada who's guilt and depression are suffocating her, rendering her incapable of living her life.
A trip to the local market sparks a new interest encouraging Ada to stay busy. Misery works best when the mind is at rest. Ada learns of a woman who has gone missing during the 50s. A twist of irony makes it so that same missing woman once lived in the houseboat Ada now occupies.
Morning Glory alternates between Ada and Penny Wentworth's story. Penny is the woman who went missing from Boat Street in the 50s. Penny, a beautiful young wife of a popular artist, wishes to escape the life she has as well. What she thought would be a perfect love story ending with roses and butterflies turns out to be anything but. Often left alone, feeling empty, and without purpose, Penny begins to find life is not going the way she hoped it would.
Sarah Jio makes both Ada and Penny come to life on the pages of this novel. Although they are both in dire need to escape for different reasons, their quests are still the same. To be happy. To have hope. To live again. They both feel like imposters in the lives they had at one point and are anxious to get to a place of happy. Sometimes that happy can come in the form of a dashing man, spirituality, or in the blossoming of morning glory flowers.
There's a lot of tension surrounding Penny's story and I loved that. Jio expertly fuses a suspenseful mystery in a genre that's usually the sum of its parts that cause the water works. Yes there is a bit of romance and cause to say "awe", there's also moments of tension that an avid mystery reader like myself did not see coming.
Although I really enjoyed this novel and consumed it in just a few hours, I did find one huge flaw with it. The epilogue! It was so unnecessary. It actually made me not like a character I was most interested in for much of the novel. The epilogue should be taken away and banished to another boating community.
Morning Glory by Sarah Jio is definitely a refreshing read and I can't wait to read more by this author. One other thing I didn't note in the review is that it has a couple of recipes in it. I thought that was an awesome touch for all the foodies out there. I'd recommend this novel to lover's of women's literature, romance, and mystery. I'm left thinking I want to be like morning glory and shine no matter what.
Copy provided by Netgalley
March 26, 2016
2.5 stars - It was alright, an average book.
Sigh. I love Sarah Jio's books. Sure, they're formulaic, but I love her recipe. Any time I pick up one of her books, it is easy to escape (most often to the Pacific NW, a favorite destination of mine), and her novels are warm and comforting reads. It's always like having one of your favorite holidays foods that you rarely make because it's too fattening or time consuming to have on a regular basis.
That being said, this would have easily been a solid 3-3.5 star book for me if I simply had not read the epilogue. If you are picking this one, I earnestly recommend that you close the book as soon as you see the word "Epilogue" without continuing to read another word. The book ended in a fine and dandy place, but then she turned it into a preposterous farce of a conclusion. Seriously, just skip the epilogue.
Pictures from the author's blog of the houseboat she rented while writing this novel.
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Favorite Quote: Some of life’s most beautiful things grow out of the darkest moments.
First Sentence: I step down onto the old dock and it creaks beneath my feet, as if letting out a deep sigh.
Sigh. I love Sarah Jio's books. Sure, they're formulaic, but I love her recipe. Any time I pick up one of her books, it is easy to escape (most often to the Pacific NW, a favorite destination of mine), and her novels are warm and comforting reads. It's always like having one of your favorite holidays foods that you rarely make because it's too fattening or time consuming to have on a regular basis.
That being said, this would have easily been a solid 3-3.5 star book for me if I simply had not read the epilogue. If you are picking this one, I earnestly recommend that you close the book as soon as you see the word "Epilogue" without continuing to read another word. The book ended in a fine and dandy place, but then she turned it into a preposterous farce of a conclusion. Seriously, just skip the epilogue.
Pictures from the author's blog of the houseboat she rented while writing this novel.
-------------------------------------------
Favorite Quote: Some of life’s most beautiful things grow out of the darkest moments.
First Sentence: I step down onto the old dock and it creaks beneath my feet, as if letting out a deep sigh.
January 29, 2022
После секоја прочитана книга од Сара си мислам дека ми е најубава од неа. Така и за оваа, толку преубаво место, преплетени приказни, доза на мистерија и љубов. Уживав во секоја страна, во секој збор напишан како што само Сара знае со толкава топлина. 🥺
5/5 ⭐
5/5 ⭐
January 22, 2024
книги Джіо - дарують тепло, занурюють у затишну атмосферу і ти ніби переносишся в саму історію
так і тут, ми опинилися на Човниковій, куди в будиночок на воді переїхала Ада. вона втратила чоловіка та доньку і хоче спробувати повернутися до життя.
півстоліття тому в цьому будиночку жило подружжя - Пенні та Декс. Однієї ночі Пенні безслідно зникла, і ця таємниця досі не розгадана.
я не могла зупинитись.
кожного разу казала собі «та ще один розділ», і так штук 5-6.
мені дуже сподобалось.
як неймовірно авторка поєднала ці дві долі між собою.
однозначно рекомендую
5/5
так і тут, ми опинилися на Човниковій, куди в будиночок на воді переїхала Ада. вона втратила чоловіка та доньку і хоче спробувати повернутися до життя.
півстоліття тому в цьому будиночку жило подружжя - Пенні та Декс. Однієї ночі Пенні безслідно зникла, і ця таємниця досі не розгадана.
я не могла зупинитись.
кожного разу казала собі «та ще один розділ», і так штук 5-6.
мені дуже сподобалось.
як неймовірно авторка поєднала ці дві долі між собою.
однозначно рекомендую
5/5
April 19, 2023
Šilta, jauki, šiek tiek nuspėjama istorija, paženklinta lašeliu liūdesio ir pagardinta žiupsneliu meilės.
Siatle prie Junjono ežero įsikūrusi namų-laivų prieplauka, beje apie tokius girdėjau pirmą kartą, kurios bendruomenė bendrauja labai glaudžiai. Išskirtinis prieplaukos bruožas ne tik tie namai-laivai, bet ir kai kuriuos iš jų apraizgęs "Ryto spindesys"-baltas žydintis, šiek tiek piktybiškas vijoklis. Šeštasis dešimtmetis, viename iš tų namų gyvena Penė, gražuolė dailininko žmona, praktiškai leidžianti dienas vienumoje, nes vyras amžinai pasinėręs į darbus. Šiandien tas pats namas vilioja Eidą, kuri bėgdama iš Niujorko bando numalšinti asmeninį skausmą ir pamiršti tragediją. Kaip tam banguojančiame name susilies paslaptinga Penės praeitis ir miglota Eidos ateitis?
Dvi laiko linijos. Dabartis ir praeitis. Vienos mįslinga istorija kitai raktas į šviesenę ateitį. Man patinka kaip ši autorė moka gražiai supinti ir sujungti praeitį su dabartimi. Kaip žingsnelis po žingsnelio dėliojasi visa istorija, tik gal koją šiek tiek kišo tas nuspėjamumas. Bet kartais reikia ir tokių istorijų, kurias gali skaityti jaukiai susisukęs į pledą, nebijodamas praleisti kokios svarbios detalės, tiesiog poilsis smegenims.
Siatle prie Junjono ežero įsikūrusi namų-laivų prieplauka, beje apie tokius girdėjau pirmą kartą, kurios bendruomenė bendrauja labai glaudžiai. Išskirtinis prieplaukos bruožas ne tik tie namai-laivai, bet ir kai kuriuos iš jų apraizgęs "Ryto spindesys"-baltas žydintis, šiek tiek piktybiškas vijoklis. Šeštasis dešimtmetis, viename iš tų namų gyvena Penė, gražuolė dailininko žmona, praktiškai leidžianti dienas vienumoje, nes vyras amžinai pasinėręs į darbus. Šiandien tas pats namas vilioja Eidą, kuri bėgdama iš Niujorko bando numalšinti asmeninį skausmą ir pamiršti tragediją. Kaip tam banguojančiame name susilies paslaptinga Penės praeitis ir miglota Eidos ateitis?
Dvi laiko linijos. Dabartis ir praeitis. Vienos mįslinga istorija kitai raktas į šviesenę ateitį. Man patinka kaip ši autorė moka gražiai supinti ir sujungti praeitį su dabartimi. Kaip žingsnelis po žingsnelio dėliojasi visa istorija, tik gal koją šiek tiek kišo tas nuspėjamumas. Bet kartais reikia ir tokių istorijų, kurias gali skaityti jaukiai susisukęs į pledą, nebijodamas praleisti kokios svarbios detalės, tiesiog poilsis smegenims.
June 8, 2014
This is my second novel by Sarah Jio...and I guess I am not a fan. I had the same problems with this book as did with Blackberry Winter.
This was filled with unnecessary dialog and unnecessary detail. It read like a cheesy hallmark movie. No doubt, the author can paint a pretty picture, but there is no depth in her characters...no emotional detail. She just mentions outward details. She can only describe what things look like and not what they feel like. That is one of my pet peeves that bothers me the most.
I would have put this down if it wasn't on a reading list that I was desperately trying to get through.
This was filled with unnecessary dialog and unnecessary detail. It read like a cheesy hallmark movie. No doubt, the author can paint a pretty picture, but there is no depth in her characters...no emotional detail. She just mentions outward details. She can only describe what things look like and not what they feel like. That is one of my pet peeves that bothers me the most.
I would have put this down if it wasn't on a reading list that I was desperately trying to get through.
June 9, 2022
"Kiekviens žmogus, kiekvienas daiktas šiame gyvenime turi savo tikslą."
Kaip buvau pasiilgusi Sarah Jio knygų, jos istorijos tokios jaukios ir šiltos. Skaitai ir atrodo gyveni kartu su knyga. ❤️
Kaip buvau pasiilgusi Sarah Jio knygų, jos istorijos tokios jaukios ir šiltos. Skaitai ir atrodo gyveni kartu su knyga. ❤️
October 9, 2014
A gorgeous, haunting, exquisite story... I was pulled in from the first installment. There was 'something' about the story that pulled me in and wouldn't let go :).
We're dropped into the lives of Ada and Penny, two different women living different lives yet they more in common than they think.
Ada has suffered a big tragedy and is just existing, working alot to keep herself busy. One day she can't take it anymore and flees New York for Seattle to live on a houseboat for the summer (with the reluctant approval from her therapist) in the hopes of healing from her pain.
Penny is a young bride who is living on the houseboat with her husband Dexter, a talented artist who has his own demons. She feels isolated and lonely since Dexter is off working alot and doesn't feel accepted in her husband's world/by her Boat Street neighbors. She's captivated by their neighbor Collin, who's building a houseboat along the way. She adores her neighbor's son Jimmy, who feels unloved by his parents.
Ada lives in the houseboat that was once occupied by Penny and her husband, abandoned by him after her disappearance. She finds a chest of Penny's belongings and is compelled to find out what happened to her.
What happened to Penny? Was she murdered? Did she run away?
There was so many twists and turns in this... I did not expect who it turned out to be that caused Penny's disappearance or the what happened after. I don't want to give anything away but it's all more closely tied together than you think.
I thought it would be jarring to flip between Penny and Ada but it was done well... we learn and unlearn more each time little bits of the story came from each side. I had certain perceptions one way and then they would be flipped around some pages later when new information came or was re-examined in light of another view.
People I had no sympathy for I changed my mind about some (even though I didn't condone their actions, I understood their motivations) and others I thought I had figured out gave me new angles.
I admired Ada for getting up the courage to open up to Alex, and growing to love him... when the circumstances of her past were revealed, I wanted to give her a big hug and not let her go. My opinion of Alex grew as he was so patient and encouraging with Ada.
Misunderstandings abound for the two of them but I liked how they felt real and not contrived... and that Ada/Alex didn't let things fester but talked them out.
Penny lived in difficult times back then. In spite of it all, she stayed kind and loving. I found myself hating Dexter for not appreciating her but my opinion changed shape as I got further into the story. Despite his faults, he did love Penny and was devastated when everything happened.
I can see why things happened the way that they did... it felt 'finished' in a way... It's hard to describe without giving too much away but a final twist at the end put alot of things into perspective. It's bittersweet in one way and happy with another.
The houseboat life, the sense of community and family... loved it. I would love to try to live on one but doubt I could afford it these days.
Highly recommend this book, one of the best ones I've read this year :) Happy reading!
"Every person, every thing, has a purpose in this life. You, me, this little morning glory. We're all inter-connected." Jimmy pauses to look at the flower in my hand. "It's our job to remember that and to realize how it all works together, even when it feels like the puzzle pieces don't fit."
We're dropped into the lives of Ada and Penny, two different women living different lives yet they more in common than they think.
Ada has suffered a big tragedy and is just existing, working alot to keep herself busy. One day she can't take it anymore and flees New York for Seattle to live on a houseboat for the summer (with the reluctant approval from her therapist) in the hopes of healing from her pain.
Penny is a young bride who is living on the houseboat with her husband Dexter, a talented artist who has his own demons. She feels isolated and lonely since Dexter is off working alot and doesn't feel accepted in her husband's world/by her Boat Street neighbors. She's captivated by their neighbor Collin, who's building a houseboat along the way. She adores her neighbor's son Jimmy, who feels unloved by his parents.
Ada lives in the houseboat that was once occupied by Penny and her husband, abandoned by him after her disappearance. She finds a chest of Penny's belongings and is compelled to find out what happened to her.
What happened to Penny? Was she murdered? Did she run away?
There was so many twists and turns in this... I did not expect who it turned out to be that caused Penny's disappearance or the what happened after. I don't want to give anything away but it's all more closely tied together than you think.
I thought it would be jarring to flip between Penny and Ada but it was done well... we learn and unlearn more each time little bits of the story came from each side. I had certain perceptions one way and then they would be flipped around some pages later when new information came or was re-examined in light of another view.
People I had no sympathy for I changed my mind about some (even though I didn't condone their actions, I understood their motivations) and others I thought I had figured out gave me new angles.
I admired Ada for getting up the courage to open up to Alex, and growing to love him... when the circumstances of her past were revealed, I wanted to give her a big hug and not let her go. My opinion of Alex grew as he was so patient and encouraging with Ada.
Misunderstandings abound for the two of them but I liked how they felt real and not contrived... and that Ada/Alex didn't let things fester but talked them out.
Penny lived in difficult times back then. In spite of it all, she stayed kind and loving. I found myself hating Dexter for not appreciating her but my opinion changed shape as I got further into the story. Despite his faults, he did love Penny and was devastated when everything happened.
I can see why things happened the way that they did... it felt 'finished' in a way... It's hard to describe without giving too much away but a final twist at the end put alot of things into perspective. It's bittersweet in one way and happy with another.
The houseboat life, the sense of community and family... loved it. I would love to try to live on one but doubt I could afford it these days.
Highly recommend this book, one of the best ones I've read this year :) Happy reading!
"Every person, every thing, has a purpose in this life. You, me, this little morning glory. We're all inter-connected." Jimmy pauses to look at the flower in my hand. "It's our job to remember that and to realize how it all works together, even when it feels like the puzzle pieces don't fit."
January 16, 2022
На езерото Јунион, во Сиетл, постои една улица наречена Улицата на бродовите. Таа улица се состои од пловни куќи кои изгледаат како излезени од бајка. Во педесеттите години токму во една таква куќа живеела младата невеста Пени со својот сопруг-сликар, Декстер. Иако разликата во годините е голема, тие не дозволиле тоа да им стане пречка. Нивниот живот се чинел совршен сѐ додека една вечер не исчезне Пени...
Во сегашноста, по 50 години, истата пловна куќа ја изнајмува новинарката Ада со цел да избега од спомените кои не ѝ даваат мира. Мислите од нејзината сопствена трагедија ѝ се ставени на пауза кога во куќата наоѓа стар ковчег во кој се крие една мистерија. Жителите на Улицата на бродовите веднаш ја менуваат темата кога ќе се спомне Пени и сѐ поврзано со неа. Па така, на Ада ѝ станува јасно дека тие нешто кријат и решава да ја разоткрие таа мистерија по било која цена.
Две работи што ги сакам кај Сара се:
1. Топлината на секој еден збор кој доаѓа од нејзиното перо. Не можам а и не знам да опишам, но кога читам нејзина книга имам едно многу убаво и топло чувство во мене кое е предизвикано од вешто избраните зборови. Тоа е доказ дека Сара има огромен талент и многу ми е мило што таа твори и со тоа допира до многу читатели ширум светот.
2. Белешката на авторката. Можеби овие белешки ми се и позначајни од целата книга. Колку само се посебни овие две страни кои Сара ги пишува на почетокот т.е. пред да почне книгата. Со тоа ни дава повеќе информации за тоа како се родила идејата за книгата и дали таа ги посетувала местата за да може да ги долови сите детали. Многу убави белешки кои таа ги посветува на читателите.
Оваа книга ми е најслаба од досега прочитаните од неа, но тоа не значи дека е лоша, далеку од тоа. Многу уживав во описите за Улицата на бродовите. Местото е како излезено од бајка, скоро нереално.
Ги има истите елементи кои се типични за стилот на Сара. Мистерија од минатото која по игра на судбуната се испреплетува со патиштата на ликовите од сегашноста. Секој па�� сум воодушевена од тоа како перфектно се вклопува сѐ. Она што ми ја прави оваа книга најслаба од другите е тоа што ми фалеше повеќе поврзаност и повеќе детали во приказната (Или можеби страници? Да биде повеќе обработена.) Меѓутоа, несомнено ќе допре до многу срца со емотивната страна и ќе извлече неколку солзи од читателот.
После читањето на оваа приказна, нема да ги гледам пловните куќи со исти очи. Секогаш ќе ме потсеќаат на ликовите и нивните животни судбини. Ќе ме потсеќаат на тоа дека животот е убав и вреден за живеење. Да, секогаш ќе има непосакувани моменти, но игнорирањето и 'бегањето' од нив нема да направи магично да исчезнат. Голем впечаток ми остави една реченица која терапевтот ѝ ја кажува на Ада: "Мораш да прифатиш дека можеби ќе те боли до крајот на животот...Загрижен сум дека си ја предодредила болката, дека си се натерала да веруваш дека таа постои само во Њујорк, кога всушност живее тука', покажува кон своето срце." Има нешто утешително во тоа, бидејќи ако не те боли тоа значи дека не ни било посебно. Утешително е да знаеш дека болката која сѐ уште тлее во срцето некогаш била причина за среќа и незаборавни моменти.
Во сегашноста, по 50 години, истата пловна куќа ја изнајмува новинарката Ада со цел да избега од спомените кои не ѝ даваат мира. Мислите од нејзината сопствена трагедија ѝ се ставени на пауза кога во куќата наоѓа стар ковчег во кој се крие една мистерија. Жителите на Улицата на бродовите веднаш ја менуваат темата кога ќе се спомне Пени и сѐ поврзано со неа. Па така, на Ада ѝ станува јасно дека тие нешто кријат и решава да ја разоткрие таа мистерија по било која цена.
Две работи што ги сакам кај Сара се:
1. Топлината на секој еден збор кој доаѓа од нејзиното перо. Не можам а и не знам да опишам, но кога читам нејзина книга имам едно многу убаво и топло чувство во мене кое е предизвикано од вешто избраните зборови. Тоа е доказ дека Сара има огромен талент и многу ми е мило што таа твори и со тоа допира до многу читатели ширум светот.
2. Белешката на авторката. Можеби овие белешки ми се и позначајни од целата книга. Колку само се посебни овие две страни кои Сара ги пишува на почетокот т.е. пред да почне книгата. Со тоа ни дава повеќе информации за тоа како се родила идејата за книгата и дали таа ги посетувала местата за да може да ги долови сите детали. Многу убави белешки кои таа ги посветува на читателите.
Оваа книга ми е најслаба од досега прочитаните од неа, но тоа не значи дека е лоша, далеку од тоа. Многу уживав во описите за Улицата на бродовите. Местото е како излезено од бајка, скоро нереално.
Ги има истите елементи кои се типични за стилот на Сара. Мистерија од минатото која по игра на судбуната се испреплетува со патиштата на ликовите од сегашноста. Секој па�� сум воодушевена од тоа како перфектно се вклопува сѐ. Она што ми ја прави оваа книга најслаба од другите е тоа што ми фалеше повеќе поврзаност и повеќе детали во приказната (Или можеби страници? Да биде повеќе обработена.) Меѓутоа, несомнено ќе допре до многу срца со емотивната страна и ќе извлече неколку солзи од читателот.
После читањето на оваа приказна, нема да ги гледам пловните куќи со исти очи. Секогаш ќе ме потсеќаат на ликовите и нивните животни судбини. Ќе ме потсеќаат на тоа дека животот е убав и вреден за живеење. Да, секогаш ќе има непосакувани моменти, но игнорирањето и 'бегањето' од нив нема да направи магично да исчезнат. Голем впечаток ми остави една реченица која терапевтот ѝ ја кажува на Ада: "Мораш да прифатиш дека можеби ќе те боли до крајот на животот...Загрижен сум дека си ја предодредила болката, дека си се натерала да веруваш дека таа постои само во Њујорк, кога всушност живее тука', покажува кон своето срце." Има нешто утешително во тоа, бидејќи ако не те боли тоа значи дека не ни било посебно. Утешително е да знаеш дека болката која сѐ уште тлее во срцето некогаш била причина за среќа и незаборавни моменти.
December 7, 2013
This is my third Sarah Jio book, and they have all been the same "type" of book (contemporary story with a past mystery to solve). Each of her books that I have read, I have read in three days. I'm not sure what that means except that they have been compelling enough for me to pick up often, and are not overly long - I enjoy reading them! The mystery from the past also really kept me turning the pages.
Morning Glory's setting is a houseboat community in Seattle. There is an undercurrent of sadness throughout the book because something REALLY BAD happened to the main character in the current storyline, and also the main character from the past has a pretty sad life. I'm not sure how I felt about the ending of the story - in a way it was happy, but I could never really get over the sadness of the book. Still, I'm pretty sure Sarah Joi books are not going to be a risk for me - I'm pretty sure I would like any of them.
Morning Glory's setting is a houseboat community in Seattle. There is an undercurrent of sadness throughout the book because something REALLY BAD happened to the main character in the current storyline, and also the main character from the past has a pretty sad life. I'm not sure how I felt about the ending of the story - in a way it was happy, but I could never really get over the sadness of the book. Still, I'm pretty sure Sarah Joi books are not going to be a risk for me - I'm pretty sure I would like any of them.
December 11, 2013
I should preface this review by stating that I was counting down the days until it became available. Having pre-ordered it, the day that it downloaded into my Kindle was a happy day indeed. I was charged about spending those next few hours wholly immersed into a boathouse community. I always see them floating idly on the water across the bay and my curiosity was piqued.
Ada Santorini's story was pleasant enough to read. I felt that it was an accurate depiction of the loss one would experience upon losing their family. That said, I wasn't sure just how much we really needed to delve into her past memories of her husband and child and there were many times that I wondered why they were sprinkled in such detail throughout the novel. In any case, it didn't really detract from the overall story, but it didn't add too much to it either.
Penny Wentworth, her historical counterpart, was fascinating as all historical counterparts are in these dual timeline stories. I thought her reasoning for was a little ridiculous though. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised because Esther from Violets of March who did
Ada Santorini's story was pleasant enough to read. I felt that it was an accurate depiction of the loss one would experience upon losing their family. That said, I wasn't sure just how much we really needed to delve into her past memories of her husband and child and there were many times that I wondered why they were sprinkled in such detail throughout the novel. In any case, it didn't really detract from the overall story, but it didn't add too much to it either.
Penny Wentworth, her historical counterpart, was fascinating as all historical counterparts are in these dual timeline stories. I thought her reasoning for was a little ridiculous though. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised because Esther from Violets of March who did
March 13, 2022
"Po dvidešimties metų būsi labiau nusivylęs dalykais, kurių nepadarei negu tais, kuriuos padarei. Todėl nusimesk pančius, palik saugų uostą. Burėmis pagauk palankų vėją. Tyrinėk. Svajok. Atrask."
Skaityti tokias knygas visada yra gerai, kai nesiskaito niekas rimtesnio. Pasakojimas lengvas, saldus, romantiškas, neįpareigojantis sukti galvą. Perskaitei, pasimėgavai ir gana greitai pamiršai. Nes buvo toks jausmas, kad aš šią knygą jau esu kažkada skaičiusi. Tačiau šiuo metu man toks variantas visai tinka ir patinka.
Skaityti tokias knygas visada yra gerai, kai nesiskaito niekas rimtesnio. Pasakojimas lengvas, saldus, romantiškas, neįpareigojantis sukti galvą. Perskaitei, pasimėgavai ir gana greitai pamiršai. Nes buvo toks jausmas, kad aš šią knygą jau esu kažkada skaičiusi. Tačiau šiuo metu man toks variantas visai tinka ir patinka.
July 30, 2017
3,5
Weer een heerlijk boek zeg❤️
Weer een heerlijk boek zeg❤️
March 27, 2024
Мені надзвичайно сподобалось
April 6, 2014
Sarah Jio's family rented a houseboat on Lake Union in Seattle when she was writing Morning Glory. Her love of the houseboat lifestyle is evident in this story about two women who lived in the same houseboat, Penny in the 1950s and Ada in 2008.
Ada, a journalist, comes to Seattle to escape from her memories. She is brokenhearted after her husband and daughter die in an accident. She finds a trunk of Penny's belongings in the houseboat that she is renting. Penny had disappeared without a trace in the 1950s. Ada tries to solve the mysteries in Penny's life while she heals emotionally and looks to the future.
After reading several of Sarah Jio's novels written in a similar style, this book seemed a bit predictable. The author did create characters with emotional challenges--love and loss--that would bring out empathetic feelings in the reader. Fans of women's fiction would probably enjoy spending a few hours in this charming houseboat setting.
June 4, 2022
This is my least favorite book by Sarah Jio, at least of the ones I’ve read so far. I picked this book knowing Jio’s style. I wanted a quick read/happier book as a break from the usual thrillers and memoirs that I read. This book is what I was looking for, however, I didn’t care for it.
I didn’t connect with any of the characters. Part of it is due to the way the secrets are withheld for a while to draw the reader into the book, and another part is just because of the way they were written. I don’t agree with some of the decisions on a moral level. If anything, the final chapter is a bit annoying with the further “connection” that doesn’t need to be there. I don’t even feel like I saw enough to feel a connection between the characters themselves, because the book just skips over most of it.
The storyline itself is the worst part of the book for me. The past and the present blend together because they are too parallel. The main characters live in the same house and meet a lot of the same people. It’s like reading the same book twice, and it’s not even a long book. Not only that but the “mystery” within the book is a hyped up for nothing. It’s disappointing.
It’s a sweet love story, or love stories, but I’m really disappointed in the execution of it. Two stars.
I didn’t connect with any of the characters. Part of it is due to the way the secrets are withheld for a while to draw the reader into the book, and another part is just because of the way they were written. I don’t agree with some of the decisions on a moral level. If anything, the final chapter is a bit annoying with the further “connection” that doesn’t need to be there. I don’t even feel like I saw enough to feel a connection between the characters themselves, because the book just skips over most of it.
The storyline itself is the worst part of the book for me. The past and the present blend together because they are too parallel. The main characters live in the same house and meet a lot of the same people. It’s like reading the same book twice, and it’s not even a long book. Not only that but the “mystery” within the book is a hyped up for nothing. It’s disappointing.
It’s a sweet love story, or love stories, but I’m really disappointed in the execution of it. Two stars.
August 10, 2016
After having read every one of Sara Jio's books so far, I'd list this one as a disappointment. Unlike her first three novels which were formulaic but had deep charm and intrigue, I found this one (as well as it's immediate predecessor, The Last Camellia) unappetizing. My curiosity wasn't piqued until I had read over a third of the novel.
March 10, 2024
Sarah Jios bok ”Husbåten vid kajens slut” har ett fantastiskt vackert omslag. Och historien som berättas är också både vacker och finstämd, men rymmer även sorg och ett kittlande mysterium. Vi får följa två liv och två kvinnor i två tidsepoker.
Det här är en riktigt bra historia med intressanta karaktärer och en välbeskriven husbåtsmiljö. Jag började läsa, blev uppslukad av berättelsen och kunde inte sluta läsa. Det här är en bok där vi får följa två kvinnors livsöden genom olika tidsepoker, starka känslor av både djupaste sorg och förtvivlan till himlastormande förälskelse och stor glädje. En bok jag verkligen rekommenderar och som innehåller hoppfullhet, värme, gemenskap, längtan, kärlek, svek och mycket mer.
Det här är en riktigt bra historia med intressanta karaktärer och en välbeskriven husbåtsmiljö. Jag började läsa, blev uppslukad av berättelsen och kunde inte sluta läsa. Det här är en bok där vi får följa två kvinnors livsöden genom olika tidsepoker, starka känslor av både djupaste sorg och förtvivlan till himlastormande förälskelse och stor glädje. En bok jag verkligen rekommenderar och som innehåller hoppfullhet, värme, gemenskap, längtan, kärlek, svek och mycket mer.
March 23, 2021
Labai patiko!
December 9, 2023
Спочатку було нудно і трошки заплутано. А в цілому файно
August 22, 2023
Як це було боляче та прекрасно 💔
Просто не відірватись. Немає слів тільки одні ем��ції
10000/10 😭❤️
Епілог вразив та заставив розплакатись
Просто не відірватись. Немає слів тільки одні ем��ції
10000/10 😭❤️
Епілог вразив та заставив розплакатись
May 29, 2016
I was drawn to this book in large part due to its setting: the fabled houseboats of Seattle's Lake Union. Houseboat living in Seattle has long been known for its quirkiness and deeply rooted sense of community; it also carries a diverse history of residents that matches the evolution of Seattle's economy: first home to loggers, fishermen, and industrial workers looking for cheap, mobile lodging, later to the Bohemians and "hippies" trying to defy the confines of urban life and now to an array of "old-timers" and recent transplants. Sarah Jio captures two different eras of houseboat life in Morning Glory, moving between the Boho whirlwind of the late 1950s and present day. Ada Santorini is the transplant at the center of Jio's story: she uprooted her life in New York and moved to Seattle's sleepy lakeshore to get away from a tragedy that haunts her days and nights in the City that Never Sleeps. While Ada's first order of business is to reconcile with her past and carry on in her present, she also finds herself getting pulled into the history of her dock, particularly the disappearance of Mrs. Penny Wentworth, former resident of Ada's rental. As Ada unravels Penny's story, she finds herself uncovering more about her neighbors on Boat Street-"lifers" who have maintained a code of silence since Penny's sudden disappearance. Morning Glory is told from both Penny and Ada's points-of-view. While the parellel stories provide an interesting comparison between the pressures, expectations, and judgments placed on (married) women in the 1950s and now, the story itself stays at a superficial level; both Penny and Ada are more engrossed in the men in their lives than themselves and rarely question or challenge the circumstances they are placed in by virtue of their womanhood. The story is also too neat and tidy for my taste - rather than leave any ambiguity for the reader to ponder, Jio ties up every loose end to the point that even the most generous reader's suspension of disbelief is exhausted.
June 30, 2016
Morning Glory was my first novel by Sarah Jio, but I loved the style, and I can see why she’s a NY Times Bestseller! I got an ARC from Penguin’s First to Read program, and I’m really glad I got this one. It’s due to be published on November 26, 2013, and I definitely recommend the purchase!
The way that the book was written was in two different women’s perspectives – Penny Wentworth, a 1950’s housewife, and Ada Santorini, editor of Sunrise magazine in 2008. Their stories are tied together by their lives, and sorrows, in Houseboat No. 7 on Lake Union in Seattle, Washington.
Ada Santorini leases Houseboat No. 7 for a summer in an attempt to run away from her grief, and finds out that the last woman who lived there disappeared in 1959, never to be seen again. She then discovers a trunk left behind by Penny Wentworth. Ada learns a lot about herself as she investigates Penny’s disappearance and begins the process of resurfacing from the depths of her grief.
Morning Glory was a well-woven mystery and love story. Not everything ends up neatly, but it does have a happy ending of sorts. It put me in mind of the movie, The Lake House, that I haven't seen in years but really enjoyed. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and would definitely give it a 5 out of 5 star rating.
The way that the book was written was in two different women’s perspectives – Penny Wentworth, a 1950’s housewife, and Ada Santorini, editor of Sunrise magazine in 2008. Their stories are tied together by their lives, and sorrows, in Houseboat No. 7 on Lake Union in Seattle, Washington.
Ada Santorini leases Houseboat No. 7 for a summer in an attempt to run away from her grief, and finds out that the last woman who lived there disappeared in 1959, never to be seen again. She then discovers a trunk left behind by Penny Wentworth. Ada learns a lot about herself as she investigates Penny’s disappearance and begins the process of resurfacing from the depths of her grief.
Morning Glory was a well-woven mystery and love story. Not everything ends up neatly, but it does have a happy ending of sorts. It put me in mind of the movie, The Lake House, that I haven't seen in years but really enjoyed. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and would definitely give it a 5 out of 5 star rating.
December 12, 2013
My Thoughts:
In this story we spend time with Ada and Penny. After a tragic accident, Ada decides to quit her job, leave New York City and move to Seattle. She rents a houseboat that once belong to Penny. Penny mysteriously disappeared fifty years ago. Neighbors who where around at the time Penny went missing have a “pact” not to discuss the events that occurred the night she went missing. As Ada works to discover what happened to Penny, her life moves forward. As we read about Penny’s life fifty years ago, her life is slowly falling apart.
I loved this story. Sarah Jio’s writing is so vivid. My heart was sad for both Penny and Ada as we learn what events has brought sorrow to their lives. I liked both ladies and really wanted to see both of them end up happy.
This book started out slowly - in a good way. The more I read, the more the suspense built. By the end, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Whew - what a great read!
Many thanks to Scribner, via Edelweiss, fow allowing me to read this inexchange for an unbiased review.
In this story we spend time with Ada and Penny. After a tragic accident, Ada decides to quit her job, leave New York City and move to Seattle. She rents a houseboat that once belong to Penny. Penny mysteriously disappeared fifty years ago. Neighbors who where around at the time Penny went missing have a “pact” not to discuss the events that occurred the night she went missing. As Ada works to discover what happened to Penny, her life moves forward. As we read about Penny’s life fifty years ago, her life is slowly falling apart.
I loved this story. Sarah Jio’s writing is so vivid. My heart was sad for both Penny and Ada as we learn what events has brought sorrow to their lives. I liked both ladies and really wanted to see both of them end up happy.
This book started out slowly - in a good way. The more I read, the more the suspense built. By the end, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Whew - what a great read!
Many thanks to Scribner, via Edelweiss, fow allowing me to read this inexchange for an unbiased review.
June 10, 2018
Oh I'm so conflicted about this book. I was interested in Ada's story and I was intrigued to read about life on boat street.
So far so good, but sadly I really don't like Penny. She had very little to nothing in common with her husband and I wonder why she married him this quickly. Also she had a doubtful taste in men and it felt like she could not make up her mind. I tried to like her but I just couldn't and the epilogue was just the nail in the coffin.
However Ada's story was rewarding to read and I was really rooting for her to recover a little from her loss though she will probably never do so fully. None the less I was happy with the ending the book had given her. It was very hopeful and sweet :)
So far so good, but sadly I really don't like Penny. She had very little to nothing in common with her husband and I wonder why she married him this quickly. Also she had a doubtful taste in men and it felt like she could not make up her mind. I tried to like her but I just couldn't and the epilogue was just the nail in the coffin.
However Ada's story was rewarding to read and I was really rooting for her to recover a little from her loss though she will probably never do so fully. None the less I was happy with the ending the book had given her. It was very hopeful and sweet :)
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