Review: Mulberry Park by Judy Duarte

By Linda Dimond

Like a firework that soars high up to the heavens, then fizzles out in a disappointing crackle, Judy Duarte’s novel “Mulberry Park” sets expectations high but fails to deliver the touching story it promises.

Known for her romance novels, Duarte leaves the genre of sappy love stories behind and attempts to create a heartwarming tale of strangers connecting to heal their weary hearts and find faith. In “Mulberry Park,” Claire Harper, still grieving from the loss of her young son and a subsequent divorce, finds a letter in the park addressed to God from a child. Claire decides to play God and begins a correspondence with little Analisa, who has questions about her deceased parents. As Claire becomes involved in this little girl’s struggles, she begins frequenting the park, getting to know the other regulars. Duarte creates a web of characters, tracing each of their lives from their dismal pasts to a catharsis that brings each one to gain faith in a higher power and become content with their lives. It’s a great premise for a book. However, the many shortcomings make this read predictable, boring and a little frustrating at times.

The lack of style in writing makes “Mulberry Park” a dull read. The writing is elementary, with few descriptions and no mystery. Instead of letting the readers make connections between characters throughout the novel, Duarte lays out each character’s situation and relevance to the story within the first few pages of introducing them. It would have been a smarter read, not to mention more exciting, if she had given the readers the benefit of the doubt and let them figure out how each character fits into the story. The lack of tactful storytelling dumbs it down to a child’s level, leaving little to have to think about.

Another area that could be improved is the ending. It does have its touching moment when 9-year-old Trevor, a neglected child who frequents the park, overcomes a near-death experience and is reunited with his father. But overall the whole conclusion is just too convenient, clichéd, and unrealistic. Duarte creates a tangle of characters that start out as strangers, but later learn that they are intertwined with one another in surprising ways. They just happen to meet at the park. They all happen to be connected. Some of them happen to fall in love. Things happen to work out for each one. In what world does this happen? The book just leaves you thinking, yeah right. Everyone fits together all too perfectly. Not only that, but these “coincidences” can be sniffed out a mile away.

In a story about a little girl writing letters to God, you can only expect to find a religious undertone. This book has more than just an undertone. It takes every opportunity to throw in unnecessary and cheesy phrases such as, “good Lord,” “God forbid” or “Lord only knows.” The play on words based on the theme of the story is just a little too much. Duarte illustrates some important issues in this book, such as death, alcoholism, depression, abuse, poverty and of course faith. However, the use of these clichéd religious phrases is almost mocking, making it difficult to take the book seriously, despite the heavy subject matter.

“Mulberry Park” is a wonderful idea for a book, but it stops there. The story is unable to blossom into the beautiful, heart-wrenching tale it could be. As it is, it would be more suited as a tool to teach a Sunday school class of 12-year-olds about faith.