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Rating:  - It's been over a year ...
... since I finished reading this book, and its intricate story has stayed with me. Each sub-plot worthy of its own work, Piercy weaves them together in an impressively seamless fashion. I felt the narrative voice shift with the chapters as told from each of the three women's point-of-view. I related in some way to each of them -- to Elena's rebellion, to Suzanne's success, to Beverly's activism. Since I began writing & editing professionally, it has been extraordinarily difficult for me to lose myself in a book. This one took me into its pages and still hasn't let go.
Rating:  - Underdeveloped Characters, Shallow Story
I'm a longtime fan of Marge Piercy, ever since I devoured Gone to Soldiers, Woman on the Edge of Time and He, She and It. Another enjoyable read was Ms. Piercy's frank and affectionate memoir, Sleeping with Cats. This effort, however, didn't do much for me. I didn't feel emotionally involved with any of the characters and basically could have cared less what happened to them. I felt this was a superficial read; nothing gripped me at all. It's too bad; was it written in in a hurry? I won't give up on Ms. Piercy, though, and will keep an eye out for her future works.
Rating:  - A very poor choice
Having bought this book after seeing it recommended in one of the amazon e-mails, I was incredibly disappointed.
The writing is poor, and the plot is not sufficiently compelling to encourage finishing the book (and I rarely am so bored that I don't bother). Doubtless this assessment will have its detractors. But if you enjoy good literature, don't bother with this book.
Rating:  - In-Depth Portraits of Women
Piercy's novel delves into the intertwined lives of three women: Suzanne, a successful lawyer; Beverly, her unconventional, activist mother; and Elena, her troubled daughter. Suzanne finds herself in the middle of a storm of emotions as she copes with her daughter returning home and her mother, incapacitated by a stroke, also joining the household. There are events in the past, layers of conflict and guilt, that bind these three women together. Gradually, the novel uncovers this history.
The great strength of this book is in the respect and space it gives to each of these three very different people. Beverly was a radical who worked for civil rights and unions. She was a powerful, dramatic figure. Now, following her stroke, she does not know how to cope with the loss of her vibrant energy.
Elena seems to exist on pure emotion, living for the thrill from one moment to the next, but her love for her grandmother brings out another side of her. As she cares for Beverly, she discovers that can find the strength in herself to help someone she loves.
Suzanne seems to be the hardest character to relate to. She is busy all the time, consumed with her career and household tasks. Her family feels burdensome to her, though she loves them. She wants badly to reconcile with her mother, Beverly, and find some point of connection, but time to do so is running out.
Rating: - COMPELLING
This novel is as compelling as any of Piercy's work and a little more ambitious than most. The issues it deals with are intense and disturbing and will likely stay with the reader for a long time. My one criticism was that the denoument of the subplot concerning Elena, Evan and Chad was SO fascinating that I thought the rest of the book paled a little in comparison.
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