drummell's Full Review: Sue Monk Kidd - The Mermaid Chair
Jessie Sullivan is a married, mother of one in college, woman who has been molded to her life, but soon becomes bored and needs "something" to change. She finds herself becoming very distant and out of touch with herself and her marriage. Soon an accident draws her away from her mold, and brings her an little island in South Carolina. Her mother has strangely cut off her finger and seeing a way out, or break from her life, Jessie travels to stay with her mother. Jesse's and her mother are estranged. Haven't talked in a long time, and a lot of questions regarding her father's death have circled her life for many many years. Nelle lives among Monks. She cooks for a community of Benedictine Monks.
As Jessie tries to settle in to old surroundings, she finds herself falling in love with the island all over again. As a young girl, she has spent a lot of time on this island. Falling in love with the island isn't the only thing she fell in love with. Jessie soon finds herself falling for the youngest of the Monks, Brother Thomas. Brother Thomas, who's real name is Whit, has had his own tragedies in his life. He lost his wife and unborn child in an accident awhile back, and is still suffering from it.
As Jessie and Whit's relationship grows, they both realize that there is more out there than what they though. Falling for each other, realizing more about their own lives than what they knew before. They soon fall deeply for each other, making love in a secret spot, where they both find themselves, separately. Jessie soon finds her Art again, painting and dreaming. Whit realizes that his life as a Monk might not be for him.
The Mermaid Chair, is a story that has lived with the island for many years. There is a chair with mermaids as the arms, The story is told, that if you sit in the chair, make a wish. Many despise the chair with its detailed naked mermaids as arms, but others cherish it, believing it brings many good things to the people who sit in it.
As Hugh, Jessie's husband, soon realizes that something is wrong. Not just with Nelle, but with Jessie too. Hugh arrives at the island unexpectedly. Jessie is in shock when he shows up, and isn't quite sure what to do. As he stays in the spare room and Jessie in her own, she soon realizes that she's left all her paintings in that room. Rushing to the room, Hugh has already seen. Lovers on canvas and a whole new Jessie. Hugh leaves realizing what is really wrong with Jessie. Not understanding, he goes home and questions his marriage.
While back on the island, Jessie is realizing daily that her father's death wasn't so much an accident and soon didn't blame herself. On her father's birthday she had given him a pipe, and he'd set off to see in his beloved boat "Jessie". He never returned, with the boat starting on fire and killing her father. While dealing with her mothers craziness, she unfolds the truth. Her father was very sick. And before he got the point of not remember Jessie or any of his other loved ones, her father had asked her mother to keep the darkest secret ever. He set off that day, knowing he was going to die.
All this development in her fathers death, realizing the truth about her life, her mothers and what she really wants. Jessie goes home. She now needed away from the island for more than just the truth. She wanted her life back. Her husband, her daughter, her life. Things would be different, now it would be all in the hands of Hugh.....would he have her back.
I will have to admit, this isn't the average book that I would normally pick up to read. I've heard raves on it, but it just didn't look interesting to me. I won this book in a sweepstakes! Gotta love the free stuff. I had finished my book and the library wasn't open, so I knew I was in for a long weekend. So I decieded, why not, and picked up The Mermaid Chair and started reading. Slow at first, I soon got really into and couldn't put it down. It lasted the weekend, that's it! I find Sue Monk Kidd a "different" writer. I've never read anything like her writing before, and yes, I really liked it. How many people are going to talk about a Monk that has an affair with a married woman?! Very intriguing and I suggest anyone to read this book. I'm looking forward to reading more of her work!
A #1 New York Times bestseller, this dazzling novel of passion and spirituality is penned by the author of The Secret Life of Bees. Soulful in its pro...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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