At Home in Mitford (The Mitford Years)

Rating:
Summary: The best and worst of living in a small town (mainly best)
Review: If Mitford was a real town, I'd move there just to meet Father Tim and his funny little town. He is 60-ish, an Episcopal priest, unmarried and getting worn out. In a very short time frame, he gets a dog, an 11-year-old boy and maybe even a girlfriend. This is his story (as well as Mitford's) so it is told from a religious viewpoint, but without having religion "crammed down" your throat. It is very easy to enjoy even if you wouldn't normally read something classified as "Christian fiction" (now that's an interesting classification in its own right).

Rating:
Summary: Longing for days gone by
Review: Jan Karon has been on my book list of "must read" for some time now. Finally I happened upon "At Home In Mitford". My nights have now been longer because I can't put the book down. Father Tim, Barnabas, Dooley, Puny, Homeless, Uncle Billy, Cynthia and the entire Mitford family have me not wanting to miss a moment with them. Visiting Blowing Rock many times, I found myself trying to figure out where I might find Father Tim the next time I'm there. In my mind I can even see the church she might have fashioned his church from. It's amazing how Ms. Karon can write and in a secret sort of way teach us all life lessons. Visiting Mitford made me long for the days when I was young and our neighbors really knew who we were. At midnight last night I had finished my book and wondered how I'd get though the night until I could get to the book store on my lunch hour for "Light in the Window. Will Father Tim finally wakes up and realizes that he's about to loose one of the dearest persons in the world? Thanks Jan Karon for such wonderful stories.

Rating:
Summary: I laughed, I cried and now I want to move to Mitford!
Review: I started reading "At Home in Mitford" at my daughters suggestion and immediately knew that my husband, who is not a novel reader, would love it, so talked him in to letting me read it to him. We were transformed to Mitford. Every spare moment he would urge me to pick up the book and start reading. He would hurry home for lunch so I could read to him. We carried the book in the car, on trips to visit our daughter, and I would read to him. Every character was brought to life and we felt like we knew them personally. When we finished book 4- Out to Cannan we didn't think we could wait until the 5th book came out, but we made it and gobbled up "A New Song"! Can hardly wait for #6! My husband now is ready to change from our Baptist church and find a nice little Episcopalian church with a rector just like Father Tim!

Rating:
Summary: A small town story!
Review: "At Home in Mitford" by Jan Karon is the first of her Mitford series that deals with Father Tim, a village rector, who seems to know everything that is going on in Mitford. Father Tim's life was changed when a stray dog took an immense liking to him as well as a young boy named Dooley that moved in with him. Not to mention, there was also the attractive and funny neighbor by the name of Cynthia that just moved in next to his house. On top of all these things, there are problems, issues, and stories of the Mitford folks that Father Tim had to deal with.

"At Home in Mitford" is a warm, funny and sweet book that deals with small town personalities and living. Through the eyes of Father Tim, we get to see interesting as well as eccentric characters in Mitford that we can't help but relate to. At the beginning of the book, I was overwhelmed by all those characters and couldn't keep track of who is who but after a while, I was able to. Overall, I enjoyed this book immensely and would recommend it for readers seeking a cozy and intimate read.

Rating:
Summary: I Don't Get It
Review: I've seen these books everywhere, (That should have been my first clue - truly excellent books don't end up in the dollar resale bin) so I was looking forward to reading this when it turned up on my book club list. If you ever find out you have two weeks left to live, move to Mitford because every day is a freaking eternity! I would not have finished this incredibly boring, preachy, plotless book if it wasn't required reading for the book club. Needless to say, I'm not interested in the rest of the series. If you want to read about a bunch of lily-white, holier-than-thou, cutesy, unbelievable small-town folks (who must have some secret income somewhere, because their jobs and their lifestyles are completely incompatible), then this is the book for you. I thought it was one long snooze.

Rating:
Summary: Good book but too much religious undertones.
Review: I picked this book up at a resale store for $2. It sounded like a warm, Southern story that I would enjoy and relate to since I was born and raised in the South. For the most part, I found it to be just that, but I must admit that the religious references and 'Jesus undertones' of the book became VERY tiring halfway through the book. That and also there are scenes in the book that just come 'out of the blue' and make no sense at all, such as the scene when the jewelry theif hiding in the church attic reveals himself during a church service. The caracters are also interesting, but I could not help the feeling that there was too much 'sameness' in all of them. Every town member feels the exact same way about everything religion. This felt flat one onesided. (During a lot of the book I felt that Jan Karon was preaching instead of telling a tale.)Jan Karon fails to extend their personal traits beyond their obvious religious ones. Overall, a decent book, but don't buy it new, buy a used copy, save your money.

Rating:
Summary: WHAT AM I MISSING??!!??
Review: There must be something. After seeing these books virtually everywhere--and their bestseller status--I decided to see what all of the hoopla was about. I borrowed this book from a friend (it came highly recommended by several people) and attempted to read it. Note attempted. I can see where some would find the "idyllic" little town of Mitford appealing--I guess. I found it unbelievably Stepfordish. The cast of characters--especially Father Tim--are just BORING. I was warned about the apparent lack of plot and action--neither are necessary for me to enjoy a book. But this was just ridiculous. The dialogue--who talks like that? I feel a smidge of guilt for writing this review when I did not complete the book (this is a first), but I just can't do it. I cannot get through this book, and where I once felt like I cannot leave a book unfinished, this book will remain thus. Life is simply too short. On to enjoyable reads.

I'm sure that there must be something I'm missing...? One can only hope.


DYB

Rating:
Summary: Refreshing Change
Review: I read all of the Mitford Series and the first one is tough to get through because there are so-o-o many characters, but well worth the patience.

The Mitford Series are charming, warm, spiritual, fun and sometimes, sad - there is real life portrayed in this enchanting place - people get sick, people die, people have problems of all kinds but, as hard as it is to believe, the people in this town come together and help their own.

I don't know if such a town and its people exists anywhere but boy I sure would love to live there.

The critics are so used to reality shows, and ugly politics, ugly news reports they can't handle the gentle, peaceful Mitford..if you are spiritual, gentle, kind, loving, caring, or looking for that - escape to Mitford - beats watching the news these days.

Rating:
Summary: Boring boring boring
Review: Well, I finally finished slogging through Jan Karon's "At Home in Mitford" more than a month after starting it. I haven't found any book to be such a chore to get through in a very long time. If you're a fan of good literature, don't believe the hype and AVOID THIS BOOK LIKE THE PLAGUE. If you're offended by anything and everything the secular world offers up, then by all means visit the local library and check this out in order to be clubbed over the head with 450 pages of inoffensive drivel. Just don't tell me what a wonderful book this is. Because it isn't. THIS IS NOT A GOOD BOOK. PERIOD. No plot, poorly written, and dull, flat, one dimensional, forgettable charcters. Need I go on? And there are eight books in this series? I can't even imagine. Marketing genius but little else.
For a vastly superior series of novels set in rural America with a religious theme, check out anything by Jon Hassler. He blows this Mitford nonsense right out of the water.

Rating:
Summary: Relaxing...Not Overly Stimulating
Review: I liked this book, but felt that there could have been more of a plot or story behind the town. All of the things that seemed like big mysteries didn't turn out to be that way. It was a nice peaceful story of a town that I would like to visit. However, that's all it was, and a little long to have no purpose.