Patty Jane's House of Curl

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Summary: An upbeat story of female truimph
Review: Patty Jane's beauty parlor, House of Curl, becomes the center of a women's support group. Patty Jane, who was abandoned by her husband, lives with her daughter and her mother-in-law and gathers the town's gossip, dispenses advice, gives support, offers classes, consolation, and compassion. Love, abandonment, redemption, salvation - it's all here in this story of women supporting each other through their triumphs as well as their troubles. While sometimes predictable, Patty Jane's House of Curl is always charming and appealing.

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Summary: Norwegian Ya-Yas
Review: This book was a delightful surprise to me. I had never read anything by Lorna Landvik, and I devoured this in two days. I laughed and I cried. I loved the diverse cast of characters, and the almost unbelievable twist in the story with Patty Jane's husband getting his just rewards. This was just a delicious little summer read and I recommend it as a palette cleanser after a heaver novel (I had just finished The Da Vinci Code).

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Summary: The strength of sisters
Review: I have to say overall I enjoyed this book. It was very entertaining. The author's humor shines through in such a comforting way. Yes, there were some unbelievable plot twists, but then again life is unbelievable sometimes. The bad: Not much, some characters leave too soon...and just when I was enjoying them! & I was a little disappointed in explanation of Thor's disappearance. The good: Great dialogue & lovable characters. This book flows nicely and never drags. This would be a great summer read.

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Summary: a little boring & predicatable
Review: The book was ok. That's about it. The characters were poorly developed so that you never really get to the place of caring a whole lot about any of them or the unbelievable things that happen during the course of their lives.
I live in the neighborhood where the story takes place but if it weren't for that, I probably wouldn't have even finished it.
My advice: Save your money.

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Summary: Steel Magnolias move over
Review: If you liked Steel Magnolias, this book is a must! Yes, some of the plot is predictable - with the way the sisters' luck runs, you just know something bad is going to happen whenever things seem to be going so good - you just don't know what. The twists in the plot are surprising and makes the predictability bearable You very quickly and so completely get caught up in the lives of Patty Jane and Harriet that you have to keep reading. Its not just the 2 sisters that draw you in - characters like Clyde Chuka and Ioane(sp?) and Avel make you hate to put the book down. The characters are vivid and colorful - I could easily see this becoming as large a hit as Steel Magnolias if it ever made it to Broadway or Hollywood.

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Summary: Life and Love in the heart of Minnesota
Review: PATTY JANE'S HOUSE OF CURL by Lorna Landvik

PATTY JANE'S HOUSE OF CURL is the story of two sisters and the trials and traumas that they experience throughout their lives. Taking place between the late 50's through the 70's, it's told in a rather light-hearted tone. We see how they meet the loves of their lives, starting with Patty Jane's good-looking boyfriend Thor, who she ends up marrying and has the most wonderful time with, until she becomes pregnant with their first baby and things start to go downhill from there. One day, after a major fight, Thor disappears without a trace. By this time their marriage has pretty much soured, and she immediately thinks that he's run off with another woman. Reminders of Thor are everywhere, as he is the model for a famous breakfast cereal, and it's hard not to pass by the breakfast cereal aisle at the grocers without seeing his handsome face on a cereal box.

Harriet in the mean time meets the love of her life, Avel Ames, who they find out later is a multi-millionaire and owns the cereal company that eventually hires Thor to become their model. Avel is no Thor, and in fact is inches shorter than Harriet and is not considered a very good-looking man. But, what Avel lacked in looks, he made up in kindness and generosity. Avel and Harriet are truly in love, and they plan to marry as soon as he returned from a business trip in South America, planned by his sisters who do not want him to marry Harriet.

Flashbacks describe their parents as alcoholics, parents who were not really there for their children, but it's all told in a rather funny and comical tone. Because of this, it took me quite a few chapters before I even realized their parents had been alcoholics in the first place, probably because Patty Jane and Harriet did not know either.

As we find out, life doesn't ever go their way. Harriet doesn't have her happily-ever-after, and soon drowns herself in liquor. Patty Jane has lost Thor, but she puts her whole soul into a salon called Patty Jane's House of Curl, and their lives are now centered here. All their friends and family are part of this salon, including Thor's mother Ione, and Patty's daughter Nora.

Don't think this is the end of the story. There are plenty of surprises and laughs and tears to come. Harriet and Patty eventually find new loves to fill the voids left by Avel and Thor, but even then things don't turn out the way they want or expect. The moral of this book: life goes on and you make of it what you will. This is not going to be a classic by any means, but it's worth the time spent reading. A number of memorable characters and a somewhat convoluted story -- for a light read with some heavy issues, I recommend PATTY JANE'S HOUSE OF CURL.

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Summary: Great characters, ridiculous plot!
Review: I was very drawn to this book based on the Minnesota setting. I thought this would be a Fannie Flagg type of humorous novel, lots of funny female characters, but with a Midwestern instead of Southern setting. The beginning of the book drew me in. The characters and the dialogue are just wonderful. But the plot! What a mess! Just got more and more unbelievable and bizarre. And several of the big plot twists were completely predictable. Just a real groaner as far as plot goes. So now I would have to say this is more of a Maeve Binchy lame-o novel, not a Fannie Flagg type of quality novel!

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Summary: Patty Jane and Crew touched my heart.
Review: I picked up this book in a Foreign-language, Used Bookstore in Seoul just prior to a vacation trip to Guam. I was in a reading-topic rut, and wanted something to grab and hold my attention. This book was a refreshing choice; just what I needed. The only drawback to the story was trying to hold back the laughter and tears while sitting around the pool, drinking an umbrella drink. I've since sent the book to my mother, who was a single parent in the 60's, and I know she'll be drawn back into that time...and enjoy the story as much as I did.

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Summary: Funny and a great read!!
Review: From a Beauticans point of view this as the best book it was great!! Funny Sad ...Couldnt put it down once I stared to readit!!!

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Summary: Heartwarming Tale
Review: This is a bittersweet tale that all girls from the south should read.