Rating: 
Summary: another winner by Maeve!
Review: I love this one by Maeve Binchy. She accurately covers the lives, loves and intrigue in what looks like a sleepy Irish town in the 1960s. But there is so much going on with all the characters, particularly the group of school-aged boys and girls who make up most of the book. Firefly Summer actually captures about 4 summers in Mountfern, a tiny town with three pubs. The most notable one is run by the Ryan family, led by the spirited mother Kate, the artistic father John, the lively twins, Dara and Michael, and younger brothers Declan and Eddie. Their livelihood is threatened when Patrick O'Neill, an American searching for his Irish roots, comes to his long-deserted family estate next to the Ryan's pub and decides to build a huge hotel there. The twins fall in love with the beautiful O'Neill children, Kerry and Grace. Grace joins the circle of schoolchildren; older Kerry is shipped off to boarding school. But he meddles in Mountfern anyway. Most aching to read is one friend's attempts to fit in and never quite managing it, a disabling accident to a parent, and the twins' inner turmoil as they struggle to grow up. Everyone can identify with that!
Rating: 
Summary: Gloom and Doom in Ireland
Review: I read and loved Tara Road last year, so I was looking forward to another of Binchy's works. Unfortunately for me I chose this one. It started off fairly interesting, with the story of the Ryan family, and their quiet life in rural Ireland during 1962. Along comes Patrick O'Neill, a wealthy Irish American with great plans for a hotel in the area, where his family once lived. The impact of this man, his plans, and his family's interaction with the families of the town was a promising story. Yet one tragedy after another, with no happy end in sight just dragged this book down. Over six hundred pages long, it was ultimately a very unsatisfying read. I haven't given up on Binchy though, I have Circle of Friends and Scarlet Feather in my never ending To Be Read pile.
Rating: 
Summary: Too Tragic
Review: I think that the characters in this book were really well written -- especially Dara, Michael and the other young people. However, I prefer Maeve Binchy's other, more hopeful novels such as Evening Class and Tara Road. This one has just too much tragedy in it. Do we really need to have something terrible happen every hundred pages?
Rating:
Summary: I loved it until the end.
Review: I was really enjoying this book until the end. I adore the way Maeve Binchy's characters speak and she has a lovely sense of humor. I loved so many of the characters in this book and had no problem with how many there were. I would have given this book 5 stars happily if the ending had been different. It just left way too many things up in the air, as if she just ran out of steam.
Rating:
Summary: Great - Until the End
Review: I've been a fan of Binchy for many years now. I especially like the long, epic stories. I enjoy getting to know the characters, following the tale and settling in for the great story she is laying out for me. However, with Firefly Summer, I found many questions regarding/related to key plot lines went unanswered as the story ran out. Yes, the story ran out - without filling in the gaps - that is why I rated as I did. If I invest the time to read a 645 page book, I want the end to be rewarding. An ending doesn't have to be a happy one for me to feel satisfied, just leave me with some finality. Will continue to read Maeve Binchy, she's great. I highly recommend most all of her books. This just wasn't one of my favorites.
Rating:
Summary: FANTASTIC Book!
Review: I've been a fan of Maeve's for years, my first read was "Light a Penny Candle" and I was hooked! Not sure if that is available in the States, but it is well worth seeking out if you like tales which follow the lives of people and how they intertwine across the years. Firefly Summer is a great read. It made me cry and also made my heart glow. By the end of the book I was thoroughly engaged in this small Irish town and it's inhabitants. It is another testimony to the emotional strength of women and the value of our female friendships. It's a great book for a long plane trip or a summer beach read. You will have a hard time putting it down. One more favorite I must mention is "The Glass Lake" - another excellent read with many twists and turns. Read these three and you have read the best of Maeve!
Rating:
Summary: FANTASTIC Book!
Review: I've been a fan of Maeve's for years, my first read was "Light a Penny Candle" and I was hooked! Not sure if that is available in the States, but it is well worth seeking out if you like tales which follow the lives of people and how they intertwine across the years. Firefly Summer is a great read. It made me cry and also made my heart glow. By the end of the book I was thoroughly engaged in this small Irish town and it's inhabitants. It is another testimony to the emotional strength of women and the value of our female friendships. It's a great book for a long plane trip or a summer beach read. You will have a hard time putting it down. One more favorite I must mention is "The Glass Lake" - another excellent read with many twists and turns. Read these three and you have read the best of Maeve!
Rating: 
Summary: Can't stay awake for this one
Review: I've read and enjoyed "Tara Road," "The Lilac Bus," and "Dublin Four" so I was looking forward to "Firefly Summer." What a disappointment. It drags on and on, and her 1960's American children are using phrases that may have been common to Irish kids, but when the Americans used them (the brother wanted to compliment his sister by "marking her card." What???), it made the whole story seem unfathomable and unbelievable for me. It ruined the whole thing. Now, at Chapter 10, I could care less what happens to these people. I don't have to worry about not being able to put this one down, it usually falls out of my hands as I'm dozing off.
Rating: 
Summary: Engaging tale
Review: I've read BETTER books by Maeve Binchy (Glass LAke, Circle of Friends) -- but still this book was un-put-downable! The characters were engaging and the story was interesting -- it just got a bit draggy at the end -- but it was worth the read
Rating:
Summary: Great Book--one of Binchy's Best!
Review: I've read most of Maeve Binchy's books and this is by far my favorite. There's just something about the characters and story line in this one that draws you in. It's wonderful...I've recommended it to all my friends. I can't wait to read it again.
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