Mad City: A Novel

Rating:
Summary: Depressing, depressing, depressing!
Review: Jane Hamilton is a wonderful writer. Her prose is easy to read and her descriptions vivid. However, as with the other Oprah books I've read it was extremely depressing and when I finished felt as though I had wasted my time. What is the point?

Rating:
Summary: Best titles read this year
Review: This book was an incredible read. It is the story of innocence caught up in a maelstrom of horrible circumstances, and hope. I couldn't put this book down once I picked it up. I highly recommend it to others!

Rating:
Summary: Poor Prose, Tone Uneven, Comments on "Oprah Club"
Review: The story was moving but I didn't find the prose well written. It seemed clumsy and childish and prone to nauseous metaphors. The story was sad (neither a good or bad quality in a book) but the main character was unsympathetic. She had an "out" through her Aunt if she had truly desired it. The ending (where her Aunt rescues her) was cloying and unlikely. I picked this book and _The Rapture of Cannan_ up at a local bookstore. I was unimpressed with both. Reading the reviews I find both were reccommended through "Oprah's" book club. While I find the idea interesting, appreciate the sales revenue for writers, and like that she encourages people to read, I think I will avoid her selections in the future. Perhaps I am a book snob but I am not sure why people would care about the opinions of a woman who hosts a daytime television show. It seems like she picks rather melodramatic books of uneven quality. If she wishes to read and reccomend books about characters facing difficult situations and odds, I wish she would pick something truly challenging like _Push_ by Saphire.

Rating:
Summary: Hated It!
Review: Too many characters, too long to get to the point, you never really get anywhere until page 197 when the shit its the fan. Out of a bookclub with 16 members only 2 members thought it was okay and then they were jolted by the ending!!!

Rating:
Summary: Disturbingly Well Written
Review: I thought it interesting how Ruth thought of herself as ignorant and illiterate even though, as the narrator, her true intelligence comes shining through. My impression was that she has always been told that she was ignorant and therefore that is what she believed. At time the book left me thinking "what will happen next" and at other times I thought "this is too predictable. Well written but the subject matter was a bit alarming.

Rating:
Summary: Don't waste your time.
Review: It is predictable that this book comes recommended on the women's talk show beat. This book is neither inspirational nor empowering. Ruth talks about the meanness of her mother and others in her life. When was she ever kind or considerate? The one nice thing she did (Reading to the blind woman) was an opportunity for her to complain until she got something out of it - someone to listen to her. Her life was certainly tough but she never fought back. This book was a sorry excuse at defending the meek

Rating:
Summary: moving
Review: I read the book during my holiday in Greece,I must admit that most of the time I preferred the book to the blue waters.I do not agree with the other reviewers who say tht the book is all American.When I compare the life of Ruth with the lives of the women in my country I can easily say that the theme is universal.Ruth had so much pressure on herself,so that she cannot think clearly and differantiate right from wrong.I believe that in her mind's eye she ponders upon every little detail that make up her life but the heavy burden of being oppressed all the time does not allow her to react.I deeply sympathize with her and conguratulate for her success in Ms.Hamilton in creating this atmosphere

Rating:
Summary: Why would anyone want to marry the village idiot?
Review: And then breed? Oprah is clearly working through her abusive childhood with this one. This book proves the idea that well-written doesn't necessarily mean good. Excellent prose drove me on when the characters and plot could no longer do so. Books about women participating in their own degradation is something I would have hoped we could have moved beyond by now

Rating:
Summary: I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!
Review: Oprah definitely knew what she was doing when she picked this book. I found it well written and wonderful. Even though the subject matter at hand was a little difficult to swallow sometimes, the book still remained a pleasure to read. I cried when the characters cried, and laughed when they laughed. I would highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone

Rating:
Summary: Great Book.
Review: I read this book in one weekend. I just could not put it down. Overall I thought this book was really well written. However I was a little disappointed that Ruth didn't try at all to get out of her situation, she was too passive. But I would definetely recommend this book. And I can't wait to read other books from Jane Hamilton