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There are currently 19 member reviews
for Tethered
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Brenda (Sebring FL)
Tethered
This book had me hooked from the second page, I had to force myself not to read the ending (something I often do). I'm not a fan of a story that jumps around and at times I got lost for a paragraph or two when the author became a temporary poet (this is why it's a 4). Amy's writing style offers many good discussion points for book clubs and the easy reading style works well if interruptions are part of daily life.
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Nancy (Hobe Sound FL)
Tethered
While Mackinnon's book may be called a mystery , the real story here is Clara Marsh, the main character. She's flawed and damaged, making her that much more real, so that the reader takes to her right away. Mackinnon does such a beautiful job with Clara's character that the reader can identify with her at every juncture. The other characters are also very well drawn and the prose just sings. The tone is dark and gloomy most of the time, adding to the suspense which keeps the reader turning pages.
Tethered would be a good book for a book group, and I'd also recommend it for people who read mystery novels or who just want something new and different. Overall -- good book.
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Carol Peters (Leland NC)
A novel of murder and self-discovery
Tethered is both a murder mystery and at the same time the personal self discovery and awareness of the narrator. The story is both sad and haunting as I discovered and grew to understand Clara who was the narrator and an undertaker. The detail the author provides on the embalming process in contrast to the human touch Clara provides in her care of the deceased was both at times macabre and so very touching. The author kept you wanting to learn more about Clara and her relationship with her Grandmother, Trecie, the missing child, Mike the detective involved in the case and Linus who owned the funeral home.
The author does a wonderful job drawing you into the main characters lives through flashbacks and memories. I found the story unique as told from the perspective of a female mortician, and sad due to the child abuse content. I also watched Clara as she struggled with her inability to pull herself from her world working alongside the dead to the world among the living.
I would recommend this book to a book club as the narrator is an interesting study in addition to the author's choice of Clara as the narrator.
I gave a 4 rating as there were some aspects of the story which were predictable but I found this a good read with aspects to details which you could almost see, smell, and hear. This book would appeal to teens and adults. It is an easy read and I found I wanted to keep picking it up to see how the story unfolded.
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E S (Rockville MD)
Tethered Keeps Readers Roped In
Well paced mystery that keeps the reader page turning despite the creepiness of protagonist's career. The author does a great job of portraying main characters as persons damaged by their past who nevertheless work hard to act morally. The author is particularly adept at accurately portraying children and adult survivors of child abuse. She is also especially sensitive to the needs of these "victims" to become the hero of their own story by seeking the healing waters of forgiveness.
Whether or not Trecie is real or imagined, alive or ghost is the true mystery here--rather than "who-done-it". Amy Mackinnon does a good job of letting the reader in on the ambiguity early without revealing the answer until the end.
A good read, excellent choice for book club members as it would provide many areas for discussion: issues of child abuse and police/state reaction, necessary role of healing rather than removal as the answer, worthiness of "damaged" persons, existence of ghosts and persons who communicate with the dead.
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Terrie (Tecumseh MI)
Quick Read
Parts were interesting - the meaning of different flowers. Kept my interest until 3/4 of way through. Would not recommend it to book clubs, but if you want a quick read that has some twists and turns, go ahead.
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