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There are currently 18 member reviews
for Maud's Line
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Darra W. (Mendocino, CA)
Disappointing . . .
Based on its subject matter, I had high hopes for this first novel, but sadly, I must agree with those previous reviewers who felt the book lacked depth. It seems that in her eagerness to tell the story, the author skimped on character and thematic development. The ending, also, felt like a "cop out." Just not for me, I guess.
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Nancy K. (Perrysburg, OH)
Maud
I really did not enjoy this book. Poor Maud is living in pathetic circumstances that don't seem to get any better and unfortunately,the author keeps reminding us of this fact, using colloquial language that is at times hard to understand.
Since there are a lot of references to sexual activities, too many I think, I can't recommend it to any of my 3 book clubs nor to my friends. Some of the descriptions of the area are lovely; perhaps the author's next book will be better.
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Randi H. (Bronx, NY)
Maud's Line
I generally enjoy stories with a Native American setting and because of this I wanted to like Maud's Line, but unfortunately did not. The story, especially the beginning, read like an early draft to me, not yet fully flushed out. At one point I even wondered if it was a children's book, given the sparsity of details and the lack of writing complexity. I never developed strong feelings for any of the characters, good or bad. I also must confess to hating the ending, to the point that I almost threw the book across the room when I finished it, both because it seemed too pat an ending and because Maud did something that was totally contradictory to advice she had recently been given from her family.
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Jan Z. (Jefferson, SD)
Maud's Line
I thought that Maud's Line was a good story. The characters were all authentic (some a little bizarre, which added to the interest of the story rather than detracting from it), and well drawn. The setting was in Oklahoma in the late 1920s on Cherokee Indian allotments, evocative and sometimes beautiful.
I liked the interest the author showed in placing Maud's close knit family ties as a central concern through-out the entire novel.
Harsh living and social concerns were also a theme through-out the novel, and while the plot was a little dramatic it seemed to work and was quite engaging. Good job on a good debut novel, Margaret Verble.
