The Third Child

by Marge Piercy
I've been a fan of Marge Piercy ever since I read "Gone to Soldiers" in the 80s. An amazing book. Not all of her stuff is equally as good (whose is?), but I have enjoyed many, including the classic "Woman on the Edge of Time."

She certainly won't be classified -- science fiction, women's lib lit, thriller, crime drama, social commentary -- Piercy never stops surprising.

"The Third Child" in some ways doesn't even seem like her. It dissects the modern political arena, romance and family dynamics in a way that keeps you guessing. The main character, Melissa, is the oft-overlooked child of a governor and his scheming wife. The family alone would provide plenty of drama but Piercy introduces a romance, one that complicates Melissa's family life and her personal identity in ways that are intriguing.

I enjoyed the book but can't say I came to care about any of the characters enough to find it really compelling. The plot had enough turns to keep me reading but the ending was disappointing, if inevitable.