Rating: 
Summary: KEPT MY INTEREST THROUGHOUT
Review: This book is my third Anita Shreve novel. The first two were the Pilot's Wife - which I wasn't that crazy about - and The Weight of Water - which I enjoyed very much. As a matter of fact, it was the Weight of Water which caused me to give Anita Shreve another try. And I am very glad that I did.I found Fortune's Rocks to be touching and a real page-turner. Olympia and Haskell were not all that sympathetic, of course. They were selfish and self-centered, and did some truly terrible things. Yet there is something about all that passion that is very intoxicating! This book reminded me very much of a book called Emmeline by Judith Rosner. In Emmeline, a girl goes to work in some type of factory (I forget what kind) and falls in love with an older married man. Emmeline ends up getting pregnant by this man, and he betrays her. I thoroughly recommend that book as well, by the way. It has one of the most shocking endings I have ever read. I am now reading my fourth Anita Shreve novel - Eden Close - and am enjoying that one as well. I'm glad I discovered this very entertaining, talented writer and I'm glad I didn't give up on her after the mediocre Pilot's Wife.
Rating:
Summary: Seductive and intriguing
Review: I had a difficult time getting into the book. The writing style was very much 'turn of the century.' At the beginning I was going to read 100 pages to see if I could get interested in the material. By the time I was at page 85, I was hooked! I could empathize with the longing Olympia and John had for each other. Their desire , as well as the secretive nature of their relationship, was very seductive and arousing. I loved the book and my husband loved the effect the book had on me...
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I found this book very disappointing. The content was questionable (15 yr old with a "man" 3 times her age), and the general tone of the book did not have much of a flow to it.
Rating: 
Summary: Well done Anita
Review: It was one of those books that came full circle. It ties up the story very well, although it was a bit abrupt towards the end. It doesnt leave you hanging in the air. After reading a few reviews, many are/were concerned with the age differences and how society today would look upon such an act. But remember this is fiction and thats the beauty of such works. Anita can draw you in and tell a story that pushes the boundries in a way that is not all unpleasent. Dont be put off by the ages of the characters, read it because you want to expand your mind :)
Rating:
Summary: A Pleasure to read
Review: I couldn't put Fortune's Rocks down once I got into it. I've felt that way about other Shreve books and Fortune's didn't disappoint. She does an excellent job of taking the reader right there with the characters... it was though I too could smell the ocean right along with Olympia! Even though I had trouble with the age difference of the main characters I don't regret for one minute reading to the last page. It was satisfying the way a good meal is!
Rating:
Summary: Exquisitely Written, Well Told Love Story
Review: I have been a fan of Shreves for a while and have read just about every book she's written. She is the type of author I can't get enough of. The images she creates seem to glide us across the page while we become intertwined with the characters lives. I cannot seem to put her books down! She has a talent for letting us into each person life so gracefully that it seems as if we know these people personally. You really do have feelings for these people. She is able to convey their pain pleasure, and sadness so well. This is all true and more about Fortune's Rock. I believe it to be her best one yet. Her character's are alive and rich with history and realism. Show me a person who couldn't relate or feel the pain of two start-crossed lovers, Olympia and Haskell, and I'll show you a person that doesn't get human nature. I am only sad that I have finished the book and now must wait for her next one with baited breath. Well done Ms.Shreve, BRAVO!
Rating:
Summary: Engrossing
Review: I absolutely loved this book. It was the first book that I've read in a long time that I could not put down. From the first page I was intrigued. The characters are wonderful. It's a coming of age story told with much tenderness. I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Rating:
Summary: Drawn in from page one...
Review: The historical aspect of the novel was what I enjoyed most. I don't know if I ever agreed with the Olympia/Haskell relationship. Sometimes I hoped they would remain apart and that she would live life alone. Just when I thought Olympia was too comfortable, an event would change her for the better and she learned from it. Perhaps the writing was a bit over-the-top, but the book as a whole was interesting.
Rating:
Summary: Thanks, Anita Shreve
Review: Thank you, Anita Shreve, for sharing the extraordinary character and poignant story of Olympia Biddiford. This book portrays the manners and morals of New England Victorians in a way which evokes the best writing of Edith Wharton. The great triumph of the story, however, is Olympia herself. Mature well beyond her years, Olympia's insight into the passions and motivations of the other characters is at times chilling in its clarity. Although fifteen when she meets John Haskell, a brilliant physician and sociologist, she instructs him on the undeniable destiny of the human heart. The overwhelming power of their love/lust feelings for each other diminishes neither character, though they and all around them suffer the inevitable consequences. Shreve believes, however, that great and irrepressible love can eventually conquer all. Who can say she is wrong?
Rating:
Summary: Anita Shreve's Best!
Review: I also could not put this book down! I've read all of Anita Shreve's works, and this is the best by far! Interesting themes and time period! The age difference in the characters did not bother me. I felt that it only added to the suspense and story line.
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