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Summary: A beautifully bittersweet tale of a family
Review: Anne Tyler has written many excellent novels, but I think this is her masterpiece. It's an involving story, played out over many years, with appealing characters who grow and evolve. It also provokes thoughts about so many things: religion, redemption, the randomness of life, but above all, the nature of family. A tragedy shatters the traditional, nuclear, apple-pie-perfect Bedloe family, but the family rebuilds into a nontraditional grouping in which blood matters less than love--and love is not automatic but grows through years of familiarity. And the family-building is driven more by chance than choice--as, the characters learn, most of life is; very little turns out how they had planned, but they make the best of what they're dealt. For Ian, the "Saint Maybe" of the title, the driving force of life is the Church of the Second Chance, which shows him a way to channel his guilt over complicity in the family tragedy into a constructive effort: being the caring guardian of three children. The church could be deemed fundamentalist, but really it's a kinder, gentler fundamentalism: the minister doesn't preach hellfire and damnation to nonbelievers, but rather tells his flock to lead exemplary lives; doesn't rail against gays or feminists, but instead forbids members to consume caffeine or sugar. Tyler's treatment of religion is evenhanded; she presents Ian's piety (and his occasional frustration with all that's expected of him) seriously and respectfully, but also lets other characters voice skepticism. With Tyler's technique of presenting various parts of her story from different characters' viewpoints--something she also did effectively in "Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant"--we get a range of opinion on a lot of things in the Bedloes' lives, and we get to hear characters say things they wouldn't if they knew the whole story. The primary characters are well-drawn and memorable, especially Ian, nieces Agatha (a driven, opinionated type) and Daphne (a bohemian and a drifter), sister-in-law Lucy (who changes everyone's life as she struggles to cope with her own), and family friend Rita (who changes Ian's life when he least expects it). Supporting characters leave a lasting impression too--the geeky but gentle and well-meaning Reverend Emmett, the embittered deaf carpenter who employs Ian, the revolving cast of foreign students living down the street. Tyler's sense of time--the mid-'60s to about 1990--is keen as ever, as is her sense of place--Baltimore, naturally. And while many sad things happen in her narrative, so do a lot of happy ones; unlike the too-sweet TV adaptation, the novel is bittersweet, just like life. It doesn't always--or even usually--turn out as we wish; bad things happen to good people; but somehow--with the help of our blood and chosen families, and our belief systems--we go on.
Rating: 
Summary: Into the Looking Glass
Review: "Saint Maybe" is a very good book. It's interesting because of the moral challenge Ian Bedloe assumes to help those children left orphaned by the death of his brother. Of the reviews previously published, my experience of the book is closest to the person taking a "Break from Leonard, Grisham & Diehl" from August 1999. I think we are outside of the character of Ian Bedloe. Tyler seems to be writing this charcter from a view into the looking glass rather than really and completely embodying him. We sense his grief, the strain of being a young man raising children, and his deep commitment to his religion. We see him more from the outside, however. What we miss on the inside is the peace and joy that his religious path has brought; and the energy the spirit supplies. By not being as in touch with this, when we get to the end of the novel and Ian now has a child of his own, we see him as tired and acquiescent rather than as having another opportunity to serve the Heavenly Father by producing another potential child of God. True, parenting when in your 40s may be a bit late to get started; but Ian's relgious feeling is more explained than experienced. However, Tyler does a wonderful job of creating textured, complex characters who occupy the pages of the book for only a few chapters. This depth of characterization gives the book such a sense of reality. We are swept up in the tale of Bea & Doug and truly mourn Bea's passing. The children, Agatha, Thomas & Daphne, are distinct people about whom we care. Tyler's structure is episodic spanning three decades; so the novel does not climax as much as conclude. All in all, this book tackles heavy issues, presents them with intelligence and humanity. It's a fine work I certainly enjoyed!
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Summary: Definitely a Saint!
Review: Poor Ian Bedloe! Filled with grief, encumbered by guilt, looking for forgiveness, and needing love; Ian Bedloe begins a journey hoping to find all of the above. Your heart truly goes out to Ian and his family as they encounter hurdles and hurts as well as trying to deal with each other. The Church of Second Chance offers exactly what Ian is looking for and needs. People might think that this is a book for Christians only, but it is most certainly not. It is a book for humanity. It speaks to how each of need to have a second chance in life to make things right. We all need the opportunity to right a wrong. Anne Tyler speaks to us all through the pages of this book. She really makes an effort to force the reader to look over his/her life and see if there was a second chance that we missed.
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Summary: Tyler is an excellent novelist!!!
Review: I really enjoyed Saint Maybe. There is just something about this book--probably the simplicity of it all.With some authors I would get bored with how simple the characters & plot was but with Anne Tyler, she somehow puts it together & makes you interested even when just describing little things.She is very descriptive & her novels are so enjoyable. I really enjoyed Saint Maybe & I thought it accentuated her talent!! I would select this as a good novel to start out with for this author, to get you hooked(like me)!! Hey--Oprah--why haven't you discovered Anne Tyler?!?!?!
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Summary: Maybe "Maybe" is My Favorite Anne Tyler
Review: I've read all 15 of Tyler's novels, and I've even read her children's book. If you're new to Tyler, this is a great place to start; it might just compel you to read every word Tyler has committed, or will commit, to paper -- that's my plan! If you're a worrier with a sensitive conscience, this book should resonate strongly with you. Let me put that more succinctly: Have you ever felt stymied in expressing your feelings, because you might upset the person so much that some harm may befall them? If you answered in the affirmative to that question, then, no maybes about it, get this book NOW, read it NOW, and I guarantee you that your copy will be as heavily underlined as mine. This book is Anne Tyler at her very, very best, though many of her other novels ("Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant," "Ladder of Years," "The Accidental Tourist," and the Pulitzer-prize winning "Breathing Lessons") rank right up there with "Saint Maybe."
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Summary: Join the Bedloe Family
Review: As I find with most Tyler novels, once you get into them, you feel like you are a part of the family. That is once again the case with Saint Maybe. In this novel we meet another set of quirky characters that you can't help falling in love with. The main character, Ian Bedloe, is a young boy who finds himself raising three children left behind by his deceased brother. The novel explores issues of sin, religion, atonement and as with all of her novels, the dynamics of family. Tyler creates characters with a lot of substance and real qualities-good & bad. The Bedloes will stay with you, long after you've read the last page.
Rating:
Summary: So gripping even for a foreigner
Review: This is the first time for me to read Anne Tyler's book in English. I have read her three books in Japanese ("Breathing Lessons", "A Patchwork Planet", and "Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant".), and it took just a half of a day to read one book each, as they are so gripping and I just could not put them down. Then I purchased this book from amazon.com to see her original writing style in English, although I am not sure if I can read through this, because I am not a native speaker in English. It turned out that it took me just a week for finishing this book. Again, simply I cannot put it down. This book provoked a mixture feeling, so I cannot describe this book just like "This is fun." or "This is depressing." or whatever you would like to say in a hurried manner. What I liked very much is her description of children who still do not learn to speak very much, especially in the 2nd Chapter where Agatha tries to change Daphne's diaper, Thomas still attaches to his favorite doll, and Daphne only speaks "Oho! Oho!"(I do not know how to pronounce it, though). They are so lovable and cute. Anne Tyler effortlessly juggles those children who do not have any logic in their behaviours. Just amazing. Also character development of Ian is almost magical. Some might find his life tragic, but I believe many do not. I am convinced that his life is what he chooses intrinsically. Of course, others might get another interpretation. Interpretation is wide open.
Rating:
Summary: Depressing? Maybe. Unrealistic? I disagree.
Review: I read this book several years ago and have often recalled the scene where Agatha tells Ian that she wants to make mistakes, she wants to screw up and see what happens--she doesn't want to be like him, constantly on tiptoe for fear of--well--everything. Arguably one of the most powerful moments in the book. The other reviewers have mentioned many of the best things about this book and I have little to add; in fact I am writing mostly in response to the reviewer who described it as "depressing and silly," and most of all "unrealistic." She rattles off all the possible solutions to Ian's problems (e.g., that his sister should have adopted Agatha instead of leaving Ian to raise him, etc.). The point of this novel isn't necessarily to show what would be the most practical solution to problems encountered in life--on the contrary--Ian's behavior is very irrational and, if he were a real person, I would have tried to send him to a good therapist. But if all novels' protagonists had good therapists, there wouldn't be very many interesting novels left, would there? Imperfections--reactions upon reactions to mistakes upon mistakes--are the interesting aspect of this story. Ian's neither perfect nor practical, but he's believably human--he responds to the tragedies in his life in the best way he can, with the tools that he can muster--tools inherent in his nature and those he stumbles upon by chance. It's a story of a person trying to cope with the misfortunes that befall him. In the process I felt that the family's interrelationships, and the backdrop of American society (especially a type of American suburbia and a uniquely American religiosity) are shrewdly, thought-provokingly and realistically portrayed. I also disagree with the above-mentioned reviewer on the ending--I thought that Ian's reaction to his own child revealed a kind of limited redemption, not quite the same story all over again. For the record, I also did find it a bit depressing. I always like stories where characters struggle through many difficulties and ultimately learn to find redemption in the most mundane imperfect beauty of life (which to my mind is the only redemption available), but this was a bit heavy on the struggle and a bit light on the redemption for my personal taste. However, it is exquisitely crafted, the characters are compelling and the story continuously held my interest, so my personal response shouldn't obscure the fact that this is an excellent book & well worth reading.
Rating: 
Summary: Depressing and silly
Review: I was amazed, when reading reviews that others wrote in, how many thought that this was a great book. I found it very depressing and unrealistic, how this young 17 year old basically throws his life away for no reason at all. So Daphne commits suicide and her three children are left. Well for starters, Ian's sister, who has a baby every year, could have certainly adopted the little girl. I don't know why that didn't come up. Or for that matter, she could have taken in all three. She could have just held off on having her own for the next three years! His parents were under no obligation to raise Daphne's children from another marriage, and neither was Ian. Or Ian could have gone ahead to college, and then helped out. Gotten a good job and helped pay for a nanny. There were a lot of solutions to this that would have been far more realistic. And then in the end of the story, after Ian has finally finished raising these kids, he meets a women who wants to have her own family. So here's Ian again, with a brand new baby to take care of. I really wanted to gag. If you like depressing stories about martyr characters, then this is the book for you.
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Summary: A View in an Ash-Tinted Mirror
Review: This story is about, and for, people who have good intentions but who don't know how to carry them through. This book is about me. If you've ever found yourself in a dilemma where you told yourself that you didn't know what The Right Thing to Do was, while suspecting in the back of your mind that you really did know what you should do but just couldn't admit that you did, then this story will strike a responsive chord, or several. Most books have lead characters who are either clearly heroes or villains. In better books these characters are humanized and believable, but they're still either heroes or villains. This book has a hero/villain too; the difference is that his 'villain-ness' is part of his 'heroism'! No one but Anne Tyler could have pulled this off, but she does so brilliantly. If you've ever doubted yourself, wondered about your motivations, confessed your sins to yourself and then absolved yourself of them-- then reading this book will be like staring deeply at youself in an ash-colored mirror.
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