Mad City: A Novel

Rating:
Summary: horrible
Review: THIS BOOK WAS HORRIBLE. DONT READ THIS BOOK UNLESS YOU LIKE BORING NAIVE CHARACTERS. THE BOOK DIDNT EVEN GET AROUND TO THE ABUSE UNTIL THE LAST COUPLE CHAPTERS. I SERIOUSLY WANTED RUTH TO DIE JUST SO THE BOOK WOULD BE OVER. THE ONLY EVEN SLIGHTLY GOOD CHARACTER WAS DAISY WHO WAS KIND OF A BIG WH**E

Rating:
Summary: Poignantly detailed tale of resilience, beautiful!
Review: This book is for the lover of details - small ones. The tale reveals the small gifts people give to each other in this life, and the depth and duration of wounds we inflict. The disappointed readers are probably seeking thrilling turns of plot, which Hamilton does not deliver until the end. Ruth's tale reveals what one loving person can preserve in the life of a forgotten child, as well as the limits of such saving love. Those who find Ruth and her tale boring are not looking deep enough - she is among the wisest persons, seeking understanding everywhere and having the dignity and strength to forgive. The reader is crushed when Ruth suffers her ultimate blow and these qualities are seemingly crushed out of her, yet somehow she crawls back up and reclaims them. Don't overlook this one! You'll never forget her tale. It's not all bitter - much sweet in here!

Rating:
Summary: Well written, but depressing!
Review: What amazes me about Hamilton's writing is that she can take this mundane family, very much down-and-outers, and skillfully bring them to life with her terrific prose. For 90% of the book, nothing much happens, but thoughts and feelings are so eloquently expressed. The ending is bit flawed in that I feel cheated by not knowing what happens to the characters we grew to know so well as well as how life will turn out for Ruth's children. (I can see another related novel brewing!). Although this is a terrific read, the subject matter is not for everyone.

Rating:
Summary: Well written, at times haunting but patronizing
Review: Yes, this story is well written, at times haunting but Hamilton through Ruth seems to patronize and make fun of her characters. All of these characters feel pain yet many just become characatures that we the reader are supposed to laugh at (Daisy, Dee Dee and Randall). The book often seems to rely on stereotypes, especially of the rural poor. The way Hamilton seemed to be so above her midwestern lowerclass characters often made me so angry I did not want to finish the tale (although I am glad I did).

Rating:
Summary: The best book I have ever read!
Review: The Book of Ruth has touched me like no book has. I can relate to a character who is awkward and doesn't fit in, living in a small town where being different isn't appreciated. Ruth has a warm heart and a lot of love to give. I was captivated by her innocence and amazed by her strength. I couldn't put this book down. I loved it so much that I recommended it to my friend and she loved it as much as I did.

Rating:
Summary: excellent writing but depressing
Review: I read this book because it was reccomended by Oprah's Book Club. It was written in such a way that the characters seemed as real as life. Ironically, that's also my complaint about the book. It was just too depressing. To this day I remember Ruth and her problems. It's haunting. I got the same feeling when I watched The Glass Menagerie as a child. I'd much prefer to remember a "feel good book" instead of this. The author is an excellent writer but her choice of material needs a big lift.

Rating:
Summary: A good read, very realistic...
Review: The characters could be everyday people trying to do the best with what they have...The resilience of Ruth is exceptional. Couldn't put the book down till the very last page. Good Read, I recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent read...starts slow.
Review: The beginning is slow but once it gets started it doesn't stop or disappoint. Well written.

Rating:
Summary: A truly depressing slice of life.
Review: While the ending is ever-so-slightly upbeat, this sad tale of underachieving losers is pretty bad. I wonder why the author wasted her time. I certainly question why on earth I wasted mine in reading this dreary saga.

Rating:
Summary: A Beautiful Book...Touching And So Very Real
Review: This book took my breath away. It is so, so sad, but the characters were so real. What struck me as I began reading was that the heroine had so little, and yet she felt that she had everything she ever wanted - a husband and child she loved, a job she enjoyed, a loyal best friend, and an aunt who seemed so glamourous. Her life doesn't seem like much to the reader, but she was so happy - and then she lost it all. Throughout the story is an underlying tension that suggests that something is coming, but I was not prepared for the climactic scene of violence, which left me shaking and horrified. To me, a book's value is measured by the degree to which it can stir my emotions - good or bad - and this one succeeds as few others have. Wonderful!