Jeffrey Lei Lei itibaren San Juan de Lomerío, Bolivia itibaren San Juan de Lomerío, Bolivia

I read this book because I LOVED The Secret Life of Bees by the same author. The Mermaid Chair wasn't nearly as good as Bees, but I was expecting that going in, so it was just a nice book to read... especially when I was back in the south visiting family on the coast! Some other reviews I read described being very upset at the main character for having an extra-marital affair. Of course, I don't condone this, but it happens A LOT, especially in marriages where one partner feels unfulfilled emotionally or spiritually. Some of the other reviews describe the affair as unneccessary to the story, but I think an affair is just one of many symptoms of deeper emotional problems, and it's a much easier thing to illustrate in a novel than just a middle-aged woman going on and on with an internal conversation about her life! Anyway, my mother made the good point that you can read the affair as a metaphor for whatever it is she is searching for... adventure, another life, independence, a clean slate, a new experience... That was helpful for me. Overall, I keep coming up with the word "nice". Not earth-shatteringly beautiful, not boring... just a nice book.

Took me a while to get to this, the first in a series recommended by a friend. Mystery isn't my usual genre, especially the female protagonist 1920's London variety, but I really, really enjoyed Maisie Dobbs. A lot more nuanced, poignant and cerebral than I expected - somehow I had pictured more humor and chick-littitude. May have to take a look at hte next book in the series...