Mary and O'Neil

A wonderful story…spare, powerful and sometimes sad without being maudlin. In only 243 pages, this pint-sized novel touches on experiences that most of us will encounter in our lifetime. I liked the way the author started each of the eight “stories” in a later time period…each one focused on some ma......more

This is a simple, tender series of stories that tell a larger, more intimate and beautiful tale about love in all it's many forms. The simple reality of this story is an eloquent, heart wrenching and rare look at every day life. Excellent.......more

A book that can make me cry is rare, and this one made me cry twice. What's most impressive to me about this novel is the fact that it manages to make the reader feel empathy for its characters without seeming to manipulate. It stacks what any person would consider awful losses on its characters, bu......more

I absolutely love Justin Cronin's writing. Beautifully poignant, touching and intimate. My first experience with Cronin's writing was The Passage. Absolutely thrilling yet intuitive writing, I was captivated and decided to purchase the other books he has written. Justin Cronin's debut novel,Mary and......more

I agree with the review quote printed on the front of the book that says 'subtle, truthful and lovely' (though it was also a very sad read in places). It spans a period of thirty to forty years, with huge gaps of time passing between the chapters, and it focuses on particularly significant events--a......more