Fortune's Rocks

Rating:
Summary: Passion's rendezvous with Fate
Review: In Anita Shreve's FORTUNE'S ROCKS, we are introduced to fifteen-year-old Olympia Biddeford, during her transition from girl to woman. In the late 1800's young women were expected to marry early, but the social mores were considerably restrictive.

So we have Olympia, vacationing with her parents near the ocean in an area called Fortune's Rocks. Carefully sheltered and well-tutored, Olympia has been raised to follow the usual course for cultured young ladies, marriage and family, in that order. But Olympia is swept away by the force of her own imagination and falls in love for the first time with a family man, a physician who is a friend of her father. While it is not uncommon for a young woman of Olympia's years to form an obsessive attachment to an older man, it is surprising that Olympia's passion is returned by 41-year-old John Haskell. His wife and four children are not living with him until their cottage is built. When Haskell reciprocates the fledging attraction, the two begin an ill-fated love affair. Too late, Olympia realizes that their actions will alter the future of both the Biddefords and the Haskells. The lovers are cunningly exposed and it is impossible to prevent the ensuing scandal. Olympia is with child and her father makes arrangements for the baby to be taken away from his daughter. The child is given to the local orphanage, and later placed with a local French Catholic family as foster parents. Three years later, when she is able, Olympia returns to Fortune's Rocks and endeavors to recover custody of her child. Her decision at this time and the consequences add much to the overall interest of the story. Olympia's quest leaves her once again with a decision that will impact more people than herself. Her final choices add the necessary maturity to this character. But we still must contend with the age difference between Olympia and Haskell. It is hard for this reader to understand how John Haskell can credit a fifteen-year-old with more maturity and life experience than is possible or even likely. Olympia eventually carries the weight of her actions credibly, including the tender affection for her first love. The pace of the story is sometimes uneven. Written in the wordy fashion of the times, while occasionally unrealistic, the novel piqued my interest after the lover's denoument, culminating with a thoughtful resolution.

Rating:
Summary: Gripping...
Review: I was extremely impressed with Fortune's Rocks. The story itself, though nearly unfathomable in its implications, provided incredible insight into the passions and motivations of the characters. The complexity of the relationships and the elegant and entertaining writing style of the author made the book pleasureful to read and impossible to put down. I highly recommend exploring the emotional intricacies of Fortune's Rocks.

Rating:
Summary: Good story but lacking in passion
Review: I enjoy historical fiction so when I read the back of this book I thought I'd try it. For the most part the novel had an enjoyable story line but it lacked any passion. This is a problem because the premise of the story is a passionate affair.

The only way the reader knows that Olympia and Haskell have feelings for each other is the narrator tells them. It almost comes as a shock when the Haskell and Olympia wind up in bed together after only a few encounters. This lack of passion stems from the reader not really getting a glimpse at either main charcters thoughts.

The enjoyable part of this novel comes fromt the actual story. The descriptions of place and time. The reader gets a real sense of life at the turn of the century and peoples roles in day to day life. I also enjoyed the ending, it was not what I expected but I really enjoyed it.

Rating:
Summary: I Bought This Book by Mistake
Review: but am glad that my book club sent it to me anyway. It is a quick read with a strong story line. I was particularly struck by Shreve's deft handling of the two main characters, Olympia and Haskell. Initially I thought it was quite implausible for any reader to accept as authentic a sexual relationship between the 15 year old Olympia and the 40-something Hasekell. Yet, Shreve builds increased interest in our young protaganist with the ever bolder steps she takes in her determined pursuit of her married lover. I also appreciated Shreve's handling of the relationship between Olympia and her father, and many of the minor characters in the book: the nefarious poet, Cote; the righteous Mother Superior, Sr. Pelletier; even the wronged wife, Catherine Haskell with her exquisite hair. Shreve strikes the right balance with the intimate scenes between Olympia and Haskell, not too graphic, tender at times, but still exciting; the scene between the Josiah, the butler and Lisette, the maid, was comical. I did think that Shreve went a bit too far with Olympia and Haskell on the deconsecrated altar in the chapel in the denouement of the novel. Yet overall, I enjoyed this book even with the pat plot twist that another commentator complained about. I'm looking forward to reading other books by Shreve.

Rating:
Summary: I don't understand what the fuss is about
Review: I'm about 1/3 of the way through this book only because it is a holiday weekend and the library is closed. The prose is very well done but there is no content. The story line thus far has been: middle aged, married man views 15 year old girl on beach, falls in love, has minimal polite interaction with her, has sex with her. It is painfully slowmoving and unrealistic. The only part that caught my attentiion was the guy's interest in improving working conditions in the mills (a subject that was quickly dropped after a quick mention). Wish I could say better but tonight I'll be watching TV!

Rating:
Summary: page-turner with a pat ending
Review: Let me begin by saying that I love Anita Shreve's writing style. This was a subject of great contentiousness in a book club I belong to where we read The Pilot's Wife. I got the impression that Ms. Shreve's writing elicits a passionate response: you either love it or you hate it. Having said that, I believe I can safely say that if you like the way she writes, then -- maudlin, predictable plot twists aside -- you will not be disappointed by Fortune's Rocks. Not only are the characters and setting completely and believably evocative of the late-19th/early 20th centuries, but the prose maintains the mood most admirably. Although I didn't care for the story's resolution (and I'm not going to give anything away), I found the protagonists (if they deserve that title) compelling if not sympathetic, and the storytelling superb. I think a reliable sign of a good book is the reader's reluctance to put said book down, and I certainly found this to be the case with Fortune's Rocks. I was transported for a few brief hours!

Rating:
Summary: Disbelieving and Unrealistic
Review: Although Fortune's Rocks kept my attention, the book was extremely unrealistic. The character's struggled through the book and then somehow everything came together too nicely and easily at the end.

It was also really hard to believe that Haskell was in love with Olympia.

Rating:
Summary: Shreve at her best
Review: Shreve has truly outdone herself with this novel. It is by far the most emotionally indepth of her stories that I have read. What truly makes Fortune's Rocks ingenious is that Shreve is able to make the reader whole-heartedly sympathize with the "other woman." It is quite in stark contrast with The Pilots Wife.

Fortune's Rock immerses into the lives of those whom we should hate, makes the reader wish for the impossible. Shreve's insight into the heart and life of a woman who lives as Olympia lives, trapped in a love for a man that cannot be hers, is so on target one must wonder whether Ms. Shreve has lived such an experience herself. One of the most excellent novels I've read in quite sometime.

Rating:
Summary: ONE OF MY ALL-TIME FAVORITES!
Review: Don't let the size of this book scare you off. It is a page-turner of the first order and I finished it in 2 days. I didn't enjoy Ms. Shreve's "The Pilots Wife," but there was just something about the cover of "Fortune's Rocks" that intrigued me, so I gave it a chance and am so glad that I did. It is at once a passionate romance, a commentary on 19th century life, a fascinating morality play, and a courtroom drama. I contine to be haunted by this extraordinary piece of literature. I also recommend Amy Ephron's "A Cup of Tea" which has a similar theme.

Rating:
Summary: The Perfect Summer Book!
Review: This story took me right into Olympia's (the main character's) life. I sensed her passions, desires and doubts. The characters were articulate and reminded me of a time and place I've never experienced, but often imagined. The plot twisted and turned without being ridiculous. I have recommended this book to my friends. I enjoyed it thoroughly and felt sad when it was over, I just wanted to read more.