Is Songs In Ordinary Time Worth Reading?

2026-03-25 07:06:40 195

3 Answers

Oliver
Oliver
2026-03-29 04:46:33
I’ll be honest—I almost gave up on 'Songs in Ordinary Time' halfway through. The first hundred pages felt slow, and I wasn’t sure where the story was headed. But then, something clicked. Marie’s desperation, her kids’ quiet resilience, and the way Morris weaves together their lives with the town’s gossip and grudges—it all started to feel uncomfortably real. This isn’t a book about heroes or villains; it’s about people doing their best (and sometimes their worst) with what they’ve got. The ending left me conflicted, but in a way that made me want to talk about it with someone else who’d read it. It’s the kind of story that sticks with you, even if you don’t love every moment.
Valeria
Valeria
2026-03-29 23:13:39
I picked up 'Songs in Ordinary Time' after seeing it recommended in a book club, and at first, I wasn’t sure it was for me. The writing style is dense, almost lyrical, and the pacing is deliberate—definitely not a page-turner in the traditional sense. But something about it hooked me. Maybe it was the way Morris paints the Fermoyle family’s struggles with such raw honesty. Marie, the mother, is a complicated protagonist; she’s stubborn, prideful, and often makes terrible decisions, yet you can’t help but root for her in some small way. The novel’s strength lies in its unflinching look at how poverty and isolation warp people’s choices.

One thing that surprised me was how vividly the side characters come to life. Everyone in this town feels real, from the nosy neighbors to the local priest grappling with his own demons. The book’s title is perfect—it’s a symphony of ordinary lives, each with their own quiet sorrows and fleeting joys. If you’re expecting a dramatic climax or a neat ending, you won’t find it here. Instead, it’s a story that simmers, leaving you with a sense of melancholy and a deeper understanding of how people survive, even when happiness feels out of reach. It’s not an easy read, but it’s a rewarding one if you’re willing to sit with its imperfections.
Olivia
Olivia
2026-03-31 15:36:14
Mary McGarry Morris's 'Songs in Ordinary Time' is one of those novels that lingers in your mind long after you’ve turned the last page. Set in a small Vermont town in the 1960s, it’s a sprawling, character-driven story that digs into the lives of the Fermoyle family, especially the fiercely determined but deeply flawed Marie. The way Morris writes about poverty, desperation, and the quiet tragedies of ordinary people is both brutal and beautiful. It’s not a fast-paced book—it takes its time, letting you sink into the rhythms of small-town life and the tangled relationships between neighbors, lovers, and family. But if you’re someone who appreciates rich, psychological depth and a story that feels achingly real, it’s absolutely worth the commitment.

What really struck me was how Morris captures the suffocating weight of secrets and the ways people cling to hope even when everything around them is crumbling. Marie’s relationship with the mysterious Omar Duvall, a con man who slips into her life, is heartbreaking and infuriating in equal measure. The novel doesn’t offer easy answers or tidy resolutions, which might frustrate some readers, but that’s part of its power. It’s a messy, human story, and it left me thinking about how fragile our lives can be—how easily we can be swept up by desperation or the promise of something better. If you’re in the mood for a book that’s more about character than plot, and if you don’t mind a slow burn, this one’s a gem.
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