Merryman

by Vanessa Sperling

In this slice-of-life, domestic drama, historical fiction set in the American Midwest of the Gilded Age, 16-year-old Jess Picaro catches a train to a small farming community in western Kansas in a desperate bid to escape from his past.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

183 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2022

About the author

VANESSA SPERLING was born in Wichita, Kansas. She spent several years of her childhood in Jetmore (formerly Buckner), a small western Kansas town. Her family history has deep roots in the farming culture of the American Midwest. Mrs. Sperling has spent most of her life on the prairies of North America, including Nebraska and the Canadian province of Alberta.

Reviews

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novella arrived on my kindle as the result of a win on Goodreads Giveaways. As I read the viewpoints of other readers, I realized that this story was just what I needed right now and began reading. Jess is a heartbreaker, as are Bess and Will. These characters come alive and shine in this short work. In a brief amount of time, they became important to me and I am grateful. Beware that your heart will be touched by this story!

My deepest thanks to the author, Vanessa Sperling, and to the publisher, Kaninchem Press, for my electronic copy of this novella.

[Heather Lovick ❤ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute little novella I won on a good reads give away. A sweet story of a boy who thought he wasnt capable of having someone love him. When he accidentally gets adopted and finds the father figure he always wished for. I loved the main character Jess. He was so full zest and spunk! Thank you to the author for my copy of this beautifly written short story.

[Marie Keates · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was surprised at how good this short book was. It gripped me from the start,
and I couldn't put it down. The story, intertwined with Gilbert & Sullivan words, kept me guessing. The characters were believable and enchanting. I cared about what happened to them. I hope Vanessa Sperling writes more stories because I'd certainly like to read them.

[Julie Bihn]

But together they were a single factory that would turn tall wheat stalks into golden grain, brown hay, and speckled chaff.

I smiled. I liked this. I liked this a lot.

Merryman is a novella unlike anything I've read before. From the cover and the early chapters, it kept me guessing as to if it was going to have supernatural elements or not. It turns into almost a slice-of-(farm)-life historical fiction with a found family and a hefty dose of Gilbert & Sullivan before circling back to a fitting conclusion. I make it sound a bit odd, but it doesn't feel strange because all the pieces work together. (It does make me wish that I wish I knew Gilbert & Sullivan better, though! The only lines I recognized were from Sideshow Bob on the Simpsons. I'm not very cultured.)

I don't know what Sperling is like, but the book felt like she was sharing a bit of her heart with us, which was endearing.

Jess's voice is compelling and captivating. I really enjoy characters that are kind of quote-unquote "different," and I thought he hits the mark on that. My favorite callback was "And I never had a chance to ask him if I could call him Chas." (If you read the book, you know.) And while the book doesn't get hung up in flowery language, every so often Jess drops a line that's pure poetry.

I think people who like a beautifully written, intimate story with a quirky and ostensibly unreliable narrator will enjoy this one. I did!

(I received this copy free when it was free on Amazon--though in fairness I was planning to buy it if it wasn't.)

[Ellie Lieberman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been dying to pick up this book since I first started following Vanessa Sperling on Twitter! I went into this book excited and, by the time I turned the final page, I immediately wished I had paperback copies for my bookshelf and to give to friends!

This is at the top of my list for favorite reads of the year!

Instantly grips you! Characters you can't help but love! I love Jess's voice and how surprising he could be at times! The references to Gilbert & Sullivan were amazing, but handled in a way that if you are unfamiliar with them it does not detract from the story! And there were definitely some Shakespearean vibes thrown in there, too! Touches on timeless themes such as truth, survival, self-image, and family.

Hands down, such a fun and impressive read! I'm really looking forward to the next books in the series!

[Erin S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent historical fiction bildungsroman novella with lots of Gilbert and Sullivan references (you do not need to be a G&S fan to enjoy the book, but if you are, the references are a bonus!!). Narrator is not so much unreliable as withholding information for a while as he is processing stuff. Set in 1890 Kansas in a farming community. The prose is lovely, brisk, and frequently quotable. It's a quick read, and once you finish and learn Jess's secret, you may find yourself rereading at least parts if not the whole book again. Strongly recommend.

[Catherine Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came across this book completely by accident and boy am I glad I did. It is a quick and easy read.
I loved the writing style, and right from the prologue I warmed to Jess and was intrigued by his back story. The characters of Bess and Will are equally as likeable and you want everything to workout for them.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable read

Ms. Sperling has a delightful way with words. I enjoyed everything about this novella. It is perfectly paced, exceptionally well written, and utterly engaging. When I’m looking for something to read, this is exactly what I’m looking for. It’s un-put-downable. Brava!

[Dean Krosecz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful

This delightful, heartwarming story grabbed my attention from the first sentence and didn't let go until the tale was fully told.

Looking forward to the next offering from Mrs. Sperling.

[Kathy Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this Kindle edition book in a Goodreads
Giveaway. Thank you to everyone involved.
Great book. Very enjoyable!

[Lara Bronson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Family doesn’t always equal people who birthed and raised you. Sometimes a family turns out to be those who you meet along the way and those who you don’t even suspect. This is what I got from this novella. An interesting read with well-rounded characters and a satisfying narrative.

[Mohit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Merryman" is an captivating and mindfully scripted story of a sixteen year old boy as he discovers himself while trying to escape from a mysterious past.First thing I like is that the author hold the things till the end by absorbing all the events for readers. After starting this I don't have any Idea where the story is going but author smartly kept my attention till the end. Author Vanessa Sperling's writing style and her way to narrate this short story is unbelievable because she sprinkles many emotions in it like friendship,heartbreaks,fear and life challenges in this short ride.Sperling pulls off something that feels both new and familiar: a novel of domestic suspense that unnerves, then reassures.She has given readers what many people crave right now—a thoroughly engrossing yet comforting distraction.If you loved to read classic stories between the fields and farming then definitely this will the cupcake for you.

[Will Tinkham · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Vanessa Sperling's novella MERRYMAN, we are asked to rely on an unreliable narrator. This can be tricky for both author and reader. Like Bess, five-year-old orphan on the auction block, we're asked to believe in Jess Picaro, to believe that he means no harm when posing as her brother. We believe in him because Sperling makes it so.

She molds “wild animal” Picaro into an expert farmhand and we pitch in to help with the crop. She turns threshing season and a hot Kansas summer into a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta and we sing along.

When a murderous Pinkerton agent has Jess in his sights, do we rely on Picaro's account of the events? Yes, we do. They haven't lied to us yet.

Or have they?

[A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Coming of age novella set on a mid-West farm during the times of the orphan trains. Our narrator is a teenage boy with a dark past, who finds himself a new life. The writing kept me interested, but then the ending fell a bit flat for me. The story deals with some big issues, such as questioning who has the right to judge others and is good and evil so black & white? This is a very fast read for an adult. I won a free copy of this book (thanks to the author & publisher!) and am voluntarily providing an honest review.

[Yolanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won a free Kindle copy of this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway :)

Merryman is a relatively short book - it took me about an hour to finish, give or take. It has a pretty chill plot except for a bit of drama in the end, and I really enjoyed the found family that was present here. I'd recommend it if you're looking for a nice quick read with a little twist at the end.

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

My husband read this book and loved it - he found it heartwarming and engaging and really liked the characters. Readers definitely have different tastes because I read the book on his recommendation and didn’t like anything about it. I’m splitting the difference on the rating by giving it 3 stars. My husband plans to read the sequels. Thanks to the author for the Goodreads giveaway.

[Tanya Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an okay book. I did enjoy the characters in the book. I enjoyed seeing Jess change throughout the book. I wish that it had been a little longer, that more detail of his history would have been given, that more detail of William's history would have been given.

[Nancy Mcclenathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This historical novella captured my interest from the very beginning. From boarding an orphan train with a fake sister to being taken on by a Kansas wheat farmer, Jess has been running away from previous events in his life.
Thank you for this Kindle book won in a Goodreads giveaway.

[Sandra Massey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Different

This book was different from any I've ever read and i read a lot. I loved the way it was written in first person and how it kept you guessing all the way through and wanting to know more as you went.

[Beagle Lover (Avid Reader) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

This story was a mess from the start. The plot meandered without a destination, the character development was utterly horrid and the secondary characters were weak and uninteresting.

The conclusion was all too unbelievable and had a fairytale quality to it. It provided no concrete resolution to 16 year old Jess' true nature.

The short chapters made the story flow well enough. Too bad what story there was read more like the ramblings of a child than an adult.

This book just did not work for me. I cannot even define its genre. The best I can do is describe it as part fantasy, part mystery and part paranormal. This combination, as written, rubbed me the wrong way as a reader.

[Kris · Rating 3 out of 5]

a bit confusing

I enjoyed the three main characters Jess, Will and Bess but the ending seemed very abrupt. Some of the characters that were introduced seemed intriguing but were never fully fleshed out. There was also a odd factor to it involving wolves.

[Christi M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent short read! Wasn't quite sure what to expect the way it started out, but it unfolded beautifully.

[Joy Rosales · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars I received a copy of this ebook in a Goodreads giveaway. This book was odd and and a little confusing but I ended up really liking it. Parts of it were a little slow but I really appreciated the heart of the story.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

An Engagingly Quick Read

GOODREADS GIVEAWAY WINNER - Thank you author Sperling and AmazonJess and Bess are the best then add Will and Uncle Karl. This story had an unusual style. The narrator warns the reader in the beginning that his perspective cannot be trusted. The truth of the story is never straight forward. The reader must sort the wheat from the chaff.

[Kristen Fort · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a Kindle copy via Goodreads giveaways. It's a fast and short read about a sixteen-year-old who hops onto a train of orphans, passing himself as an older brother to a little girl, and no one really knows why he does this. One would assume that he just wants some kind of life before he'd age out of orphanages. Don't want to get into any spoilers because this is a short and fast book.

[Sue :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an interesting book.

A novella, I guess. It shows that everyone has the potential to be good and to be loved. People need to remember that. This book tells us that.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting story of survival. I loved it.

[Catherine Bruzdzinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

A dramatic read of historical adventure and romance.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story unlike any other I’ve read. Written from a unique perspective, this book is well written, easy to read, and hard to put down. I finished it in two sittings.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks for the kindle copy.
It was an interesting read.