Rating: 
Summary: still lyrical, but ...
Review: ... when did magical become meandering? I hate to say it, but it was a chore to finish this book.
Rating: 
Summary: No magic here....and what a pity....
Review: Alice Hoffman is one of my favorite writers, but the magic looking glass failed her with this latest effort. I didn't like any of the characters (save the cafe/bakery lady and the steadfast physician). They were so one-dimensional. I asked the a friend of mine in law enforcement to render an opinion on the police procedures in this plot and he said they resembled science-fiction. The grandmother was cold. The daughter's simmering anger wasn't interesting. The husband's charm wore out after about 2 pages. The daughter was spoiled, selfish, sullen and silly. Hoffman's prose still retained a few sparks of brilliance here and there, but this is not up to her usual high standards. I hope the magic returns for her next novel.
Rating: 
Summary: A bewitching story
Review: A bewitching story of 3 generations of women coping and confronting a bizarre heritage: each female descendent possesses a supernatural gift that one is at a loss to define as blessing or curse. Marvelous writing in the magical realism vein that carries readers on this tale of lush and earthy suspense.
Don't miss it, esp if you're a Hoffman fan.
Rating:
Summary: disappointing
Review: After truly enjoying Turtle Moon and Seventh Heaven, what a disappointment to read Probable Future. I'd say this book has NO future. It wanders, is choppy and fraught with lengthy descriptions, though the writing style is adequate. The characters are cardboard and the reader can hardly care what happens to them.Additionally, the plot is thoroughly unbelievable.
Rating: 
Summary: Attention: March Babies !
Review: Alice Hoffman does it again. The Probable Future gently pulls us into the life of a small New England town through generations of the Sparrow women. Though the setting is contemporary with three generations of living Sparrows, we look back often enough to understand how their present day struggles relate to the Past. It reminds us to ponder our own heritage, how we got to be who we are and where we are. Of course, there is something magical about each woman and that is fun. You'll have to read the book to discover why it is of special interest to March babies. A nice, curl-up-under-the-covers read.
Rating:
Summary: Pure magic
Review: Alice Hoffman is one of the best writers of interstitial fiction working in American today, writing gorgeous books that fall into the fertile borderlands between domestic realism and contemporary fantasy -- and The Probable Future is another gem. I have to disagree with some other reviews I've read here, because I was completely swept away by this book. Yes, Ms. Hoffman often explores coming-of-age themes (Illumination Night for example) and small towns invested with witchery and magic (Practicle Magic, for example), but this familiarity made the book all the stronger for me. I was delighted to be beckoned back into this world, and to meet new characters there. Expecting utter novelty in every plot is a modern obsession -- necessary for thrillers, perhaps, but Ms. Hoffman is not writing thrillers. Like the fiction of Anthony Trollope, one comes to Ms. Hoffman's work to meet new characters, with the plot growing out of those characters and serving to illuminate changes in their lives and souls. In this regard, for me, this novel did not disappoint and I literally lost a night's sleep because I could not put the book down. Ms. Hoffman introduced me to a difficult-to-like teenager and her difficult-to-like parents, and made me care deeply about them by the novel's end. It's a quieter book then some of her others perhaps, but no less powerful for that if you take the time to let its magic unfold. I count it among my favorites on my long shelf of Ms. Hoffman's books.
Rating:
Summary: An Amazing Storyteller
Review: Alice Hoffman is utterly amazing. Her books are magical, and I'm not just refering to the storylines. Alice Hoffman's writing seems to take on a surreal quality. Her words take you places. As a reader, you are drawn into the lives of her characters. You can feel their heartache, their happiness and their frustrations. But her talent doesn't stop there. Alice Hoffman's ability to describe surroundings, smells, tastes and textures is truly magical. The Probable Future is just one shining example oh how talented she is. The story is set in the small town of Unity, Massachussets. Unity may be slight in terms of population and shopping malls, but it's history is massive. Many of Unity's families carry with them a dark past. Their ancesters took part in the murder of a young girl. Although centuries have past since the incident, Unity is still filled with regret, loss and mystery. The Sparrow women have been an intregal part of Unity's history for hundred's of years. Each woman is given a "special gift" on her thirteenth birthday. A magical, although sometimes practical, ability is given to each young girl. Eleanor Sparrown can spot a liar. Jenny Sparrow is plagued with the dreams of others, and Stella Sparrow is able to view death before it occurs. The Sparrow women are special, although they may not enjoy their talents. This is the story of how these woman live with each other, and discover the magic of their family history. The Probable Future is a unbelievable book. You will relish in the sights and sounds of Unity and feel the emotions of each and every character as clearly as if you were a Unity resident yourself. Alice Hoffman's ability to stimulate your senses will allow you to sniff the sweet scent of lake water, touch the old oak trees and taste the culinary delights of Hull's Teahouse. When you finish you feel the history of this small town and understand why those Sparrown women are such an intregal part of it.
Rating: 
Summary: Magical Realism Lite
Review: Alice Hoffman's books have been highly recommended by friends, and after reading THE PROBABLE FUTURE I can understand the attraction of the writer's sensibility. But as a work of literature it doesn't work: it's endlessly repetitive in its descriptions (maybe an unsuccessful effort at blending the landscape with the plot), the author's character development is weak, and the plot is forced. Most important of all, THE PROBABLE FUTURE doesn't say anything new--or differently--about how we live. For successful magical realism (and for intricate links among generations of women) look up García Márquez's work.
Rating:
Summary: Back to form
Review: Alice Hoffman's PRACTICAL MAGIC is easily her most popular title, yet she hasn't written anything similar to that book in many years, much to the dismay of her many fans. Subsequent books have ranged from disturbing to unfulfilling, as she tackled such powerful themes as spousal abuse, hazing and identity change. But this book returns her to the genre that suits her best: magical realism. The wonderful book spins the tale of a family of magical women, who pass psychic gifts from generation to generation. It's up the the latest of the Sparrow women, a rebellious teenager, to trace the disturbing history of this haunted family. Meanwhile, her mother, unhappily married and attempting to turn her back on the Sparrow gifts, learns from her daughter the terrible truth of the original Sparrow "witch." It's glorious reading and done in the lush style that Hoffman wears like a kid glove. Any Hoffman fan who has been disappointed in recent years will love this book, as will newcomers to Hoffman's work.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting, yet disappointing!
Review: Although the theme was portrayed in an interesting manner, there were some inconsistencies. Some of the characters were unbelievable, particularly towards the end of the novel when Will and Jenny miraculuously correct their ways... the fact that Jenny ended up with Matt and Will with Liza was somewhat disturbing, particularly because of the impact it should have had on Stella. Othe characters were beautifully portrayed, namely Matt, Hap and Elinor. More importantly, the story behind the ex-boyfriend who killed his girlfriend in a fit of passion was strained and unbelievable. First, the ex-boyfriend knew that Stella could not identify him and second, his crime was depicted as a crime of passion. These two facts in and of themselves lead me to believe that he would not have planned the incident at the Hourglass Lake. Moreover, it seemed that the lake incident was written in an effort to tie up loose ends, namely that the author had not dealt with the event that led Jenny, Will and Stella back to Unity. Overall, the writing was beautiful and sensorial. Only at times was the it somewhat confusing. With regards to the magical realism aspect of this novel, it seemed somewhat strained and purposefully crafted but nevertheless, enjoyable.
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