Probable Future, The
11 journalers for this copy...
This is the first Alice Hoffman I have read and I will certainly read more. This book kept you interested in both the story and the characters.
Offering as an international bookring. Shipping order as follows:
1. sarradee - TX prefers US - mailed 07/13/2005, arrived 07/18/2005. Finished 07/24/2005 and mailed on.
2. SCRAM33 - NC prefers US - delivery confirmation shows arrived 07/30/2005. finished 08/27/2005 and mailed on
3. Solitary1 - IL prefers US - recieved 08/06/2005, finished 09/14/2005
4. laurarn - OK will ship anywhere - received 09/19/2005
5. spiderchic - UK will ship anywhere - received 10/05/25,mailed on 10/24/2005
6. Xeyra - Portugal - received 11/02/2005
7. Virgulina - Portugal will ship anywhere - RECIEVED 11/25/2005
8. Morgaine77 - Switzerland will ship - received 01/03/2006
9. catsalive - Australia - prefers local but can ship
10. cisco - CA - added 07/18/2005 asked to be put lower
11. Fanclub - HI - will be moving. Put at end.(If Fanclub is not ready for the book to be shipped to her, PM me, (LyekkaMarengo) and I will have you ship it back to me.)
12. Back to me - LyekkaMarengo
Suebo - PA - added 08/09/2005- Not answering PM's. I told cisco to PM the next person and if Suebo turns up I'll send it out to her when I get it back.
1. sarradee - TX prefers US - mailed 07/13/2005, arrived 07/18/2005. Finished 07/24/2005 and mailed on.
2. SCRAM33 - NC prefers US - delivery confirmation shows arrived 07/30/2005. finished 08/27/2005 and mailed on
3. Solitary1 - IL prefers US - recieved 08/06/2005, finished 09/14/2005
4. laurarn - OK will ship anywhere - received 09/19/2005
5. spiderchic - UK will ship anywhere - received 10/05/25,mailed on 10/24/2005
6. Xeyra - Portugal - received 11/02/2005
7. Virgulina - Portugal will ship anywhere - RECIEVED 11/25/2005
8. Morgaine77 - Switzerland will ship - received 01/03/2006
9. catsalive - Australia - prefers local but can ship
10. cisco - CA - added 07/18/2005 asked to be put lower
11. Fanclub - HI - will be moving. Put at end.(If Fanclub is not ready for the book to be shipped to her, PM me, (LyekkaMarengo) and I will have you ship it back to me.)
12. Back to me - LyekkaMarengo
Suebo - PA - added 08/09/2005- Not answering PM's. I told cisco to PM the next person and if Suebo turns up I'll send it out to her when I get it back.
Arrived today, great timing, I'm halfway through my current book so I should be able to get to this one in no time.
This was also the first Alice Hoffman book that I'd read, and it certainly won't be the last.
Here's a plot synopsis from Amazon:
On her 13th birthday, Stella Avery receives a remarkable gift. Like her mother, grandmother, and other women in her family reaching back to the 1600s, she awakens to discover that she now has a special paranormal ability. Her mother, Jenny, dreams other people's dreams; and her grandmother, Elinor, can ferret out deceit and lies by looking into someone's eyes. When Stella foresees a woman's death and has her father warn the victim, a series of cataclysmic events ensue. Her father is charged with the woman's murder, Jenny and Stella are forced to move in with Elinor, and eventually the eerie tale of their matriarch, Rebecca Sparrow, is brought full circle. Hoffman introduces elements of magical realism, making the book reminiscent of her novel Practical Magic (Berkley, 1996). With a home environment that includes a haunted pond, roads full of toads, and snapping turtles at every bush, the setting emphasizes the women's otherworldliness. The strength of the Sparrow females allows them to face prejudice, love, accusations, threats, and death, all the while keeping their personal integrity, finding the capacity to go on, and experiencing life as good. Complexly constructed, with intertwined plots, memorable settings, and intriguing characters, this is a magnificent novel.
I completely agree with the reviewer's last sentence!
Mailing to SCRAM33 in the morning:
Delivery Confirmation
Delivery Confirmation shows delivered on July 30th.
Here's a plot synopsis from Amazon:
On her 13th birthday, Stella Avery receives a remarkable gift. Like her mother, grandmother, and other women in her family reaching back to the 1600s, she awakens to discover that she now has a special paranormal ability. Her mother, Jenny, dreams other people's dreams; and her grandmother, Elinor, can ferret out deceit and lies by looking into someone's eyes. When Stella foresees a woman's death and has her father warn the victim, a series of cataclysmic events ensue. Her father is charged with the woman's murder, Jenny and Stella are forced to move in with Elinor, and eventually the eerie tale of their matriarch, Rebecca Sparrow, is brought full circle. Hoffman introduces elements of magical realism, making the book reminiscent of her novel Practical Magic (Berkley, 1996). With a home environment that includes a haunted pond, roads full of toads, and snapping turtles at every bush, the setting emphasizes the women's otherworldliness. The strength of the Sparrow females allows them to face prejudice, love, accusations, threats, and death, all the while keeping their personal integrity, finding the capacity to go on, and experiencing life as good. Complexly constructed, with intertwined plots, memorable settings, and intriguing characters, this is a magnificent novel.
I completely agree with the reviewer's last sentence!
Mailing to SCRAM33 in the morning:
Delivery Confirmation
Delivery Confirmation shows delivered on July 30th.
Yikes! Somehow I missed journalling this when I first received it. I remember that it came in around the same time as several other bookrings (as always seems to be the case with bookrings!) and I didn't realize that I missed this one. So sorry! I did enjoy this book very much. I'm a big Alice Hoffman fan although the last few I read before this did disappoint me a bit as I felt that they were simply new versions of her older novels with new character names and places. This book definitely brought me back in to the fold! My only beef was with some of the teenager's conversations. Some of them read very much like the hormonal dramatic conversations my teenage daughter has with her friends and then some of them read like conversations of people much older than these girls. Also the concept that these kids found their "true loves" at around 15 was a little unusual. I love the mystical aspects and local folklore type of things that the author always seems to infuse into her plots. Thanks for sharing and will send this on to Solitary1 as soon as I receive an address.
Received in the mail on Tuesday, Sept. 6th. I have just started another bookring book that I'll have to finish first this week. Probable Future looks very interesting, though, so I'll get to it as quickly as possible.
I enjoyed this book. I've read other Alice Hoffman novels and I think this one must be one of her best. However, I agree with Scram33 that the 13-15 year old teenagers sometimes seemed too mature.
I am mailing today to laurarn in OK.
I am mailing today to laurarn in OK.
Recieved today as part of a ring. I will start reading it tonight and update journal entry after I'm done.
This had "delivery confirmation" on the envelope, but it was delivered to a neighbors house, (they were nice enough to bring it over). ??how much help is delivery confirmation?? (If you don't have nice neighbors, lucky I do, can't see that it would be much help.)
Thanks for sending it to me!!
laura
This had "delivery confirmation" on the envelope, but it was delivered to a neighbors house, (they were nice enough to bring it over). ??how much help is delivery confirmation?? (If you don't have nice neighbors, lucky I do, can't see that it would be much help.)
Thanks for sending it to me!!
laura
I really enjoyed this book. Thanks for starting the ring! The characters are people struggling with their place in their family history, and the history of their small town. How all the families intertwine, and the actions of one effect the others over genrations. This is a story of repayment of old moral debts, and redemtion.
I have PM the next person on the ring for the address, and will mail monday if I hear from them.
I have PM the next person on the ring for the address, and will mail monday if I hear from them.
Journal Entry 10 by amoenus at Fellow Bookcrosser in -- Mail, by hand, rings, RABCks etc, Texas USA on Monday, September 26, 2005
Released 18 yrs ago (9/26/2005 UTC) at Fellow Bookcrosser in -- Mail, by hand, rings, RABCks etc, Texas USA
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
I am mailing to next person on the ring, spiderchic today.
I am mailing to next person on the ring, spiderchic today.
Journal Entry 11 by spiderchic from Droylsden, Greater Manchester United Kingdom on Wednesday, October 5, 2005
Received today, I have one book to read before it but this is definitely next on my list. Thanks
Journal Entry 12 by spiderchic from Droylsden, Greater Manchester United Kingdom on Monday, October 24, 2005
I read this book over the weekend and really enjoyed it. Thank you so much for sharing. Shall PM Xeyra for their address.
Thanks
Thanks
Journal Entry 13 by spiderchic from Droylsden, Greater Manchester United Kingdom on Monday, October 24, 2005
Sent to Xeyra today - enjoy!
It has arrived. I'm looking forward to reading this one. I started it while I was waiting at the pharmacy (I have a damned cold right now) but since I am busy with three other books at the moment, I'm going to wait until I finish at least one of them (2-3 days max.) before resuming this one. Thank you for the bookring, Lyekka. This will be my first Alice Hoffman book. And thank you, spiderchic, for sending it my way.
This was the first Alice Hoffman book I have ever read, and I was very pleasantly surprised by how good a read it was; perhaps I shouldn't have, with so many great recommendations from others and the high praise given to this particular book. It's a really beautiful story about family and second chances, with that touch of magic and mystery that seems to be ever present in Hoffman's books.
It was so very interesting to see how tightly the history of the Sparrow family was intertwined with the history of the town of Unity... and Rebecca's story ended up proving very tragic, when we finally learn what happened to her. It's a human drama with a special touch, of magic or maybe of destiny, and filled with memorable characters. I will definitely be reading more of this author... I already have another book of hers to read soon.
Virgulina is on vacation until the 14th of this month, so I should only be able to pass this book to her after that date.
Edit: I'm going to be mailing this tomorrow to Virgulina. I won't be able to meet her in person in the next few weeks, so I thought I'd rather mail it to her instead. (November 17)
It was so very interesting to see how tightly the history of the Sparrow family was intertwined with the history of the town of Unity... and Rebecca's story ended up proving very tragic, when we finally learn what happened to her. It's a human drama with a special touch, of magic or maybe of destiny, and filled with memorable characters. I will definitely be reading more of this author... I already have another book of hers to read soon.
Virgulina is on vacation until the 14th of this month, so I should only be able to pass this book to her after that date.
Edit: I'm going to be mailing this tomorrow to Virgulina. I won't be able to meet her in person in the next few weeks, so I thought I'd rather mail it to her instead. (November 17)
I received this on November 22nd but I was away this week, so I'm only journaling it now. I promise not to take too long with it! :o)
Up until now I wasn't really sure I liked Alice Hoffman's books, I recently read The River King and The Ice Queen and they both left me with dubious feelings, I didn't hate her writing but I didn't particularly love it either. Now this one was a surprise, it's such an engaging story that I couldn't let go of the book till it was finished. If she had written another 200 pages I'm sure I'd still be reading with interest, as the Sparrow women were so fascinating, I wanted to know more about each and every one of them, not just Rebecca Sparrow.This is mostly a story about family, about setting things right, about learning to trust and love one another and especially about growing up sooner or later in life. If there are more books like this by this author I'll certainly want to read them! Thanks for the Bookring, LyekkaMarengo! :o)
Arrived safely today. Thanks! :-) Will start reading it soon.
Journal Entry 19 by Morgaine77 from Münchenstein, Baselland Switzerland on Tuesday, January 10, 2006
I'm only halfway through the book but just HAVE to journal inbetween to share my thoughts!
Fiction imitates life, Life imitates fiction. The paralells in this book to my family are scary. (I'm not talking about the gifts and magical stuff, mind you! ;-)) Want a few examples?
- My mothers birthday is March 20, same as Stella Sparrows
- My mother ran off with a guy that was no good for her, like Jenny Sparrow
- My grandmas favourite flowers were blue roses, same as Elinor Sparrows
- The relationship between my mother and myself is rather cool, like Stellas and Jennys.
- The relationship to my grandma was the opposite, like Stella and Elinor.
Unfortunately I also found a parallel to Will Avery... He didn't visit his dying mother in the end. The day before my beloved grandma died I wanted to visit her. Something came up - I don't even remember what it was! - and I called her and told her I'd come the next day. The next day she died.
The book reminded me to not put off things and spend as much time as possible with your loved ones. Life's simply too short.
Maybe I'm imagining things and interpreting too much into this book. But maybe this book had to find its way to me to remind me of things.
Just wanted to share my thoughts, will write more once I finish the book.
Fiction imitates life, Life imitates fiction. The paralells in this book to my family are scary. (I'm not talking about the gifts and magical stuff, mind you! ;-)) Want a few examples?
- My mothers birthday is March 20, same as Stella Sparrows
- My mother ran off with a guy that was no good for her, like Jenny Sparrow
- My grandmas favourite flowers were blue roses, same as Elinor Sparrows
- The relationship between my mother and myself is rather cool, like Stellas and Jennys.
- The relationship to my grandma was the opposite, like Stella and Elinor.
Unfortunately I also found a parallel to Will Avery... He didn't visit his dying mother in the end. The day before my beloved grandma died I wanted to visit her. Something came up - I don't even remember what it was! - and I called her and told her I'd come the next day. The next day she died.
The book reminded me to not put off things and spend as much time as possible with your loved ones. Life's simply too short.
Maybe I'm imagining things and interpreting too much into this book. But maybe this book had to find its way to me to remind me of things.
Just wanted to share my thoughts, will write more once I finish the book.
What a wonderful book! I cried my eyes out while reading it, but then I have "built close to the water" as we say here. ;-) A beautiful story about life, love and trust and fascinating characters. The setting was described so vivid that I actually want to move to a town like Unity right now. ;-)
This book touched and moved me more than I could possible describe. And yes, I do realize it's just a novel... ;-)
I'm trying to ship it off to the next participant in the ring next week.
This book touched and moved me more than I could possible describe. And yes, I do realize it's just a novel... ;-)
I'm trying to ship it off to the next participant in the ring next week.
Journal Entry 21 by Morgaine77 at BookRing in ☑ 'Controlled Release' > Country > Province > City, .---controlled release---. Switzerland on Thursday, January 19, 2006
Released 18 yrs ago (1/19/2006 UTC) at BookRing in ☑ 'Controlled Release' > Country > Province > City, .---controlled release---. Switzerland
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Mailed off by surface mail to catsalive in Australia. Enjoy!
Mailed off by surface mail to catsalive in Australia. Enjoy!
Journal Entry 22 by 
catsalive
from Rooty Hill, New South Wales Australia on Monday, February 27, 2006
catsalive from Rooty Hill, New South Wales Australia on Monday, February 27, 2006
Book received. Thanks, Morgaine77. I'll get some tissues in before I read it.
Journal Entry 23 by catsalive from Rooty Hill, New South Wales Australia on Saturday, March 11, 2006
catsalive from Rooty Hill, New South Wales Australia on Saturday, March 11, 2006
A very nice book. The Sparrow women are wonderful characters. I do think Stella will have to learn to be nicer if she's going to be able to really help people. I thought her particularly nasty to consider destroying Matt's thesis, & being so harsh about poor, old Spooner - Dr Stewart was devastated by his death.
Very enjoyable, thanks LyekkaMarengo. I'll post this to cisco on Monday. Posted 13/3/6.
Very enjoyable, thanks LyekkaMarengo. I'll post this to cisco on Monday. Posted 13/3/6.
Just received this one. Will begin reading soon! Thanks.
Finally able to begin today, July 8. Hope to finish this week and then send it on!
Finally able to begin today, July 8. Hope to finish this week and then send it on!
Really enjoyed this book - the first time I've read anything by this author. I enjoyed the varied characters, descriptions of types of rain, scents, supernatural gifts with their attendant burdens, etc.
Can't wait to read more from Alice Hoffman.
Next to Suebo, as soon as I get her mailing info.
Can't wait to read more from Alice Hoffman.
Next to Suebo, as soon as I get her mailing info.
My second bookring that arrived back safe and sound. Thanks to all who participated. I'm going to see if my sister (70cuda) wants to read this and then if there is any interest will send it back out into the world. Otherwise I'll probably put it out at my OBCZ in Stone Soup or RABCK it off to someone.
Just got this back from my sister. I'm going to put this out on the bookshelf at work. It may still be available, just PM and I'll check.
Offering to Audrey at the House of Care in State College, PA to do with as she sees fit.
