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Customer Reviews of The Upper Room

Mama Ruby is an obese, misguided crazed, crucifix wearing, switchblade carrying, self-professed "Christian" woman with healing hands that manipulates and controls everyone around her. She betrays her closest friend in the world, Othella, by taking Othella's once-thought stillborn daughter, Maureen, and raises her as her own. She sequesters the child in a sanctified "Upper Room" that has restrictions on who can enter it and vows that Maureen will never leave her. The story includes a colorful cast of characters and takes us through Maureen's life with the townsfolk of Goons, FL and her desires and eventual escape into the sanity of the "real world". Along the way, there are many 'episodes' that keep the plot flowing till the end.

This review does not give the novel enough praise. The author provided vivid imagery, dialogue, and solid pacing to make this an enjoyable, suspenseful read.

Character Driven...and filled with colorful ones!
The Upper Room by Mary Monroe is filled with colorful characters from the rural, backwoods of Florida down in the Everglades. Characters with names like Sister Mary's Sister, Fat Jack, Yellow Gang, and Catty. Characters who believe in voodoo, roots, tarot cards and a big woman weighing over 400 pounds named Ruby.

Ruby had always wanted a baby daughter and usually what Ruby wanted she got even if it meant she had to take it. When Ruby's friend, Ophelia, had a daughter that was supposedly stillborn she asked Ruby to take the baby and bury it for her. On the way to a burial site, Ruby realized the young girl had a heartbeat so with her "healing hands" she nursed the baby back to health and named her Maureen. Not wanting to return the well-baby to her friend and wanting a daughter anyway, Ruby packs up in the middle of the night and leaves with her son ,Leo, and baby Maureen. They would make their home in Goon, FL. Goon was a place where Ruby was perceived as a Giant, an Amazon, a God-fearing woman and one not to be reckoned with. Ruby didn't take any stuff from anyone and if you valued your life you stayed on her good side or you made sure your paths didn't cross. Afterall, Ruby was just as likely to smile at you as she was to kill you and bury you for crossing her. Since she was friends with the white sheriff he would more than likely not acknowledge that Ruby had committed a crime.

As Maureen and Leo grow up they realize that all is not right with Mama Ruby. Leo decides to sign up for Vietnam and he never returns. But Ruby worships Maureen and so she doesn't encourage her to leave home and tries to keep her close by ...in the Upper Room. The Upper Room is Maureen's room. It's located upstairs and the only folks allowed to enter the room are Maureen and Ruby; no man should ever set foot in the room because Ruby says its a holy spot. Maureen tires of Ruby and country living and sets her sights on leaving one day but will she be successful?

The Upper Room by Mary Monroe is a energetic and spellbinding read. The colorful characters keep you turning the pages especially Ruby who keeps you guessing about what will she do next. If you're looking for a creatively crafted read and enjoy stories about folks that are a little bizarre then pick up The Upper Room today and settle in with Mama Ruby and company.

A Prison Called the Upper Room
Originally published in 1985, the Upper Room won critical acclaim as a remarkable work of art. The story unfolds in a fictitious small town located in the everglades of southern Florida.

One evening Ruby delivers the daughter of her best friend Orthella. Both women believe the child to be still born. Ruby later learns that the beautiful baby girl is alive and decides that the infant should be hers. Ruby stills away in the middle of the night with the child, which by now is the namesake for an aging madam from Ruby's past, and Virgil, her preteen son. They settle in Goons, which is another small swampy community and is located just outside of Miami. Perhaps Ruby's love for small out of the way places has a great deal to do with access to places where the bodies that are mounting up will never be discovered.

Ruby comes across a house with a single bedroom on the second floor, she dubs it "The Upper Room." Unless Maureen finds the courage to break free of Ruby's hold, she is destined to spend her life confined to this most holiest of places. Ruby also gains the respect and admiration of the residence of Goons. Like everyone else they fear her, but at the same time are in awe of her.

The Upper Room is an intriguing read. The characters have been colorfully created and there is never a dull moment. I commend Mary Monroe on her creativity and the ability to bring a story such as this to life. Each time I opened the book I felt as if I was nosey neighbor, spying for the purpose of gossip. This was her debut novel and due to high demand has been brought back. I invite you to take a look and find out for yourself what all the hype is about.