Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing
Review: After reading the excerpt from the book in the September, 2002, issue of "Reader's Digest," I was most anxious to read the entire book. Unfortunately, the book was disappointing. My appetite was whetted for more of the story of Skip and the baby. Instead, it dwelt mostly on the disfunctional family of Lydia. It was so entwined with Skip's story that it was confusing. Often both storylines--one of them a sequence of boring backflashes--were in one paragraph and I had to reread it more than once to avoid confusion. The only suspense involved was what would happen to the baby. How that was resolved was also disappointing.
Rating: 
Summary: Quindlen's best novel to date
Review: This is a simple story, revealed in an unforgettable way. The pacing is steady, the characters complex and unusual, and the writing even more beautiful than in Quindlen's previous novels. In this story, which could easily become overly sentimental, the author explores her characters motivations and their pasts, what things have brougt them to the movents where they intersect with such precision and, at times, surprise. For me it is these understated truths and reflections that make this book so memorable. This book will resonate with me for a long time. I am only sorry that I finished it so quickly and cannot savor it longer.
Rating:
Summary: What A "Blessing" To Read!
Review: This is such a beautiful story. I could not put this book down so I stayed up and read it from cover to cover.
The story begins with a baby being abandoned late one night by a teenage girl and the father of the baby. The baby is dressed in a flannel shirt with a hair clip on its umbilical cord and left by the garage in a cardboard box. The box is then found by Skip, a house hand. Skip has never been around children much less a baby. He takes the newborn in as his own and the story begins. He becomes attached to the baby and raises it as his own... all the while keeping it a secret. We are then swept along as Skip learns to care for the baby and ends up dedicating his life to the baby. (I don't want to give up to much information on the baby.) The name of the estate where the baby is left is called "Blessings" ... owned by an eighty-year-old wealthy woman named Lydia Blessings. As the story continues we learn the secrets of Lydia Blessings and her family ... AND, there are many secrets! The characters are richly written ... you will find yourself bonding with many of them as you learn their secrets. BUT, be prepared for some tears ... keep the Kleenex close at hand. There are many "BLESSINGS" in this story. You will not be disappointed with this novel. It is a must read.
Rating: 
Summary: extremely boring
Review: The plot moves along very slowly.
Pages and pages go by without much happening.
A lot of repetitions also. The author would keep repeating
the same thing over and over. She like to say thing again even though she said it earlier. (see how annoying that can get???)
Rating: 
Summary: An unlikely premise
Review: I have read the previous works of Anna Quindlen and have enjoyed them quite a bit. I wish I could say the same thing for "Blessings", I just could not get past the incrediably unlikely premise that this story is based on. We have Skip, a twentysomething single guy, down on his luck, and needing a break after taking the fall for a robbery attempt and spending some time in jail. He goes to work for Lydia Blessing an elderly, wealthy, widow with more than her share of personal and family secrets. Now enter baby "Faith". Skip finds a newborn foundling left on his doorstep (he lives over the garage at Lydia's estate), and what does our petty criminal with a heart of gold decide; I'll keep this baby as my own, yes, that won't cause any concerns with my parole officer. Honestly what do you think the chances of a 20 year old guy with a whole heap of issues, taking on the dauting responsibilities of caring for a newborn not his own are? After I suspended all disbelief, I began to think, well it is possible. Then I remembered what a newborn is all about and thought no way, no how. In any event, the story moves on with Lydia finding out about the baby and the two forming an odd friendship based on their growing and mutual adoration of the infant. There was likely no way to end this story "happily", but this ending felt rushed and forced to me, not at all satisfying. I actually found the side story about Lydia Blessings early life, her secrets and family far more interesting than the Skip and the baby route. The author could easily have written a far more compelling novel, by focusing just on this storyline. As it stands this one comes off about as bland as baby formula.
Rating:
Summary: Birth, re-birth, love and redemption
Review: When a tiny baby is found outside of a caretaker's garage at a down at its heels estate, many lives are changed. Anne Quinlan touches the reader's heart on many different levels. A bitter, eccentric old dowager who has no heirs, an ex-con with a heart of gold, and a brilliant Eurasian girl are the main characters. Oh, and yes, there is the baby, named "FAITH". Faith is the cornerstone of this novel. Times change, mores change, and people can grow to become bitter, or more open to others. The only thing which annoyed me was the mother of the child, the teenaged mother, who doesn't deserve the baby. Obviously,the author leaves you believing that her parents will take over the childcare of the baby and all will be well. Secrets of long ago color the present, adn when the dowager dies, the future as well. A great book to be read in a couple of days. A heartwarmer. Even if loose ends tie up a little too easily, and characters redeem themselves too nobly in the end it is a great read. If everything seems a little too perfect, enjoy it for what it is;a book of second chances.
Rating: 
Summary: Shines a beautiful light on the human spirit!!
Review: Blessings is a very unique novel that tells the story of lives lived by what others expect, leading to isolation and the inability to be true to one's self.
In this story a young teenage couple abandons a newborn baby on the steps of a large home hoping to delete their mistake and that the child will lead a better life.
The child is found by the handyman, an ex-con, who lives out in the garage building. With no clear idea of what he intends to do, he takes the baby in and proceeds to raise her. His attempts to keep the baby a secret fail, of course, and that is where the story really blossoms. This young new life causes all of those involved to take a new look at their lives from a clearer perspective. For some it creates a hope that life can be better and changes can be made. For some the motives underlying past behavior, decisions and mistakes appears clearer and can be faced with new eyes.
This is a heartbreaking, yet hope-filled story, that shines a beautiful light on the human spirit.
Rating:
Summary: What a wonderful book!
Review: BLESSINGS by Anna Quindlen
January 9, 2005
BLESSINGS by Anna Quindlen is probably going to make my top 20 list of books read in 2005. It is the story of Lydia Blessing, an elderly woman, heir to the estate known as BLESSINGS, built by her father Edward Blessing. Lydia Blessing is the last of her line. She's in her 80's, and her only daughter is childless and lives in the city. Throughout the book Lydia contemplates her life, and sees things as if she were living in her past. Her mind wanders in and out as she goes about her day, confusing the past with the present. Little things will remind her of her parents, her dear brother Sunny, or her dead husband Benny, and all will appear in her mind as if it were just yesterday. Through her memories, the reader will piece together the story of her life.
In the opening chapter, an unknown couple dumps off a baby at the Blessings estate, and Skip (Charles) Cuddy, the handyman that lives above the garage, discovers the baby and decides to keep her. He tries to keep it a secret, taking the baby with him as he works and cleverly hiding the baby so no one will discover her. He is very afraid that someone will take the baby from him. Skip has never had a child of his own, but for some reason he is driven to take care of this one, whom he names Faith.
Eventually, Lydia discovers the secret of baby Faith, but instead of calling the authorities, she helps Skip with the baby, and her life is instantly changed. She goes from a very rigid old-fashioned woman to a much happier person, looking forward to each day spent with the new baby and Skip. The housekeeper's daughter, college-bound Jennifer Foster, is also brought into the secret, and between the three of them, they take care of baby Faith, not even thinking that one day she may be taken away from them.
Without giving more away, I found BLESSINGS to be a wonderful surprise of a novel. I bought the book a few years back, not knowing what to expect. I had read BLACK AND BLUE because of the Oprah name attached to it, and enjoyed it a lot, but BLESSINGS is a step above it. Quindlen does an excellent job at blending the past with the present, working inside the mind of Lydia Blessing and slowly revealing all her family secrets. Things are revealed gradually, as she herself is slowly remembering her past, her happy times spent with her beloved brother Sunny and his best friend Benny, who later becomes her husband.
I also loved the "old time" feel of this book, since a lot of the novel takes place in the flashbacks of Lydia's memories. The Blessings estate is set apart from the town called Mount Mason, and is a secluded area complete with wildlife and tons of land. The backdrop of this place helps lend a feel to the overall story, one that is filled with nostalgia for the past and longing for things that are long gone. I loved Lydia's story, and the way it was told, in pieces, as if I was living inside Lydia's head. Overall, this book is a definite winner and will be on my top 20 list for 2005.
Rating:
Summary: I Found This A Bit Unrealistic!!!
Review: I was hoping this book would be worth 5 stars,but then I read it. I was disappointed. I have so many questions.
Maybe they were there, and I overlooked them. Like, what state
was Blessings in? How old was Skip? Who was Lydia's former husband?The sentences often confused me
It seemed like two stories going at once. The baby in the box, and a woman and her memories. It seemed very unrealitic that he would take her without telling anyone about it. I would have liked to see him give Lydia more of a role in the baby's upbringing. He was made to look very stingy. How did he think he could live a full life with that much of a responsibility.
Because of a decent ending, I give this book three
stars.
Rating:
Summary: Character is out of character.
Review: Some books are page turners - you can't put them down. This is a book that I could not pick up. After reading some four chapters, that was it. Ms. QUINDLEN does not prepare us for her ex-con keeping the baby. Way, way out of character. Sure, I read science fiction and enjoy it, and I suspend disbelief in phasers, teleportation, and faster-than-light travel. But people should be real. I will not suspend belief about that. If you want to read about players that change character at the drop of a hat, or drop of a baby, then buy this book. If not - then click to the next offering.
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