The Court of Common Pleas

Rating:
Summary: Court of Common Pleas
Review: I would like to strongly warn anyone against buying this book. The experience of reading this novel for me was at best tedious, and at worst, painful. I'm sure Ms. Marshall believes that she has crafted an insightful, realistic drama but I don't believe that she has accomplished anything admirable in this book. She moves her characters around like puppets, each one "representing" a different type, but completely lacking any personality. One after another, in an endless drone, we hear them whining. I read through to the end, in the vain hope that the story would ultimately prove compelling, but that was definitely not to be the case with this dismal book.

Rating:
Summary: illuminating marriage
Review: Marshall's writing is as intricate as her revelation of the layers in her character's motivations. I learned a lot from this book about how people evolve in their understanding of both themselves and their mates if they take time and muster the courage to reflect on their impulsive actions and words. Many of the sentences contain kernals wrapped in layers of related ideas, much like the characters themselves. In this era when everybody seems too busy, relationships, especially marriages, are continually in danger of rupturing from inattention and misunderstanding. This book celebrates the rewards of taking time to reconsider, imagine how the situation looks from your spouse's perspective, and learn how to change. It's a beauty.

Rating:
Summary: Plodding
Review: The writing style is pedestrian, the characters wooden -- I could hardly bear to read it and gave up about 2/3 of the way through. The story has potential but this novel remains at a Writing 101 level.