Author: Sarah Addison Allen
Publisher: Bantam
Pages: 304
Cost; $15.00
How I Got it: Library
Description:
Allen's latest (after The Sugar Queen) takes the familiar setup of a young protagonist returning to the small town where her elusive mother was raised, and subverts it by sprinkling just enough magic into the narrative to keep things lively but short of saccharine. Seventeen-year-old Emily Benedict, intent on learning more about her mother, Dulcie, moves in with her grandfather, but is disappointed to find that her grandfather doesn't want to talk much about Dulcie. She soon discovers, though, that many still hold a grudge against Dulcie for the way she treated an old sweetheart before dumping him and disappearing. Luckily, Dulcie's high school adversary, Julia Winterson, back in town to pay down her deceased father's debt, takes a shine to Emily. She's working another quest as well: baking cakes every day with the hope that they'll somehow attract the daughter she gave up for adoption years ago. There are love interests, big family secrets, and magical happenings (color-changing wallpaper, mysterious lights) aplenty as Allen charts the spiraling inter-generational stories, bringing everything together in an unexpected way. (from Amazon.com description)
Allen's latest (after The Sugar Queen) takes the familiar setup of a young protagonist returning to the small town where her elusive mother was raised, and subverts it by sprinkling just enough magic into the narrative to keep things lively but short of saccharine. Seventeen-year-old Emily Benedict, intent on learning more about her mother, Dulcie, moves in with her grandfather, but is disappointed to find that her grandfather doesn't want to talk much about Dulcie. She soon discovers, though, that many still hold a grudge against Dulcie for the way she treated an old sweetheart before dumping him and disappearing. Luckily, Dulcie's high school adversary, Julia Winterson, back in town to pay down her deceased father's debt, takes a shine to Emily. She's working another quest as well: baking cakes every day with the hope that they'll somehow attract the daughter she gave up for adoption years ago. There are love interests, big family secrets, and magical happenings (color-changing wallpaper, mysterious lights) aplenty as Allen charts the spiraling inter-generational stories, bringing everything together in an unexpected way. (from Amazon.com description)
My take on the book:
What can I say about this book? Let's see, I picked it up at 11:30pm, and didn't put it down until 4:30am and I was screaming out NOOOOO!!! I didn't want it to end. I have very rarely read an author who pulls you into the world, not just shares the story but makes you feel like your there, walking the streets of the town, watching the Giant go walking by, smelling the sweet smells coming from the BBQ, meeting your friends at the local fair and having a good ol' Southern time in North Carolina (I'm a Virginia girl myself and must say when she describes the food my mouth just WATERS). *wipes drool off just remembering*.
The characters are like friends you haven't seen in a while, the story fantastical and wondrous, yet so believable, even in it's unbelievability you can just imagine wondering into town and discovering that everything she wrote about is actually true.
I got so involved in the story and couldn't wait for the characters to get out of their own way, especially Julie ohhh girl I would ... wait no spoilers, but let's just say i would have snatched her bald for her oppurtunity. I loved that the young lead Emily, came into town and helped to change it in her own little way; that her presence made each of the other characters take a good look at their lives and seek change. I really really loved her Grandpa the Giant, I could almost see him like a older (cleaner but only a little bit) version of Hagrid. yeah it's a Harry Potter reference and?? Yeah Id don't think so Lol, ok y'all knew I was crazy coming on here so don't gimme those looks, I enjoyed reading about Win and his family, this town like the other towns in her books, have so many quirky characters, and townspeople with special gifts and traits. Some of the plots in the story left you wondering and made you really think, especially abut Dulcie and her past, and how it affected her daughter's future.
I loved this book, the story, the characters, and even though I keep looking to see if maybe I was dreaming and it really didn't end that way, I even liked the ending.
I loved reading Garden Spells, I fell deeply in love with the Sugar Queen, and I must say that Sarah Addison Allen is fast becoming for a favorite must read author. I loved this book so much i almost (i said almost so don't gimme that look) didn't return it to the library * of that now means I MUST buy my own copy...heheheheh, another reason to shop Borders*
I will say that I loved this book as much as I loved Practical Magic and that i have placed in all it's witchy and everyday magic (yeah I know it's only in my mind, but my blog, my opinion) her along the likes of Alice Hoffman. yeah I said it.
Go a get this book, it will be worth it I promise!!
Be Blessed
If you loved it as much as "Practical Magic" I MUST read it!
ReplyDelete@Magaly have fun it was soo good I enjoyed all her books especially this and Garden Spells
ReplyDeleteOkay, any book that makes you scream NOOOOOO!!! has got to be good. :) I'm making a library run today, so I'll have to see if they've got it. Thanks for the review!
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