BOOK: The Mermaid Chair

AUTHOR: Sue Monk Kidd

SUMMARY: Sue Monk Kidd has kept me entertained again. I liked The Secret Life of Bees but have enjoyed this novel even more. Set in an area I love to visit, the barrier islands of South Carolina, the book lets me feel I am there. The novel is filled with vivid local descriptions and depth of characterization. I feel that there is much below the surface of this book, which features 42 year-old Jessie Sullivan, a woman who returns to her childhood home after her mother has hurt herself. Themes of love, loss, betrayal, and grief permeate this read. Jessie is burdened by being middle-aged but also by problems from her past. When a Gullah(native) woman tells her, "You can't leave home. You can go other places, all right - you can live on the other side of the world, but you can't ever leave home," Jessie begins her quest to prove the Gullah wrong. Myth and legend play an integral part in this story that is both a romance and a mystery. Folklore is cleverly woven through this tale that had me laughing out loud at some points. The title refers to a chair carved with mermaids that is thought to possess magical powers, located in the monastery of St. Senera's, named for a Celtic saint who was once a mermaid,. The chair is an underlying presence in Jessie's search for answers from the past and concerns for the future. Although compelling, the romance in the story is secondary to the richness of the characters. Father Dominic (from the monastery), Kat (a local store owner), Hepzibah (a Gullah tour guide) and Shem (the ferry captain) provide Jessie's mom with the opportunity for truth and healing.

PLOT: Jessie is called home to Egret Island after her eccentric mother (Nelle) has cut off a finger with a cleaver. This self-mutilation sets the scene for Jessie Sullivan's search for explanations about the past. After traveling from her home in Atlanta, Jessie is met by her mother's lifelong friends, who are are a quirky mix. Nelle, a fanatic Catholic who has a tacky "bathtub Madonna" in her yard, is keeping a secret locked deep inside her. Jessie feels guilt about her father's death many years ago as well as doubts about her 20-year marriage. The first day on the island she meets a "junior monk" named Brother Thomas (as in doubting) and becomes involved with him. Jessie must deal with her mother, her new relationship, a changing marriage and a college -age daughter. Jessie uncovers the truth about her father's death; only then can she move on with her life.