Rating: 
Summary: Tara Road was mindless, repetitive, uninspired waste of time
Review: Having traveled to Ireland several times before with Maeve Binchy, I expected that this would be another pleasant visit there, filled with characters one cares for. Unfortunately, these characters are merely caricatures; so one-dimensional, unchanging and unsympathetic, you hardly care what becomes of them. All I could think about while reading it was "Why was this chosen for the Oprah Book Club?" I was certain it would eventually get better, or have some kind of creative, impactful ending, so I hung in there.There was nothing. No worse than your average Danielle Steel, or romance novel, but when you are expecting something more (due to Oprah's stamp of approval) it is a big disappointment. P.S. I had just finished reading the wonderfully descriptive "White Oleander" which may explain my disappointment. When Binchy referred to Rosemary's apartment for the third time, so tritely, as "something out of a magazine" I thought I'd faint!
Rating: 
Summary: A good enough book but a little weak for an Oprah choice.
Review: Tara Road was a decent read. It just wasn't a great read. I was more than halfway through the book before I started to care about the characters. There were so many characters that I found myself having to stop and remember who some of them were. Maybe that's just due to my bad memory. It was not exactly a book I would have expected Oprah to pick for her book club.
Rating: 
Summary: Another fabulous book by Binchy
Review: I loved Tara Road. I too didn't want it to end. As with many of Binchy's books, I was left wondering what was going to happen next. It's hard to just finish and not continue to wonder about these characters. They are so real and you feel like you know them personally by the end. I can't wait for Binchy's next book. I'm also glad to hear that Oprah has acknowledged this talented author.
Rating: 
Summary: An easy read
Review: This is my first Oprah book and I'm pleased so far. I haven't completed the book yet but it is getting more and more interesting with each chapter. I was hoping for a "deeper" novel but this one is a good weekend read.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Family Drama for the '90's
Review: Wow!! Ok, Oprah, so its not a heart wrencher - thank goodness. This is a more down to earth, good read about woman and what moves us - love, home, family and friends. It also contrasts the highs our men think we need (large homes, money) and the low that a woman feels the deepest (loss of love and betrayal of a friend). I will miss Ria and Rosemary and most of all Brian and Anne. The humor between the siblings was so real I laughed out loud a couple of times. Will this book change the world? No, but it changed my outlook on life for a week, and I realize that life is too short (listen up Gertie and Ria and Rosemary and Hillary and Marilyn) to go on week after week, month after month, year after year, living with a life that you hope will improve tommorow. Live for today, as you never know what tommorrow will throw at you (maybe a Bernadette or a motorcycle accident)!! Can't wait for the next book Maeve!!
Rating:
Summary: I couldn't put it down! Maeve Binchy strikes again!
Review: I was thrilled that Oprah chose a Maeve Binchy book for her book club. I've long admired her work - I've read everything - and I'm excited that she's getting some well-deserved attention. The book is so enthralling, that I stayed up all night to finish it. I love her multiple-character story lines and how they all neatly intermingle somehow. I can definitely relate to Ria and I'm glad that Binchy didn't feel it necessary to have the 'poor, betrayed' wife embroiled in a new relationship (why do most writers do that with newly-divorced women?) I can't wait for the next Binchy book!
Rating:
Summary: A good long interesting story!
Review: It reminds me of when I read the Thorn Birds. It's a good, long relaxing read. Not a lot of complicated names to keep up with, but the story of a family over 20 years of real living.
Rating:
Summary: I wish the book would not have ended- I'm still pondering!
Review: Well, 512 pages of wonderful reading. Having two young children myself it's sometimes hard to find the time to snuggle up with this Great book!!! I find myself still pondering about the characters- I really did feel that I was there watching all of these things suprisingly unfold- Easy Reading yes- whats wrong with that- it's so nice to be able to read a sentence and know that it means just what it says. I wish the book wasn't over, I must admit as terrible as a person Danny Lynch was in my eyes- I'm a hopeless romantic I did wish that maybe it could have still been true love- Maybe it was ! It made me very happy about my wonderful life- yet couldn't help but feel sorry for poor Ria- but she'll get rewarded at the end. Wonderful Wonderful Book!!!
Rating:
Summary: Very enjoyable.
Review: Wonderful read. I enjoyed the book very much. I'm wondering how Oprah picks her books. Sometimes there so difficult and at others very light reading. I think she should have recommended "Angela's Ashes". "Tara Road" is quick reading and non stop, Oprah gave everyone a break.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing!
Review: I received this book from my mother and hesitated reading it, since we rarely share the same taste in books. Then Oprah selected it as her book of the month and I thought I would give it a shot. I was totally disappointed! I keep wondering that if Ria were such a perfect wife and mother, why did she not see what was so obvious from Chapter 1? After all, everyone else knew what Danny was doing. I didn't feel any compassion for her, Rosemary, Gertie or anyone else in the story. I also didn't feel like any of the characters were developed. Binchy spends a lot of time telling us what Ria is baking or what Rosemary is wearing, but we never get an insight into what any of them are thinking.
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