Songs in Ordinary Time (Oprah's Book Club)

If you like real characters and situations and a story that pierces the heart, you will love Songs in Ordinary Time. The characters range from an evil con-man, Omar, to the three vulnerable children of a single hardworking mom, Marie Fermoyle, who is rapidly falling for his smooth talk and deception. Her only hope is her teenage son who seems to be the only person to see through this man of lies. The cast of characters also include a wayward priest, a brother and sister who are simple believers and the father (husband of Marie) of the three children who is also the town drunk. Incredible to me were the manipulations of Omar, a sociopath and murderer who knows no shame. Also interesting is the mind of an idealistic priest who rationalizes his involvement with a 17-year-old girl. It is a big book (700+ pages) but I didn't want it to end.

Faulkner fans rejoice-His successor is here. There are so few literary geniuses now, but MARY MCGARRY MORRIS is the exception. This novel sparkles and shines even when its grimiest characters are at their toughest. Her work was challenging, probably the reason why I didn't buy this one sooner. My commitment was richly rewarded. My heart ached with the characters. I found my self cheering them on and then swooning with their hurts and disappointments. I am surprised this was an Oprah book,I find so many of her picks to be "good reads", with lessons to learn, etc, but most are "literary-lite". Not this Oprah pick though. I was in so deep, I didn't know how MORRIS' characters or I would end up. After finishing, I have my answer - deeply affected and moved. Hooray-I see today that MORRIS has another book arriving this spring-FIONA RANGE-I'm getting in line now to order my copy. Thank you MS. Morris!

This story is an excellent snapshot of small town life and an intimate portrait of vulnerable people. My life has been less than perfect, so I felt a kinship with the characters in Songs in Ordinary Time and their struggles. I was especially impressed with the accuracy and detail which the author delivered in portraying the emotions and behavior of the alcoholic ex-husband, the lonely divorced mother, the ostracized teenagers, the timid child, and the master of manipulation, the con man. This book has something for everyone: love, sex, drama, murder, and best of all, lessons in living. I almost forgot it was fiction. The story seemed so real to me, that my heart ached for justice for the unfortunate family. Yet the frustrations of the characters are so drawn out that I hoped for resolution long before the end came. I couldn't put it down and spent the morning of my day off finishing it. I highly recommend it for the drama and sentiment. It is not just entertaining, it blooms with the pain, longing and unfulfilled dreams of real life.

So much has already been written by previous reviewers that I am reluctant to add more. However, what stays in my mind two weeks after finishing this wonderful book is the fact that none of the characters, no matter their difficulties and unhappiness, was a victim. They all had choices to make and chances to make other choices. Often they made poor choices, but there was another chance, and another. Even Renie LECHANCE got a second and then third and even fourth chance. Now at the end, Norm and Benjy made their brave choices; Alice made hers and Marie will too. Sam finally made the choice to seek treatment on his own. This book was fascinating. Even evil Omar Duvall at times had my sympathy. I really believe he did not set out to hurt anyone. I was touched by his offer of the wood to help Benjy at the end, the very piece of wood that Benjy used to hit him with. Enough. Read the book yourself. It is a real page turner and good entertainment.

It seems that I'm not the only English teacher on this board who adored this book, found it richly satisfying, read it VERY quickly (I was on vacation and read in in three days), and will probably read it again. I'm saddened, actually, to read how many people on this board hated and denigrated this book, dismissing Morris's considerable talents with language, characterization, the evocation of time and place. A number of readers seem so terribly bothered by her characters' dysfunctionality, or by minor characters - like the Judge or Haddad not needing to be in this story about the Fermoyle's - or by what they think (I don't) is an inconclusive end. I personally don't care about liking characters as much as believing in them, in finding that the illusions they hold and the delusions that confine them are not, at bottom, all that different from my own. Living in this end-of-the-millenium world where most people love to judge others, dismiss those to whom they cannot very easily relate, and consider compassion cheap sentimentality which they cannot afford -psychologically, emotionally, or financially - I applaud Morris for doing exactly what her title suggests: singing to us the 'songs in ordinary time', tales of real life, where the addicted grope towards the next fix on some days and towards recovery on others, where real people have the best of intentions but are nevertheless narrow, shallow, foolish, hypocritical, mean, stupid, and occasionally inspired, heroic, and luminous. Here's some advice from Spinoza: "Do not weep. Do not wax indignant. Understand." Listen to the retired English professor in California who wishes he was still teaching so he could teach THIS book: the best he's ever read. I wish I could teach it, too, but you can't ask high school students to read a 700+ page book during the school year. I'll certainly encourage a number to read it next summer.