Here on Earth (Oprah's Book Club) by Alice Hoffman Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Here on Earth (Oprah's Book Club)
Book Review: A study in the hypnotic power of obsessive love
Summary: 4 Stars
It's hard to find any heroic figures in this dark romance. Everyone's been hurt, most have hurt others, all find sound judgment a rare commodity. The closest are the most unlikely, a cowardly drunk who helps to save an old racehorse, his niece whose rebellious ways are shed n favor of developing a clear but sad perspective on things like family, responsibility, and love. One central character is controlling and cruel to the core, another nearly loses her hold on reality by yielding to the seductive power of an old, ill-advised, once lost love. The detachment of her scientist husband is painful, and equally so the judgmental meddling of her closest friend.
There are good, kind, and stable folks in the story as well, but even they seem to be troubled by ghosts from the past. A fascinating tale of the damage done by obsessive love, marking everyone within range, with only glimmers of redemption to come.
Book Review: like watching paint dry
Summary: 1 Stars
Is it just me? I am an avid reader, I know enough to give a book a really good shot before I flip it closed and say,"I cant take it anymore" Im sorry, this book is in my opinion one of the worst books I have ever "attempted" to read. There is no "draw" nothing that keeps you interested, nothing to bring you back to the book to see what happens next. This book is painfully slow, it drolls on and on about nothing. The relationships are sketchy, the charachters are bland and the reference to animal abuse is offensive. I just dont get it. I think this is one of the worst books I have ever read.Book Review: Spellbinding
Summary: 5 Stars
I have read very few books, if any, that have characters as complicated as Hoffman's in "Here on Earth." They are many-layered and unravel throughout the story like an onion's skin peels off. How I felt about the characters March and Hollis in the beginning of the story was quite different than how I viewed them at the end. It is not often that this happens, in my opinion. I could not put the book down, and when I did, it was unwillingly. I highly recommend it! You may think differently about domestic abuse after you read it. This book helps you to see how a woman can become enmeshed in a violent and unhealthy relationship, without quite realizing it. Book Review: Similar to WH but...
Summary: 2 Stars
This book has many of the themes in WH, the obsession, the secondary love story, the familial tie that is hinted at in WH, etc...But Heathcliff of WH while horrible in the second half of the book to most of the females he is involved with- Would never have hit Catherine- cheated on her ( I know, I know, what about Isabella?) this is different in this book. If fact Heathcliff declares how much he loves Catherine by saying, that he would relish killing Linton and Hindly but b/c Catherine loves them, he will not-
The supposed obsessive love in this book is not love at all- it is more along the lines of a true sociopath that is prone to domestic violence. I think in his own twisted sense he felt like he loved March, but NOT LIKE HEATHCLIFF LOVED CATHERINE. So- these two are similar, but if you want quality- stick w/ WH.
Book Review: Different
Summary: 4 Stars
Hoffman's book is a great introduction to her writing style.
I enjoyed this book more than I originally thought.
The story takes a twist, which I did enjoy.