Mercury follows seventeen-year-old Marley West, the new girl in the small town of Mercury, Pennsylvania, a town which sees few incoming people. It begins in the 1990s and follows Marley and the Josephs, a family of roofers, over many years. It is told primarily through Marley's point of view, but also through those of the other family members, which allows for deeper character development. Mercury is an intense character-based slow burn family drama which explores themes of complex family dynamics and dysfunction, found family, intergenerational trauma, mental health, and the expectations and roles that are placed on women within a family. The writing was engaging and immersive and Marley's strong voice and character carry the reader through the story. I especially liked the character of Marley's mother.
Thank you to Celadon Books for the digital review copy via NetGalley.
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Thank you to Celadon Books for the digital review copy via NetGalley.
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