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laadeejay's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
kiragreads's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Child death, Blood, Pregnancy, and Suicide attempt
jordanthebiblipohile's review
3.0
Overall: ☆☆☆(3.2)
Writing style: ☆☆☆
Entertainment ☆☆☆☆
Characters ☆☆
Plot: ☆☆☆☆
Ending:☆☆☆
Leila and Rachel meet, when Rachel gets her tea leaves read at a local shop. Two women who seemly are so different (one is younger, the other middle aged. One has a terrible boyfriend, the other a loving husband.), find that they have much in common in the way of searching for fulfillment.
The characters were not my favorite. I don't think I felt connected to any of them, aside from Leila, as I personally connected with her story and her loss. Otherwise, if it weren't for that, I'd have to say all the characters are a little kooky
Writing style: ☆☆☆
Entertainment ☆☆☆☆
Characters ☆☆
Plot: ☆☆☆☆
Ending:☆☆☆
Leila and Rachel meet, when Rachel gets her tea leaves read at a local shop. Two women who seemly are so different (one is younger, the other middle aged. One has a terrible boyfriend, the other a loving husband.), find that they have much in common in the way of searching for fulfillment.
The characters were not my favorite. I don't think I felt connected to any of them, aside from Leila, as I personally connected with her story and her loss. Otherwise, if it weren't for that, I'd have to say all the characters are a little kooky
faerieminstrel's review
2.0
I have long been an [a: Alice Hoffman|3502|Alice Hoffman|http://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1477318484p2/3502.jpg] fan, but with such a prolific catalog from which to choose, I had always read primarily from her more recent work. I started with [b: Practical Magic|22896|Practical Magic|Alice Hoffman|http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1490354120s/22896.jpg|4030671], then bounced to [b: Blue Diary|165766|Blue Diary|Alice Hoffman|http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1309212396s/165766.jpg|2606609], which was the most recent at the time, and just kept reading. Fortune's Daughter, on the other hand, one of Hoffman's earlier works, lacks the pizazz of her more recent novels. The magic of everyday life is lost in the more traditional female characters of the early 80s. You want to shake one of the main characters and tell her to get her life in order, and wonder why a man has dictated so much of her youth. The other protagonist just needs to be dropped into therapy.
However, this book is not a total washout.
As ever, Hoffman's prose is for the most part, a delight. Her devotion to location, description of climate and flora, as well as simple, everyday fancy does neatly embroider a mostly mediocre novel.
For those just beginning to read Hoffman, I'd start with something a bit more polished, such as [b: The Probable Future|22898|The Probable Future|Alice Hoffman|http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1499994741s/22898.jpg|2606531], [b: The Blackbird House|821964|Blackbird House|Alice Hoffman|http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1499995029s/821964.jpg|1744187], or, my favorite, [b: Practical Magic|22896|Practical Magic|Alice Hoffman|http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1490354120s/22896.jpg|4030671].
However, this book is not a total washout.
As ever, Hoffman's prose is for the most part, a delight. Her devotion to location, description of climate and flora, as well as simple, everyday fancy does neatly embroider a mostly mediocre novel.
For those just beginning to read Hoffman, I'd start with something a bit more polished, such as [b: The Probable Future|22898|The Probable Future|Alice Hoffman|http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1499994741s/22898.jpg|2606531], [b: The Blackbird House|821964|Blackbird House|Alice Hoffman|http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1499995029s/821964.jpg|1744187], or, my favorite, [b: Practical Magic|22896|Practical Magic|Alice Hoffman|http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1490354120s/22896.jpg|4030671].
linneamarch's review against another edition
4.0
A wonderful book. I like it far more than her other books.
stacyculler's review
3.0
I am a huge fan of Alice Hoffman’s writing normally, but this one was just ok for me.
This is the story of Lila and Rae, and pregnancy. Rae is pregnant and without a support system. Therefore she latches on to Lila, for some reason, although the connection and reason for her attraction seems inexplicable to me.
Lila is not really welcoming of the attention, as she has her own issues. She has buried her emotions from having given up her daughter at birth, and kept her history secret from her husband. But Rae will not take no for an answer as she tries to convince Lila that she needs her as a birth coach.
This story reads more like short stories of various women’s birth stories than it does a novel. I always enjoy birth stories, and as always, Alice Hoffman throws in a bit of the mystical into the experience, which is enjoyable.
Overall, though, I was thrown off by the disordered narrative and the shifting perspectives are confusing.
I did like Story about the cottage that was built for mothers who had lost their babies at birth: the women of the village would take gifts and leave them at the door for the grieving mother daily, and she was left to grieve in solitude for 6 days, with only the daily gifts left at the door. On day 7, they set the cabin ablaze, with the mother inside. It was her choice whether to remain inside or emerge. She always emerges, realizing that, indeed she still has the will to live, and is among the first to help rebuild the cottage.
That story was rather powerful.
This is the story of Lila and Rae, and pregnancy. Rae is pregnant and without a support system. Therefore she latches on to Lila, for some reason, although the connection and reason for her attraction seems inexplicable to me.
Lila is not really welcoming of the attention, as she has her own issues. She has buried her emotions from having given up her daughter at birth, and kept her history secret from her husband. But Rae will not take no for an answer as she tries to convince Lila that she needs her as a birth coach.
This story reads more like short stories of various women’s birth stories than it does a novel. I always enjoy birth stories, and as always, Alice Hoffman throws in a bit of the mystical into the experience, which is enjoyable.
Overall, though, I was thrown off by the disordered narrative and the shifting perspectives are confusing.
I did like Story about the cottage that was built for mothers who had lost their babies at birth: the women of the village would take gifts and leave them at the door for the grieving mother daily, and she was left to grieve in solitude for 6 days, with only the daily gifts left at the door. On day 7, they set the cabin ablaze, with the mother inside. It was her choice whether to remain inside or emerge. She always emerges, realizing that, indeed she still has the will to live, and is among the first to help rebuild the cottage.
That story was rather powerful.
bobbidenzer's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0