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stacyschuttler's review against another edition
4.0
A good choice for a book club. A well told and interesting story.
lernstreads's review against another edition
3.0
I have very mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed some aspects and hated others. I know that's very vague and unhelpful but read it and you'll understand. :)
pammoore's review against another edition
4.0
Suspenseful, imbued with a sense of dread, twist ending... Kind of what I expected from Goolrick based on A Reliable Wife. I'm curious about why this author seems to be really into trapped women as characters but that's neither here nor there. A solid novel.
megancrusante's review against another edition
4.0
Don't know how I was surprised at the darker aspects of this book, but I totally was. Very good, hard to put down if a bit distressing! I'm a fan of this author.
exclamationlark's review against another edition
3.0
Beautiful, lovely, atmospheric writing, but I'm not sure I was on board with the ending. Not because I don't like how it ended (although how can you like a murder suicide?), just not sure I believe it given the Charlie character, which we actually know very little about so hey!
I did like the descriptions of small town culture (complete with kind, caring, judgmental, close-minded inhabitants) and the magnificent land of rural Virginia that makes you love it, maybe/probably more than the people.
I did like the descriptions of small town culture (complete with kind, caring, judgmental, close-minded inhabitants) and the magnificent land of rural Virginia that makes you love it, maybe/probably more than the people.
liberrydude's review against another edition
5.0
"Heading Out to Wonderful" is truly wonderful. A very captivating, magical read initially filled with love and the acquisition of happiness but lurking underneath is the inevitability of tragedy. And when the tragedy comes, it comes in spades, and a threesome to boot. Beautiful evocative prose about time and place and love fill this book. I didn't think it corney at all. It's 1948 Virginia and a wandering veteran has finally found a place he can call home. Charlie Beale is that outsider, that stranger, who seems to get along with everybody in town, black and white. But he too must conform to the laws of the time and place. He's a line crosser. He enjoyed the black church more than the white church. He enjoyed another man's trophy wife. He became a surrogate dad to a young boy. Even though he is having an affair with a married woman it doesn't seem wrong at all because of who her husband is. The ending is quite a shock and the hope and frustration over an enduring love that was never meant to be reminded me somewhat of Tennyson's long narrative poem,Enoch Arden.
jennrobyn's review against another edition
5.0
Haunting and beautifully written. Magnificently depressing love story gone so wrong.
heykaren23's review against another edition
5.0
If you have the book "Canada" on your 'to read' list, delete it, give it away, return it to the library. Or in other words, don't bother. It's a total snore and not worth your time. Instead, read this book "Heading Out To Wonderful". It's the BEST book I have read all year. Not only is Mr. Woolrick an excellent storyteller but he's a good writer as well. Lots of authors can either tell a good story with poor characterization or they get so caught up in the prettiness of their own words (ahem, Mr. Ford...) that the story is boring and flat and so are the characters.
This book has it all. I read it in one afternoon and I rarely do that. But not only could I not put it down, I didn't WANT to put it down. It's seriously that good.
I encourage you to read it before July is done; you will not be disappointed.
This book has it all. I read it in one afternoon and I rarely do that. But not only could I not put it down, I didn't WANT to put it down. It's seriously that good.
I encourage you to read it before July is done; you will not be disappointed.
linnjbookis's review against another edition
3.0
Boken var något jag inte förväntade mig. Jag trodde det var om romantik men jag fick något annat. Boken är fylld med olika perspektiv. Sökandet på något, ett hem eller be plats som Charlie behöver, men han finner en kvinna som är osäker på sig själv och hur hon ska bemöta sina känslor. Pojken Sam som hamnar i ett svårt läge, på många plan. Religion, klasskildring och liknande. Slutet var för mig... Väldigt svår att ta till mig. Jag är varken nöjd eller missnöjd, slutet uppvisar hur passion och ångest kan se ut, men såklart hade ett annat slut kanske varit bättre.