My Life on Mars: A Novel

by Alicia Metcalf Miller

An intimate portrait of a compelling family—and the magic of love found later in life

Eliza White, a successful children’s author who lives in Santa Fe, has always had a thriving fantasy life. Though able to create magical worlds in her books, her life has been clouded by memories of her cold, distant father and by nagging doubts about her equally remote and unfaithful husband, the father of her children, all of whom have recently flown the nest for college. When her widowed mother announces plans to sell the family house in Ohio and move to New Mexico, Eliza, eager for a reprieve from her current unsettled predicament, goes home to help her pack.

Digging through her family’s belongings, Eliza uncovers secrets that have been buried for years and that offer her startling revelations about her enigmatic parents, as well as insights into the choices she has made for herself. In putting to rest her past, she also finds new love for her mother and brother, and a passion like none she’s ever known in the arms of a man from the Moon.

Genres: Fiction

288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Jody · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading "My Live on Mars." It is lightweight reading about human relationships. I thought it might be set in Santa Fe, where the author lived, but the vast majority of the book is set in Ohio, which in some ways is better, as I don't know much about Ohio and have never visited there. Some characters seem a bit "sketchy," not fully developed. I began to get into it more halfway through, once the main character begins to see things from different perspectives, rather than only through her limited and biased childhood memores.

[Glynda Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was just an ok read. It was easy and light, almost too light. I thought the plot was going out n a different direction and was somewhat disappointed when it didn’t. I would still recommend it...

[Jennifer MacKenzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy, light, full of cliches. Kind of boring, but an easy read and decently interesting I guess.

[Delta Hall · Rating 2 out of 5]

Easy read. Felt like the story was a bit messy. Didn't enjoy the mother calling her daughter "sister" simply cause she also had a son. It was weird.

[Carolyn Agosta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was disappointed. After such a great title, I expected something quirky. Unfortunately, the quirk stopped there. (She lives on a street named Mars.)

I should have enjoyed this more. It's right up my usual alley - a woman with some dysfunctional elements in her family, dealing with an aging parent - hey, I WRITE this kind of stuff - but somehow this book felt flat to me. I didn't connect with the main character, I felt a bit frustrated with how some of the characters dealt with things. All very subjective, and difficult for me to put a finger on why I didn't connect. But with such a great title, I was especially frustrated at the lack of humor and quirkiness. Gimme what you promised to me!

[Stefanie Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

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[Suzanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very basic novel about "finding yourself" again after ignoring yourself. Not so good marriage; kids all grown up and out of the house; mother has injury and you escape to her home for several months to help her. During that time you discover who you are, become happy, dump old husband; fall in love by accident with a good guy and live happily ever after.

[Glynis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't find anything particularly compelling about this book. The characters were fine, the writing was fine, but nothing stood out for me.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just an interesting story.

[Salina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good beach read; mindless and easy. It's quite entertaining.

[Diana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty ho hum. The only part I liked was at the end when Eliza was saying goodbye to her childhood home. It brought back my own childhood memories and really made me miss my mother.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read and enjoyed watching the main character come out on the other side of a difficult time in her life.