Instruct: Classify the given Amazon review into positive or negative sentiment.
Query: Bad, Bad, Bad...

After reading Sue Monk Kidd's previous brilliant work "The Secret Life of Bees," I have to admit my expectations were fairly high. Not only was I disappointed in "The Mermaid Chair," I genuinely felt let down. Ms. Kidd should have rested on her laurels rather than embark on such a boldly inferior effort. Alas, her publishing company didn't even do her (or us) the favor of pulling it before it got to the bookshelves.The "plot" drug hopelessly on, the characters were flat and the book on the whole failed to develop. Every one of the characters could have taken a flying leap off a cliff and I would have applauded.The reputation of her former work alone is not enough to make up for this drab and lifeless novel. Frankly, it's sad, because this author is capable of so much more. Don't waste your money. If you must, check it out of the library.