Fortune's Rocks

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Summary: TIMELESS DILEMMA
Review: WELL WRITTEN STORY OF THE TIMELESS DILEMMA OF A SEEMINGLY ILL FATED LOVE. IN SOME WAYS SIMILAR TO THOMAS HARDY, JOHN FOWLES, AND EVEN GIGI AND GASTON...INDEED ONE WONDERS WHAT GASTON WOULD HAVE DONE WERE HE ALREADY MARRIED! SHREVE WEAVES A POWERFUL STORY. THE INEVITABILITY OF THE TRAGEDY IS BEAUTIFULLY DRAWN OUT. THE ABSENCE OF DEPTH TO HASKELL'S CHARACTER MAKES ONE WONDER IF ANY ENLIGHTENED AND PROGRESSIVE MAN WOULD DO FOR A GIRL/WOMAN LIKE OLYMPIA. THE PERSPECTIVE IS TRULY FEMININE.

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Summary: Seductive writing, beautiful scenery, but....
Review: Having read all of Ms. Shreve's books, I only know that this one seems to be alot of beautiful words, about nothing.

Reading about Olympia, is like reading about LOLITA, without the guilt. And, without the sex. I never got a real understanding of John Haskell's personality, or even his desire. I wish I could have felt something for these two people; it would have been a better read, for me.

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Summary: Shreve's Best Book Yet
Review: I've read all Anita Shreve's books and this one is a giant leap from a wonderful writer who just keeps getting better and better. Fortune's Rocks tells an incredible story--one you simply can't put down--with period touches that are so authentic, you're sure you're reading an Edith Wharton contemporary--if not the great lady herself. A fantastic read from a true talent.

Rating:
Summary: Consuming!
Review: Shreve has written a vivid tale set in the early 1900s of a 15 year old woman coming to terms with her sensuality and fiercely protective father. The period details are intensely vivid and the novel had me engrossed from cover to cover. Shreve does not disappoint in her writing and Fortune's Rocks is a top-notch novel.

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Summary: An evocative, fascinating story of forbidden love.
Review: In "Fortune's Rocks," Shreve tells a story of a fifteen-year-old girl who falls in love with a man three times her age. The girl, whose name is Olympia, feels a strong attraction to John Haskell in spite of the fact that he is married to a wonderful woman and has four children whom he deeply loves. John's and Olympia's love has a ripple effect on the lives of their family and friends. There is moral ambiguity here. Although John and Olympia are intelligent, responsible and, at heart, decent people, they throw caution to the winds because of the passion that they feel for one another. Shreve never insinuates herself into the book, which is a wise choice. It is up to the reader to decide whether or not anyone should hurt his or her family and friends for the sake of a "grand passion". Does love have its own rules? Should Olympia and John have restrained themselves to save their reputations and to avoid hurting their loved ones? The reader must decide. "Fortune's Rocks" has several great strengths. Shreve's depiction of the characters is sharp and the dialogue sounds very realistic for the time period (the turn of the century). The character of Olympia is beautifully drawn. She is a person of enormous personal strength and dignity. She is willing to take the consequences of her choices and she maintains a kind of integrity throughout the book. The reader cannot help but be sympathetic to her. One of Shreve's other strengths is her description of landscape. This book takes place, for the most part, on the coast of New Hampshire. Shreve knows this world well, and she makes the seascape part of the fabric of the novel, adding to its beauty and power. "Fortune's Rocks" entertains and holds the reader's interest until the last page.

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Summary: From a native...
Review: This was a fantastic read!

I grew up in Biddeford, Maine, and my favorite beach there is called Fortune's Rocks. I've lived all over the country and have yet to discover a beach more beautiful, which is why the the title of the book and it's main character, Ms. Biddeford, caught my eye. I bought Fortune's Rocks because the title made me feel nostalgic and was not expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. It is brilliantly written.

Ms. Shreve obviously enjoyed her time in my home town and recognized the beaty of Fortune's Rocks as it inspired her to write such an incredible novel.

Rating:
Summary: A Big hit for Anita Shreve
Review: I have not read all of Shreve's books, but I have read a lot of them. They seem to be a hit or miss and "Fortune's Rocks" is a definite hit. In my opinion it is her best book to date. In the summer of 1899, Olympia Biddeford is summering with her parents in Fortune's Rocks, New Hampshire. At 15, she is just beginning to feel like a women who is becoming what she will one day be. John Haskell is a 41 year old married man. When he first lays eyes on Olympia, he knows, without knowing why, that there is something special about her. They begin a passionate affair that they know can only lead to heartbreak. This is a book about a true, but forbidden love and all it's consequences.

While the thought of a 15 year old and a 41 year old is a bit unsettling, you can't help but hope for the best between these two. Shreve has developed two wonderful and unforgettable characters that will at times break your heart. If you have ever enjoyed Shreve's books, then there is no question you will absolutely love this one.

Rating:
Summary: Slow start but thought-provoking story
Review: It was pretty clear when I started this book (which was verified by the author in the reading group Q & A) that she had enjoyed working with the language style of nineteenth century New England when working on "Weight of Water" and wanted to experiment further.

I had a tough time with the first quarter of the book. I could see what was coming and found myself frustrated that it was taking so long to reach the inevitable. Midway through this book I was surprised. Suddenly the story became much less predictable and I was intrigued. This was not your standard hothouse flower character (regardless of the century) who found herself in a bad way and depended on her father or lover to help her out. She took total responsibility for her actions. Not the martyr, this girl. I am impressed, Ms. Shreve.

All considered it's an interesting story with some pretty three dimensional characters, no one's totally good or evil. There are also some great courtroom scenes. If you find yourself frustrated with the beginning, keep going, it's definitely worth it.

Rating:
Summary: A+ for the atmosphere
Review: After looking at some of the other reviews here, I have to admit I am astonished to find so many negative or lukewarm reviews of this superb novel. Although the story is heartbreaking, the novel is not primarily interesting for its plot, which is rather straightforward, but for its exquisite sense of time and place. You can't help thinking of Manet's "Olympia" throughout, given how prominent the theme of scandal is in the work. The descriptions of the seaside community are lovely, and the mood throughout swings between the elegiac and the realistic in a way that rather reminded me of Chekhov's "Lady with a Lapdog."

Frankly, I think that anyone who's ever experienced a "difficult love" - i.e. a passion that is not socially sanctioned for one reason or another - can relate to this novel. I suspect that those who didn't like Fortune's Rocks were simply seeking something less subtle. Although I would not go so far as to call this novel "literary," it will perhaps appeal more to fans of literature than to those who favor bodice-rippers. I felt the same way about The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher and ...And Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santmyer, by the way. If you liked those novels, I bet you'll like Fortune's Rocks.


Rating:
Summary: A different kind of love story
Review: I really enjoyed this book by Anita Shreve. I was immediately drawn into the story, and hooked by the story and all of the characters. Olympia, the heroine of the story, is a 15 year old girl, drawn to an older, married man. Normally, I wouldn't find that so likeable, but because Olympia's love is so sudden and unexpected, it's hard not to like her, or feel sorry for her plight.

John Haskell is the object of Olympia's desire. A married man, 3 times her age, with a wife, and 4 children. Normally I also wouldn't like a grown man who falls for a 15 year old girl, and risks everything to be with her. For some reason though, John Haskell is very likeable, if not totally irrational in his love for Olympia. Oh, did I mention that John Haskell and Olympia's dad are good friends? Another reason most rational men would run the other way when faced with feelings like John has for Olympia.

As the story unfolds, Olympia and John are drawn into a very dangerous love affair, eventually found out with the help of the villan character, Zachariah Cote, who is the only character in the book who is totally dispicable and easy to hate. John loses everything, his wife and children, as well as his medical license. Olympia loses her reputation, her future, and, for a time, her parents. After the "fall", Olympia finds out that she is pregnant, and her father sends the baby away, then sends Olympia away to a dreadful school for girls. After 3 years, and some hard knocks, Olympia finds the strength to return to the only place where she is happy, and eventually find her happiness.

This was just a wonderful story. As with some of the other Shreve books I've read, I didn't really like the ending, but it leaves room for the imagination to ponder the future for all concerned at the end of the book.