Page 7 of 9
There are currently 60 member reviews
for Mating for Life
-
Lisa M. (Fullerton, CA)
Good Beach Read
A novel about coupling and uncoupling, about mothers and daughters and sisters, husbands, wives, and lovers, and the unexpected twists life and relationships often take. The story is told in alternating voices; I almost wish there had been fewer voices, though, as I wasn't able to get to know any one character enough to become invested. It's relatable, but probably not extremely memorable. Good, light chick lit.
-
Edie M. (Kennett Square, PA)
Took me a while to really get into it.
While this book did come together at the end, during the first 3/4 of it, we jumped from drama to drama. I could not relate to a lot of the problems the characters were having. I did enjoy the little blurb at the beginning of each chapter where the author notes the mating habits of different birds and animals. That was interesting information to learn.
-
Sherri A. (Westbrook, CT)
character overload...
What prevented a higher rating on this novel? Too many characters! What started out as mother/3 daughters ended up being mom's boyfriend, sister's husband,sister's boyfriend, the lake neighbor, lake neighbor's daughter...you see what I mean? You end up with a a tiny ripple, when I really wanted to dive into their lives. I would read this on a plane, but if I finished it, most probably would end up in that little pocket with the emergency card and Air Mall magazine.
-
Kathryn M. (Bethel, CT)
Not Addictive
This is a book that I read when I had time, but did not make time to read. I didn't not like the book, but it didn't pull me in. The main characters are Helen, the mother, and her adult daughters. Fiona, the oldest daughter and the most strong-willed, is the only character that stood out to me. I kept getting the other sisters confused.
Chapters are told from different characters point of view. Most from Helen and her daughters, but a few other characters too. Honestly, I had trouble at the beginning of some chapters figuring out who was who, and I'm not sure why some characters had chapters at all.
If you liked Little Altars Everywhere you will probably like this book. For a higher rating from me, I'd like to see stronger character development and tighter organization.
-
Mary Beth S. (Mequon, WI)
Mating for life
The book jacket summary of Marissa Stapley's debut novel, Mating for Life, held a lot of promise. Family dysfunction, free spirit mother, grown daughters struggling to find their own identity and coming of age for a spattering of characters all combine in this light read. Each story on its own provides a good read. However, while the book reads like a novel, the reader should approach it more as a series of short stories
with characters that are all loosely connected. A number of times throughout this book, I had to stop and try to figure out exactly how it character fit into the web of other characters. This book would not be high on my list for recommendation or book clubs.
-
Sharalynne P. (Valparaiso, IN)
Liked it - didn't love it.
I thought it was a light read about a family of women with the same old problems....hippie single mom, unhappy daughters, marriage problems, nothing new here. I couldn't get emotionally connected to the characters, maybe because I had nothing in common with any of them. I did like her style of writing though and would read another book of hers.
-
Susan F. (Louisville, KY)
Separating throughout Life
What an ironic title for a novel about a beatnik hippy, Helen, who wanted nothing to do with monogamy. Her three daughters, from three different men, are all struggling with relationships in single life, married life, steamy affairs, and waning careers.
While the story has a lot of potential, I was disappointed in the lack of depth of the characters, I didn't feel like I knew them. Reading is a passion for me, and I long for a book that draws me in from the beginning and keeps me enthralled throughout. Sadly, this is not one of those novels.
