Negative Positive
Title: Second Time is Not a Charm
Review: When an author debuts a novel as fine in plot, characterization, and emotion as "The Secret Life of Bees," subsequent novels run the risk of falling short in comparison. Even in that context, "The Mermaid Chair" lacks the reasonance and poignancy I found and loved in "Bees." Readers will find the same interesting, obscure female religious icons and circumspect, self-defined faith, but likely will fail to find Jessie Sullivan as engaging as Lily Owen. Two storylines intersect in "The Mermaid Chair," but neither is especially compelling. It's not a bad novel, per se, just not what you might expect from Kidd's stellar fiction debut.
Is the review positive or negative? 