Join BookBrowse today and get access to free books, our twice monthly digital magazine, and more.

Read advance reader review of The White Mary by Kira Salak, page 3 of 3

Summary |  Excerpt |  Reading Guide |  Reviews |  Beyond the book |  Read-Alikes |  Genres & Themes |  Author Bio

The White Mary

A Novel

by Kira Salak

The White Mary by Kira Salak X
The White Mary by Kira Salak

  • Critics' Opinion:

    Readers' Opinion:

  • First Published:
    Aug 2008, 368 pages

    Paperback:
    Sep 2009, 384 pages

    Genres

  • Debut

    Rate this book


Book Reviewed by:
Kim Kovacs Buy This Book

About this Book

Reviews


Page 3 of 3
There are currently 17 member reviews
for The White Mary
Order Reviews by:
  • Elise (Macedonia OH)
    I think I would have preferred the non-fiction version.
    The author, Kira Salak, appears to use the main character, Marika Vecera, to incorporate her personal experiences in the Papua New Guinea jungle, and tries to weave in a spiritual journey along the way. I found myself captivated by Marika’s struggles in the Papua New Guinea jungle, and her descriptions of the various cultures; however, the story line and the other characters did not seem credible to me. I found the book a page turner despite of the story line and other characters instead of because of them.
  • Roberta (Mesa AZ)
    Depressing
    The author may be an accomplished writer, but the affectations used as writing style nearly prevented me from completing this book. The subject as a whole is quite depressing and the author pushes through her condescending attitude that we "lambs" know or care about nothing that lies greater than 2 feet from our nose. I suppose the author has done her job by getting me riled and thinking about the topic at hand, but I hesitate to say I enjoyed the process.
  • Elizabeth (Fairfield OH)
    The White Mary
    I was so excited to read this book--a journalist who draws from personal experience in some of the most war-torn and unstable places on the planet as well as a personal journey in a place we rarely hear of in the news. I was disappointed to find a novel with few interesting scenarios that ultimately fell flat and rang hollow.


    I know writing is challenging--non-fiction or otherwise, but the writing here is poor. And the omniscient narrator doesn't work. I really wanted to feel the experience of going deep into Papua New Guinea, but the descriptions were cursory and didn't bring it alive to me at all. Then the novel seems to want to be an allegory for emotional redemption and instead sounds like some ridiculous self-help advice. Even if you suspend disbelief this novel doesn't work. For a real journey into the jungle I would recommend skipping it and reading Fieldwork by Mischa Berlinski.
  • Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3

Beyond the Book:
  A Short History of Papua New Guinea

Read-Alikes

Support BookBrowse

Join our inner reading circle, go ad-free and get way more!

Find out more

The Royal Librarian

Top Picks

  • Book Jacket: The Familiar
    The Familiar
    by Leigh Bardugo
    Luzia, the heroine of Leigh Bardugo's novel The Familiar, is a young woman employed as a scullion in...
  • Book Jacket: Table for Two
    Table for Two
    by Amor Towles
    Amor Towles's short story collection Table for Two reads as something of a dream compilation for...
  • Book Jacket: Bitter Crop
    Bitter Crop
    by Paul Alexander
    In 1958, Billie Holiday began work on an ambitious album called Lady in Satin. Accompanied by a full...
  • Book Jacket: Under This Red Rock
    Under This Red Rock
    by Mindy McGinnis
    Since she was a child, Neely has suffered from auditory hallucinations, hearing voices that demand ...

BookBrowse Book Club

Book Jacket
Only the Beautiful
by Susan Meissner
A heartrending story about a young mother’s fight to keep her daughter, and the terrible injustice that tears them apart.

Members Recommend

  • Book Jacket

    The Flower Sisters
    by Michelle Collins Anderson

    From the new Fannie Flagg of the Ozarks, a richly-woven story of family, forgiveness, and reinvention.

    Read the Reviews
  • Book Jacket

    The House on Biscayne Bay
    by Chanel Cleeton

    As death stalks a gothic mansion in Miami, the lives of two women intertwine as the past and present collide.

    Read the Reviews
Win This Book
Win The Funeral Cryer

The Funeral Cryer by Wenyan Lu

Debut novelist Wenyan Lu brings us this witty yet profound story about one woman's midlife reawakening in contemporary rural China.

Enter

Wordplay

Solve this clue:

M as A H

and be entered to win..

Your guide toexceptional          books

BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.