Sure it's his and not yours? To these concrete five might be added a vaguer sixth, having to do with maintaining a chemical purity in the reaction between product and appraiser.Review the book, not the reputation. If the book is judged deficient, cite a successful example along the same lines, from the author's oeuvre or elsewhere. Go easy on plot summary, and do not give away the ending. Confirm your description of the book with quotation from the book, if only phrase-long, rather than proceeding by fuzzy precis. Give him enough direct quotation-at least one extended passage-of the book's prose so the review's reader can form his own impression, can get his own taste. Try to understand what the author wished to do, and do not blame him for not achieving what he did not attempt.

And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longerġ.

Yet another round of tears, I knew Faithful would be on the short list for my top ten novels of the year. When I finished the novel, after wiping away Hoffman created an unforgettable character in My heart was breakingįor Shelby and I wanted her to find her way. Was invested in the characters and cared deeply. Shelby is especially a well-developed character. TheĬharacters are all struggling in some way, but they are realistic. Smoothly, so perfectly, that I scarcely knew time was passing. Hoffman is an extraordinary, gifted writer. Shelby's loneliness, flaws, heartbreak, missteps, and scars, but sheĪlso, carefully, captures her maturation, the importance of emotionalĬonnections, recovery, and, ultimately, hope. Of success, then you are going to relate to Shelby. If you have ever felt unworthy of love, of life, You were ever a lost teen or had a child who struggled, you're going to Slowly, we see hope for Shelby's recovery.Īdmittedly, Faithful starts out dark and seems hopeless, but, if When her dealer and only friend, Ben Mink, wants her to move to NYC with Something' or 'feel something' or 'want something.' Sends her hand drawn postcards giving her simple directives like 'say Her head, secretly cuts, and stopped living life. She's living in her parent'sīasement, smoking pot, and doing her penance for surviving. Helene's bedside, saying that she has healing

Now it's been two years since the accident. Institution where she was repeatedly raped. Suicide and spent three months in a psychiatric Suffers from survivor's guilt and overwhelming grief. Emotionally Shelby is just as woundedĪnd absent as her friend. Shelby Richmond physically survives the accident that left her bestįriend, Helene, in a vegetative state on life support, but in reality Third to a quarter of Faithful and this is one of the best books I have read this year.

Important facts right off: I sobbed like a baby for probably the last Heartbreaking novel about a young woman guilty over living.

Faithful by Alice Hoffman is a very highly recommended,

Faithful by alice hoffman summary