Mad City: A Novel

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Summary: The circumscribed world of a tragic heroine
Review: The Book of Ruth does a masterful job of showing the reader the world view of a person who is blinded by her circumstances. Ruth is like a person with impaired sight. She sees the world from a devastating perspective and cannot get herself to shift her vision until she is forced to by horrific events. Jane Hamilton writes without losing Ruth's limited perspective and gives the reader the gift of insight into all our lives. We all see the world limited by our experience; some of us are more fortunate than others in that our experiences are more expansive and loving than Ruth's are. But to some extent, we all make choices based on where we see (mostly) artificial boundries. Ruth's extreme situation highlights this common denominator. I think we would prefer not to identify with Ruth and her life, but the impact the book has on the reader--the way the characters stay with the reader long after the book ends--is a testament to how much Ruth and her strange family really live in each of us. I congratulate Jane Hamilton for giving us Ruth and her beautifully written book

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Summary: A refreshing perspective
Review: I see many mixed reviews but I feel that Ruth portrayed a whole different perspective on some of the world's "low-lifes". Her refreshing perspective on her simple life made me consider that some people just see the world differently and are in a different rhythm than some of us goal oriented, career driven folks. I applaud a book and author that can open my eyes to new ideas, views, perspectives

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Summary: Not such a big deal
Review: Let me be one of the few to say "ehh" to The Book of Ruth. The author did a masterful job of staying in voice, but I suffered through the narrative and all its extensive, childlike detail. That was the worst part for me. The outcome was entirely predictable...merely a matter of when, not if. I was relieved when it was over and didn't have to read it any more. (I could have stopped reading early of course, but this was for a book group discussion.

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Summary: In the mood
Review: Although it's hard to take, I can accept criticism of this book. Readers claim its subject is too depressing; that's why I answer you must be in the mood to read it. You must be ready for a depressing plot, but you almost must walk away with a lesson learned. Jane Hamilton is a wonderful writer who doesn't just paint a rosy picture -- Be Prepared

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Summary: Does well-written neccesarily mean good book?
Review: I read through the other reviews before posting my own...I agree and disagree with many of the readers, but life wouldn't be very interesting if we all agreed all the time, would it? There's no doubt that this is a well-written book, but I do agree with many of the comments regarding Ruth. I think my problem comes with the fact that this is her narrative, yet she believes herself to be uneducated. Where in her life did she develop such a way with story-telling? This might be a minor detail, but it does not give credibility to her character. Many readers did not like the book because of its depressing subject matter. I think that's a matter of personal taste, but would it have been a better book had Ruth's life turned out better? I don't think so. I had a hard time with the way it ended...it was very cold. I guess I expected Ruth to at least react. She is a very passive character. Not once does she try to change her life or improve herself whatsoever. I think that's what depresses me the most. She simply accepts her life as it is.

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Summary: Two angry readers
Review: My mother-in-law read this on Oprah's suggestion, then she asked me to read it so we could discuss it. We both hated it. There is no way the reader can accept the self-consciously literary narrator as Ruth, who tells us repeatedly how stupid and illiterate she is. Likewise I found Hamilton's attempts to empathize with her characters both shallow and condescending. The only reason I finished this book was to discover what horrible thing had happened, as was referred to on the first page...the answer wasn't worth it. Hamilton has used every literary device at her disposal, and she is clearly a skilled writer. Unfortunately, her dislike or disrespect for her characters distances the reader, and the literary skill is wasted

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Summary: Captivatingly true to life.
Review: Whilst many readers may feel frustrated or angry with Ruth I found myself laughing out loud at her insightful observations of human nature. She had the ability to create a world of her own in which to escape the cruelty of others'. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, although I must say I was somewhat disturbed by the ending but realise in real life tragic events occur so in a way enriches the story. I can't wait to read The map Of The World

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Summary: Another sad and dreary tale.
Review: Jane Hamilton is a gifted writer. Unfortunately I found the subject matter of this book to be so disturbing and depressing that I couldn't enjoy it. Yes, I read the whole thing because I always finish what I start. Since this is the third book I have read and disliked that Oprah Winfrey recommended, I have now sworn off Oprah's Book List. If she liked it, I will not attempt to read it. I think that the world is full of tragedy and joy. I choose not to wallow in the details of personal tragedies. Others may enjoy this book but I did not. I am on a quest for well written and joyful reading

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Summary: A novel of resilience and resignation
Review: Ruth's story is a beautifully written one which shows us that life is not what we want it to be at times. Though we may want it to be perfect, there are a lot of "Ruths" in the real world that suffer and try to make the best of the life they have and find some beauty in it. However, Ruth's resigned attitude to her life and what came out of it; her not being too brave to try out her wings, may cause a lot of frustration to the reader, but we can never judge her nor the people who are living a life like hers, for we'll never know why they accept it until we're in their shoes

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Summary: disturbing and tragic, yet beautifully written
Review: I found this novel haunting. I work with young people who are low functioning (such as Ruth) and with young people who suffer from deep emotional problems (such as Ruby). Hamilton has definite insight in creating the minds of these two characters. When I picked up the book I had no idea what it was about and no idea where it was going but I became very attached to the characters and hated to see the book end. The ending was shocking with nothing happy about it which just added to the book's credibility. I don't think people realize how many "Ruths" & "Rubys" there are among us--and how many "Justys" will be left to pick up their pieces