I first got this novel from the library & was skeptical as to if I would like it.I read it in one day when I was home sick.It is beautifully written & it will touch your heart.Candles on Bay Street is the story of a wonderful friendship that through distance still lasted & of the sacrifices we must make for those we truly love.This novel is one of the few books I can say I really love & has been worth reading many times.Candles on Bay Street is a moving story that shows that even today when the world seems so lost there still is love & beauty.Throughout this book you will laugh & cry & become close to all the characters & seem to feel with & for them.You must read this novel--it will be totally worth it.

I read "Candles on Bay Street" overnight, I couldn't put it down. I found myself laughing and crying at the same time. This book makes you feel like you are part of the small town and friends with the main characters. Trooper is the same age as my grandson, and I felt so deeply for him. First loves are never forgotten. My husband read and enjoy this book also.

What a sweet story told from the point of view of an extraordinary man with 2 great loves in his life, his beautifully understanding wife and his sparkplug childhood friend! When his friend returns home to her roots after 15 years as a single parent to a 10-year old son, many delightful relationships begin. The story brought tears to my eyes several times, and by the last chapter I was sobbing. I think if I had finished the book at home, I would have been bawling; but since I was on a sped bus with children, I tried to contain my tears for fear of embarrassment. Charming dialogue among the characters brought a smile to my face often. This book has "movie" written all over it. I wonder who will buy the options.

I absolutely loved this book. I'm going to tell all my friends about it.

Although it is not a particularly "feel good" book, I did really enjoy Jacob Have I Loved. I read it as an adult. Other than it being about twins and one perceives she is less loved than the other (which isn't really true), it has no parallels to the Biblical account of Jacob and Essau.

It explores jealousy, regret, resentment, family relationships, and community life. It has a really good ending. My only wish is that the ending part of the book which covers several years, would have been expanded and told in more detail. It left me wishing for a sequel.

"Jacob Have I Loved" takes place in the 1940s on a tiny island in the Chesapeake Bay called Rass Island. Sara Louise "Wheeze" Bradshaw is the young teen who narrates the story. She's forever feeling inferior next to her beautiful, talented twin sister, Caroline. And she's conflicted by her "sinful" feelings for the 70+ year-old stranger, Hiram "the Captain" Wallace, who's returned to his hometown half a century later. Without anyone to confide in (even her one and only friend, McCall "Call" Purnell, doesn't understand her), Louise feels as isolated as the island she lives on. Her fate seems to be filled with misery and loneliness compared to her sister's, especially after her religious grandmother spitefully recites a passage from the Bible: "Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated". (Jacob and Esau were twins like Louise and Caroline--and like Esau, Louise was the least favorite twin.)

I had a hard time starting this book. The beginning was a little rough, but once I started it, I couldn't put it down. I read half the book in one sitting, until I reached the part where Louise, Cal, and the Captain were preparing to drown more than a dozen cats--which were pets, by the way, not just strays. I was totally turned off by this, but when I read further, the cats were spared and adopted by various families on the island. (Ironically, a storm later wiped a lot of them out.)

The book won the Newbery Medal in 1981 and was later made into a TV movie in 1989. I never saw the movie, but I would definitely recommend this book to 13+ year-old girls who can relate to Louise and/or love the East Coast, particularly the Chesapeake Bay area.

Jacob Have I Loved is an excellent children's story that is loosley based on the biblical account of Jacob and Esau. It is about the turbulent relationship between a pair of twin sisters. Louise, who is the narrator and the character of Esau, is unable to recognize her own talents because she is constantly comparing herself to her beautiful and gifted sister Caroline. Katherine Paterson's book is well written and very understandable. One of its main strengths is that it is written from Louise's perspective. Because Louise is the narrator, the reader is better able to understand why she is so jealous of Caroline. Another strength is that Paterson explores other relationships in Louise's life besides just the one between her and Caroline. The story focuses on how the sisters' parents, grandmother, friends, and neighbors react to Caroline and her sister. These other relationships affect the way Louise views herself and her sister as much as what Caroline says and does.

Every child should read Jacob Have I Loved, especially those who resent their siblings because they think their sisters or brothers are smarter, more attractive or more talented then they are. The story will allow children in that situation to empathize with Louise and better understand that they have talents that they may have not yet recognized. Paterson's book was intended for children, but it would be a good book for parents and teachers to read also. It will help adults to understand children who may have not yet reached their full potential and are jealous of those who have.

This is the first book I have read by Meryl Sawyer and I must say, after reading so many excellent reviews of her novels, I am disappointed. Her writing is very repetitious. Not to sound picky, but in one short paragraph, for example, she writes twice, "...had taken much longer than anticipated," about the same event. This kind of repetition occurs more than a few times & really slows the novel's pace, as does lots of unnecessary, meandering prose. The story just drags on. There is no real mystery or suspense here. Some of the characters are interesting, and I cared about what happened to Amy/Shelly, Matthew, Trevor...and Bingo the cat and Jiggs the dog. However the villains, both Dexxter Foxx and Irene are cardboard, comic book-like characters. It is impossible to fear them - which kills the tension.

I think if Ms. Sawyer reworked the book, cut about 100 pages with some good editing, tightened up her plot and crafted Dexxter as a more human, sinister figure, she would have a good book. As is, the novel does not work.

After reading Tempting Fate by Meryl Sawyer, I was anxious to read the next novel in the series. Half Moon Bay, although filled with interesting characters and settings, was not as detailed or as supsenseful. I will refrain from summarizing the plot since that can be read in other reviews. There are various problems with this book including the highly unbelievable twists and turns at the end of the book. The suspense factor was articifical and the details that are apparent in Tempting Fate are lacking in this story. In many ways, the lives of the main characters could have been researched more to make them more believable. However, Ms Sawyer was able to juggle various strong characters successfully.

The sub-plots (revealing the hero's secret illness, explaining the relationship of the villian and villanness) were unpolished and could have been deleted from the story without affecting the plot at all. I am still impressed with Ms. Sawyer's work and hope that she will remember to add more details and keep the suspense level high but believable. Even with all of it's pitfalls, the book is a pleasant read.

As a fan of Meryl Sawyer's for quite some time, I am used to snatching her books off the shelf the minute they're unpacked, and "HALF MOON BAY" was no exception. I had been waiting for this book since I learned of it's existence last summer, and it was definately worth the wait. As usual Ms. Sawyer has turned out a fine mystery, a sizzling love story, and a group of characters that stay with you long after the last chapter. Amy Conroy has been forced to live with a hideous facial birthmark all her life, until a freak accident gives her a new identity, and a man to love her - if she can manage to elude another man who wants her dead. Matt Jensen, who made an all too brief appearance in "TEMPTING FATE" is back as the man who mistakes the badly injured Amy for "Shelley" -a woman who turned into a stalker after their one and only date. Twists and turns are Meryl Sawyer's specialty, and she's done her best to keep her readers busilly turning pages. Teasing references to great characters from novels like "THE HIDEAWAY" and "UNFORGETTABLE" help to make "Half Moon Bay" like a visit with old friends. Thanks Meryl, for making Half Moon Bay worth the wait - and for keeping us waiting for more ! DON'T WAIT. GET THIS ONE NOW !!!

I was attracted to this book because it is about the Eastern Shore of Maryland, my childhood home. After noting the author's name, I was stunned to find I had attended high school with him. Even more astounding was the quality and truthfulness of his depiction of a waterman's life. I recognized many of the characters and situations in the book from my own experience. If you enjoyed "Beautiful Swimmers" or "Chesapeake" for the unique culture of the "Shore" you'll enjoy this novel as well.

Tim Junkin's "The Waterman" is set on the Chesapeake Bay. I wanted to say that first to get it over. Everyone already knows it and, as I had suspected, most of the "customer reviewers" have addresses in the Chesapeake area. What a shame if other readers fail to realize the book is much more than, as the dust cover announces, "a novel of the Chesapeake Bay"

"The Waterman" depicts life in the region at that interface in time after Nam and before computers and cell phones. It is a romance, a mystery and a thriller--a story about a handful of young adults, lost in the pre-AIDS, mid-twentieth century looking back because they were unaware of their present and had no view of a future.

Junkin frames his Chesapeake snapshots with sometimes bright, sometimes foggy horizons. The backdrops are gritty textures and hues of sea grass, sweat, and brine. The foregrounds are crowded with dimly drawn young men feeling their muscles and sacrificing their skins and brains to youth, to the past, and to sun and alcohol. Meanwhile, dark and shadowy forces frame the future. The first 200 pages filled me with a wistful longing for those innocent days. The last 100 pages left me breathless.

Having spent a portion of my life on the Chesapeake Bay, this book was like going back in time for me. The descriptions of the area are the best I have ever read and the story is wonderful. A must read for anyone who loves the water and loves a good story!

In a recent conversation, I suggested to my roommate to read a Tom Clancy book, and she agreed with a caveat: that I had to read one of her books. After rolling my eyes, I reluctantly agreed. I thought, how bad can it be, they're small books. She was nice and gave me one she thought I would enjoy, Eclipse Bay (? Great, what a title). (sigh) The truth is.. I actually did enjoy it. It was an light but exciting read. I was afraid the book would be nothing but one stereotypical romance scene after another, dead wrong again. It had a solid bit of whodunit quality, some sound character exchanges and wit (Winston), overall quite engaging. The characters were as well developed as most other books that I've read, especially considering the relatively small number of pages. If this is what her books are like, then I highly recommend Ms. Krentz and this book to all.

Jayne Ann Krentz is the Queen of Witty Dialogue! I am a writer, and I would love to have her incredible flair for story telling. The story of Hannah and Rafe has everything romance readers ask for--Memorable characters, great love scenes, a plot that pulls you in effortlessly, and a touch of mystery. The mystery of an 8-year old murder and present unsettling events kept me guessing until the end. I look forward to the next two books, not just to get two more wonderful stories from Eclipse Bay, but to also revisit Hannah and Rafe--and their little dog, too. I am doomed to spend my life in the Midwest, but I enjoy travelling to the Northwest Coast with Ms. Krentz' stories. If you have never read Ms. Krentz before or hesitated because of the high price of her hardback books, try this one. I promise you, you will enjoy it!

Jayne Ann Krentz tops herself with this first book, Eclipse Bay, in her new trilogy. The Hartes are logical, the Madisons passionate, and the two families have hated each other for generations. Hannah Harte unwittingly becomes an alibi for Rafe Madison when she encounters him on the beach late one night. The next day she learns that a girl Rafe had dated was found murdered and he is suspect in the crime. She comes forward with the story of their time spent together at the time the crime was committed and puts a dent in her reputation in the town.

Eight years later Hannah's aunt dies leaving her mansion to Hannah and Rafe. The two come together back in Eclipse Bay to sort out the problem of who will get the mansion, solve and eight year old murder and fall in love.

The story is engaging and Hannah and Rafe are perfect together. He has loved her since that night on the beach and she has always been more then a little attracted to him.

A great entertaining read. Now we just have to wait for the next one.

This book was conceived as a companion to the new movie. Chocked full of pictures from the movie and from behind the scenes, the book discusses the actual events of 1941 and '42, the people involved, and the aftermath. Finally, the book then discusses the making of the movie, giving a lot of fascinating details.

Though this book was written as a companion to the movie, you don't need to use it as such. It is quite a good book on the events surrounding America's forced entry into World War II. I found the book interesting, and thought that the pictures added a lot to the text. I liked this book.

If you liked the movie, which I did, I'm sure you would like "Pearl Harbor: The Movie and the Moment". Not only does it have plenty of color images, movie stills, sketches, storyboards, maps, blueprints, computer graphics, behind the scenes information, and more, it also tells about the actual history of what happened on December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor. I liked reading the actors, producers, and writers comments in the book. I especially liked reading about the Eagle Squadron. Teaches you Eagle Squadron slang in the book!

I think that even if you didn't like the movie that much, this book has plenty of information about the history of Pearl Harbor so I'm sure you would be satisfied with it. Enjoy!

I just bought this book and it totally blew me away. Contrary to another review here, I find almost every page of this book to be extremely informative and jam-packed with information on the real attack and the making of the movie, with LOTS of movie photos and a lot of historical photos too. Also included are short bios of movie characters, quotes about the movie and the event from cast and crew, and storyboards and a timeline of the events of that day. I HIGHLY recommend this!

This is one helluva book. Big on graphics...great black and white photographs...an excellent show of San Francisco Bay graffiti by someone on the outside who takes the objective viewpoint. It's the only graffiti book I'm aware of that includes quotes from the abatement side of the issue...this makes it more accessible and interesting than other graffiti books that show mostly color photos with little content. I also like the way the author approaches the graffit issue as a cultural phenomenom that is widely misunderstood. The author is most intererested in why this phenomenon keeps growing and why these kids are compelled to put their art in public places...it's also refreshing that Walsh in his introduction explores the idea that both sides of the issue(the graffiti writers vs. the abatement organizations)actually need each other and fuel each others causes. The graphics are powerful and fresh. The rough, chaotic style that Walsh used to design the book really mirrors its subject...and the black and whites really give the book an added dimension. If you appreciate art and want an objective view on this very interesting and misunderstood subject buy this book.

An excellent book! A great insight into the west coast graffiti culture from someone on the outside. Great quotes, photographs, and graphics. What sets this book apart from other graffiti books is that Walsh goes deeper into the subject, he took the time and interviewed many people in law enforcement and local government who are trying to stop graffiti. Along with many quotes from writers themselves, this gives the book a balance and objectivity. Most graf books are one sided with only the writer's views. Plunk down your cash and learn something. A must for anyone interested in this controversial subject!

I bought this book on the recomendation of a friend, who like me knew nothing about the graffiti subculture or the people who do it. I see graffiti everyday in San Francisco and wanted to know what motivated these people. Some of it I can appreciate but much of it appears to be childish vandalism. Through quotes and pictures from both sides of this issue Walsh does an excellent job by bringing this very closed subculture to normal everyday people like me who see it all the time and want some kind of understanding. I find the black and white photographs especially compelling in their starkness. What he gives is a little view or insight of a much larger picture that no one understands except the people who do it. Buy this book if you want an objective view from someone outside the subculture. Finally, I've browsed through the other reviews presented here and find most of the ones by graffiti writers themselves hilarious in their arrogance and their lack of understanding on how their actions effect people in their community. Give me a break. These kids are starving for attention and causing millions of dollars of damage to public and private property and they can't handle it when an 'outsider' such as Walsh does a piece on them. When art is brought out into the public domain it's fair game. These kids have been screaming for attention by putting their art and tags in public and now they get some attention and moan about it. Wake up.

This book is the most boring book I have ever read. I have to read it for my biology class and write in a journal summarizing it. It's terrible! I always wander off in my mind while reading it and can hardly finish a page because it is so far from interesting. I do not recommend reading this book unless you really want to know all the boring facts about science. If I had to rename this book I would call it "All The Boring Facts That You Never Wanted To Know About Science". Sorry but it's true, it just doesn't appeal to anyone other than scientists or science teachers :)

T.rex and the Crate of Doom written by Waler Alvarez is a book about what occured around 65 million years ago on earth. Yes, the Chicxulub crater off the North coast of the Yucatan peninsula.

As it seems, the disciplines of geology and paleontology are the are the Earth historians. Like you or I reading a paper for the news, geologists and paleontologists read the fossil recond in the rocks. By observing, measuring, and interpreting the information held fast through the eons of time, the earth's history can been seen and understood.

There are two camps in these disciplins the camp of gradualism where everything takes times... sometimes an enormous length of time, then there are those of the camp catastrophism, something awful happen like a comet of meteor crashing into the earth. Well, this book falls mainly into the latter camp as the work on the K-T layer (Cretaecous-Tertiary) Iridium was found and the cause soon revealed that it came from an extraterrestrial source.

To be realistic, one must use both camps to come up with the true answer.

This book has seven chapters: Armageddon, ExLibro Lapidum Historia Mundi, Gradualist versus Catastrophist,
Iridum, The Search for the Impact Site, The Crater of Doom, and The World after Chicxulub. Each of these chapters bring the read more information on how science, if applied correctly can render an answer to some nagging questions.

This book tell about what happens when a meteor the size of Mt. Everest crashes into the earth and the consequenses that follow. As the author states, "The hugh cloud of vaporized rock generated at ground zero was driven outward by its own heat and pressure in a colossal fireball." Mexican geologists found the Chicxulub crater back in the 1950's, but the general knowledge of Chicxulub didn't become common knowledge until 1991. As more and more evidence becames available, the extinction of the mosters of the Mesozoic is starting to favor the catastrophist theory... but we can only guess, but an intelligent guess is better than not knowing.

This book was a fast read and the narrative flowed freely just like reading a detective story and all of the pieces of the mystery come together. This book has a little chemistry and physics in it so I believe that this show be read by age 16 and up. All in all, the is an excellent book and a fascinating story unfolds with some of the best firsthand paleontological science unraveling the mystries of that great extinction 65 millions years ago.

Nevertheless, this is a chilling reminder of the fragility of the biosphere, which is under a constant threat from asteroids, meteorites, bolides and comets.

T.rex and the Crater of Doom written by Waler Alvarez is a book about what occured around 65 million years ago on earth. Yes, the Chicxulub crater off the North coast of the Yucatan peninsula is the site most geologists think was where the impact occured that wiped the dinosaurs of the map.

As it seems, the disciplines of geology and paleontology are the are the Earth historians. Like you or I reading a paper for the news, geologists and paleontologists read the fossil recond in the rocks. By observing, measuring, and interpreting the information held fast through the eons of time, the earth's history can been seen and understood.

There are two camps in these disciplins the camp of gradualism where everything takes times... sometimes an enormous length of time, then there are those of the camp catastrophism, something awful happen like a comet of meteor crashing into the earth. Well, this book falls mainly into the latter camp as the work on the K-T layer (Cretaecous-Tertiary) Iridium was found and the cause soon revealed that it came from an extraterrestrial source.

To be realistic, one must use both camps to come up with the true answer.

This book has seven chapters: Armageddon, ExLibro Lapidum Historia Mundi, Gradualist versus Catastrophist, Iridium, The Search for the Impact Site, The Crater of Doom, and The World after Chicxulub. Each of these chapters bring the read more information on how science, if applied correctly can render an answer to some nagging questions.

This book tell about what happens when a meteor the size of Mt. Everest crashes into the earth and the consequenses that follow. As the author states, "The hugh cloud of vaporized rock generated aat ground zero was driven outward by its own heat and pressure in a colossal fireball." Mexican geologists found the Chicxulub crater back in the 1950's, but the general knowledge of Chicxulub didn't become common knowledge until 1991." As more and more evidence becames available, the extinction of the mosters of the Mesozoic is starting to favor the catastrophist theory... but we can only guess, but an intelligent guess is better than not knowing.

This book was a fast read and the narrative flowed freely just like reading a detective story and all of the pieces of the mystery come together. This book has a little chemistry and physics in it so I believe that this show be read by age 16 and up. All in all, the is an excellent book as a fascinating story unfolds.

I am not a Bay City rollers fan. I'm not even old enough to know about the hysteria they caused and to be really honest I have never really cared. So why am I feeling that this is one of the best books I've read in a while and probably the first that I've ever related to?

It tells the account of a young fan's obsession with the 70's answer to today's westlife and the impact they made on her life as she was growing up. The goings-on of her and her fellow BCR fan's (the tacky tartan tarts) whenever 'the rollers' were in her country will either amaze you or be painstakingly similar to your own boy band experiences.

'Bye bye baby' is a fab book for anyone who has been part of the 'boy band' phase. The great aspect of this book is that you will be able to relate to it and enjoy whether you're an ex tacky tartan tart aged 40+ or a 16-year-old drooling over your n-sync posters.

Ardent Bay city Rollers fans may feel a little uncomfortable in how the Bay City Rollers music was discussed in the book, but don't take it too seriously. This is an honest book and with boy bands more often than not the looks and personality's of a band are always put before their music.

This is a light-hearted tale that will entertain you right till the last page.

I'm much chagrined to admit that before an accidental viewing of one of VH1s seemingly never-ending repeats of a teen idol retrospective, I had never heard of the Bay City Rollers. Born in 1976, my own musical awakening didn't come until the era of Van Halen and Micheal Jackson.

Having got this out in the open at the beginning, I feel completely comfortable recommending this book without reservation. Sure it's about a band, but way more importantly, it's about a fan. Having lived through a tragic "love affair" of my own, Sullivan's words ring incredibly true. She says the things that I haven't sufficiently grown up to phrase, but she said them exactly as I feel them.

Bye Bye Baby should be required reading for passionate fans of any persuasion (be it for Nsync or, for God's sake, the cast of Rent or the Chicago Bulls). The sentiments and the sharing, the friendships these people formed and the goofy things they lived through, and occasionally lived for, make the book worth the read.

And if you're not down with that, it's a fascinating sociological recounting of American pop culture in the 70s, spattered with Tab and Sid and Nancy and Elvis and Lennon.

Thank you Caroline Sullivan for sharing your Bay City Rollers experience! It was quite exciting to read of her escapades with her partners in crime, the Tartan Tarts. Although I am a few years younger than Ms. Sullivan, I could completely relate to her experience with the Rollers, and I picked up a few tricks too! ;) Who knew it could be so easy to find out where the Rollers were staying?! Anyone who has loved a band and has gone to the ends of the earth (or at least Detroit) to see them needs to read this book. This is the ultimate "fan" book. You don't have to be a fan of the Bay City Rollers to enjoy this book. Very well done!

I thought this book was good and I would recommend it for anyone to read. Although it is short, Mona Simpson does a great job bringing these characters to life. They are also very easy to relate too. At first, I couldn't keep the characters straight, and throughout the book this seems to be a consistent problem. The introduction of many characters was confusing. I had to reread the first few chapters to refresh my memory. Bea, the main character, is from a wealthy upper-class family. Her father is a physician, and her mother, a socialite. Bea's mother raised her with wholesome values, but her mother thinks that she did too good of a job when in high school Bea is more involved with extracurricular activities than going out with boys. The most of the story revolves around Bea trying to get a man to please her mother, but failing because she lacks flirting skills and is more interested in her knitting projects. June Umberhum is from a lower class family, yet her charming personality and strive to be better help her to succeed in life. June lived on Keck Road. She was once married and had a child, Peggy, but divorced when she was twenty-three. Shelley, a girl who also lives on Keck Road, was from a close knit but very poor family. She was stricken with Polio, and she always seems to miss the boat. She was given a fake Polio vaccination, she has a bum leg, and she isn't very feminine being six foot tall and extremely strong. Bea and June have both returned to Green Bay, WI looking for affinity; a sense of friendship and kinship. They have gone out into the world, experienced it, and come back home to where they fit in. Bea because her mother is ill, June because she has nowhere else to go. I really liked this book, and hope to read more of Mona Simpson's works.

Mona Simpson is one of the few authors I have read who say more by what they leave out than what they include. Bea, the center of this tale, makes a pass at a priest. This pass is depicted in two sentences. The rest is a blank page. There's an exquisite sulleness in the silence of this book. It's probably too praising to say that, as the book cover exclaims, Simpson is "the voice of her generation." But she certainly is the voice of her region--the upper midwest, where nothing much exciting happens, but the human spirit is no less stifled, tortured, starved, challenged. Simpson's description of Green Bay rivals in poignancy Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway's ponderings of Trifalgar Square, and the surrounding urban London land/mindscapes. It could be considered a deficiency that Simpson never allows a moment to grow, or a character to take root in the reader's mind like Woolf or Faulkner so effectively do through their sweeping prose. Simpson doesn't want to be a poet. She tells the story in a straight, dry, yet no less powerful way, mimicking the dry lives of those characters who float in and out of her terse chapters. I was fooled a bit by her Reader's Digest style of writing; it wasn't until about page one hundred that I realized Simpson could delve deep without appearing to do so. Her writing is deceptively simple. But she didnt have to wait until page one hundred to cease holding out on me. I agree with the other reviewer who said that the writing was good but nothing special. For the most part, it doesnt compare to the classics. Its style prevents that. But Simpson does delve, can tell a profound story, but usually in twenty five words or less. And for some of us, who've cut our teeth on authors whose style sweeps over our consciousness, creating an intricate universe in sentences two or more pages long, this may be hard to accept. Still, brilliantly understated, if a little too much so.

At first it seemed odd to me that a novel that spans a lifetime is less than 200 pages long. However, after I finished the book it became clear that its short length is in keeping with the quiet, but interesting lives of the characters.

Bea and Shelley are two women from "opposite sides of the tracks," but as single women they share outsider status in their community. Bea's mother does not appreciate her daughter's good qualities until the end of her life, focusing instead on Bea's lack of a husband and children; she prefers her self-centered, indifferent older daughter because she is a wife and a mother and therefore more socially acceptable. Shelley's mother is a less developed character than Bea's mother, but it is clear that she thinks along similar lines.

Simpson has accomplished something that seems rare in fiction: the portrayal of unmarried women as fully realized human beings instead of as caricatures.

Don't read this novel if you're looking for a lot of action. It is a character-driven book, not a plot-driven one.