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One for the Murphys

Lynda Mullaly Hunt

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Oct 08, 2012 Grace rated it it was ok

Shelves: foster-care

I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I really liked the characterization of Carley. I thought her quirk with numbers was not overplayed and came across naturally. This was also helped by the fact that I have many of the same counting habits (that part with the clock was dead on). It's always nice to feel like a writer has captured exactly how you see things or interact with the world. Maybe it's even better when it's something so small. I appreciated Carley's character develop I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I really liked the characterization of Carley. I thought her quirk with numbers was not overplayed and came across naturally. This was also helped by the fact that I have many of the same counting habits (that part with the clock was dead on). It's always nice to feel like a writer has captured exactly how you see things or interact with the world. Maybe it's even better when it's something so small. I appreciated Carley's character development through the book. It didn't feel forced or as though the author were calling too much attention to her changes in attitude and behavior. Also, I'm not sure how the author feels about The Giving Tree, but I totally agree with Carley.

Yet, there were several things that really bothered me. Basically the characterization of the entire Murphy family seemed weak to me. There was no natural development to the relationship between Carley and Mr Murphy. He was a jackass in the beginning and then at the end it was essentially just stated that he'd come around without showing any real interaction between him and Carley. Also, did the Murphy's have any family discussion about fostering? Why was Mr Murphy so resistant? Especially given his wife's experience. He just came across as utterly unsympathetic. Same goes for Daniel.

More on Mrs Murphy. I realize that the author probably wanted to have Mrs Murphy completely oppose Carley's mom, but I found Mrs Murphy to be too much of a trope. There was too much perfect motherliness to her which rendered her flat. There was so little to her character besides that she was everything Carley didn't have. The twist to her character felt like a desperate attempt to make her more complex and it was not successful, as far as I'm concerned. (view spoiler)

This book has the kind of ending I'm not entirely sure how to interpret. To me, it seems very much not happy. I don't see how Carley and her mom are going to turn out all right. I don't know, maybe Carley will pull through. I suppose it's meant to be hopeful. I appreciate melancholy endings every once in a while, but I'm not sure what the author intended. ...more

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Mar 06, 2023 Kate added it · review of another edition

Shelves: realistic, age-middlegrade, audiobooks, 2023

Carley just landed in a foster home while her mother's in the hospital recovering. At first she doesn't trust Mrs. Murphy, who is different from her mother in every way: she buys Carley new clothes, asks her about her day, and doesn't expect Carley to make her own meals. She even enrolls Carley in school. While Carley initially struggles with making new friends and her foster brother Daniel, she begins to see what family should be - until her mother wants her back.

After hearing Lynda Mullaly Hun ...more

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Jun 04, 2014 Liz rated it really liked it

Really touching. Although the lack of involvement from the Social Worker/any other "official" party felt off, Carley's struggles rang true. A good weep fest at the end! ...more

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