Maine Audio CD – Audiobook, June 14, 2011

It was the big family, especially one with a lot of sisters, aunts and cousins that drew me to this book. I love reading about big families because my family of origin is so small and there are no brothers or sisters and just one cousin. While reading Maine, I thought the same thing I often think about several large families I know, and that is that they are very fortunate to have each other, but they fight over every family get-together and every family decision and then some. There is always someone not speaking to the rest of the sibs or the whole bunch isn't speaking at all. Maybe that's just part of a big family's life.I really liked Maine. I loved the way each chapter was a different part of the story told from a different woman's point of view. Not that several of them didn't get on my nerves and I wouldn't want them to be my aunt or sister with the attitudes they had, but the most interesting of all to me was Maggie. The chain of dysfunction hopefully gets broken somewhere along the line, and Maggie was the best candidate for change. She was the youngest family member with a story and seemed to mature as the book progressed. Not so for her mother, Kathleen, or her aunt Ann Marie and especially grandmother Alice. Most of the Kelleher women cannot put aside their grievances with each other and have a nice time at such a lovely summer home, especially being there with each other, which is not a common occurrence for them, except in their summers.The setting was perfect for the gathering of these family members. I could smell the ocean and the smell of the beach house as they went in the door. I'm mid-Atlantic and spent part of my childhood summers at my grandmother's beach house and it brought back a lot of memories of that Fenwick Island house. Mostly good, but my grandmother was another Alice. Not so good! I would have been just as angry as all of the rest of the family at Alice's decision in her will when the rest of the family found out about it. I also didn't like Father Donnelly's catering to Alice for her every whim. Without the change in the will, I doubt if he would have been as attentive.The author gave enough back story on Alice, especially, in order to understand who she was and why she had such a chip on her shoulder, and that was a very sad thing. Kathleen's story is understandable too, but at a certain point in growing up she was responsible for her own behavior, as was Ann Marie. Understanding where they came from wasn't hard, as the author made that clear, but moving beyond their pettiness and jealousies is another story.There is humor among the stings in Maine, and characters interesting enough that I kept reading to learn more about them. The book is very easy to read and kept my interest from beginning to end. Since this is the first of J.Courtney Sullivan's books I've read, I've ordered Commencement. She is an author whose books I'd like to follow.

Alice, out of jealousy had said unkind things to her sister and then her sister died in an accidental fire. Alice was consumed with guilt. This guilt made her feel that she did not deserve happiness and should not seek it. She married a good man, who had been introduced by her sister's boyfriend, just a nice guy, and grew to love him. She did not really grow to love her three children; Kathleen, Patrick and Clare, she did her duty, but not lovingly. She was an alcoholic who almost killed her children while driving drunk but then her husband said if she took another drink he would leave with kids, she stopped cold turkey, until his death. The oldest Kathleen was about 11 at the time but this abstinence did not affect Alice's frozen heart.The story focuses on beachfront cottage in Maine, initially crowded with friends and family and sunburned kids sleeping on the floor, and adults talking into the night. The walks on the beach, the gathering of shells, the roasting of marshmallows, many happy memories especially after her husband retired.Her son, Pat, built them a beautiful modern home near the cottage, where they could have some peace while the kids could run rampant. The kids and grandkids loved the summers there and then grandpa died.Pat and Anne Marie then allocated the summer cottage into one month for each of the children, and Alice stayed all summer in the modern home. Alice was not the warm loving type and tended to poke at insecurities, she may not have been fully aware of what she was doing, she seemed unable to appreciate and encourage her children and grandchildren. She was aware she had faults and leaned more and more into her Catholic faith, praying for herself and her family. She wanted to make amends to God before she died but did not grasp that it was not gifts to the church but perhaps forgiving herself and allowing love in, that could bring her peace.The story is told in chapters from the viewpoint of four women, Alice, Kathleen, Maggie (Kathleen's daughter) and Ann Marie (the daughter-in-law).Each women basically stood alone, in the story Kathleen and Maggie eventually seemed to really come to terms with each other. Ann Marie came more into her own and maybe her and Pat will find some magic again. Alice is alone but feeling that her gift to the church might bring redemption and maybe it will.I could see the children running and the tales by the fire and sunscreen being squirted and sunburned noses and stepping over bodies while trying to get to the bathroom, I could see the best of what was remembered but then grandpa died and he was the warm heart and Alice loved only him.Each woman had a story. The author has a gift of making people real and really evoking a time and place. I just wished for more love and laughter and coming together and that while I got to know the characters, I cannot say I enjoyed the way they interacted. Good story though, almost like she was writing about someone you knew.

This was my kind of book - a family saga, told from the point of view of different female members thus giving a totally different perspective in each chapter. You think you know a character, only to have those ideas challenged as you read on. It's a long book, but testament to how much I enjoyed it is that I read it in record time. I couldn't put it down! Some reviews have been negative in that they thought nothing happened. I must have been reading a different version. It seemed to me something "happened" on each page, but life would be boring if everyone like the same thing.The only minor (and I mean minor) niggle was the abrupt ending, as some reviewers have commented on, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment of a great read.I haven't given any detail as to the plot - I never understand those reviewers who do as this obviously spoils the anticipation for a reader - but if you look at my other reviews and have enjoyed any of my other 4 and 5 star reads, you'll love this. If you never fancied them, this won't be for you. But I'd recommend you give it a try as I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

Maine - I enjoyed this novel about three generations of women in the same family - its long and wordy, and perhaps slow, but its less of a story and more about observing the characters develop. The women are part of a dysfunctional and yet, plausible family. Alice, the elderly matriarch, with her guilt and regret for something that happened in her past. The choices Alice has made, have influenced how her children, and then their children turn out. Each generation has its own flaws (shaped in part by the previous generation's choices). It took me a while for the saga to grow, and from about 1/3 way through I was hooked and disappointed when I reached the end. Slightly frustrated by the letter which was sent - but seemed to be received as an email...I'm not really sure how nice any of the people are to each other - bit like a real family and knowing how to press each other's buttons. But as we learn more about them, we know more about why they are quite so prickly or behave as they do. And like a real family you learn what makes them tick and how to love (or appreciate them).I bought this, as it was set somewhere I had visited - and was curious to read a novel set there - brought back some good memories of visiting the area!

It is not too often that I read a book twice. Well maybe after 4 or 5 years have elapsed and then just my very all time favourites. Whilst on holiday recently, I did re- read Maine. I enjoyed it tremendously the first time around but only a year or so had elapsed, so was not at all sure that I would finish it. Still found it captivating. So many readers have summaraized the story, so I will be lazy. Courtney Sullivan draws you into this family saga. It is beautifully and intelligently written. I felt I knew Alice and her family well. The setting in Maine is real and rather makes you want to visit. I obviously do recommend this book. I wonder whether anyone has read 'The Engagements' from the same author???

This book was recommended to me - but I wonder why !I found this book a struggle to finish. When I reached the end, I wished I hadn't bothered to soldier on. A lot was written about each individual character, but they never seemed to gel with each other. It was a nothing book. Nothing much happened. It had great potential but it failed terribly. It was almost as if the author started off with great enthusiasm, but then decided not to bother. A great shame. I didn't enjoy it, and I wouldn't recommend it.

I like books that are just stories about people, and am not too fussed about major incidents as long as the characters are engaging and interesting. This started off like that with good character intros but soon I realised I didn't much care for any of them. As the book progressed I got bored with their self-absorbed thoughts and constant whining. I was soon longing for something (anything!) to happen to pep it up a bit. I stuck it out but it was all just a bit meh in the end.