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Summary: I never thought I'd finish it, but I did & I liked it :-)
Review: The story kind'a started real slow. The major action only took place in the 1st few pages when a kid drowned accidentally in the pond. After that, the following chapters just crawled & slithered, & I have been tempted many times to put it down & leave it unfinished.After being able to read it through (finally), it was a relief to know that it was not a waste of time afterall. Alice was a character you have to understand. She's not the typical predictable, one-dimensioned, character often portrayed in easy-to-read books. She was multi-faceted & only reading the book through would allow the reader to get into Alice's deepest core & learn to understand, & yes, accept her as one of us in this ill society. After reading Alice's first chapters bearing her chaotic mind, then Howard's chapters on self preservation, then back to Alice's chapters on acceptance & survival, I couldn't help but admire this fictional character. She may not be the heroine we would normally look up to (considering her own personal flaws), but we, especially the women, can learn fromher mistakes & draw strength from her character.
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Summary: my favorite Jane Hamilton
Review: this book has stayed with me so much more than others of Ms. Hamilton, and others of what I would consider this genre. I am 45 and have never had children (by choice) and still this spoke resonated with me. Very powerful...
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Summary: A Heart breaking story
Review: How suddenly an ordinary person can be forever changed by a terrible tragedy. This book has a few interesting twists,I could not put this book down.
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Summary: How sad and depressing
Review: I couldn't finish this book. I couldn't get past the first 75 pages if that. I found this horribly depressing. Not necessarily a badly written novel, but it is so saddening tha I just could pull myself through this book. The main character is obviously from page one depressed and hugely disapointed with her life. And it just gets worse from there. I still have this book (book mark and all!) on the shelf in hopes that maybe I will feel up to this book. The premise of the book seems good and this is why I am holding on to it. I supoose if I run out of other books to read, this will makes its way off the shelf.
Rating: 
Summary: a bit wobbly
Review: I found the main characters Alice and Howard a bit wobbly. I didn't end up feeling like I knew them at all. I felt like they were sleepwalking through their whole lives. I don't hold out much hope for them. In short, the tale was not very interesting or believable. I didn't relate to it at all.
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Summary: A little too much estrogen for me
Review: Good book-but too much of a "chick" book for me. I normally tend toward the political, murder, spy sort of books, so this was a big change. It as an Oprah book club book and it is obvious why-the author spends an entire page describing how one character enjoys the Oprah show.
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Summary: People seem to love it or hate it.
Review: Those who prefer happily-ever-after stories seem to hate it. I loved it for the author's excellent writing. Alice is an ordinary, stressed-out wife and mother living on a mid-western dairy farm with her ordinary husband, Howard, and their two young daughters. Alice works as a school nurse at an elementary school, while Howard tends to the Golden Guernseys. Like all couples, they have their ups and downs. When a tragic accident occurs, Alice and her family take center stage as the drama unfolds in their rural community. This tragedy, as well as the community's reaction to it, sets off a chain of events that will forever alter the lives of Alice and Howard. The extraordinary thing about this book is the narrative, which alternates between Alice's point of view and Howard's. Using this technique, Hamilton paints an intimate portrait of a marriage under strain, and the couple's very different perspectives about what happened. I've also read Hamilton's 'The Book of Ruth.' I liked this one much more.
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Summary: Transformation: When hope rises
Review: I found this book nothing less than exquisite and have purchased it for my friends and family as a "must read". The writing is drenched in evocative descriptions that not only frame the characters and storylines but also stand alone as unusually creative and moving metaphors. Ms. Hamilton has chosen subject matter that could easily be trite - the death of a child, sexual molestation. However, she awards each of her characters a dignity that allows them to transcend their situations and evoke the greatest compassion from the reader. We see that Alice has made mistakes, that she can be faulted. However her shortcomings are decidedly undeserving of her punishments (which are extreme, from the loss of a best friend's trust to criminal charges). What I believe the book makes obvious is that we are all susceptible to being blamed for hideous things due to unusual circumstances, even if we have lead our lives as decent people. We must look at the misfortunes of Alice with compassion, knowing that small mistakes can lead to dire consequences. What I loved most about this book is its message of hope. Alice's family, friendships and career fall apart completely and her best friend loses a beloved child, yet they still are able to rebuild their lives. These women may not end up where they started, or where they anticipated, but ultimately the human spirit, love and family prevail.
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Summary: Another great Jane Hamilton novel
Review: I have the same complaint with this book that I have with all Jane Hamilton books, she rambles. This book would have been alot better (and shorter) if she would have stuck with the main story line. The story starts with Alice's point of view, moves to her husband Howard, then ends with Alice. The story is very involving and emotional the only problem is the characters aren't that likeable. Alice is so passive aggressive and weird at times. When her husband comes and visits her in the jail she is talking off the wall. Howard is distance and doesn't even acknowledge his wives presence until she is arrested. A good book just not rereadable
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Summary: Sometimes slow, but beautifully written
Review: Although it got off to a slow start, the prose was so gorgeous I couldn't put it down. After reaching the second section, I was completely hooked. This book was eerie in how realistic it was. A fascinating piece of work with prose to make it stand the test of time. Read this book if you have writer's block, it'll help you distill words write even without inspiration for story.
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