Rating: 
Summary: Epic in scope
Review: A great piece of work. Hegi has done a fine job! I read Stones from the River last year and loved it so it was great to revisit the American side of this family. Although, stylistically "Vision..." is not as sophisticated as "Stones..." it is still astutely observed. AS a new immigrant to the US I identified with Stephan Blau as he forges a life for himself in a new country. The issues raised re: the immigrant experience ar spot on: the language barrier, the feeling of belonging neither here nor there, the problems of assimilation and the cost of retaining one's loyalties to one's homeland are all explored. The characterisations for the most part are good - I loved the stream of consciousness episodes - while the characters' are acting their true hidden motives are being revealed, The Wasserburg contains a wonderfully eclectic cast of individuals spanning all generations and it is perhaps the central character. We are witness to its inevitable decay as Emma is released from her "vision" This novel is a sweeping view of America and shows us how love and tradition can have such a multi-generational impact. Hegi brings a wonderfully luminescent quality to her writing and she maintains a startling capacity for detail. A great work by a great writer and it has made me want to revisit Stones From the Rover all over again!
Rating:
Summary: Thought-provoking companion book
Review: After enjoying Stones From The River, I was delighted to find that Ursula Hegi had written another book. She has a gift for character development that allows us to understand motives and actions from a human, rather than an ethnic, perspective. I was particularly touched by the son, Robert, who seemed to fully understand his dysfunctional marriage and eating habits and yet was unable to alter them. This book is an insight into family dynamics and the added immigration effect that is worth reading.
Rating: 
Summary: Slooooow reading
Review: After reading "Stone from the River", I too was very disappointed by this book. Although the writing is lyrical, the characters are pale, uninsightful shadows compared to those of "Stones". This book, which is largely set within the walls of a luxury apartment building called the "Water Fortress", rambles through stories of the generations of the Blau family without any particular purpose or point. All the characters in the book seemed to be so ridiculously dysfunctional that at one point I wondered if Hegi was going to introduce a resident therapist to help cure them of their afflictions.
Rating:
Summary: The Vision Of Emma Blau - audio CD version
Review: Alas, if you want to hear a book in audio - and if it is because you have limited vision then beware!. You may not be able to read the word ABRIDGED on the packet. When I finished this whirl wind account of an immigrant family covering several generations I was winded. I was confused about names and how they were related. It occurred to me when I finished why I felt so cheated. It lies in abridgment. A dirty trick to cut down on verbiage and package easier but shortchanging the listening audience greatly. It says abridged with author's agreement but...do they realize how much is lost - the seemingly unimportant parts that are cut ARE important or the author would not have written them. A good book can change not only to a mediocre one but one that is maddeningly inept.
Rating: 
Summary: Very well done
Review: As a child, Stefan Blau had a dream -- to leave his native Germany, emigrate to America, live all of the excitement promised by the American Dream, and fulfill the destiny he believed to be his. In 1894, at the age of thirteen, he began his journey by working as a kitchen hand on a ship sailing from Rotterdam to New York. From that point on, Stefan would dream dreams and make decisions which would both build and destroy a legacy.In New York, Stefan began as a dishwasher in a French restaurant, but his ambitions carried him forward to learn the art of fine cuisine. A tragic fire and the loss of a friend sent Stefan further afield. He left New York for New Hampshire where the land bore a resemblance to Germany. There, in a boat on Lake Winnipesaukee, he had a vision of a playful young blonde haired girl, a vision which would haunt him for decades, a girl he would search for and ultimately find -- his granddaughter, Emma Blau. For Emma, Stefan would build a successful restaurant in a small town where it wasn't likely to succeed. For Emma, Stefan would build a massive apartment building far too elegant to be lucrative in such a small New Hampshire village. The price of this success would poison the souls of Stefan, his wives and his children -- all because of a vision of Emma Blau. "The Vision of Emma Blau" is a novel of success and failure, of choice and fate, of decision and destiny. Ursula Hegi's rich prose gives full voice to each unique and well defined character. With great passion, Hegi delves into human nature and the needs and desires that motivate us all. This book is broad in scope, touching on love, greed, prejudice, war, social class, family roles and psychological motivation. This saga of the Blau family of Winnepesaukee is a difficult book to walk away from even at the end. I could have read it more quickly, but at times,I had to put it down and savor what I had just covered. The inter-action of the characters provoked strong feelings within me, almost as if I was living it with them. I grew and aged with each character. I felt I wanted to help them understand themselves and each other.
Rating: 
Summary: Not up to the Standard Set by STONES FROM THE RIVER
Review: Even though this book carries some of the STONES story, it lacks the rich characters, the intense personal pain, even the drama of conflict. It's a generational story beginning with the life of German immagrant Stefan Blau and ending with his middle-aged granddaughter, Emma. The connection through the years is the apartment monstrosity Stefan built in small-town New Hampshire, a symbol of his success in America. The Wasserburg is built with money borrowed, but never paid back, from his wealthy in-laws. It is this conflict that sets the story in motion--a story of a house destined to bring pain to succeeding generations of Blaus. Using the house to cheat others is the only theme I could find. Stefan's third wife, Helene, cheats her step-children of their inheritance. Helene's son, Robert, cheats his half-brother and sister. Robert's daughter, Emma, cheats her mother and brother. As interesting as this sounds, it was quite dull because it lacked drama. And there was no drama because the characters were not developed. Unlike the memorable characters of STONES FROM THE RIVER, the ensemble of VISION fails to stir compassion from the reader.
Rating:
Summary: Fairly realistic
Review: First book by Hegi, and it wet my appetite for more.
The approach of the german emigrant life is interesting and not overwhelming - after all this is not a sociology study, and the portrait of life in the "home country" is reasonably realistic. The fulfillement of a lifetime dream, and its turning into a disaster for the next generation, its concept of fate as a complement of willpower - are the themes that make the book.
Rating:
Summary: Where's the Beef?
Review: Having thoroughly enjoyed Stones from the River, I really looked froward to reading The Vision of Emma Blau. As I read, I kept waiting for the story to begin. It seemed that characters were always being introduced, sketched in and then relegated to the backround as yet another character stepped into the limelight. A most unsatisfying book , leaving me with the feeling that the whole thing was just an outline, and the real book has yet to be written.
Rating:
Summary: Another gift from a gifted storyteller
Review: Hegi has done it again! Her understanding of human motivations, disappointments, fears, loves & lusts is unsurpassed. She respectfully uncovers the soul of every character --no matter age, sex, race, or creed. I find myself understanding history better because Hegi can place you there. I told my husband I'm naming our first daughter Ursula!
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I absolutely loved "Stones From the River" but am having trouble getting through this book. I keep hoping it will get better but am having my doubts.
|
