I enjoyed the book, but then again I'm already a faithful fan of McCullers and used the book mainly as background information for a research paper. There were several points and concepts Bloom brought up that I had never put together, which was very helpful. I thought the book was helpful and informative, and a good general overview for the casual reader.

Mortgaged Heart is yet another example of Carson McCullers theme of spiritual isolation. You can feel the pain of each character. If you like McCullers as much as I do this is a great one.

NEVER EVER READ THIS BOOK! This is the worst book in the world. It has no plot and no action what so ever. I can't believe people would read this book for pleasure. I only read it because I had to write an essay on it. I am never going to read any of Carson Mccullers other books and I would strongly recomend you not to either. It is poorly written and I hate Carson Mccullers for writing it!

A word of advice---Ignore the first review. It was obviously written by someone looking for an easy fix to a classroom assignment. No plot? Well---I guess that's because it's a book of essays written ABOUT McCullers work. The author HATES McCullers for having written it? She didn't. It's a series of essays analyzing McCullers' work. The collection was gathered (that is edited) by Clark and Friedman. If you want critical work about McCullers instead of the ramblings of someone who obviously put no thought or knowledge into a response, get this book.

Needless to say, any book that gathers well-thought, professional essays on Carson McCullers' writing/thought is essential reading for any literary scholar. While not inexpense, it contains journal articles that the reader would not be able to obtain otherwise, or if so, at much greater cost.

I suppose I would have enjoyed this book much more if the main character was somewhat more rational (read: believable). The main character in this novel is Frankie Addams, a twelve-year-old girl from a small town in the south who is at "that awkward age" and bored to tears. The only thing that even comes close to resembling excitement in her life is the fact that her brother (in the army during WWII and stationed in Alaska) is getting married within a week. Frankie somehow convinces herself that she, her brother and the bride-to-be are meant to be togther and convinces herself that the three of them will live an adventerous life together after teh wedding.

While the main character is probably the most illogical and annoying main character in any novel I've ever read (with the possible exception of the main character in "Love in the Time of Cholera"), the redeeming quality of this work is the style in which Carson McCullers writes. Even with a ...main character like Frankie, McCullers writes in a very enjoyable style. Although I never "understood" Frankie Addams, I did grow to like Bernice (the black cook) and John Henry (Frankie's 6-yar-old cousin). McCullers draws the reader into the setting and makes the characters three-dimentional.

While I would not exactly consider this a Young Adult "coming of age" novel, I would recommend it. I don't think the pace is quick enough to hold the interest on young adults, but I would encourage them to read this book. I would more strongly recommend it to People high school age or older, not because of the story, but because of the prose.

I bought this book when the book store was out of the "Heart is a Lonely Hunter", remembering a friend who said that it was just good as that book. It looked like an easy read, it was cheap, so I bought it. Now, just from looking at the cover I thought "Oh no, another boring southern gothic coming of age story..." But I bought it anyway. I was halfway through when I discussed it with said friend, who said: "Oh, isn't it good? Just like the Bell Jar." That just about stopped me. "NO!!! Pseudo feminist histrionics!! " But I read on. It only took me two afternoons to read, was very accessible, and very, very, good. I won't pile on the superlatives, but this book expressed very honestly the need of a teenager to leave the seeming small mindedness of their homelife, which I could have definitely related to as a teen. Whether presenting these thoughts in realistically poetic conversations between F. Jasmine and Berenice, or in simple, stubbornly cold and straightforward sentences(a good example is the one above), Carson McCullers relates detachment very truthfully and compassionately, while still keeping her critical eye glued on Frankie.

And I mean it. Really!

Carson McCullers has been my favorite author since I was thirteen and my father recommended I read a book by her. Now, four years later, I have read all of her short stories and all but one of her novels. By the reviews I have read, I believe maybe this book is not in the right category when it says "young adult" and should not be an option for a book report. Responding to this book with "whatever" and "no plot! " is not truthful and is a terrible injustice to it. This is a perfect "coming-of-age" novel, complete with the feeling of loss and the struggle to fit into pieces of a puzzle where you feel you do not belong. Typical McCullers - compassionate, painfully honest, and sensitive. While I'm obviously getting a little sappy, I do believe McCullers is the only author that I've ever read where I always feel like I am the protagonist - I felt like Frankie every word of this book, because McCullers creates the most realistic characters...let's be honest, kids - we were all "annoying", "selfish", "stupid", "unrealistic" and so on at the age of twelve.