The Mermaid Chair Summary and Reviews

The Mermaid Chair
by Sue Monk Kidd

The Mermaid Chair
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Book Summary Information

Author: Sue Monk Kidd
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2006-03-07
ISBN: 0143036696
Number of pages: 368
Publisher: Penguin

Book Reviews of The Mermaid Chair

Book Review: -----Didn't meet my expectations-----
Summary: 3 Stars

THE MERMAID CHAIR takes place in 1988 on Egret Island, which is off the coast of South Carolina. Egret Island is also the site of a Benedictine Monastery. Jessie Sullivan is called back to the island where she was raised to care for Nelle Sullivan, her mother, who had intentionally cut off one of her fingers.

The Sullivan family had been through years of pain over the death of Jessie's father and Nelle had never truly reconciled losing her husband. The mother daughter relationship is not a good one and Jessie has to glean information from her mother's friends and also the local monks in order to help her mother out of her deep depression. Their home is in close proximity to the Monastery and also where Nelle is the cook.

Jessie is 42 years old and married to a very successful psychiatrist. Her only child is in college. Although, she doesn't openly admit it, she feels the need to get away from her husband and be on her own. This is the story, like so many others, of a middle-aged woman who seems to be in a good marriage, but feels like she needs something else. Jessie becomes involved with Brother Thomas, a monk, who had not yet taken his final vows. Of all the characters in this story, I found Brother Thomas to be the most sincere and true person in the book.

The author's first novel, THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES was wonderful and had a magical quality that has stayed in my mind. THE MERMAID CHAIR did not affect me in the same way. I didn't like Jessie Sullivan and didn't find her to be a sympathetic character. Her mother, Nelle was also someone who I didn't find likeable. I think they made me less inclined to care about the story itself.


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