Overall, what do you think of "Mercy Train"?

I enjoyed the juxtaposition of the different time periods in this book. To see the difference between Violet's struggle just to survive in the New York City of the early 1900s, and Sam's more ephemeral struggle to decide how to juggle her work with her desire to nurture her daughter. It really made me appreciate that all of my necessities are being met and I have the time to worry about things like how I spend my free time.
I also really enjoyed the non-linear timeline of the book. I think the way the narrative skipped around in the lives of the three main characters worked from an emotional point of view, matching up the different experiences that they were having in relation to each other.

I wanted more of Violet's story; more details about her life working in the hospital kitchen. Although I enjoyed the book I wished the story had been about Violet only.

I really enjoyed this book and was impressed with how well all of the characters were portrayed. I think telling the three women's story in this sort of back and forth run through time is a very great writing device. I always get really engaged with a book where I know things that a character does not and am anxious for them to learn. It's like you want them to know so they understand things better or so it would make then act differently.

I enjoyed this book...I loved how the author built the characters through the mother/daughter relationships. There are always secrets or at least unspoken parts of ones live that create situations of misunderstandings or at least mid interpretations of relationships. I liked that love was there inspite of the unknown.

I thought it was interesting that annar wanted more of Violet's story. I think in this book part of the importance of the story is that the reader, like the members of Violet's family, knew little about Violet's history. I think it would have thrown the balance off if there was more about Violet. However, I can envision a series of books springing from this book which traces with more specificity all of the women's stories.

I especially liked Violet's story and because I knew something about Orphan Trains I found it interesting. In fact I liked Iris also. I liked that she moved to Florida and died on her own terms. I had the hardest time with Sam. I understood her lose for the baby and her struggle with her mom was similar to my relationship with my mom. The part about following the girl to the hotel and going to see her was a disconnect to me. I really didn't get that. I would have liked to seen Sam unravel more of Violet's story so that she felt some connection with her grandmother. And I was hoping when she saw what her grandmother had lost, she could live with her own lose more easily. There was was a disconnect for me that it didn't have more of wrap up. I suppose the way it ended was more realistic, but I guess I wanted more closure.

I enjoyed the book. I liked the way the story was woven through the three main characters and time periods. The characters were well developed, but I agree that the part with Sam and the girl that she followed hung there without any direction.

I knew nothing about the orphan trains and I enjoyed learning about that unknown piece of history.

I enjoyed the story and the writing, but unlike other reviewers didn't like the shifting time frames so much. I also found Sam's dilemma's a little too "me" centered, but also probably a true portrayal of modern life.

I liked the span of time 1900 to now offering important bits and pieces of these strong women. They all had that spark of HOPE. It took Iris a little longer to discover hers. What I may call a secret was just the way things were then. People didn't talk about or question the past. Stories intertwining, the unknowns Sam, her brother & father. I usually want a book to tie things up at the end, but I am having fun creating my own endings.
Well Done

I loved this novel. I sat down and read it from start to finish in one day (rainy). I thought the author drew her characters with skill using short, succinct descriptions. I'm not in for flowery, overly wordy writing anymore-give me the pertinent facts, move the story along and give me neatly tied up ends so I am not hanging when I finish reading. This book did all that and gave me a story I cared about-a subject I was already slightly familiar with and wanted to know more about. The generational differences were drawn without belaboring the details and I found I could picture each woman quite well. I agree that Sam was very self involved-a trait of HER generation, I think. I am so happy I got this book to read!

Overall, I thought the book was just okay to me. I didn't connect enough with any of the characters. Though I felt for Violet and her situation I didnt "feel" it enough for me to love the book.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I wish I could have learned more about Violet's story.

I liked the book after I finally fiured out who was who about half way through the book. It wasn't one of my favorite books but I am committed to reading any book I receive here just as I am committed to reading every book in my book club.

I liked the book after I finally figured out who was who about half way through the book. It wasn't one of my favorite books but I am committed to reading any book I receive here just as I am committed to reading every book in my book club.

I liked the book and found the different generations very interesting. I agree with Navymom, does anyone know the purpose of telling about following the girl to the motel? I missed the connection.

I liked the idea of the book but found it a little hard at first to keep straight who each woman was. I think that was because each one was not well developed until you got further along. I would have liked to know more about Violet, who's life seemed more interesting than Sam's. The idea of the Mercy Train could have been better developed. The title implies that it will be a focus, but it is never fully developed. It would not be a book that I would recommend for a book group.

I felt the book was a little disjointed for my liking..I did learn something new which I always enjoy.. I would have liked to have the character of Iris developed more.. I cared most about her.

I liked Mercy Train was really pulled in at first by not only the title but by the cove and was really surprised to find out that it was published as a hard back under the name Mother's & Daughters.
It was a very well written novel and the Mercy Train title fits the story so much better.

I liked the book but did not love it. I think Violet’s story was the strongest but it left me with so many questions that I feel that part of the story should have been much more detailed.

I agree with those who were curious about more of Violet's captivating story - I would have loved to read more about her - especially her life in years to come, and the book easily could have been just about her. Sam's story was intriguing, too, though, especially as a mom with young children. I didn't connect with Iris at all, and didn't agree with many of her choices.

I really enjoyed this book. I have to say I loved Sam's character, her internal thought process, I have had some of those same conversations with myself!! I loved how she ended up going back to the seedy hotel to watch the girl, I can see myself doing something like that and then wondering how I even got there or what brought me to do something like that to begin with, with no way of explaining it to anyone but myself! I couldn't put this book down, it was a very fast read and there wasn't any part of it that lost my attention. I would definitely recommend this book to other women/mothers I loved watching the dynamics between Sam and Iris and strangely a lot of what Iris said rang true with me seeing that I'm only 35!

I loved the book! I am having my book club meeting tomorrow night to discuss Mercy Train. As I have read some of the reply's, Violet seems to have shined to readers. I do agree with others that digging deeper into Violet's past would have been the icing on the cake.

I enjoyed the book...however had some difficulty going back and forth with the characters. It took me some time to get to know them. Perhaps it was the flowers..Iris and Violet! As a lover of historical fiction I would have loved more about the orphan trains and Violet's life. Loved Violet...tenacious and spunky...what was her life like on the farm, raising Iris? Iris had some of Violet's strength in her, dealing with her divorce, affair and facing death. Sam grew on me more towards the end.
I would definitely recommend the book. The characters alone make for intersting discussion along with mother-daughter relationships.

It was interesting reading about a part of our country's history that I knew nothing about. However I would like to have known more about Violet's life once she did find a home. Her life would have influenced how Iris turned out. So I feel that was a big gap in the story. Also, with the jumping back and forth from character to character, I didn't feel that it stayed with any one long enough for me to really connect with them and to start to care about the character. I had no emotional connection to them.