Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful
Review: "A Fistful Of Sky" is not your standard story. It has a deeply imbedded moral, for one thing. For another, it's beautifully written. It assumes that magick is an everyday part of our lives in every way. The moral part of this story deals with differences, and how each character handles or perceives themselves in light of such differences. It's about relationships on many levels. It's about changing who you think you are into who you ACTUALLY are. All in all, Nina Kiriki Hoffman's novel, "A Fistful of Sky" is one of the most wonderful books I've had the pleasure of reading in a long time. I recommend ALL of her work, if you like this one.
Rating:
Summary: Very original tale of magic-users
Review: "Fistful of Sky" is different than almost any other contemporary magic novel I've read. Many of them present characters who fit into "good" and "evil" buckets, and who do magic accordingly. "Fistful of Sky" avoids this. After Gypsum "transitions" she is told by her uncle that she has a dark power - the power of curses. When I read this I thought that the book was going to start introducing the "good" and "evil" dichotomy. But it didn't! Nobody tells Gypsum to stop using her power of curses. Instead, they spend the rest of the book helping her learn to control her power. At one point, Gypsum tries to use her power to punish a rapist - similar to a comic-book superhero. But this type of moral judgment makes her very uncomfortable and she retreats from this method of using her power. I found this book to be both refreshing and original. I wanted to keep reading about the characters after the book was finished.
Rating: 
Summary: quirky but likable
Review: "Fistful of Sky" is verrry different from your typical fantasy or girl-coming-of-age novel... and that's a good thing. Set in modern-day southern California, "Fistful of Sky" deals with the LaZelles, a loving, if slightly dysfunctional family that appears normal in every way... except that most of them possess the power of magic. Gypsum, the middle child and misfit of her family, believes that power has skipped her. When she unexpectedly obtains the power of curses-- a power she must use or it will turn inwards and kill her-- she must think up innovative ways to use that power without hurting anyone... Although magic is used liberally throughout, the story is really about self-confidence and finding one's identity. Gypsum and the other LaZelles are very real characters -- likable, but imperfect. Gypsum's mother is always after her to lose weight and pay more attention to her appearance, Gypsum's younger brother can't seem to hold onto a job, Gypsum herself is confused about what she wants out of life and love, and how to cope with her powers and her family... While the situations presented are often wacky, the conflict at the heart of them is very normal/human. (Gypsum and her brother messing around in their sister Opal's room and Opal finding out and casting a spell on them, Gypsum inadvertently cursing her brothers when she catches them eating her cookies and says "Stop eating!", etc) You'll find yourself laughing at the family's exploits, and wishing you could keep reading more about them after the story has ended. However, while I enjoyed the book, I have to warn you that Hoffman's style of writing is zany and at times downright WEIRD. Not everyone will be a fan. It's also much heavier on characterization than on plot development (while I won't do it since it would spoil the ending, let's just say I could easily summarize the plot in one sentence). Still, like I said before, the book left me satisfied (it's not her best, but it's still pretty darn good)... but if you've never read any of Hoffman's books before, you might want to wait for it to come out on paperback or try another one of her books first ("Past the Size of Dreaming" is out in paperback, and it's one of my favorites by Hoffman), just to make sure you'll be ok with her writing style.
Rating:
Summary: Quirky and thoughtful
Review: "Is the grapefruit still in charge of the kitchen?" "A Fistful of Sky" tells the tale of a young woman named Gyp (short for Gypsum...all her brothers and sisters are named after minerals.) who grew up believing she was an outsider in her own family. Gyp learns otherwise when she goes through a late 'transition' to magical powers well after the norm for her family. The LaZelles are a well-to-do family with a celebrity magical mother obsessed with appearances, a brainy even-tempered and supportive father, four magical and attractive children and Gyp, who it seems is neither magical nor attractive. Gyp is fat and ordinary. While growing up she is at the mercy of her mother, who tries to spell Gyp into losing weight, and her siblings, who use their magical powers on Gyp to abuse and manipulate. Eventually, Gyp goes to boarding school to escape. The story really begins when Gyp is 20 and the family leaves to visit the oldest sister, Opal, who has forged a successful career as a makeup artist. Gyp gets terribly sick and can't go along. Little did the family know that Gyp was actually going through a late transition. However, rather than receiving wish power, as did the rest of the family, Gyp receives the power of curses. Unfortunately, this power must be used, and used often, or Gyp will sicken and die. She has several hillarious (to us, not to her) misadventures trying to use her new power. (The 'helpful' computer must surely be one of the funniest scenes I've ever read.) Eventually, with the help of her family, and a surprising new friend, Gyp learns how to control her power, and in the end, to accept herself.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books I've read in ages.
Review: "A Fistful of Sky" is wonderful on so many different levels. The first, most immediate, one is the "good story" level. This book is a great read, fun, compelling, magical, and dark by turns. The plot is just irresistable -- the magicless "ugly duckling" of a family of magicians suddenly develops the power of curses -- and the main character is very likable and personable. The various twists and turns of the plot will keep you engaged with the story, compulsivly turning pages. It's both a fun read and a good, thought-provoking read.
Another level I can appreciate this book on is the "good writing" level. Hoffman writes beautiful, pellucid prose that is simultaneously simple, easy-to-read, and relatively transparent, and also gorgeous, poetical, and resonant with meaning. This is good stuff, here.
And then there's Gypsum's coming-of-age story. Any woman out there who has ever struggled with a weight problem will be able to identify with Gypsum. There's a scene that takes place in Gypsum's adolescence where her mother casts a well-intentioned but horribly inappropriate spell on her to make her lose weight that will have all of us fat girl readers wincing in recognition and sympathetic pain. More than that, the idea of Gypsum, a full-figured woman, being afraid to use her own power just resonated strongly with me.
Ultimately, this book is about coming to terms with yourself and accepting yourself, learning to love the dark parts of your soul as well as the light parts -- embracing yourself in all your good, bad, light, dark, and contradictory human glory. I know I, for one, really needed to read it. I'm very glad I did.
Rating:
Summary: this is the best book i have ever read
Review: A fistful of sky is the best book i have ever read and i am somewhat insulted because the amazon.com review is wrong in a certain facture. Gypsum is not a guy, she is a girl. please change your review to show the right information
Rating:
Summary: A Fistful of Sky - A Brain full of Images
Review: A MUST READ for all ages. It's a coming of age story, no, it's a family connections story, no, it's a "better be careful what you wish for" story, no, a love yourself as you are story, no and yes, it's all of the above, AND it's not a bit preachy, makes you laugh out loud, makes you cry enough to put the book down to blow your nose and gives you the irrisistable urge to run back to Amazon.com and find every other book this author has ever written. Simply Wonderful. Enjoy!
Rating: 
Summary: How should I put this...
Review: at first, when i read the beginning i thought it was intriguing and very well written. it kept me on the edge until the middle when i realized i was still waiting for the REAL story to start. the plot was a little undecisive and the main character irritated me. i was waiting for her self esteem to go up but it never came. the end of the book was a great let down and it scared me away from ever reading it again. hardly any of Gypsum's character changed and she remained (in my opinion)as clueless as ever. her family annoyed me and her new found spiritual "friend" really scared me. i don't want to give it away to those who still might want to read it, but i want to warn that this book's ending is WEIRD and it grossed me out. i shudder to think of reading this book.
Rating:
Summary: Simple story about a woman's coming of age
Review: Gypsum LaZelle is the middle child in a family of very talented people. The Lazelle family have magic powers. Gyp watches her two older siblings go through the transition (a serious illness where you either die, or gain your powers) and is expecting it to be her turn any time now, but when her younger brother becomes sick, it is obvious the transition has passed her by. Gyp is devastated not to go through transition. It changes everything. She quickly finds herself resenting her family for their good fortune and eventually leaves for boarding school. Years pass, and Gyp learns to live with being normal until one day in her twentieth year, she falls terribly sick... :¬) This book was a simple story about Gyp's relationships with her family and friends and how they change when she finally receives her powers. Transitioning so late, means that she didn't complete her magical studies and now needs to learn everything quickly. Also, a late transition means she is very powerful indeed... VERY. Worst of all, her power turns out to be a Dark Power--the power of curses. Magic must be used or Gyp risks death, but that means she has to curse someone or something three or four times per day EVERY day forever. Talk about a fun premise. Who or what would you curse? Mark E. Cooper
Warrior Within (ISBN:0954512200)
Rating:
Summary: Loved. It.
Review: I absolutely loved this book. It's poetic, lyrical, and full of hidden meaning. What got me hooked, I'd have to say, was Gypsum's relationship with her mother. The author doesn't draw it out, or dramatize it, she just writes it down, and lets it stand on its own feet. As a character study, it's brilliant, and not usually something you find in a book. Definitely a welcome surprise. I have no idea why this author isn't more prominent. She should be up there with the greats.
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