book data
1230 ratings, 3.74 average rating, 155 reviews
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published
June 1st 2004
by Ballantine Books
binding
Paperback, 352 pages
isbn
0345455916
(isbn13: 9780345455918)
description
The women of the Sparrow family have lived in New England for generations. Each is born in the month of March, and at the age of thirteen, each develo...more
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 1580)
Read in February, 2008
Some of the writing in Alice Hoffman's novel is truly inspired. Her characters do indeed come to life, even if at times they seem to be tried and true caricatures of New England. Hoffman has been quoted as saying that "books may be the only real magic," and certainly it's clear from her prose that she wants the reader to feel magical.
The Probably Future follows the story of three Sparrow womyn: Elinor, Jenny, and Stella. The three are descended from a long line of womyn kn...more
The Probably Future follows the story of three Sparrow womyn: Elinor, Jenny, and Stella. The three are descended from a long line of womyn kn...more
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Honestly, this book was one of the best depictions of mother-daughter relationships I've ever read. I felt for both mother and child in it, I could see both sides and where both were coming from - yet unlike other novels, I saw no clear way to fix it, because there was no clear way to fix things. It was kind of heartbreaking to read, because I saw my own relationship with my mom in Hoffman's words.
The only downside to the plot was Stella's relationship with the football player. It se...more
The only downside to the plot was Stella's relationship with the football player. It se...more
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Read in December, 2008
recommended to Mimi by:
Susan Clippenger
This book was recommended to me by one person and then that recommendation was backed up by another. While I certainly can get down with the idea of a family full of gifted women or witches or whatever you want to call them the rest of it was a little too, sorry, normal for me. Plus, I seem to have a problem reading about mothers and daughters (for some reason).
Oh, I'll admit that as a guilty pleasure I kinda love "Practical Magic" with Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock whi...more
Oh, I'll admit that as a guilty pleasure I kinda love "Practical Magic" with Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock whi...more
Read in August, 2008
I so enjoyed this one! This was my first Alice Hoffman novel, but it will not be my last. Here is a good review from Publisher's Weekly:
Alice Hoffman’s most magical novel to date—three generations of extraordinary women are driven to unite in crisis and discover the rewards of reconciliation and love.
Women of the Sparrow family have unusual gifts. Elinor can detect falsehood. Her daughter, Jenny, can see people’s dreams when they sleep. Granddaughter Stella has ...more
Alice Hoffman’s most magical novel to date—three generations of extraordinary women are driven to unite in crisis and discover the rewards of reconciliation and love.
Women of the Sparrow family have unusual gifts. Elinor can detect falsehood. Her daughter, Jenny, can see people’s dreams when they sleep. Granddaughter Stella has ...more
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Read in June, 2008
recommended to Jamon by:
Cynthia Clarkrecommends it for: Women
this was a very fluid and well written book. Although, I am not the target audience for the author (It is about women and finding inner strength). The novel is based on the women in a particular family all having a special ability and thier interaction with the rest of society. The author at times was flowery with details of the town, and a little too repetitive, but I will say that it was a nice story.
At times the characters in the book jumped to conclusions so quickly that it was to...more
At times the characters in the book jumped to conclusions so quickly that it was to...more
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Read in September, 2008
This book really held my interest as a combination of the mystery and magical realism genres. It's more psychological than action based and is geared more to the tastes of women I think. I discovered Alice Hoffman in the audio books section at Cracker Barrel and (with the exception of Blackbird House) have really enjoyed her work so far. Definitely recommended.
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Read in March, 2008
In “The Probable Future”, we follow three generations of Sparrow womyn – women of an extraordinary family who are bestowed with special gifts on their own thirteenth birthday (all born in the month of March, BTW) such as the ability to detect lies, or the ability to feel no pain, or, as is the case with the thirteenth generation Sparrow (Stella), the ability to see premonitions of certain future events, such as how someone might die.
There are so many threads, so many levels to ...more
There are so many threads, so many levels to ...more
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Read in December, 2007
recommends it for:
Hoffman fans/literary lovers
One of the cool things about reading several works by the same author is that you start to see the patterns in how they write. Alice Hoffman employs several constant themes. Someone always "returns" to a place, usually a childhood home, but sometimes to someone who had an impact in their life. There is generally a young girl, a wild child with much to learn about life. There is the trinity of the three women, the young, the middle aged, the old, all connected in some way. Though not al...more
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Read in December, 2008
recommended to Robin by:
Teresa
This was a pretty good read. There were some mixed reviews on it, some of which said there was some inappropriateness in it. Well I took the chance and I don't know what they were talking about. This was pretty tame in the appropriateness department. Anyways, i liked the element of almost magic; of seperstitions being true; of supernatural abilities being possible. There were a few loose ends that could have used tying, but all in all it was a fun quick read.
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Read in May, 2008
I can't even remember how this book ends. Hence the rating. I remember enjoying the descriptions of the setting-the author conveyed well the rainy, green wetness of spring time in a small town. It also had a promising premise but the characters where flat and boring, one pointless parallel storyline never concluded (unless this is part of the ending I forgot) and it was anti-climatic. The story is every daughter in a certain family line who is born in March has a special gift. The gift beco...more
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Read in November, 2005
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...more
It was so very interesting to see how tightly the history of the Sparrow family was intertwined...more
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Read in September, 2007
I have to stop reading Alice Hoffman. I read Here on Earth and The River King and both of them felt flat to me - so did this one. I never came to care for the characters. I felt that the stories had to potential to be very interesting, but what could have been a spellbinding mix of the human and otherworldly never really ever gelled for me. I found myself skimming pages of botanical descriptions, and let's face it, if you're not a botanist, pages of descriptions of the local flora is most lik...more
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Read in June, 2007
Alice Hoffman's novels are, in a word, hopeful. Married the wrong man? No problem, the right one is just an affair away. Drove off your only child? Redemption is just around the corner. A better life is always one decision removed.
What makes it work, though, is that it's tinged with grief and sorrow. The characters don't always get exactly what they want -- or get it too late or after it's gone bad. Having stolen moments with your one true love is better than not finding him at all, ...more
What makes it work, though, is that it's tinged with grief and sorrow. The characters don't always get exactly what they want -- or get it too late or after it's gone bad. Having stolen moments with your one true love is better than not finding him at all, ...more
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Read in October, 2008
The Probable Future is a mother daughter story that reminds me how awesome it could be to have a power and at thirteen, bad things could happen, which they do. Once our 13 year old learns that she can foretell how people will die, she gets her irresponisble father in more trouble. However, the path only leads to one place- home. The place that her mother dreads going to. But it comes at the best time to mend things with her own dieing mother and realize that the one who mom should truly be wi...more
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My favorite used to be Practical Magic but The Probable Future is now and will forever be my favorite Alice Hoffman. I absolutely love the last paragraph, the greatest paragraph she has ever written!
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in July, 2008
My first Alice Hoffman and I loved her style. Loved the characters and her description of them - I find that I get disappointed or mad at characters easily in books - it would be so easy to fix their problems, but this book, while you could see the answers, made me understand and patient. Basically, I accepted the characters and their flaws which doesn't happen to me very often. Great story - and some parts will stay with me for a while.
However, I wasn't crazy about how the murd...more
However, I wasn't crazy about how the murd...more
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Read in September, 2005
Every Sparrow woman has received a special talent on her 13th birthday. The first Sparrow woman, Rebecca could not feel physical pain, and was tortured by the townsfolk and drowned as a witch. Now the thirteenth Sparrow daughter has been born, with a gift as much a curse as a blessing. Stella can see people's deaths. By trying to save a life, Stella throws the lives of her parents into turmoil. Can her mother and her grandmother heal old wounds? Will her father change his ways? And can Stella ch...more
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This was one of my favorites by Alice Hoffman. It's a quick read too.
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Read in January, 2007
I love a little bit of magic in books. Some might say it's impossible, but in the book world, I choose to believe in fantastic things - like the ability to see how someone will die. It's creepy, and I can't imagine it, but I love how it's turned into something positive. There's a tiny bit of suspense in this book but overall it's a tale of generations of females and how different - or the same - they are. I do agree that things are a little too "tidy" at the end - I don't think rea...more
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Read in April, 2008
I absolutely loved this book. When I was a chapter away from finishing, I drove to the library and got another Alice Hoffman book because I couldn't stand the thought of it ending!
I don't even want to give the story line because it would be so much better to go into without knowing what will happen.
I will say it is a story of three generations of amazing women with a family history of unusual gifts and the relationships or lack there-of that they share.
Al...more
I don't even want to give the story line because it would be so much better to go into without knowing what will happen.
I will say it is a story of three generations of amazing women with a family history of unusual gifts and the relationships or lack there-of that they share.
Al...more
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