In the river king, ghosts appear in photographs and people are knocked out by an overwhelming smell of roses though the weather was dismal and no flowers bloomed. The principal describes gus as a loner, often depressed. Hoffman, a gifted writer whos been treading water lately local girls, 1997, etc. Ive really gotten into reading alice hoffman lately. He appreciated everything about carlin and lived for the hour when they left their books and sneaked off to the graveyard. People tend to stay in their place in the town of haddan. But when a body is found in the river behind the school, a local policeman will walk into this enclosed world and upset it entirely. Hoffman, alice the river king 1st edition 1st printing hardcover new york g. From the bestselling author of the dovekeepers, the river king confirms alice hoffman as one of our quirkiest and most interesting novelists jane smiley, usa today. Alice hoffmans novels include property of, the drowning season, angel landing, white horses, fortunes daughter, illumination night, at risk, seventh heaven, turtle moon, second nature, practical magic, here on earth and local girls. For those who saw the movie the river king, as with pratical magic, you do not known the books.
The river king by alice hoffman book club discussion. Buy a cheap copy of the river king book by alice hoffman. Main street itself had become a river, with waters more than six feet deep. The river king, hoffmans 14th novel, takes place in fictional. Alice hoffman, signed abebooks shop for books, art. Hoffman tells the story of a small town in massachusetts. Rich characters and a flow to the stories that carry you along for the ride. Alice hoffmans cop hero becomes entangled with someone elses fiancee and a ghost.
Her books are rather easy reading, but are well and intelligently written. The river king is a story that indulges in the romantic nature of every readers soul and the neatly plotted storylines that make hoffmans characters reflect so much of ourselves in them. Alice hoffman always writes special booksand shes done it again. This isnt the real world, its the world of alice hoffman, whose novels sparkle with. I enjoy the fact that her stories are never simply a love story. Since 1858, the haddan school has educated the children of the wealthy, who barely notice the village residents. Still, even in the river king it works more often than not.
A compelling, daring and spellbinding novel from a master storyteller. Apr 28, 2017 i felt correctly so that the river king would be a great choice for a sunday afternoon. Many of her works fall into the genre of magic realism and contain elements of magic, irony, and nonstandard romances and relationships. The river king alice hoffman read online free books. River king by alice hoffman 9780425179673 booktopia. Hoffman writes like a dream, and sometimes that dreamlike quality lifts the reader through some very surreal passages that make her books stand out brilliantly against what seems many times like the drab backdrop of much of contemporary fiction. Mar 12, 2020 alice hoffman, american novelist whose books about women in search of their identities mix realism and the supernatural. Not even the crow nesting in the elm tree could dissuade him from his mission, for when he was beside carlin, gus acquired a strange optimism. Its not that shes predictable, but there are certain. The river king is a fine return for alice hoffman to the novel. Putnam and sons 2000 very good in a very good dust jacket.
The river king and millions of other books are available for instant access. Jan 25, 2005 listen to river king audiobook by alice hoffman. There are two things any reader can count on when coming to alice hoffman. Her notable novels included practical magic 1995, the dovekeepers 2011, and the world that we knew 2019. Used very good, usually ships in 12 business days, river king by alice hoffman, putnam books, hard cover, dust jacket, 2000, 324 pages, good story, very good condition. Alice hoffman may be the most uneven writer in america. Alice hoffman is the author of more than thirty works of fiction, including the world that we knew, the rules of magic, practical magic, the marriage of opposites, the red garden, the oprahs book club selection here on earth, the museum. With the river king there was one scene in particular that quite literally took my breath away. The river king establishes an atmosphere through hoffmans fine detail of the mass. She has a wonderful way of bring stories to life with just the right touch of supernatural. Alice hoffman the river king 1st edition 1st printing hardcover new york g.
Alice hoffman is the bestselling author of acclaimed novels, including here on earth an oprah book club selection, practical magic a. Red garden, the oprahs book club selection here on earth, the museum of extraordinary things, and the dovekeepers. Set in and around an exclusive private school in fictional haddan, mass. Alice hoffman, quote from the river king there was the blue sky above her and all those many roses, the ones that gave off the scent of cloves in the rain and the ones that left a trace of lemon on your fingers, the ones that were the color of blood, and those that were as white as clouds. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. Her treatment of the loss of innocence is chilling. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. Author interview alice hoffman, author of the river king.
But thats the thing about alice hoffmans writing its full of sudden character turns and miraculous occurrences and magical realism. To truly experience alice hoffmans work, you need the ability to suspend all rational thought for a bit. Like much of hoffmans work, it includes magical realism, twisted family secrets, small town collisions, and falling in love. There is always a little otherworldness in her books. Alice hoffman, american novelist whose books about women in search of their identities mix realism and the supernatural. Alice hoffman is the author of more than thirty works of fiction, including the world that we knew, the rules of magic, practical magic, the marriage of opposites, the red garden, the oprahs book club selection here on earth, the museum of extraordinary things, and the dovekeepers. Alice hoffman audio books, best sellers, author bio. I very much enjoy hoffmans work, but hadnt read any of it for quite some time before picking this tome up. The river king, hoffmans 14th novel, takes place in fictional haddan, mass.
Hoffmans tales are conjured with both a writers voice and a magicians wand. Alice hoffman books list of books by author alice hoffman. You always know when youre in alice hoffman territory. The river king is an achingly human novel, with elements of hoffmans trademark magical realism. I dont want to sneak in any spoilers, because the suspense is wonderful. A trip through her enormous body of work for adults and young people is a jarring ride, from the loveliness of illumination night. This isnt the real world, its the world of alice hoffman, whose novels sparkle with enchantment. Order of alice hoffman books alice hoffman is an american author of fantasy, magic realism and historical fiction novels for adults, young adults and children. Here on earth latest novel flows as swiftly and limpidly as the haddan river, the towns mystical waterway.
The river king 1st edition 1st printing softcover new york penguin putnam, incorporated 2000 uncorrected proof very good in wrappers. A new york times and national bestseller an independent feature film. Alice hoffman is, was, and always will be, a beautiful writer. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. Sometimes it works as all the best fairytale stories do, and sometimes it just seems too good to be true. Books by alice hoffman authors like alice hoffman what. She then interrelates two different plots that hold your attention through there. For more than a century, the small town of haddan, massachusetts, has been divided, as if by a line drawn down the centre of main street, separating those born and bred in the village from those who attend the prestigious haddan school. The river king by alice hoffman penguin books australia. The long chapters have been well paced, and the entirety is filled with telling details and small cruelties perpetrated by several secondary characters. The river king by alice hoffman theliterarysisters. The river king quotes showing 123 of 23 outside, the september air was enticingly fragrant, yellow with pollen and rich, lemony sunlight. Alice hoffman born march 16, 1952 is an american novelist and youngadult and childrens writer, best known for her 1995 novel practical magic, which was adapted for a 1998 film of the same name. It can be hard to find an example of good oldfashioned storytelling these days, but storytelling, refreshingly, is alice hoffmans strengththe river king is full of wonderfully and satisfyingly odd twists and turns.
The students at the prestigious prep school dont mix with locals. I have read almost all of her books and was excited to listen to this older book by her. Two young boys discover the body of gus pierce, a seventeenyearold student at the prestigious haddan school, in a frozen river. Many of her books ranging from childrens books to young adults fiction have received numerous literary accolades and have been turned into films. The river king is a 2000 novel by american author alice hoffman, known for writing books about women in search of their identities that mix realism with the supernatural. The river king alice hoffman, laural merlington on.
She has placed a magical and tragic story into a small new england town. The film is based the novel the river king by alice hoffman. A story of surface appearances and the truths submerged below, the river king confirms alice hoffman as one of our quirkiest and most interesting novelists jane smiley, usa today. Alice hoffman seems to know what it means to be a human being. The book tells the story of a small massachusetts town shrouded in mystery after a student drowns in the local river. Susan issacs, newsday books by alice hoffman property of the drowning season angel landing white horses fortunes daughter illumination night at risk seventh heaven turtle moon second nature practical magic here on earth local girls the river king blue diary for. Alice hoffman is one of the mostloved writers of the century, with over 30 titles delighting readers of all ages across the globe. Like most of her books, it takes place in massachusetts. From the bestselling author of the dovekeepers, the river king con. Local policemen abel grey and his partner retrieve the body and begin investigating at the school. The river king, alice hoffman indiana state library. The river king is proof that alice hoffman just gets better and better london times alice hoffman is simply brilliant daily mail the language rewards, as the story engrosses independent shrewd, intelligent, kindly and humane irish times. Hoffman, alice the river king 1st edition 1st printing ebay.
Hoffmans juicy characterizations, coupled with her lyrical exposition of mood and milieu, make the river king an engrossing read. Would you try another book from alice hoffman andor laural merlington. Alice hoffman the river king 1st edition 1st printing ebay. Her affinity for nature and the natural order is magical. As ever, hoffman mixes myth, magic, and reality, addressing issues of town and gown, enchanting her readers with a manylayered morality tale and proving herself once again an inventive author with a distinctive touch. The river king by hoffman, alice and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. If you want fast paced action or high drama, read james rollins or dan brown.
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