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There are currently 21 member reviews
for Small Blessings
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Tilli F. (Florence, MA)
The best book I've read
This is simply a wonderful book. I can't think of enough superlatives. First the language is imaginative and beautiful - a joy to read. Then there are the characters. They jump off the page at you. Who can forget Rose and Tom and Henry and of course Agnes - where would we be if we had an Agnes in our lives. And then the there is the plot. It's imaginative and full of surprises and yet it feels just right. The characters that people this book are people you would want to meet and revel in the meeting. Even Russell, the standoffish alcoholic! I cannot recommend Small Blessings highly enough. It enriched my life and filled me with joy. I read the last 3 chapters very slowly because I didn't want it to end.
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Mary M. (Dallas, TX)
a fairy tale
Upon reading the first page of Small Blessings, I felt like I had just met a new friend so I settled into a comfy chair to learn more. This book is a well-written insightful fairy tale with its feet firmly planted on the floor.
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Dorothy M. (Maynard, MA)
Small Blessings is indeed one
Small Blessings by Martha Woodroof is a delightful, gentle story about second chances. The main character Tom Putnam is a college professor married to a woman with serious psychological and emotional problems. But Tom married her 23 years ago and he has spent those years taking care of her. The overwhelming description of Tom is that he is kind - kind to his wife, to his blow-hard friend, to his mother-in-law who moved in to help take care of her daughter. When everything begins to fall apart, it is his kindness that finally rescues him and the people he cares about. This book reminds me of The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry and Major Pettigrew's Last Stand - both great favorites of mine. And - if some of the characters seem a bit too good to be true, I 'm OK with that.
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Linda S. (Arlington Heights, IL)
Book of Small Blessings.
Small Blessings is a delightful, sweet story about Tom Putnam, a kind and gentle college professor. He is married to a woman who is mentally unstable. He has taken care of her through their whole marriage with the help of her irascible mother-in-law Agnes. Welcome rootless Rose and a young, trusting 6 year old boy Henry and get ready for second chances. The story is simple and obvious, but has enough "drama" to keep it moving. Definitely a good summer read.
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Ariel F. (Madison, WI)
Do we really know ourselves or others?
This book about a small college and the various people in the town. Tom a mild mannered college English professor has been married to his wife, Marjory, who has emotional problems for over 23 years. Rose comes to town as the Assistant Book Store Director and Marjory begins to change. Then 6-year old Henry, who is alleged to be Tom's son arrives unannounced. The plot contains twists and turns. Some of which you can figure out quickly, others you can't. A nice read that could bring about great book club discussions.
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Lynn R. (Wautoma, WI)
Small Blessings
I felt that this was a very nice book for reading in between books that could be a little heavy. The story was OK but very predictable. The characters were nice, but obvious. I felt that the decision to foster and than adopt Henry could never have been accomplished in such an easy manner, there would have been more legalities especially with that amount of money involved. The fact that everybody got along SO WELL was a little unreal.
It was a very easy read and I read it in one sitting.
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Vicki O. (Boston, MA)
A Solid Debut
Thanks to Martha Woodroof for crafting such an entertaining novel about love and second chances. She created a cast of quirky characters and gave them a plot with enough clever twists and plenty of soul. The crisp dialogue and succinct descriptions help keep the novel moving along. There was good humor as well as sweet sadness --- a good balance.
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