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Don Juan in Hankey, PA

by Gale Martin (Goodreads Author)

3.67 of 5 stars 3.67 · rating details · 87 ratings · 36 reviews

Peek beneath the surface of an extraordinary small-town opera company, and get to know a fabulous cast of characters: determined flirts, a lusty singing gaucho, ingenious manipulators, a bipolar ketchup heiress, devious lovers, and some very determined ghosts. Delve into high society in Hankey, PA-a world of simmering seductions, convoluted mysteries and entertaining intri...more

Paperback, 308 pages

Published November 21st 2011 by Booktrope (first published November 11th 2011)

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Feb 08, 2012 Evelyne Topfer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Don Juan in Hankey, PA, delivers everything the Book cover advertises:
Seduction, Ghosts, Humor, Romance, Madness, Music. I don't know a thing about opera (and as a reader you don't have to) and thoroughly enjoyed this page-turner. With a great opening, Martin immerses the reader quickly in to the scenes. You will be captivated from beginning to end.
I love all the characters, Carter Knowblauch alias Knobby as my favorite. Her absolutely brilliant metaphors and easy writing style will make you lau...more

4 likes · like · see review

Mar 27, 2012 Kirk Ort added it · review of another edition

My daughter gave me a copy of DON JUAN IN HANKEY PA. for my birthday. My first reaction was: Opera? You gotta be kidding. But since it was a gift, I determined to read it, or at least try. I was pleasantly surprised from the first page. Instead of the screeching divas I imagined, this story is about ordinary people in a unique situation. The main characters are four members of the Hankey Opera Guild. It is the task of the guild to stage an opera each year and woo potential patrons. The guild cha...more

2 likes · like · see review

Feb 24, 2012 Betty rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle

A socialite, a retired dermatologist, a hometown opera singer, a balloon entrepreneur who talks to dead people, and a bipolar ketchup heiress had lofty dreams of turning their local opera house into Lincoln Center on the Schuylkill River.

But the reality is that the Hankey Opera Company stands on the brink of financial ruin. They think mounting an ambitious production of Mozart's 'Don Giovanni,' a popular opera about history's most legendary womanizer, will solve their problems. It turns out to b...more

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Dec 20, 2011 Kirsty Stanley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-as-e-book

First off the bat I'd like to give a couple of provisos to this review. I was using a review copy so I'm not sure what changes if any there have been to the final proof. Also I'm not sure this is my normal genre of choice which has mainly currently been Young Adult dystopian or fantasy.
That said I really enjoyed Gale Martin's debut novel and here are the reasons why.
Gale is an excellent graduate of the show not tell school of writing.
She uses a switching point of view masterfully without maki...more First off the bat I'd like to give a couple of provisos to this review. I was using a review copy so I'm not sure what changes if any there have been to the final proof. Also I'm not sure this is my normal genre of choice which has mainly currently been Young Adult dystopian or fantasy.
That said I really enjoyed Gale Martin's debut novel and here are the reasons why.
Gale is an excellent graduate of the show not tell school of writing.
She uses a switching point of view masterfully without making the reader dizzy.
Her characters are all unique and three dimensional and you care about the success of their venture. (I had the pleasure of interviewing Gale and her main character Deanna on my blog. When I started reading the book Deanna didn't jump out as the only character of interest with the others used as plot devices and this is a huge credit to the story).
Gale's personal love of opera creeps into the novel in the setting and plot but this is secondary to the story of the people in the opera world so you don't have to know anything about opera to enjoy it (I certainly don't).
There are some fantastic moments of comedy, usually involving ghosts. I adored the seance scene.
So after all of that praise why only 4 and not 5 stars.
As I said as a proviso this is not my usual genre. If anything it's too happy and farcical (but it doesn't profess to be a serious book).
When interviewing Gale I asked her about the short summaries at the start of each chapter. I had guessed correctly that these were an operatic device (from the written libretto) and therefore a nod to opera. For some reason this was a real sticking point for me reading this as a piece of fiction. I felt they took me out of the story and told me what was happening. As I said earlier Gale is a master at showing and I think where additional information was given in these summaries they would have been more effective in the main narrative. This is a completely personal preference and I've seen a number of reviews that liked this aspect.
I also wanted one character to get a starring part on opening night - but this is just me being selfish and I enjoyed the actual scene.
All in all I would be happy to read it again and I think it would be great translated into film. It's also got me intrigued enough to try and see an opera in 2012. I look forward to reading more from Gale. (less)

2 likes · like · see review

May 14, 2012 Holly Bush rated it 5 of 5 stars

Don Juan in Hankey PA has mystery, humor and romance all set in the world of small town opera. I knew little about opera but that didn't matter. Martin showed me enough to keep me interested and not so much that I felt weighted down by details.

The story focuses on the personalities (dead & alive) of the characters that are all inter-connected as small towns often are. And that's where this book really shines! Great characters, interesting setting and terrific dialogue. Give us another, Gale!

1 like · like · see review

Apr 08, 2012 Melinda Le Baron rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: different-but-good

This book focuses on the opera guild of Hankey, Pa who is putting on a production of Don Giovanni in the spring. The guild is quite a cast of characters and their adventures are priceless. The cast of the opera adds to this light hearted romp and there are many surprises. The story is very much like real life where everyone does things for strangely self important reasons which befuddled and screwed up friends and family. Some parts of this book were simply hilarious in a comically, blundering k...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 29, 2012 Dale R. Wilsey Jr. rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, literature, 2-star

At January's Prose in Pubs, Gale Martin read from her recently published book Don Juan in Hankey, PA. That night, she elicited boisterous laughter and applause from her all-too hysterical characterization of Leandro Vasquez, the chauvinistic gaucho-turned-opera-star and hope of the floundering Hankey opera house.

As Martin read, I was rolling with every instance of humor and wit. It was unfortunate, then, when the book did not live up to my expectations.

There is a great story within Don Juan and...more At January's Prose in Pubs, Gale Martin read from her recently published book Don Juan in Hankey, PA. That night, she elicited boisterous laughter and applause from her all-too hysterical characterization of Leandro Vasquez, the chauvinistic gaucho-turned-opera-star and hope of the floundering Hankey opera house.

As Martin read, I was rolling with every instance of humor and wit. It was unfortunate, then, when the book did not live up to my expectations.

There is a great story within Don Juan and some incredibly interesting characters, but the problems I encountered with the book detracted so much from the good that I found it hard to read at points and, at other times, slow and plodding.

What I believe suffers Don Juan the most is premature publishing. It seems that very little time was spent revising and editing the manuscript to tighten it up. Just when the flow of the story becomes comfortable and you settle into the world of Hankey and its opera house misfits, the writing becomes profuse. Martin has a tendency, throughout the book, to over-explain for the reader. A small example:

"He's a major talent," Oriane said brightly, like a piccolo introducing a lively motif to advance the drama at a faster pace." (p.72)

Describing Oriane's voice by comparing it to the piccolo could have been beautiful. A perfect image of the small, chirping voice I had already imagined the character to posses. Instead, the image is smudged with direct instructions of what a piccolo does. This is the type of writing which constantly pulled me from the pages and the world of Hankey. I kept asking myself, "Why did she tell me this?"

For me, the overwriting outweighed my enjoyment of the book. It had me skimming at times, something I've rarely done. There were also a few discrepencies in the story line which confused me, prompting a reread of certain areas to see if I had, initially, read them wrong. Again, it is simply due to the fact that things were not tightened up prior to publishing and this, for me, significantly tarnished the novel for me.

It's not that I experienced no enjoyment while reading Don Juan. On the contrary. If you clean away the loose passages and overwriting, you're left with a good story which lends wit and whimsy to the world of opera, a form of art and expression more often associated with stuffy, upperclass blue-hairs. Martin's characters are all interesting in their own regard and you get quite a sense of who they are without the extra explanations throughout.

Simply put, I wanted to really enjoy Don Juan. I wanted to laugh through the entire book. I thought I would be following Martin's reading at Prose in Pubs. But it just fell short. And disappointingly so.

There are laughs. There are great passages throughout the book and the premise of the story is a great one (though I could do without the ghost angle) and, for that, I congratulate Gale Martin. Hindsight is 20/20 and suggesting to tighten up the manuscript is a bit of a moot point now, but it's what I wish Martin had done.

Maybe I should simply place a significant burden of blame on Toddie Downs's editing, or lack there of. Here's to hoping that Ms. Martin will find an alternate editor for her planned follow up to Don Juan, Ms. Manon in Hankey, PA.(less)

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May 17, 2012 Ellen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The characters are fun, the plot eventful, and happy endings abound. The best part of this novel, though, is that someone completely unfamiliar with opera (like me) walks away having learned quite a bit. While there's no one main character in the story - it follows a group of people, the Hankey Opera Board of Directors - you might say that opera is the main character. It is skillfully woven into the plot until it becomes a character itself. References are made throughout the story to various ope...more

1 like · like · see review

May 15, 2012 Jack Grebinger rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Adults 18 to 110

Recommended to Jack by: pagoda Writers

This is a great read in the tradition of Patrick Dennis; fun on every page. It is as good as Auntie Mame, Genius and Joyous Season. It is better than Little Me. There are many zany characters, all flawed, but still loveable. It was fun to have a ketchup heiress in the story with the same maiden name as my grandmother. Grandma was a grist miller's heiress.

Gale Martin teaches us interesting lessons about the world of opera that we never wanted and makes us quite happy that we learned them.

It woul...more

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Jun 18, 2012 Marleen rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Deducing from publisher’s and other readers’ reviews I was expecting a wonderful original and extremely funny story. I’m afraid to say I found this book rather average with a storyline too grotesque and too simple to be captivating. I thought the characters (except Richard and Viviane) were annoying and clearly missing authenticity to be endearing - in my humble opinion.

I always seek out books that offer humor and I absolutely adore quirky characters, but this story about an Opera production (w...more

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Apr 26, 2012 Holly Weiss rated it 4 of 5 stars

A dying theater in a declining town mounts an opera production to stay afloat. Don Juan in Hankey, PA is a colorful backstage adventure with a hilarious cast of characters. Something calamitous happens when the leading man (Don Juan/Don Giovanni) pulls out of his contract. With many complications, the opera guild recovers and mounts their production.

The book cover promises much and the book delivers. It is a wonderful mosaic of lust, jealousy, laughs, hifalutin egos, outrageous events and wounde...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 06, 2012 Marilou George rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Hankey Opera Guild offers us a back stage view of the challenges of putting together an Opera.This does not mean that you have to be an avid opera enthusiast to enjoy this book, quite the contrary.

This story branches off in many directions as it provides a view into the lives of the members of the Guild as well as the struggles encountered to put on a great production and work together as a cohesive unit.

All the major characters in this story are unique in their own way as we follow them in...more

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Apr 03, 2012 Susan Eisenberg rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As an opera fan, I am always on the lookout for novels about my favorite art form, and DON JUAN IN HANKEY, PA is a book I thoroughly enjoyed. The characters are well-drawn, the backstage drama rings true, and I loved author Gale Martin's light touch as she moved from the topsy-turvy world of performers to the politics of a small-town opera guild trying to salvage its production of "Don Giovanni." I recommend this book, which should appeal to all readers who enjoy laugh-out-loud humor. You don't...more

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Dec 22, 2012 Diana Hockley rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Gale Martin has done it again with a fast-paced send-up of the world of opera. A well written, and hilarious tale involving the angst of producing a glamorous opera successfully and fast enough to save a small town opera company, this novel is for lovers of classical opera.

The characters are well drawn and as naughty as can be. the leading tenor as lustful and over the top as all tenors are reputed.

A great read, marvellous fun and full of laughs!

1 like · like · see review

May 08, 2012 Barb rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was interested in reading "Don Juan..." because it was written by a local author and set in small town Pennsylvania. Before I started, I was worried that my lack of opera knowledge would hinder my enjoyment of the story line. Happy to say that I enjoyed the characters so much that the opera was simply a setting for their activities! A fun read... I laughed out loud more than once! Looking forward to Gale's next novel!!

1 like · like · see review

Jun 08, 2012 Geri rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: won

I got this book free through Goodreads First Reads.
The cover says it all. Seduction! Ghosts! Humor! Romance! Madness! Music! You'll find this book overflowing with all of it. Hankey is a small town in the rust belt with an opera house on the verge of closing if they don't have a profitable season. Their first opera is to be Don Giovanni. When the star starts acting a bit odd and is killed by an ice cream truck they are left to find a last minute replacement. They choose a nice humble newcomer fr...more

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Apr 07, 2012 Ashley rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really enjoyed this book. It turned out to be a lot more lighthearted than what I had first anticipated after reading the book's description. I would say that the characters were definitely the books strongest point. As in opera they were bigger than life, more of a caricature. The plot had a few pretty good twists too. Over all, I was very pleased.

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Jan 08, 2012 Claire Pitt rated it 5 of 5 stars

I am rather a pleb in regards to Opera and thought that might exclude me from enjoying the novel as a whole, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Not only was it thoroughly funny, it also oozes passion for Opera and has made me really curious about seeing an Operatic performance myself. Looking forward to reading more adventures in Hankey, PA.

1 like · like · see review

Nov 19, 2012 Beka rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: firstreads-won, books-i-own, adventure-mystery, animals, fiction, modern-day, supernatural

This book had an interesting plot line and several twists which kept me coming back to finish the story, but it could not hold my attention for very long. Once those twists were done, I wandered off, until I remembered I should finish reading, then once again enjoyed it.

I think part of it was because the language was very easy to read, so a flew through those parts, but my wandering mind thought of other things. It did not require my full attention to process. This is both a good and bad thing d...more

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Aug 17, 2012 Ginger Marcinkowski rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A wonderful comedy about a small town Opera Guild. Any reader will have to chuckle as they will recognize these characters in their own hometown guild. Well written, quirky with well-developed characters. It will leave you smiling!

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Jun 11, 2012 Lisa rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, couldn-t-finish, fiction, romance

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 17, 2012 Carol rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Not great literature by any means but it was an entertaining book to read. Each chapter was proceeded by stage direction to set the scene. It increased the impression that the book was really written as a play or movie. It would fun to see on stage in the same vein as "Lend Me A Tenor." Lots of laughs.

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Apr 14, 2012 Valerie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Very enjoyable. I loved the quirky characters. I serve on the board of a non-profit myself so I really identified with some of the things going on. Worth your time to read.

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May 21, 2012 Richard Fellinger rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A riot. Who would have thought that small-town opera could provide such fodder for a novel? Anyone who loves opera or quirky small towns should definitely read it.

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Feb 01, 2012 Coqui Monster rated it 4 of 5 stars

Gale Martin artfully combines the pace and humor of a farce with the high-stakes drama of an opera. A fun, rollicking debut novel.

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Apr 29, 2012 Stacey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Really enjoyed this- 4.5 stars. Great characters, funny...read it in one afternoon because I couldn't put it down!

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Apr 05, 2012 Amanda rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, mystery, romance, paranormal, 2012, favorites

Excellent read. I had a hard time putting my kindle down while reading this book. It had a little bit of everything that I love in a book...mystery, romance, a bit of paranormal and a bit thriller. I also enjoyed the layout of the chapters as in an opera, it was appropriate being that the setting was based around the production of Don Giovanni. Now I want to go see an opera!!!

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Jan 30, 2013 Kate Wilson rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Just as it says on the cover, seduction, ghosts, humor, romance, madness, music all add up to quite a romp.

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Mar 05, 2012 Beverly rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was just a fun read.

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Apr 27, 2012 Margaret rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A very creative and interesting look at an opera company. A soap opera opera. Some very funny moments and some zany characters kept my interest. A few times I thought wow this is pretty crazy but definitely a lot of fun! 3.5 stars

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About Gale Martin

Gale Martin is an award-winning writer of contemporary fiction who plied her childhood penchant for lying into a legitimate literary pursuit during midlife. She began writing her first novel at age eleven, finally finishing one three decades later.

She'd commit a misdemeanor to score some Babybel cheese and goes weak-kneed for hummingbirds. She is a wife and mother of one and a communications direc...more

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