Customer Comments

I enjoyed reading this lengthy novel for the most part. The characters were well-drawn and there was a real sense of place. Even the family pets came to life in Oates' attention to detail. What eventually ruined the story for me was the daughter's rape and subsequent banishment to a distant relative. This once tight-knit family's downward spiral became painful to read. It was difficult to understand parents who could turn a blind eye to their daughter's suffering. Worse yet was the daughter's acceptance of her parents' decision and naive belief that it was all for the best. The reunion at the end couldn't make up for the heartbreaking middle section of the novel. Oates' seemed to say that all can be forgiven with a 4th of July picnic--an all-American ending! It just came off as trite.

I loved this book! It made me laugh, cry, and learn new things. Oscar, the main character, was memorable and lovable in all his pain and longing for a better life. Beautifully structured and written with warmth and wit--the novel instructs us on the Dominican Republic, as well as keeping us turning the pages to see Oscar's ultimate destiny.

If you love stories-within-stories, gothic intrigue, and bookish characters, then this is the novel for you. The story is filled with atmospheric details, such as ghosts; missing people; a mysteriously ruined estate still visited by a lost soul; and a remote Yorkshire mansion. The characters are expertly drawn, especially Margaret Lea, the narrator, whose own story is filled with longing and pain just like her employer's, the famous Vida Winter, who employs Margaret to write her memoirs. Vida's story is fascinating; it's filled with mystery and the reader devours every page to discover the long-lost 'thirteenth tale'--a tale that will finally uncover the truth--or will it?

An easy read--maybe a little too easy. Although the subject matter is compelling, the characters are a bit too 'black & white.' We don't know what they're really thinking. For such a complex subject as science intruding on tradition McKay paints the man of science as mostly evil, while the midwives are painted as mostly good or superior to the medical profession. I enjoyed the portrait of Miss B., the older midwife who passes down her teachings to Dora, as well as the Nova Scotia setting, but the characterizations could have been more complex.

A rollicking adventure story that takes the reader on a non-stop ride from Ireland to England to Canada. We sympathize with Fergus, who has lost his family in a cruel tug-of-war between English land owners and Irish tenants. The story is haunted by the Irish potato famine of the 19th century but is also rich in character detail, including Fergus' coming-of-age and his strong will to survive despite his tragic beginnings. It's not so much a feel-good story as a testament of the Irish people's desperate desire to leave behind their terrible past and venture forth to a new land--at any cost.