Stones from the River

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Summary: plodding life story
Review: Initially Stones from the River was promising, however, as the book proceeded it became a tedious series of events in the life of Trudi. After a while it became difficult to even empathize with her as she seemed more and more unmoved by the events around her. Also, the prose style seemed forced and even cliche.

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Summary: Life as told in One (well-written)Volume = Masterpiece
Review: I read 'Floating in my Mother's Palm' a few years ago, and loved it, so I was ready for Stones from the River. I was willing to grant the beginning, and Trudi's unusual wisdom in infancy, a little bit of 'literary immunity' in order to soak up Ursula Hegi's close observations of Life. I found that for me, Trudi's experiences articulated a lot about myself, and I appreciate the effort that went into that process. The author's vision of life was highly resonant with my own, and I appreciate the complexity she was able to express in forms, that for me, imitate life quite closely. I wish I could quote from many of the readers who loved this book, because I certainly did. Yet I can see where this book would be a tough read for me even a few years ago, before I was able to embrace my own pain as comprehensibly as I now seem able to do. I think this book is an education in itself, and it's very very well written. Thank you, Ursula Hegi

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Summary: if you love people you will love this book
Review: I was surprised at some of the reviews until I noticed that if the book did not tickle the fancy of whatever your fetish was the reader was disintrested. Therefore for the historyfiles any development of the characters proved trite however for the humanitarians the book was excellent. I had so much empathy for Trudi that I almost couldn't continue reading,I didn't think I could take it if anything happened to her. I was drawn in to feel for her welfare as much as for my own. The main character Trudi represented our internal shame through her dwarfism and so her plight became our own.

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Summary: An eloquent WWII story from inside germany
Review: A very insightful perspective on World War II from German civilians in a small town.

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Summary: This book was a real emotional one for me to read.
Review: The book "Stones From the River" tells what Trudi Montag, a Zwerg, goes through to find acceptance in her small German town of Burgdorf. It also reveals some of the problems handicapped people go through to find acceptance in the normal society. This would be a good one for parents of handicapped children or older children to read.

Rating:
Summary: valuable and necessary novel, well written and captivating
Review: This is truly an essential novel, which serves as an excellent read, and educationally beneficial. Rarely, have I read a novel which serves such a valuable role in educating myself of a historical time period through the evolution of a town. This book draws the reader into the town life in Burgdorf, and during the rise of the Nazi Regime, allows us to attempt to appreciate the social and political pressures created during that time in Germany. The progressive destruction of the town and especially the Jewish families was tragic. I was disappointed with the ending of the novel, because there appeared to be a significant amount of discontinuity. The majority of the novel appeared to be about the town, and the ending was primarily about Trudi. I may have enjoyed the book more if it ended at the end of world-war II, instead of carrying on several years after, in apparant attempt to establish closure the the story.

Rating:
Summary: A memorable read
Review: This book touched me. Trudi became a person I admired and grieved for. While sometimes a little too mystical for me (I was disappointed in the ending) this book will stay with me for a long time.

Rating:
Summary: Compelling subject matter, but I couldn't empathize w/Trudi
Review: I was totally taken in with Ursula Hegi's story of a German village during WWII and couldn't wait to read the passages that covered what happened to their town. To me, the town, not Trudi, was the most compelling character. I do not know exactly why, but Trudi's difficulties seemed contrived. Perhaps it is because of a lack of awareness of discrimination experienced by being a dwarf. This subject matter doesn't receive a lot of attention. For whatever reason, I had trouble empathizing with her and was impatient to get beyond the passages about her to the stories of the townspeople and their plight. My heart warmed when reading of Trudi and her father's efforts, and the courageous efforts made by those in the village, to hid those in need of hiding. "Stones From The River " was well written. My only complaint stems from Trudi's struggles and my lack of interest in it.

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Summary: Amazed at the hostility in these reviews!
Review: I usually try to avoid Oprah's picks for literature. After I finished She's Come Undone, I unknowingly picked up Stones without realizing that it, too, had Oprah's stamp of approval. The first few chapters--the ones dealing with Trudi's mother--bored me and I started to wonder why everything Oprah picked had to do with mental illness of some kind. Once I became engaged in this book, I could not stop reading it. I am amazed when I read other reviews by people who say that this novel is trite or that it's difficult to care about the characters. Not many Americans could relate the experience of the Nazi regime from the inside. Hegi stunned me as she gave me a clearer insight into World War II Germany (which my high school history classes failed at miserably). This piece works on so many different levels. Trudi's disability, if that's the word for it, is an allegory to which almost every other element in the novel can be compared. Stones connects a "biography," a story of a community, and a compelling account of a horrific time in world history. You don't have to care about Trudi, but didn't anyone feel for Alexander or Frau Abramowitz? I'm giving it four stars; Hegi lost my last star for making the first few chapters way too difficult to get through. But this book is definitely rewarding once you get into it.

Rating:
Summary: An absolutely amazing experience.
Review: This book is truly the best book I ever read. It gets off to a slow start, but once the reader begins to truly get to know Trudy, the main character, it is just impossible to put down. Her difficulties living as a dwarf run paralell with the difficulties of surviving Nazi occupation in her homeland. It's a moving story that I will not soon forget.