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tobyyy's review against another edition
2.0
Once again... I am not one for giving up on books, but I seem to have had a run of bad luck lately. I love Ms. Shreve's writing style - it is lovely and does hark back to the time period in which Fortune's Rocks takes place. That is the only reason this book did not get a 1/5 rating.
As for the story, to me, it is basically glorifying an affair that a 15 year old girl, Olympia, has with a married man in his mid-40s, John Haskell, who also has a family. Since I was not able to finish the book, I don't know how the ending turned out, or if the rest of the book trended along the same lines as the beginning of the book.
Due to where I am in life right now, fighting a bout of severe depression, I decided that I am not going to waste my time reading a book that is, in and of itself, an extremely depressing and sad read. I may come back to it someday, when I am in a better place, but it is more likely I would pick a different book by Ms. Shreve rather than trying to not argue with Olympia's choices throughout this book.
As for the story, to me, it is basically glorifying an affair that a 15 year old girl, Olympia, has with a married man in his mid-40s, John Haskell, who also has a family. Since I was not able to finish the book, I don't know how the ending turned out, or if the rest of the book trended along the same lines as the beginning of the book.
Due to where I am in life right now, fighting a bout of severe depression, I decided that I am not going to waste my time reading a book that is, in and of itself, an extremely depressing and sad read. I may come back to it someday, when I am in a better place, but it is more likely I would pick a different book by Ms. Shreve rather than trying to not argue with Olympia's choices throughout this book.
dahlface's review against another edition
3.0
Fortune's Rocks is a great romantic page turner and Anita Shreve knows how to write in a way that intrigues and entertains the reader. Her attempt at writing the novel using language that reflects the time of the piece falters at time, but the read is thoroughly enjoyable. I read this on a trans-atlantic flight and sacrificed a nights sleep to see the story to its end.
jamieh2024's review against another edition
4.0
While it started off a bit slow for me, by the end I was so thouroughly enmeshed in the tale I wanted another hundred pages or so. Shreve's tale of forbidden love and its consequences was revelatory. I actually found myself nearly weeping at portions of it.
nobodysdoormat's review against another edition
5.0
Perhaps I was just in the right state of mind for this book but I lived this book! My favourite!!!
kimberly_b's review against another edition
4.0
I thought this was one of Anita Shreve's better novels. It's definitely worth reading if you like her.
novelesque_life's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 STARS
"Hester Prynne never had it so good! The year is 1899, and Olympia Biddeford, the headstrong daughter of a Boston Brahmin family, has decided to test the limits of her cloistered world. Spending the summer at her father's New Hampshire estate, the teenage heroine of Fortune's Rocks is entranced with the visiting salon of artists, writers, and lawyers. She's especially captivated, however, by John Haskell, a charismatic physician who ministers to the blue-collar community in the nearby mill towns. This middle-aged Good Samaritan hires Olympia to assist him as a nurse, and their collaboration soon evolves into a fiery love affair. Alas, it's only a matter of weeks before this passionate exercise in managed care is exposed--with disastrous consequences for the young, impregnated heroine. Even her adoring father now considers her "an overplump sixteen-year-old girl whose judgment can no longer be trusted," and insists that she break off her relationship:
"There is nothing more to be said on this subject," he says. She bites her lip to keep from crying out further. She holds the arms of her chair so tightly she later will have cramps in her fingers. She will refuse to obey him, she thinks. She will accept his implied challenge and set off on her own. But in the next moment, she asks herself: How will she be able to do that? Without her father's support, she cannot hope to survive. And if she herself does not survive, then a child cannot live." https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit/89399#
In the end, Anita Shreve's seventh novel is a polished, supremely entertaining variation on Wuthering Heights, with Olympia and Haskell sitting in for Catherine and Heathcliff. The author did some meticulous research for her New England background, which gives this study of one particular wayward woman some extra historical heft. Some readers may find the plot twists a bit pat. And despite Olympia's efforts to be an independent woman, she overcomes her trials largely as a result of her family's wealth and station, which takes the edge off Shreve's feminist message. Still, Fortune's Rocks is a romance in the classic sense of the word, and should be enjoyed as such, unless the reader is absolutely allergic to happy endings. --Ted Leventhal --This text refers to the Hardcover edition." (From Amazon)
An amazing book - well-written and engaging. I loved the way Shreve created her characters and the time. It truly feels like you are reading a classic novel written in the 19th century.
*please note this is loosely tied in with [b:The Pilot's Wife|5191|The Pilot's Wife|Anita Shreve|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1275661355s/5191.jpg|3131254], [b:Sea Glass|96081|Sea Glass|Anita Shreve|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1422821164s/96081.jpg|1207101] and [b:Body Surfing|14964|Body Surfing|Anita Shreve|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388257738s/14964.jpg|3356743] as the house featured in the novels is the same one.
"Hester Prynne never had it so good! The year is 1899, and Olympia Biddeford, the headstrong daughter of a Boston Brahmin family, has decided to test the limits of her cloistered world. Spending the summer at her father's New Hampshire estate, the teenage heroine of Fortune's Rocks is entranced with the visiting salon of artists, writers, and lawyers. She's especially captivated, however, by John Haskell, a charismatic physician who ministers to the blue-collar community in the nearby mill towns. This middle-aged Good Samaritan hires Olympia to assist him as a nurse, and their collaboration soon evolves into a fiery love affair. Alas, it's only a matter of weeks before this passionate exercise in managed care is exposed--with disastrous consequences for the young, impregnated heroine. Even her adoring father now considers her "an overplump sixteen-year-old girl whose judgment can no longer be trusted," and insists that she break off her relationship:
"There is nothing more to be said on this subject," he says. She bites her lip to keep from crying out further. She holds the arms of her chair so tightly she later will have cramps in her fingers. She will refuse to obey him, she thinks. She will accept his implied challenge and set off on her own. But in the next moment, she asks herself: How will she be able to do that? Without her father's support, she cannot hope to survive. And if she herself does not survive, then a child cannot live." https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit/89399#
In the end, Anita Shreve's seventh novel is a polished, supremely entertaining variation on Wuthering Heights, with Olympia and Haskell sitting in for Catherine and Heathcliff. The author did some meticulous research for her New England background, which gives this study of one particular wayward woman some extra historical heft. Some readers may find the plot twists a bit pat. And despite Olympia's efforts to be an independent woman, she overcomes her trials largely as a result of her family's wealth and station, which takes the edge off Shreve's feminist message. Still, Fortune's Rocks is a romance in the classic sense of the word, and should be enjoyed as such, unless the reader is absolutely allergic to happy endings. --Ted Leventhal --This text refers to the Hardcover edition." (From Amazon)
An amazing book - well-written and engaging. I loved the way Shreve created her characters and the time. It truly feels like you are reading a classic novel written in the 19th century.
*please note this is loosely tied in with [b:The Pilot's Wife|5191|The Pilot's Wife|Anita Shreve|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1275661355s/5191.jpg|3131254], [b:Sea Glass|96081|Sea Glass|Anita Shreve|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1422821164s/96081.jpg|1207101] and [b:Body Surfing|14964|Body Surfing|Anita Shreve|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388257738s/14964.jpg|3356743] as the house featured in the novels is the same one.
pghreader's review against another edition
5.0
Fortune's Rocks was one of the most powerful books I read in early adulthood and I enjoyed it tremendously. Anita Shreve is one of my favorite authors, and she has a captivating way of setting a story and developing characters into people you want in your own life.
lindasdarby's review against another edition
3.0
I had a couple of problems with this book. The first being that the man and girl having an affair are the same ages as my husband and daughter. I couldn't get past that. My second problem was that I was supposed to sympathize with a couple having an affair! It bothered me that passion was taken for love and also that they couldn't "help" it. It was hard to like the main character when she has ruined a family because of here selfishness. I could go on but I won't.
bbqrplanting's review
3.0
At 200 pages in, I wasn't sure if I would finish this book, but I really enjoyed the second half. To be honest I found the beginning a bit disturbing, luckily the writing was strong enough to pull me through. I wouldn't recommend to a friend though. I would probably give 3.5 stars if that are possible.