Mercury by Margot Livesey
I saw this title on a "best of the year" list somewhere so decided to check it out.
The book start out promisingly. The main character is an ophthalmologist named Donald. Born in Scotland, he is now living in Boston with his American wife Viv and their kids. Donald's father has recently passed away, which has thrown him for a loop so he doesn't really pay attention to his wife and the obsession she's developing for a horse named Mercury.
Viv had always loved horses, but after training one to death, she entered the business world. However, after her father-in-law's death, she quits her lucrative job and goes to work on a horse farm run by her best friend and that is where the obsession with Mercury begins. Viv thinks she and Mercury together can become a successful racing team and that's pretty much all she thinks about, to the exclusion of her family and her responsibilities. Donald eventually realizes his marriage is falling apart and starts paying more attention to what's going on with Viv. But his earlier lack of attention and several missteps lead to one of his dearest friends being seriously injured.
At the beginning of the book I felt sympathy for Donald but the longer the book went on, the less sympathy I felt for him. And the more we find out about Viv, the less likable she becomes. Really, the only main character I did like was Donald's blind friend Jack.
I can't say I agree with naming this as one of the year's best books.
The book start out promisingly. The main character is an ophthalmologist named Donald. Born in Scotland, he is now living in Boston with his American wife Viv and their kids. Donald's father has recently passed away, which has thrown him for a loop so he doesn't really pay attention to his wife and the obsession she's developing for a horse named Mercury.
Viv had always loved horses, but after training one to death, she entered the business world. However, after her father-in-law's death, she quits her lucrative job and goes to work on a horse farm run by her best friend and that is where the obsession with Mercury begins. Viv thinks she and Mercury together can become a successful racing team and that's pretty much all she thinks about, to the exclusion of her family and her responsibilities. Donald eventually realizes his marriage is falling apart and starts paying more attention to what's going on with Viv. But his earlier lack of attention and several missteps lead to one of his dearest friends being seriously injured.
At the beginning of the book I felt sympathy for Donald but the longer the book went on, the less sympathy I felt for him. And the more we find out about Viv, the less likable she becomes. Really, the only main character I did like was Donald's blind friend Jack.
I can't say I agree with naming this as one of the year's best books.
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