Rating:  Summary: undemanding reading for the beach Review: The frame for this book is a new unfolding friendship of two women, Kathleen Levine, a librarian and Joyce Tabachnik, a writer. Both women are married and have families.
The story starts slowly with descriptions but once that is over the narrative flows easily with a dialog that feels authentic. The structure feels a bit mechanical but becomes more integrated with the plot as the story unfolds. The chacters evolve according to the textbook but they never really take off.
There are no challenging thoughts to be found in this book and on the whole it feels a little flat but cozy. It may be a relaxing reading for a woman on a day when she does not wish to think about anything in particular.
To choose a different setting and time from her previous book will not spare Diamant any comparisons. This is not a bad book but it definitely exhibits a beginner's touch. The attempt to focus on female issues is too obvious and the book leaves me in a friendly mood but without any engagement in the lives of these two women.
Rating:  Summary: Nice,quick read Review: This is the first opportunity that I have had to read a book by Anita Diamant. I really enjoyed this book. I bought it because I am an Onoclogy nurse and thought I would like to read about breast cancer from the patient's perspective. I was able to get that, but I found a lovely friendship between Kathleen and Joyce. I would have liked to see the author expand her characters, however, and spend more time focusing on the interactions between the two women. Overall, it is a nice book to read and follow and shouldn't take long to get through.
Rating:  Summary: A Novel With Its Own Merit Review: When you are the renowned author of "The Red Tent," how do you top yourself? Unfortunately, "Good Harbor" was not able to do that. However, "Good Harbor" captured my attention and I was taken in about the story of a friendship.Kathleen, recently diagnosed with breast cancer, meets Joyce, a romance writer. The friendship flourishes immediately as they enjoy walks together on Good Harbor. Through the walks, each woman feels safe in confiding with the other. There are many issues that "Good Harbor" addresses: cancer, religion, parenting, death, infidelity, and relationships. Diamant is a master at setting the scene. She describes the beauty of Good Harbor and Kathleen's garden so precisely that the reader is able to create a mental image. This was the strongest feature in the novel. "Good Harbor" is a novel with its own merit, however many will find it difficult not to compare it with "The Red Tent." I encourage readers to try "Good Harbor" and see a different side of Anita Diamant. I eagerly anticipate Diamant's future work.
Rating:  Summary: Perfect for an easy yet touching read Review: While I did not like the Red Tent due to a personal conflict with subject matter, I adored Diamant's writing style. I was excited to give her another try. This was a complete opposite of Red Tent, in that I adored the story, but found the writing very mediocre. It is not a bad read, in fact I enjoyed this story so much I read it quickly and intensely, but it is very light in lyrics and dialogue, much un-like her previous novel. Joyce and Kathleen meet by chance and hit it off immeadiately. You as a reader are so excited for their friendship and honesty in such matters as marriage, breast cancer, raising children and religion. While the dialogue wasn't earth shattering, certain lines were poignant and honest and as a women reader I so appreciated that. I recommend this book to anyone who would like a quick but good story, and if you know anyone or you yourself are dealing with breast cancer this book sheds a great light on the sympathy card that society often plays. I gave it four stars just because it was a fun book, easy to follow, and nice story line. If you enjoy women's lit much like Elizabeth Berg this is perfect for you.
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