agjuba's review
2.0
I usually love to read books set in Maine, but this one just didn't grab me. While I enjoyed the author's writing style and the descriptions of Maine, I didn't feel like the story went anywhere or had a point.
kbranfield's review
5.0
Morgan Callan Rogers' debut novel Red Ruby Heart in a Cold Blue Sea is a beautifully written coming of age story that is poignant and moving. Florine Gilham’s carefree and sheltered childhood comes to an abrupt end with her mother’s disappearance while on her annual getaway with a girlfriend.
Until her mother’s disappearance, Florine lives a charmed life in a small fishing community on the coast of Maine. With her father falling apart and desperately trying to cope with her own grief, Florine depends on her small circle of friends and her paternal grandmother, Grand, as she enters into her tumultuous teen years. Grand is a practical, no nonsense, down to earth woman and Florine moves in with her when her dad turns to another woman for comfort.
The other constants in Florine’s life are her friends Dottie, Bud and Glen. Dottie is a close confidant who is always there for her yet she does not let Florine become mired down by her grief. While she is not as close to Bud and Glen as she is to Dottie, the two young men are always on the periphery of her life and when Florine experiences other losses, they provide unwavering support for her.
Forced to grow up too fast, Florine is sometimes rebellious and she does not always make the best decisions. Her relationship with her father is often contentious but they do eventually come to terms with one another. Carlie’s presence is felt throughout the novel and while we come to know bits and pieces of her character, she remains elusively out of reach both literally and figuratively.
Red Ruby Heart in a Cold Blue Sea is a compelling character driven novel told in first person from Florine’s perspective. The characters are well-drawn and appealing and the plot is engaging and realistic. Never bleak or depressing, there is a strong undercurrent of love and Morgan Callan Rogers deftly balances this sometimes heartbreaking story with wry and unexpected humor. The ending of novel is surprisingly hopeful as Florine finally begins to find her way.
Until her mother’s disappearance, Florine lives a charmed life in a small fishing community on the coast of Maine. With her father falling apart and desperately trying to cope with her own grief, Florine depends on her small circle of friends and her paternal grandmother, Grand, as she enters into her tumultuous teen years. Grand is a practical, no nonsense, down to earth woman and Florine moves in with her when her dad turns to another woman for comfort.
The other constants in Florine’s life are her friends Dottie, Bud and Glen. Dottie is a close confidant who is always there for her yet she does not let Florine become mired down by her grief. While she is not as close to Bud and Glen as she is to Dottie, the two young men are always on the periphery of her life and when Florine experiences other losses, they provide unwavering support for her.
Forced to grow up too fast, Florine is sometimes rebellious and she does not always make the best decisions. Her relationship with her father is often contentious but they do eventually come to terms with one another. Carlie’s presence is felt throughout the novel and while we come to know bits and pieces of her character, she remains elusively out of reach both literally and figuratively.
Red Ruby Heart in a Cold Blue Sea is a compelling character driven novel told in first person from Florine’s perspective. The characters are well-drawn and appealing and the plot is engaging and realistic. Never bleak or depressing, there is a strong undercurrent of love and Morgan Callan Rogers deftly balances this sometimes heartbreaking story with wry and unexpected humor. The ending of novel is surprisingly hopeful as Florine finally begins to find her way.
jamiejanae_6's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Body shaming, Medical content, Sexual content, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Bullying, Alcohol, Blood, and Grief
cheryl1213's review
4.0
I've entered many Goodreads contests and was excited to finally be among the winners! This is a coming-of-age story, set largely in the 60s in a small town in Maine where only a handful of families live year-round. Florine finds herself adrift when her beloved mother, Carlie, disappears while on a girls' weekend away. Florine is left with her father, who loves her but with whom she struggles a bit, and a grandmother who is an institution in the town and is known to all as Grand. We see Carlie struggle to define herself in relation to her town and her family and to grow into her own person while the shadow of her missing mother never fades.
I was reminded of Fannie Flagg's writing while I read this novel (more Daisy Fay and The Miracle Man than her better-known Fried Green Tomatoes), a link that seems to have been made by others out there in the book community. This isn't a light story, there's a lot of sadness here and a lot of struggle, but it still flew by. It was easy to read but in a very pleasurable sense of that phrase -- you drop in and visit with some friends who are there when you pick it back up the next evening. It isn't earth-shattering but it is a very enjoyable read and great for a reader looking for a fictional escape. The residents of The Point are a type of family and I enjoyed sitting at their warm table. Throughout the book, there are references to cooking and especially to bread. At one point, a summertime cottage dweller remarks on how wonderful a basic loaf of fresh bread can be and I think that's a fitting analogy for the book -- no frills, but warmly welcoming. Again, it isn't a story of many joys but there's an undercurrent of love and community that makes it retain hope.
I suppose the ratings folks help me here since I'd be torn b/w 3.5 and 4 stars and the lack of half-stars resolves that dilemma. I think it is also more fair...the novel doesn't ever really pretend to be overly literary (it is fresh bread, not a fancy torte!), but it does its genre well. FYI -- The novel does appear to have come out previously in German with the US edition slated for early 2012 release.
I was reminded of Fannie Flagg's writing while I read this novel (more Daisy Fay and The Miracle Man than her better-known Fried Green Tomatoes), a link that seems to have been made by others out there in the book community. This isn't a light story, there's a lot of sadness here and a lot of struggle, but it still flew by. It was easy to read but in a very pleasurable sense of that phrase -- you drop in and visit with some friends who are there when you pick it back up the next evening. It isn't earth-shattering but it is a very enjoyable read and great for a reader looking for a fictional escape. The residents of The Point are a type of family and I enjoyed sitting at their warm table. Throughout the book, there are references to cooking and especially to bread. At one point, a summertime cottage dweller remarks on how wonderful a basic loaf of fresh bread can be and I think that's a fitting analogy for the book -- no frills, but warmly welcoming. Again, it isn't a story of many joys but there's an undercurrent of love and community that makes it retain hope.
I suppose the ratings folks help me here since I'd be torn b/w 3.5 and 4 stars and the lack of half-stars resolves that dilemma. I think it is also more fair...the novel doesn't ever really pretend to be overly literary (it is fresh bread, not a fancy torte!), but it does its genre well. FYI -- The novel does appear to have come out previously in German with the US edition slated for early 2012 release.
rachf_77's review
3.0
I initially read this as it has one of my favourite colours in the title but then I discovered it was about grief as well so will use it for that prompt. Didn't realise there was a sequel so think I'll read it to find out what happens next. Was an easy read.
rockweedreader's review
5.0
It's taken me a few days to write this review, because I'm trying to separate my own personal story and how closely I can relate to it from the actual quality of the writing.
I can honestly say, I could not stop reading this book. It's a coming-of-age novel from the perspective of a young girl named Florine who grew up on the coast of Maine (presumably around the Bath/Midcoast area). She mentions traveling up Route 1 through Wiscasset and Camden and Rockland and the author herself grew up in Bath, which is why I find this story so deeply relatable.
This book has mystery, anger, humor, romance, pain, and understanding. It unfolded in beautiful ways, yet I found a few strands of the story unclear, or perhaps underdeveloped. I wondered about the character, Patty, and what happened to her.
All in all, one of the best books I've read in a very long time. I would especially recommend this to anyone who grew up in the Midcoast area.
I can honestly say, I could not stop reading this book. It's a coming-of-age novel from the perspective of a young girl named Florine who grew up on the coast of Maine (presumably around the Bath/Midcoast area). She mentions traveling up Route 1 through Wiscasset and Camden and Rockland and the author herself grew up in Bath, which is why I find this story so deeply relatable.
This book has mystery, anger, humor, romance, pain, and understanding. It unfolded in beautiful ways, yet I found a few strands of the story unclear, or perhaps underdeveloped. I wondered about the character, Patty, and what happened to her.
All in all, one of the best books I've read in a very long time. I would especially recommend this to anyone who grew up in the Midcoast area.
r_lynn13's review
4.0
This was a coming of age tale I would never have wanted to live. Set against the tranquil, but harsh Maine sea coast Florine's 1960s adolesence was tragic to say the least. I was happy with the ending, but all questions were not answered.
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