Title: The Mermaid Chair
Author: Sue Monk Kidd
First published January 1, 2004
368 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780143036692 (ISBN10: 0143036696)
Rating: 3.2
Overview
Sue Monk Kidd, the bestselling author of The Secret Life of Bees, brings us a new and captivating novel, The Mermaid Chair. Set on a remote island, this novel tells the story of Jessie, a woman torn between her love for her husband and a forbidden attraction to a monk.
Jessie’s journey of self-discovery and spiritual awakening is beautifully woven with Kidd’s trademark brilliance, leaving readers enthralled until the very end. The Mermaid Chair is a transcendent tale that will leave a lasting imprint on your soul.
About the Author
Sue Monk Kidd grew up in the small town of Sylvester, Georgia. After graduating from Texas Christian University in 1970, she pursued her passion for writing by taking creative writing courses at Emory University and attending writers’ conferences such as Sewanee and Bread Loaf.
In her forties, she decided to focus on writing fiction and received recognition for her work, including the South Carolina Fellowship in Literature and the 1996 Poets & Writers Exchange Program in Fiction.
Kidd’s first novel, , published by Viking in 2002, was a literary sensation. It spent over 2 ½ years on the bestseller list, sold over 6 million copies in the U.S. and 8 million copies worldwide, and was translated into 36 languages.
The novel received several awards, was named the Book Sense Paperback Book of the Year in 2004, and was adapted into an award-winning movie and an Off-Broadway musical.
Her second novel, , also became a bestseller, reaching the #1 position on the hardcover bestseller list and winning the Nation Quill Award. It was also adapted into a television movie.
Kidd’s third novel, The Invention of Wings, published in 2014, received critical acclaim and debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It was selected for Oprah Winfrey’s Bookclub 2.0 and has been translated into over 20 languages.
In addition to her novels, Kidd has written several memoirs, including The Dance of the Dissident Daughter and the bestseller , co-written with her daughter, Ann Kidd Taylor.
Kidd’s latest novel, The Book of Longings, is set to be published on April 21, 2020. She currently resides in North Carolina with her husband.
For more information, visit her website or follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
Editoral Review
Sue Monk Kidd’s The Mermaid Chair is a captivating novel that explores the themes of love, loss, and identity. Published in 2004, Kidd’s novel is a work of fiction that is both thought-provoking and engaging.
Kidd is an American author who is best known for her books The Secret Life of Bees and The Invention of Wings, both of which have been critically acclaimed.
The Mermaid Chair is a contemporary novel that is set in the South Carolina Lowcountry. The story follows Jessie Sullivan, a woman who is struggling to come to terms with her mother’s mental illness and her own failing marriage.
Jessie returns to her childhood home on Egret Island to care for her mother, and while there, she becomes drawn to the island’s Benedictine monastery and the mermaid chair that sits in the abbey’s chapel. As Jessie becomes more involved with the monks and the community on Egret Island, she is forced to confront her own past and discover who she truly is.
Kidd’s writing style is both elegant and poetic, and she weaves a complex narrative that is both emotionally charged and intellectually stimulating. The story is told from Jessie’s perspective, and Kidd does an excellent job of developing her character throughout the novel.
Jessie is a complex and flawed character, and Kidd’s portrayal of her is both honest and compassionate. The supporting characters in the novel are also well-developed, and each adds depth and complexity to the story.
One of the strengths of The Mermaid Chair is its exploration of the themes of identity and self-discovery. Jessie’s journey of self-discovery is both relatable and inspiring, and Kidd’s portrayal of her struggles is both honest and nuanced.
The novel also explores the themes of love and loss, and the ways in which these emotions can shape our lives.
Kidd also explores the historical and cultural significance of the South Carolina Lowcountry, and the ways in which the region’s history has shaped the lives of its inhabitants. The novel is set in a time of great change in the South, and Kidd’s portrayal of the region and its people is both insightful and sensitive.
Overall, The Mermaid Chair is a beautifully crafted novel that is both thought-provoking and engaging. Kidd’s writing is elegant and poetic, and her characters are complex and well-developed.
The novel’s exploration of the themes of identity, love, and loss is both relatable and inspiring, and Kidd’s portrayal of the South Carolina Lowcountry is both insightful and sensitive. The Mermaid Chair is a must-read for fans of contemporary fiction and anyone interested in exploring the complexities of the human experience.
Rating: 4/5 stars.
