Rating: 
Summary: A Great Read
Review: I expected this to be more of a family drama. I liked the murder/mystery twist. Again, Alice gives us complex characters to follow. Her spare prose enabled the plot to keep moving. This is a good book.
Rating: 
Summary: To be honest? A sappy, amateurish novel.
Review: I found this to be an immature and unbelievable novel, young and girly. I couldn't believe in the characters or in the storyline, and I can't imagine trying another Hoffman novel after this flop. I don't mean to offend anyone here, but I think this story is best suited for people who enjoy the "romance" genre. There's nothing at all wrong with that, but I expected something different and something more literary.
Rating:
Summary: To be honest? A sappy, amateurish novel.
Review: I found this to be an immature and unbelievable novel, young and girly. I couldn't believe in the characters or in the storyline, and I can't imagine trying another Hoffman novel after this flop. I don't mean to offend anyone here, but I think this story is best suited for people who enjoy the "romance" genre. There's nothing at all wrong with that, but I expected something different and something more literary.
Rating:
Summary: Sorry Alice, didn't like this one much at all. .. .
Review: I kept expecting the book to get better, but it never achieved what started out as an adult fairy tale with spiritual significance and mystical influence. There were only a couple of time that I felt sincerely moved by a passage in the book. Its a good thing I read Here On Earh, and At Risk before Turtle Moon or I may never have given Hoffman any more of my reading time. This is a good childrens's book (teens); however its mentally and emotionally lacking for the mature reader.
Rating: 
Summary: One of my favorite books!
Review: I read Hoffman's HERE ON EARTH and was so moved by it. I felt it was a story that could happen to anyone. Next, I read THE RIVER KING and was soooo disappointed. But I didn't give up. TURTLE MOON does not have one extra word! The writing was concise and superb. I hate excessive description and love that Hoffman is smart enough to let us use our imagainations to build scenery and decide how the characters will look. I was riveted and read it in only two days. I categorize it as a "comfortable" book--it is easy to get into, there's not a ton of exposition and the characters are interesting. I found myself constantly wondering what could possibly happen next. The perfect novel. I will definitely try Hoffman again.
Rating:
Summary: Terrific
Review: I was "forced" to read this for a summer school reading and at first i took no appeal to it though after a few pages I found that this book would be the Best book I have read in a long time! Her discription of charecters, places, events brought you into the story.. I had Just finished it last night Aug. 29, 1998 and nothing could catch my attention my mind was and still is hooked on this wonderfull book. Im not sure it's the story or the writer but you can bet that i'm finding another of Hoffmans! I very much recomend this book! Thank you for listening
Rating:
Summary: Alice Hoffman, a sure thing
Review: I was looking for something that I knew I could pick up and get right into. I found it in "Turtle Moon" It's one of Ms Hoffman's earlier works and I like it as much as "Here on Earth"
And better than "Blue Diary"...Worth the time.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointment
Review: I'd read so many good things about Alice Hoffman in the reviews here and that this book was "one of her best." I was terribly disappointed. From the start, the introduction of the characters was overwhelming. I got the point that there were many divorced moms flocking to Verity but then - wham - I was slammed with detail after detail of several different women who, after three or four of them, I lost count - and interest - of who was who. Following chapters started out with "she" and I had to read on and refer back to previous chapters to figure out who the character was supposed to be. Don't misinterpret this to mean I don't enjoy lots of characters; simply the women start off so similarly that it was distracting to keep track when the new chapter doesn't give you clue as to who is now in the spotlight.
I did not find the characters all that interesting or realistic. I just didn't find much depth to them. The final straw for me came when the "Angel" got his own chapters. Maybe some people find the fantasy angle enchanting, but I thought it was just plain hokey. Also, the love scenes between Lucy and Julian seemed out of place and repetitive.
Overall I am allowing one extra star to my review as credit because my expectations were so high. If I had just picked the book up knowing nothing and having read no reviews perhaps I would not have such disappointment. I love Jodi Picoult's novels and Ms. Picoult raves about Hoffman, which is the reason I investigated the reviews in the first place. I just did not find this book as spectacular or interesting as other readers have.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointment
Review: I'd read so many good things about Alice Hoffman in the reviews here and that this book was "one of her best." I was terribly disappointed. From the start, the introduction of the characters was overwhelming. I got the point that there were many divorced moms flocking to Verity but then - wham - I was slammed with detail after detail of several different women who, after three or four of them, I lost count - and interest - of who was who. Following chapters started out with "she" and I had to read on and refer back to previous chapters to figure out who the character was supposed to be. Don't misinterpret this to mean I don't enjoy lots of characters; simply the women start off so similarly that it was distracting to keep track when the new chapter doesn't give you clue as to who is now in the spotlight.
I did not find the characters all that interesting or realistic. I just didn't find much depth to them. The final straw for me came when the "Angel" got his own chapters. Maybe some people find the fantasy angle enchanting, but I thought it was just plain hokey. Also, the love scenes between Lucy and Julian seemed out of place and repetitive.
Overall I am allowing one extra star to my review as credit because my expectations were so high. If I had just picked the book up knowing nothing and having read no reviews perhaps I would not have such disappointment. I love Jodi Picoult's novels and Ms. Picoult raves about Hoffman, which is the reason I investigated the reviews in the first place. I just did not find this book as spectacular or interesting as other readers have.
Rating:
Summary: Alice Hoffman's best
Review: I've read a number of Alice Hoffman's novels. Not all of them were great, but this book is phenominal. The story deals with hurt people; people damaged by their own actions trying to somehow live their lives without doing any more damage. So what do they do? They isolate themselves emotionally. The mystery at the center of the plot isn't all that baffling. The best part of this book is the way Hoffman gives us tiny glimpses into the characters' souls. I read this book over the course of two winter days, but I could feel the heat and humidity of Verity as well as the desperate desire, fear, and determination of the two main characters.
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