Vinegar Hill

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Summary: Vinegar (C)Hill
Review: The two best things about this book are the title and the fact that one doesn't have to invest much (financially or time-wise) in it. The characters are unbelievable because all of them (from youngest child to oldest grandmother) think in the same dark, depressing manner with religious undertones. The author's writing style leaves much to be desired. I found myself on almost every page trying to determine: (1) who was talking, (2) whether it was past or present, and (3) if it was a dream sequence. If this book was a real slice of life, I'd be looking for a new life, not the answer in a pill bottle. I found it to be a bitter, tedious read and, contrary to the New Yorker Review, the final line was not worth the pain it took to get there. At least, not worth MY pain!

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Summary: A tasty morsel.
Review: Well Oprah's had a few clunkers including the awful Tara Road but Vinegar Hill is very very good. When you read it keep reminding yourself that it's 1972. I was so angry with the protaganist until I reminded myself of that one fact. Enjoy a quick read.

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Summary: Vinegar Hill
Review: I am going to stop taking Oprah's recommendation for books. I did not like this. I felt that the concept would be interesting, however, after reading the book, it was a big fat disappointment. A true waste of time.

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Summary: Like the book says...Haunting
Review: Vinegar Hill was indeed a chilling and haunting portrayal of a midwestern wife and the despair she feels in her marriage and life. Some of the scenes are very disturbing, and make you wonder about how one's personality can be shaped by their environment. I mean, if I was abused as a child, maybe I, too, wouldn't be a very cheery person to be around. Vinegar Hill is expertly written by the careful and poetic hand of A. Manette Ansay. I now have Sister in my possession that I plan to dive into as soon as possible!

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Summary: Vinegar Hill Review
Review: I felt this book was overall, very depressing. I could not relate to the main character because the book is set in a time where women were very subordinate to their husbands and I thought her decision about her terrible marriage, which did not come until the very last chapter, was not worth the wait.

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Summary: Disturbing
Review: I was very disturbed by this book, which is really a compliment to the author. The characters were so well written that I kept forgetting it was a work of fiction. I'm still not sure I understand why Jimmy was not able to see what a sick situation this was for his own family. It was definitely a good read, and if you think that your own family is dysfunctional this might put it in perspective!

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Summary: Oprah's Back In Form!
Review: A. Manette Ansay's novel is a fine one indeed. It is at once compelling, bizarre, beautiful and at times scary. A truly visceral read, she manages to create images which gradually eat away at your mind like rust on an old car. Ansay's Vinegar Hill is bitter but not so bitter as to alienate the reader. Real characters, real setting, real happenings - a real book. A very good read and far better than Oprah's popcorn pick "Tara Road".

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Summary: Easy to read and well worth the time
Review: I bought this book on Thanksgiving Day and had it finished the next afternoon. This can be attributed to the fact that I had a quiet holiday and that the book's characters were mesmerizing. Besides the catchy title, the story line is one most married women can connect with, especially those who rebel against our mother's view of a "traditional marriage!" I would not describe Vinegar Hill as a "feel good" kind of book but rather depressing in a refreshing way. Please do not buy this book as a holiday gift for a recently engaged or head-over-heels in love friend. They'll hate it!

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Summary: An annoying book with annoying characters..
Review: I really couldn't get into this book at all. I found each of the characters self centered, including the main character, Ellen. True she was trapped by circumstances beyond her control at first, but as the book progressed I found her decline into drug use to numb her pain while she allowed her children to continue to be exposed to the behavior of the rest of the family very irritating! There wasn't one character in the book who I could feel any emphathy with. Not my kind of book at all.

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Summary: "Couldn't Put it Down" kind of book
Review: I thought the book was very well written. Certain parts of the book were so intriguing I was unable to put it down till I found out what happened. Throughout the book I kept thinking how stupid Ellen was. I also thought she was very selfish for allowing her children to be exposed to such total nonsense! I kept asking her "why don't you leave?" It's not as if she didn't have other options. Ellen sure needs some lessons on learning how to be assertive. Even at the very end you're left with a sense that she still doesn't "get it." I kept waiting for all her pent up rage to come pouring out, but it never did. I was expecting her to finally confront Fritz, Margaret, and her husband. To tell them all how sick they all are and that she wants no more part of it. The angriest she got was when she squirted her husband with the garden hose. Hardly an expression of pent up rage.