A Dangerous Woman

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Summary: 'dangerous woman' creative and wonderfully put
Review: 'dangerous woman' is a very well written story by morris.from the first paragragh, it was an attention grabber,never put the book down.amazed by all the details,(eg.end of ch. 11, when mack and martha "get into it") this is my first time reading any of her pieces, im looking forward to reading her other books.

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Summary: Outstanding
Review: A Dangerous Woman is a rich characterization of a woman in need of love, support, understanding, security and warmth. This novel is one of the most brilliant that I've read so far this year and it's now the tenth month. The extra-ordinary depth of it's author, Mary McGarry Morris in her understanding of the heroine is outstanding and she delivers her punches with passion and tenacity. We follow Martha through her ordeals, from teenage insecurity through to early thirties bewilderment. We grope blindly along, knowing that there is a tragedy coming and wishing that we could avert it, but it's impending doom is fate and Martha must face hers alone. While Martha can be annoying, gratingly stubborn and insensitive, most of the time she is written about in such a way that you just want to wrap her in your arms and protect her to save her from herself. The novel left me with the huge provocation of how we are in control of our destinies and how we affect those that witness our lives around us. I can't rate this novel high enough. It's compelling, absorbing and brilliantly written and can teach you things about yourself that you may not already know. A must read on anyone's list. I loved it!

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Summary: I could not turn the pages fast enough.
Review: A gripping novel of the trials and tribulations of Martha Horgan. Morris really made this character come alive and I felt the pain of this woman who had no one to love in her life. Each character was described in such fascinating detail and they all just jumped off the pages. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to everyone.

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Summary: Better that Oprah's selection...
Review: As much as I enjoyed "Songs in Ordinary Times", the Mary McGarry Morris novel that I recommend to anyone who loves to read about great characters is "A Dangerous Woman". Aloneness, conformity, the unnacceptable, and the truth (as seen through very thick glasses)are woven by Morris into a unique woman-child that will haunt the reader long after the last page has been turned. "A Dangerous Woman" is one of the finest contemporary works I have read in years.

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Summary: A page turner!
Review: At first I thought Martha Horgan was just too improbable, but by chapter 3, I was hooked. I loved her and I felt sorry for her. This book was extremely well written. The author took an impossible character and made her very real. Seeing inside Martha's mind became almost easy, and relating to her dysfunctional existence became almost addicting. I highly recommend this book. Fast, easy reading and more than adequate entertainment, this book makes you want to keep reading, cheering for Martha and praising the author.

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Summary: Leaves a Lasting Mark
Review: Compelling and heartbreaking, Morris weaves a haunting tale of a lonely young woman's losing battle to gain social acceptance, love, respect, and a healthy life of her own. Alienated and ridiculed by her small community, the origins of what make Martha Horgan so strange and different from those around her are unknown. The "dangerous" qualities referred to in the title put off those around her and ultimately lead to her undoing: her belief that the truth must always be known, under all cirumstances, her inability to function around others in society, her tempermental outbursts, and her undying fixations on people. Martha is richly drawn in three-dimensions as a character both frustrating and sympathetic, unlikable yet lovable, exasperating yet endearing, and ultimately, all too human. Morris does a superb job of painting those inhabit Martha's world as equally complex and contradictive, particuarly Frances and Mac. These two judge Martha for her abnormalities, yet their own distorted belief systems and foilables are all too abundent, and their own behavior quite questionable at times. In many ways, they see reflected in Martha the qualities they fear the most about themselves. Morris does an elegent job of depicting the culture of their community and the adverse reactions of "normal" society to those who are different. I liked that Martha's mental illness remained undefined....it was an interesting way of highlighting that people are afraid of what they can't label, not all diverse people can be placed in a tight category, and it raised questions of whether or not the base of the problem was biological or the result of her life experience. Overall, a worthy read: thought-provoking and well-written, sensitive yet brutal, yet not a difficult or lenghty read by any means.

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Summary: The Most Original and Gripping Novel I Ever Read
Review: Don't let the movie fool you. This book is an absolute must read. Do not cheat yourself from this wonderful and gripping elegy of a town in Vermont, its views for one of its less fortunate and the love of a 'dangerous woman.' Dangerous is used ironically, since the protagonist of this book is so damaged that her greatest goodness is what ultimately seals her fate and the fate of those around her. This is truly a literary masterpiece that reads like a page burner. Morris is an author that we all should take more notice of. What first appears at the surface is most definitely not what lies beneath. She is truly a wonderful and thoughful writer who has turned this novel into a poem that will not let the reader get on with their lives quite the same way as before. How Morris "pulls" off this novel, I am still amazed by!!!! Marthahorgan will be seen by your own eyes more times than you would think after reading this book.

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Summary: A REAL 'DANGEROUS' STORY
Review: I believe this is one of the most creative and exciting books i've read. From the very fist paragraph, it was a real attention grabber. "dangerous" from the start, martha is a character that no one will ever forget. the details of this book are powerful and almost down right realistic.although there are other examples, i think at the end of chapter 11 will show enogh evidence. i highly recomend this 'dangerous' story.

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Summary: Captivating Story - couldn't put it down
Review: I couldn't put it down, I was so enormously enthralled by the lives of these people! This was an amazing character sketch of an entire town and their denial of the truth and how that changed everything.
Martha is a sad creature who needed someone to believe her, love her and show patience with her. Perhaps she came close - but, not until it was too late.
Maybe this book will make you lean over your neighbor's fence and say hello. Maybe it will help you open your heart to someone you don't understand.
I always rate books and movies in my mind by this question, "Am I a better person for having read this book or seen this movie?" The answer in this case is YES!

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Summary: disturbing yet captivating
Review: I couldn't put this down. I just could feel Marthas emotions. I was quite surprised with tne ending and I felt so sad. It was a very interesting book to read. The writing is fantastic. So true to life.