Rating: 
Summary: A book for the heart and soul first, the intellect second.
Review: Alice Hoffman almost invariably describes her characters just below the skin, first. You know them right away, and who they are, even before you know what they look like. The
purely physical world has it's place in the corner, rarely
in the spotlight. Alice has an amazing way of seeing into the genesis of a
character, and sharing her unique vision with the reader.
This book is, to me, her best. And I have read them all. The plot, which is the least of it, slides and skips along effortlessly, with a rewarding payoff at the end. But even
without that, this book is most definitely about the journey,
not the climax. And speaking of that, I made love to officer Julian Cash, the main male character, between the pages of this book, along with, well, whatever her name was.(who me? jealous?)
And I literally dreamt about him the night I finished reading.
I can honestly say that I have never before fallen in love
with a character in a novel. I can never say that again.
Rating:
Summary: Luminous, poignant and full of unexpected visions . . .
Review: Trying to tell someone else about the plot of TURTLE MOON becomes a mangled process of half-sentences which usually end with "just read it, you'll see." At all times engrossing, Ms. Hoffman's writing has the peculiar ability to break your heart and illumine your life at the same time. I've rarely read a book that made me laugh and sob in such quick succession. The images and characterizations in TURTLE MOON go beyond "furthering the plot", to some more delicate plane of storytelling. Phrases like "boys who dreamed so deeply of the houses where they grew up they'd wake damp with sweat, smelling of cut grass" aren't just descriptive, they're as real as touching someone. Part magic, part deep-seated practicality, TURTLE MOON is haunted and haunting. . . and it makes me dream of home
Rating:
Summary: Exciting, romantic adventure. . . Alice Hoffman at her best
Review: Alice Hoffman has a magical way with language that makes you savor this book as you read it; the only disappointment is to come to the end. The juxtaposition of realism and fantasy in this exciting and romantic story is breathtaking. One of my top ten favorite books of all times
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointment
Review: I'd read so many good things about Alice Hoffman in the reviews here and that this book was "one of her best." I was terribly disappointed. From the start, the introduction of the characters was overwhelming. I got the point that there were many divorced moms flocking to Verity but then - wham - I was slammed with detail after detail of several different women who, after three or four of them, I lost count - and interest - of who was who. Following chapters started out with "she" and I had to read on and refer back to previous chapters to figure out who the character was supposed to be. Don't misinterpret this to mean I don't enjoy lots of characters; simply the women start off so similarly that it was distracting to keep track when the new chapter doesn't give you clue as to who is now in the spotlight.
I did not find the characters all that interesting or realistic. I just didn't find much depth to them. The final straw for me came when the "Angel" got his own chapters. Maybe some people find the fantasy angle enchanting, but I thought it was just plain hokey. Also, the love scenes between Lucy and Julian seemed out of place and repetitive.
Overall I am allowing one extra star to my review as credit because my expectations were so high. If I had just picked the book up knowing nothing and having read no reviews perhaps I would not have such disappointment. I love Jodi Picoult's novels and Ms. Picoult raves about Hoffman, which is the reason I investigated the reviews in the first place. I just did not find this book as spectacular or interesting as other readers have.
Rating: 
Summary: A Wonderful Read!!!
Review: This book tells about a city in Florida, Verity, where more divorced women from New York reside. First you are
introduced to many of the town's citizens, from the woman who works at the Hole In One, to the meanest boy in Verity who kidnapped a baby girl. Soon we find out how they are all connected. And when a murder occurs the search begins to find the killer.
The story centers around a specific family; a mother and her son. It sees them through to the end. I was surprised by
how much I liked this book, But then I like all of Alice Hoffman's work. I ended up giving Turtle Moon 4.5 stars:)
Rating:
Summary: A character-driven story with an intriguing mystery
Review: Hoffman is known for her use of magical realism, or a tendency to weave supernatural elements into the everyday world. She does this through use of her rich, lyrical prose and fantastical, almost mythical characters. While the latter is less evident here than in some of her other works (although an angel appears several times as a minor character), this book does showcase Hoffman's detailed and descriptive writing style. Usually, I don't enjoy books with as little dialogue as this one, but to compensate, Turtle Moon offers complex characters whose interwoven histories draw one into the story, an intriguing mystery involving the murder of a young single mother. Although I have disliked some of Hoffman's other novels, I enjoyed this one enough to continue sampling her work.
Rating:
Summary: To be honest? A sappy, amateurish novel.
Review: I found this to be an immature and unbelievable novel, young and girly. I couldn't believe in the characters or in the storyline, and I can't imagine trying another Hoffman novel after this flop. I don't mean to offend anyone here, but I think this story is best suited for people who enjoy the "romance" genre. There's nothing at all wrong with that, but I expected something different and something more literary.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointment
Review: I'd read so many good things about Alice Hoffman in the reviews here and that this book was "one of her best." I was terribly disappointed. From the start, the introduction of the characters was overwhelming. I got the point that there were many divorced moms flocking to Verity but then - wham - I was slammed with detail after detail of several different women who, after three or four of them, I lost count - and interest - of who was who. Following chapters started out with "she" and I had to read on and refer back to previous chapters to figure out who the character was supposed to be. Don't misinterpret this to mean I don't enjoy lots of characters; simply the women start off so similarly that it was distracting to keep track when the new chapter doesn't give you clue as to who is now in the spotlight.
I did not find the characters all that interesting or realistic. I just didn't find much depth to them. The final straw for me came when the "Angel" got his own chapters. Maybe some people find the fantasy angle enchanting, but I thought it was just plain hokey. Also, the love scenes between Lucy and Julian seemed out of place and repetitive.
Overall I am allowing one extra star to my review as credit because my expectations were so high. If I had just picked the book up knowing nothing and having read no reviews perhaps I would not have such disappointment. I love Jodi Picoult's novels and Ms. Picoult raves about Hoffman, which is the reason I investigated the reviews in the first place. I just did not find this book as spectacular or interesting as other readers have.
Rating:
Summary: Great Read
Review: This book is fantastic. If you enjoy reading Alice Hoffman, you will love this book. Her style of writing is unmatched and makes the pages turn themselves. Definately recomend this book to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: Still my favourite
Review: My husband and I have read all of Alice Hoffman's books and this still remains our favourite. If you have been disappointed or put off by her other novels then I suggest you read this one and am confident you will change your mind.
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