Tully

Rating:
Summary: Excellent! Why do you never hear about this book?
Review: I read this book after first reading "Red Leaves," which I liked, but not nearly as much as this one. Tully was an amazingly realistic character, despite the sometimes melodramatic situations she finds herself in. I think there's a lot of her, and her ambivalence towards life and, especially, love, in a lot of us. I really related to her "is that all there is" feeling with Robin, her infatuation with Jack and her final choice between them. I never quite understood what was so appealing about Jack, but I guess that's a little like life, too. Can't always understand someone else's great infatuation. Some of the Jack scenes reminded me a little too much of "The Bridges of Madison County," which was too sappy for me, but that's a minor complaint of what is overall a terrific book. I didn't do anything but read it for two whole days, and I slowed down at the end because I didn't want it to be over. I read all the time and that almost never happens. Hope to see more by Paullina Simons soon.

Rating:
Summary: If it makes you cry, you know it's good!
Review: This is one of those books where you immerse yourself in story and feel as though you are there. I couldn't put this book down and cancelled plans just to stay home and read it!

I was far too hooked into the story to notice any shortcomings in the style of writing or any other faults, which is just the way I like it!

Great read.

Rating:
Summary: Superior to The 5-Star Rating Scale
Review: The novel "Tully" is a furious read, a rabid read. I could not put it down. My life stopped so that I could read this book. Outstanding. Superb. Unmatched. A must read, exceptional writing, an author at her finest.

One of the things that is so admirable about the character if Tully is how strong she is. No matter what happens in her life and life that surrounds her, she perseveres with an un-stoppable reserve. Life's traumas and tragedies bounce off her like rubber balls bounce off of walls. She just keeps going, she is impenetrable.

But then Tully starts to make questionable choices. The reader begins to wonder about her super-human integrity. Maybe we have all forgotten that Tully is only human? Tully starts failing to deal with life. She becomes controlled by an inner need to be wanted and desired. She begins to ignore those around her and disregards everything in her life that has meaning. Her metamorphosis into an innocent selfishness is comparable to the social development of a three year old child. Her thinking is blinded; she convinces herself that her actions do not affect those around her. Does she know where she ends and where others begin? Can't she see how her actions are affecting those around her?

Just when the reader starts thinking, "what is going on with Tully? Can anything else go wrong? Can there be any more drama in one's life?" Shakie, Tully's friend, says to her, "Why does nothing ever happen in Topeka except with you guys?" Mistress Paulina Simmons tells the reader that she knows what she is doing, throwing the reader a bone, sucking the reader further into the story...a genius of an author.

Toward the end of the book the reader starts to wonder where the story is going to go as all appears to slow down until Tully gets blind-sided by a childhood secret which leaves the reader (and Tully) with a dropped jaw and watering eyes. The tangled web becomes an incomprehensible mess of a knot. When everything is falling apart in her adulthood, Mistress Simmons entwines Tully's childhood memories with her adulthood actions. Those people who remember and were affected by her strength and will as a child growing up, begin remind her of her strength and courage; but now, she is an adult. It is very difficult to not spoil this story, so I finish my review of Tully the novel, with the following quote that defines Tully as a character and serves as an underlying theme for the whole 683 pages of the novel "Tully":

"Straightening up, she tightened her arms harder around herself, squared her shoulders as upright as she could, and went home."

You will treasure the novel for an eternity.


Rating:
Summary: Tully
Review: I love Tully. It's one of the best books I read. It got me addicted to Paullina Simons and I love everything she has written,

Rating:
Summary: READ FOUR TIMES
Review: I have had this book for years, I read it about once a year. I love it. I am from Topeka (where the story takes place) and when driving I can see the place Tully worked, or lived and it made the story much more real. Now that I am far away from Topeka, when I read this story it brings me home. I wish Paullina Simons would write a sequal to Tully and her life with Robin after Jack. Somthing like getting over Jack, Healing and learning to forgive with Robin, maybe bring Tully to Santa Fe to reunite with her dad and brother. Things like that. There is so much there for another story. Thanks Paulina THE BEST STORY EVER

Rating:
Summary: JUST WONDERFUL
Review: This is one of my all time favorites that I just picked up again. It's an amazing, heartfelt story that seems to be at once personal and epic in its scope. TULLY is an intense work that has stayed with me through the years and is always a pleasure to revisit. Highly recommended--as is the rest of this author's impressive body of work.

Rating:
Summary: Are you all right with the world?
Review: What a waste of a tree. From the first two pages I couldn't even beilive that the "Best Friends" were actually friends? Toxic Friends if you ask me. I think the only positive thing about this book was the fact that I'm thankful that I am NOT Tully nor are my friends anything like Tully's "Friends" and I use that word loosely. Tully never lets anyone in because of the awful things that happend to her, but then also doesn't break the chain with others. It's a vicious cycle throughout the book. A complete waist of time. Oh, How I wish I had that time back.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful book
Review: Simmons is a great writer. I really hope for more books by her. Tully is a moving book. Simmons does not write empty novels fully of happy ever afters (though I like these too). Sometimes you feel like reading about deep, real to life, emotional lives. I could relate to Tully a lot. I highly recommend anything from Simmons, especially Tully and Bronze Horseman.