Character-driven novels are hit or miss for me, but this was engrossing and cinematic. Each time I picked up my kindle I disappeared into the world of the book and watched it as if it was a movie. It's different from feeling as if I was right there in the action. I'm glad I wasn't, because I don't want to live in the Joseph house! But I enjoyed getting to know the characters by watching them.

The timeline got a little fuzzy for me. We jump backwards and forwards and the only descriptions given are "before" and "after". When I worked out they were only about 4 years apart it was strange. It was also a bit disorienting when we skipped around in characters' perspectives, but I appreciate that we got to see inside the head of multiple family members.

I some sense, the ending felt arbitrary, because I feel like the characters are still out there, living their lives. I wonder where they are now, nearly 30 years after the setting of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book!

I'm still marinating on this one. Great character development. This is absolutely a character driven novel and not plot based so know that going in. That said - even without a intricate plot to move you along, this book still moved. I enjoyed my time spent in Mercury even though none of these characters were super likable. They were all very human, flawed and I really enjoyed the authors perspective on how families get stuck in their "roles" and can't get out. Dang if that doesn't happen to all of us huh?

I got lost in this book even though there wasn't anything particularly enjoyable about the characters or the story. They just seemed like real people that you might meet through work or at church - they start telling you a crazy story about that time when....

If you enjoy family centered, character driven novels, I think you will really enjoy this book.

Thank you, NetGalley, for a free e-galley of "Mercury: A Novel" by Amy Jo Burns in exchange for an honest review.

In "Mercury," Amy Jo Burns crafts a narrative that is both a poignant exploration of human connections and a vivid portrayal of life in a small, blue-collar town. Set in the 1990s in Mercury, Pennsylvania, the story centers around Marley West, a seventeen-year-old with a longing for belonging and a profound sense of isolation. Her arrival in Mercury marks the beginning of a complex entanglement with the Joseph brothers, a trio that becomes the epicenter of her world. Burns, known for her critically acclaimed novel "Shiner," again demonstrates her prowess in creating deeply layered characters and a rich, atmospheric setting.

The novel excels in its exploration of family dynamics, particularly the complicated relationships between Marley and the Joseph brothers. Marley, who becomes a wife to one brother, a missed opportunity to another, and a maternal figure to all, is a character of remarkable depth and resilience. Her efforts to navigate the treacherous waters of the brothers' familial struggles, set against the backdrop of their faltering roofing business and their father's overbearing presence, are rendered with a keen eye for emotional detail. Burns masterfully portrays the nuanced interplay of loyalty, love, and the longing for something more, which is the crux of Marley's journey.

The narrative structure of "Mercury" is notable for its seamless weaving of the past and present, a technique that enriches the storytelling by providing context and depth to the characters' actions and motivations. The discovery in the church attic, a pivotal moment in the novel, serves as a catalyst that brings old secrets and simmering tensions to the surface, threatening the fragile bonds that hold the family together. Burns' prose is lyrical and evocative, capturing the essence of the small-town setting and the internal landscapes of her characters with equal skill.

However, the novel's pacing can at times feel uneven, with certain sections delving deeply into the characters' inner worlds while others move rapidly through key plot points. This occasionally results in a sense of disconnect, particularly in the latter half of the book where the narrative could benefit from a more consistent rhythm. Additionally, while Burns' exploration of themes like belonging and the search for identity is compelling, the resolution of these themes might leave some readers longing for a more definitive sense of closure.

Overall, "Mercury" is a testament to Amy Jo Burns' ability to create a world that is both deeply personal and universally relatable. It's a story that resonates with the struggles of finding one's place in the world and the enduring power of familial bonds. This novel will appeal to readers who enjoy character-driven narratives and are drawn to the complexities of human relationships set against the backdrop of Americana.

[arc review]
Thank you to Celadon Books for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Mercury releases January 2, 2024

5+!!

Mercury snuck onto my tbr courtesy of the publisher, and I’m so glad for it. This was one of the best books centered around family I’ve ever read.

A small town in the 90’s wherein a tour-de-force family resides, embodying loyalty and survival.

<i>“How much of it was illness, and how much of it trying to survive?”</I>

Burns showcases how you can be a mother, daughter, sister, wife, businesswoman, and friend all at once, know every gritty thing about a person and choose to love them anyways, and grow and adapt to be the glue filling in the gaps.

Marley and her mother came to Mercury in the early 90’s, and Marley integrated herself into the Joseph family like it was always meant to be, from family dinners to winning over the hearts of the three Joseph brothers.
This is the first time in her life that she’s really ever stuck around and stayed in one place long enough where the connections she makes form lasting roots and run deeper than surface-level.

<i>“She didn’t want to be someone who only thrived at beginnings.”</I>

As small business roofers, the Joseph men have to hustle every season to provide for their family. This part of the storyline really resonated with me having grown up with a grandfather and uncle who basically made a name for themselves doing the same things they did.

Mercury is split into the before and after of a pivotal character death, to which the grief was overwhelmingly felt.
I cried so many times I gave myself a headache.

I loved the literary technique of lacing so much depth into a simple four word phrase, and having that reappear at significant moments: “what do you want?”, “I have a surprise”, “are you safe here?”

This novel is intricate, layered, and everything I didn’t know I needed.

cw: dementia, overdose, loss of a loved one, grief, miscarriage
rep: lgbt


<i>“Her mother had told her they belonged to the Church of the Holy Comforter, which meant they used their Sunday mornings to sleep in.”

“It struck her then, how adept he was at apologizing, how earnest, as the son of two people who didn’t know how to do it at all. He’d learned from the absence of it, how to fill that empty space with what he’d needed but never received.”

“The arc of a mother’s life shouldn’t have self-sacrifice at its inevitable pinnacle.”

“He saw people at their worst and didn’t flinch because he knew how devastating it was to have to hide.”

“Do you think it’s possible to spend your life loving the wrong people?”
“I think it’s more likely that we love the right people the wrong way.”</I>

I was a little concerned before starting Mercury that it would be overly focused on a blue collar family struggling to get by in a small town community. Technically it is that, but Amy Jo Burns does such a phenomenal job of breathing life into the members of the Joseph family that the focus is almost entirely on the family dynamics and seeing how each character builds themselves into the role the rest of the family expects them to fulfill, without ever realizing that by doing so they could be limiting their own potential-and doing a disservice to the ones they care about most. It all starts with Mick and Elise, a man who comes back from Vietnam with struggles, and the woman who married him that resents feeling like she is nothing more than wife and mother. But the story really revolves around Marley, the three Joseph sons and their relationships. Marley is determined not to fall into the same trap as Elise, and convincing the three brothers to value her for what she brings to the family. Even knowing where Mick is coming from, it’s hard to like him for how selfish he is. Oh, but the others. You get to see them from their own perspective and that of the others, and Burns does a masterful job of showing each trying to do the right thing, and how it can have unintended consequences. I really loved the exploration of a family stuck in stasis slowly learning how to see and listen to their loved ones.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. This was a miss for me. The story is boring and drawn out. I like more plot focused books with tons more suspense.

The story begins in 1990 as 17-year-old Marley West moves to the small river valley town of Mercury, Pennsylvania. When Marley meets the Joseph brothers, they become her whole world. As a perpetual loner, she has always sought a place at the dinner table and a family of her own, and the Josephs provide just that. Soon, Marley becomes part of the Joseph family as a young wife to one brother, The One Who Got Away to another, and adopted mother to them all. As the brothers’ own mother fades away and their roofing business struggles, Marley steps in. But when an unsettling discovery is made in the church attic years later, old wounds resurface, and the family’s survival hangs in the balance.

“Mercury” is a heartfelt, character-driven family drama with well-developed characters and an engaging plot. The story started off a bit slow, and I had trouble connecting with the characters at first. As Marley and the Joseph brothers grew older and came into their own, I enjoyed the book much more. The book switches between the past and present as well as between character perspectives, which allowed me to understand the characters better. With so much family drama, there is a lot to discuss about this novel, making it a perfect choice for book clubs and buddy reads.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you @netgalley, @burnsamyjo @celadonbooks for an ARC of Mercury.

Release: 1/2/2024 (5 Stars)

Wow – just WOW! This book was not even on my radar until a couple friends read a copy & raved about it. This was outside my normal, preferred genre & it was a breath of fresh air!

QOTD: What was the last book you read outside of your preferred genre?

This story focuses on Marley who is a newcomer to Mercury, PA & her relationship with each member of the Joseph family – Elise, the mother, Mick, the father & the three brothers, Shay-baby, Waylon & Baylor.

This book had all the feels. Each character was so well-written. They all have redeeming qualities that will have the reader connecting with even the “worst” one. Burns teaches us that family is not something set in stone, but what you make it. Marley proved to be the rock that held the entire Joseph family together. She played a different role in each of their lives. I am in awe of what she was able to take on at such a young age & continue adapting to over the years to become the Joseph family glue. Marley is easily one of my favorite female leads from the almost 400 books I’ve read this year.

Perfect for Tracey Lange fans. This will be one I obsessively recommend & it will stick with me as a standout.

“It’s 1990 & 17-year-old Marley West is blazing into Mercury, PA. Marley desperately wants a family of her own. The first thing she sees when she arrives in town is three men standing on a rooftop.

The Joseph brothers become Marley’s whole world before she can blink…Marley steps in to shepherd these unruly men. Years later…old wounds resurface & suddenly the family’s survival hangs in the balance. With Marley as their light, the Joseph brothers must decide whether they can save the family they’ve always known—or whether together they can build something stronger in its place.”

#Fiction #Adult #Literary #LiteraryFiction #Romance #Literature #Marriage #Audiobook #Audio #ARC #Review #January #2024 #Mercury #AmyJoBurns #MacMillanAudio #TBR #AudioReview #Bookstagram #Booksta #Read #Books #Bibliophile #BookSlayer #Dementia #PTSD #HistoricalFiction #Family

I went into Mercury with no expectations. It was not a book on my radar but thanks to Celadon, I was able to read it and I'm so glad that I did. Family sagas are my jam and Mercury is the saga of the Joseph family. I went through a lot of emotions reading this one. Mostly, I was hopeful that this family of imperfect people would find the steady footing in their relationships that the men had on the rooftops they worked on. The depiction of womanhood and motherhood is all too real which often left me melancholy. As the book drew to a close, I sort of felt depressed that it was over but I loved seeing the family come into really working together and being there for each other. While most of the book is in Marley's POV the last several chapters give you the perspective of the Joseph brothers and even the matriarch, Elise. Mercury is full of secrets and a couple of twists that I didn't see coming. The writing is beautiful and I thoroughly enjoyed the read except for Mick and Patrick.

Marley is a loner until she is pulled into the embrace of the Josephs. They are a family made up of hard headed men and while they may be great at fixing roofs they all need help fixing their relationships with others and between themselves. Marley comes into the family with one brother but then falls in love and marries the middle brother and becomes a surrogate mom to the youngest. She quickly becomes frustrated with the way they handle the business, each other and her mother in laws indifference. At some point this all changes and she will become the sun they revolve around even the tyrannical head of the house. Every family has their secrets and every small town either works to unearth them or hides them right along with you. A quiet but piercing look at family and all those hard things that break you up while the people who are your glue keep you together. It may be 1990 in rural Pennsylvania but the emotional impact, deep characters and love rings true anywhere and anytime. Best read with a tissue box handy. Fans of Ann Patchett, J. Ryan Stradal and WE ARE THE BRENNANS will hold this close to their heart. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

Burns has written a beautiful novel about family dysfunction and the roles of women in the family. It is a quiet book, with well developed characters that you come to love and dislike, but by the end regardless of your feelings for the character you understand them better.

What I really enjoyed is that it was set in the 1990’s, I love books set in recent history, or history that is my life time. The twist at the end was totally unexpected for me. However, mostly the commitment the characters expressed for their family was so heartwarming.

Would I recommend this book, yes. It is an enjoyable novel that leaves you with all the feels.

I finished MECURY by Amy Jo Burns last week and feel like I am still collecting my thoughts. It kind of destroyed me and uplifted me at the same time. I really loved Marley’s character and her love for the Joseph family. She loves each one for different reasons and in different ways. The way she comes into their lives and affects them makes me smile and love her strength. I also loved her friendship with Jade - everyone needs their own Jade- a no nonsense personality with a strong shoulder to lean on when needed. I adored these characters. This story was about loyalty and family ties— what secrets should be kept and what truths should come out. It’s family drama with a little mystery. For fans of Tracey Lange— this one I highly recommend! Just trust me.

Thank you Celadon Books for this early release and allowing me to participate in Celadon Reads Together!

This one is available on 1/2/24!

I seem to have read several family dramas lately and this was by far the most complex and interesting. Complex family dynamics made this a great story.

I was part of the Celadon Books Read Together Initiative for Mercury by Amy Jo Burns. This is the story of the Joseph family, and Marley who meets them when she moves to town at age 17. She has relationships with two of the sons, and marries one, but the one she really wanted to be accepted by is Elise, the mother. Elise keeps her at arms length, and it takes a lot of the story to figure out why. The family business is roofing, and that plays a big part in the story. Some of the relationships were hard to understand, but I really came to care about the characters and the family. The Joseph family has some secrets, as I guess all families do, but some of the things that came out were very unexpected. I really enjoyed the book as well as doing the Read Together program for the first time! It was great to do this with the reading buddies! #bookstagram #booklover #reader #bookblog #lovetoread #fictionreader #bookreview #bookrecommendation #readersofinstagram #bookloversofinstagram #takeapagefrommybook #readallthebooks #booksbooksbooks #booksofinstagram #bookwormproblems #bookaholic #booknerd #whattoread #readingtime #bookaddict #ilovetoread #ilovebooks #needtoread #readallday #celadonbooks #amyjoburns #mercury #celadonreadstogether @jabberwocky4 @heatherostipwkopenn @runiechica4 @felinesandbooks @burnsamyjo #celadonreads

Marley, an only child of a single mom who has moved every year lands in Mercury PA for her senior year of high school. Marley is seeking stability and a family structure and seems to have found it at the Joseph's dinner table.  The Josephs are a family of three boys who sit down to dinner every night with their parents.  In yearning for this sense of family she didn't notice the cracks in the Joseph family or the major flaws in each member or the secrets they were keeping from each other.  While she originally dated Baylor, she quickly fell for Waylon and married him right after graduation.  
There's a little love triangle and a dead body so there's some drama to move the novel along. In the end, the Joseph family is so dysfunctional that Marley turns out to be the stability they were seeking rather than the other way around.
I really enjoyed this one, it is more of a character driven novel than a plot driven one and I am fine with that.  I loved all the relationships and besides the ending which I am not sure was really consistent with the rest of the story.  I always love a good family drama and I thought this one was rich with drama.

4.5 stars

Thank you Netgalley and Celadon books for the ARC to review

Mercury by Amy Jo Burns🌟🌟🌟🌟
I had read Shiner by the same author a few years ago but this ARC for her latest blew me away. It reminds me of some of the family dramas (Sweet Magnolias, Ginny & Georgia, etc) but with less cringe and more complicated characters, focused on a roofing family in a rural town. Out on 1/2, thanks @netgalley for the early copy!

If you are a fan of character driven novels you should enjoy this one. The life of the Josephs is complicated. It starts with Elise and Mick who meet and marry fairly quickly. Mick is drafted into the Vietnam War and comes back changed. As their roofing business grows and they have children they become well-respected in town. But the outside picture doesn't match the problems and traumas within, those things kept from the public eye. The book moves slowly and seems lengthy but that is part of the charm of this type of book--in this case, really getting to know and care about the Joseph family. Thank you to Celadon and NetGalley for the digital ARC. This review is my own.

This is a character driven novel with very complex family dynamics, and complex characters. I really liked how the relationship between Marley and Elise developed throughout the book. They went from having not much in common to have their ultimate goal as the main thing that bonded them together, their love for the Joseph Family.

I really liked how the Joseph Family absorbs Marley into the fold and how in the end…they needed her just as much and she needed them.

The story was good, but a bit slow as is the case with many character driven novels. I prefer more plot driven, faster paced books. So while this book wasn’t something that I’d go for, it was still a decent read but I think people who enjoy character driven books with complicated relationships will really enjoy this one.

I was so intrigued with this small town character story. Having grown up like an only child, I related to the main female character, Marley, in her hope to find a family in the Joseph household, only to discover that a full house is not without its flaws, secrets, and dramas.

This is a story about women cleaning up the messes of men, broken dreams, and what happens when the men finally have to answer to their own faults.

I loved everything about this story. The high stakes romance that burns bright and big in youth and simmers just as quickly. The loyalty in childhood female friendships. The wonderful mother and the mother-in-law with demons and so many regrets.

10/10. One heck of a 2024 release - I hope they’re all this polished and authentic.

Phew! What a journey. I went into this book blind and had no idea what I was getting myself into. This was such a good story about family, relationships, forgiveness and every time I thought the story surely has to be coming to an end, there was a whole new thread that was perfectly woven into the overall story so seamlessly.

This is the story of Marley. She moves with her mom to a new town when she's in high school and meets the Joseph brothers. What unfolds is heartbreaking, emotional and beautiful. I didn't know I needed a family drama in my life but this was great. I love how flawed all the characters are but with the exception of one, are so endearing and you can't help but to root for them all. I couldn't put this one down and read it in two days. I wasn't sure where the book was heading the majority of the time I was reading but the journey was amazing.

4.5 Rounded up. Thank you to Celadon and Netgalley for an advanced copy. Opinions are my own.