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25th out of 25 books
—
17 voters
The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow (Bright's Pond #1)
by
Joyce Magnin (Goodreads Author)
The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow is the story of an unusual woman, Agnes Sparrow. No longer able or willing to leave her home, where she is cared for by her long-suffering sister Griselda, Agnes has committed her life to the one thing she can do—besides eat. Agnes Sparrow prays and when Agnes prays things happen, including major miracles of the cancer, ulcer-healing variety al...more
Paperback, 398 pages
Published
August 1st 2009
by Abingdon Press
(first published June 1st 2009)
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The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow is one of the most unique books I have read in a very long time. It's the story of sisters Griselda and Agnes Sparrow. Older sister Agnes weighs 700 pounds and is the miracle worker of the town of Bright's Pond, whose every prayer for the town's residents is answered. Griselda is Agnes's caregiver. Their unique relationship and the zany residents of this small town in the Pennsylvania mountains make for a read that is humorous as well as touching. The writing was spr...more
This is the story of Agnes Sparrow and her caregiver sister, Griselda. Agnes has grown to 700+ lbs and announces to her sister one day that she has decided to never leave the house again because it has become too difficult and embarassing. Griselda has taken care of her sister since they were children. As children she often would stand up to other children who would bully Agnes because of her weight.
Because Agnes is confined to home she develops a prayer ministry for the people in town. Townspeo...more
Because Agnes is confined to home she develops a prayer ministry for the people in town. Townspeo...more
This is quite possibly one of the odder books I have reviewed this year. Right off the bat, in the
first chapter I am caught off guard. The central character in the book is Agnes Sparrow (as the title indicates) and we meet her immediately through the eyes of her sister, Griselda, the narrator. We see how she is the primary caregiver for Agnes who is 700 lbs and can't get around on her own. In the opening pages Agnes declares to Griselda that she will no longer leave their house, its just too har...more
first chapter I am caught off guard. The central character in the book is Agnes Sparrow (as the title indicates) and we meet her immediately through the eyes of her sister, Griselda, the narrator. We see how she is the primary caregiver for Agnes who is 700 lbs and can't get around on her own. In the opening pages Agnes declares to Griselda that she will no longer leave their house, its just too har...more
Jun 18, 2012
Eric
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
christian readers, faith seekers
Recommended to Eric by:
Self
Joyce Magnin's Bright's Pond series, which "The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow" is the first book of this particular series, interweaves faith, death, and love all within the pages of its cover. This particular book is told from the viewpoint of Griselda Sparrow, Agnes's sister. The majority of the story deals with the fact that Agnes is seen as a miracle worker whose prayers often go answered by God. This story takes you on a journey through what it means to have actual faith.
My main gripe with this...more
My main gripe with this...more
Agnes Sparrow is a morbidly obese woman (700 pounds) with a secret. A secret she keeps for years. A secret which causes her deep guilt and a desire to 'redeem' herself...so she prays. She prays everyday for everyone who asks and/or anyone living or passing through her town of Bright's Pond. The community of Bright's Pond loves Agnes for the miracles they have received through her prayers and are constantly working toward honoring her through billboards and statues. Griselda, the narrator and sis...more
Wonderful book couldn't put it down, about a small town and all the people go to Agnes who is a 700 lb woman and can't leave her house to ask her to pray for them They started to give Agnes all the glory and she kept saying the answered prayers were from the Lord. Prayers are being answered and the little town is getting blessed and in turn keep thinking it is because of Agnes, they want to post a sign stating the town of Agnes Sparrow and put a statue up representing her, till everthing turns a...more
While no great feat of Literature, and not likely to make it into required reading, this author did a great job of creating characters I knew -- really knew, a town I felt as if I'd visited and people I cared about.
Poor Agnes, at 700 pounds has created a fortress of self around her wounded heart -- and in housebound, though young, spending her days praying for townsfolk who come to her with their hopes, dreams, illnesses and troubles. When folks notice a pattern of improvement among those for w...more
Poor Agnes, at 700 pounds has created a fortress of self around her wounded heart -- and in housebound, though young, spending her days praying for townsfolk who come to her with their hopes, dreams, illnesses and troubles. When folks notice a pattern of improvement among those for w...more
A quirky tale about two sisters. Agnes Sparrow can no longer leave home when she tips the scales at 600 pounds. She spends her time at home praying for the people of Bright's Pond. When what seems to be miracles occur, such as healings from serious illnesses, the townspeople give Agnes the credit. When they want to erect a sign in her honor, Agnes doesn't want that; she says that it's not her granting the the miracles, it's God, and she does not want the credit.
Agnes is cared for by her long suf...more
Agnes is cared for by her long suf...more
Agnes Sparrow weighs somewhere around 700 pounds. She was bullied mercilessly as s child and now those same people who ridiculed her want to erect a sign in her honor because Agnes has a gift. She prays and the Lord listens. Never mind that neither Agnes nor her care-giver/sister, Griselda, want that sign (or the statue to accompany it), the towns people are insistent. Then a stranger, hearing of Agnes' miracles, comes to town. And suddenly, Agnes may be losing her gift.
I enjoyed this book on tw...more
I enjoyed this book on tw...more
It had been ages since anything that exciting had happened in Bright's Pond ... so reads a passage in "The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow," and it pretty much sums up a lot of this book for me. Bright's Pond is a little burg in Pennsylvania. It reminds my of Mayberry, or maybe the town in the "Mitford" books (which I admittedly haven't read; it's just my stereotype). Folks say things like "lookee there!", and there are lots of descriptions of food. The town has a full cast of unusual/normal/endearing...more
I finally got to read the first book in this series. It is strange reading a book that is set in the 70s, a time period I lived through but not as an adult. This is only one of the many things I don't have in common with the characters in this series, but I still like them. They are odd but interesting. They are somewhat complicated and yet quite simple.
In this book we meet Griselda and Agnes, two sisters who are dependent on each other for very different reasons. While they are coming to an und...more
In this book we meet Griselda and Agnes, two sisters who are dependent on each other for very different reasons. While they are coming to an und...more
The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow by Joyce Magnin is a masterful novel about the power of unconfessed sin. Griselda has devoted her life to taking care of her obese sister, Agnes. Agnes has devoted her life to taking care of the town of Bright's Pond. Her prayers have become so famous for bringing miracles in the small town that its residents are preparing to erect a sign outside city limits advertising it as the "Home of Agnes Sparrow." But Agnes has never wanted publicity, and no matter how hard sh...more
While I had heard lots of good about The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow by Joyce Magnin, and while I liked the book, I didn't love the book. The plot is well developed as are the characters. The writing really does remind me of Fanny Flagg.
Griselda and Agnes Sparrow are two sisters who have been together their whole lives. Griselda works at the library, and Agnes prays for everyone who asks for her help. Agnes decides to not leave the house any more once her weight tops 600 lbs. The people of Bright's...more
Griselda and Agnes Sparrow are two sisters who have been together their whole lives. Griselda works at the library, and Agnes prays for everyone who asks for her help. Agnes decides to not leave the house any more once her weight tops 600 lbs. The people of Bright's...more
Agnes Sparrow is a stunningly overweight lady (600 to 700 pounds)who compensates for her inability to undertake a 'normal' lifestlye by holding court with individual members of the community and praying for them. Her sister, Griselda, is the town librarian and the daily caretaker for Agnes. Overall it is mindboggling to think of what Griselda is going through as you read the story that she tells. As Agnes prays for people the prayers are answered. A following builds as these people declare she i...more
This book was slow at first -- I almost quit reading it. It sounded too "folksy" and simple-minded for my taste. But I am glad I kept on with it. It has some surprises and some redeeming qualities. Found myself looking forward to reading more of it. The book is written from Griselda's POV as she dutifully cares for her sister, Agnes, who is a 700 lb. invalid. Agnes has a reputation in town for praying for folks -- and very often her prayers seem to be answered. But when a mysterious drifter come...more
The start of this book had promise. The story was quirky enough for me, yet very believeable, interesting characters. I liked Agnes and Griselda. I felt bad for Griselda caring for her obese sister. I could relate. I just wish she cooked better for her; she was such an enabler. That was never addressed. Of course the root of Agnes's weight was addressed, and I didn't like it. Sorry. The resolution was not for me. I did like the ending though. I am always hard on that! The story sometimes lagged...more
I don't know why I picked this up. It is taking a while to get into it. Probably because I'm a mystery, horror, fantasy fan and this book is a little outside of my comfort zone. Sadly, the more I read, the less I understood why anyone would have written this book or why anyone would read it. Agnes Sparrow was a fat child and grew to be a fat woman. She has a terrible secret from her childhood and dedicates herself to praying for everyone in her town. Apparently there are several "miracles" ascri...more
The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow is the story of an unusual woman, Agnes Sparrow. No longer able or willing to leave her home, where she is cared for by her long-suffering sister Griselda, Agnes has committed her life to the one thing she can do—besides eat.
Agnes Sparrow weight 700 pounds or more and hasn't left her house in many years. Her sister, Griselda, is her companion and care-giver. Agnes has taken on the responsibility to pray for people as her vocation. This is te 2nd book by this author...more
Agnes Sparrow weight 700 pounds or more and hasn't left her house in many years. Her sister, Griselda, is her companion and care-giver. Agnes has taken on the responsibility to pray for people as her vocation. This is te 2nd book by this author...more
Agnes Sparrow hasn't left her house in years. It isn't easy to get out of bed, let alone leave the house when you weigh over 700 pounds. So Agnes spends her days praying and hearing the prayer requests of her fellow townspeople. Pretty soon it becomes obvious that Agnes has a special gift from God and that the prayers she prays are usually answered. The town heralds her as a hero - until tragedy strikes and everyone wonders what kind of power Agnes really has.
Not a bad book - it took a twist I w...more
Not a bad book - it took a twist I w...more
An easy and captivating read. The narrator was relatable and her voice spot-on. I feel like I got to know the citizens of Bright's Pond well, yet in the end I'm not quite sure how I feel about their story. A major conflict was a bit too superficial, in my opinion, and could have been resolved in a more meaningful way. I'm not sure if the author had a specific intention with this story, a perspective she wished to pass on to others. To some degree, I appreciate the ambiguity here, which allows th...more
Nov 15, 2012
Rayni
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
People interested in care giving, obesity, bullying.
Recommended to Rayni by:
Series
Causes: Bullying, care giving, obesity ...
I had a hard time getting into this book, but once I did, I was sad when I finished it. I have read books 2 & 4 of the series, so it was interesting to meet some of the people that are talked about in later books in this book. I loved going to The Pink Lady Cafe in Shoops, a restaurant that Charlotte Figg also goes to in "Charlotte Figg Takes Over Paradise." (book 2)
My word to live by for 2012 was caregiver. This book definitely fit my criteria. I ha...more
I had a hard time getting into this book, but once I did, I was sad when I finished it. I have read books 2 & 4 of the series, so it was interesting to meet some of the people that are talked about in later books in this book. I loved going to The Pink Lady Cafe in Shoops, a restaurant that Charlotte Figg also goes to in "Charlotte Figg Takes Over Paradise." (book 2)
My word to live by for 2012 was caregiver. This book definitely fit my criteria. I ha...more
The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow was filled with an odd assortment of characters. It read like the town of Mayberry on LSD – but I liked it! The idea that a whole town would go to a 700 lb housebound woman to ask her to pray for them as though she had a direct link to God was funny and sad at the same time. When things go well, Agnes is a hero, but when things don't go so well, she is suddenly cast as the villain. Much as we treat God when things don't go the way we think they should. There are a fe...more
Agnes Sparrow is no longer able to leave her home due to her immense size and has taken it upon herself to pray for everyone in the small town of Bright's Pond and many of the residents request her prayers and have received "miracles" in rturn. Agnes' sister, Griselda, the narrator of the story, has taken it upon herself to take care of her sister to the exclusion of a life of her own. A stranger comes to town seeking Agnes to pray for him and no one expects what happens next. I finished the boo...more
This is no ordinary tale of two spinster sisters. Agnes has been fed way too much - both by her sister and the townspeople - to the point she needs help caring for her basic hygiene needs. Agnes dies, however, have a gift. The townspeople come to her home to ask for prayers, most of Agnes' prayers are answered. I don't want to spoil the story for you, but things take a turn for the worse when a stranger comes to town. This is the first book in the series, the four I've read are good, I hope a ne...more
This book is a hard one for me to rate. There were parts that I loved and parts that really annoyed me. My major issue, I suppose, was that I really did not like the main character. I also was enraged by the actions of the "small town" people, even though they were, no doubt, very true to life. Loved the ending. No profanity or sexual conduct. Some unexpected twists and turns, but also a host of characters that were just plain unlikable. Good reminder that all miracles are truly the work of God...more
If you're wanting to learn something, this isn't the book for you. It's purely for entertainment. Looking for well-developed characters? Agnes is very well-developed. Some character names: Studebaker. Vidalia. "Shrapnel" is Eugene's last name. Filby Pruett. Hezekiah. Dabs Lemon. There's also Tohilda and Personal Best.
I'm reminded of Phil Gulley's Harmony books with Fern Hampton, Dale Hinshaw where the characters are real and not some Barbie doll fake. (This one has big hair. This one has yellow...more
I'm reminded of Phil Gulley's Harmony books with Fern Hampton, Dale Hinshaw where the characters are real and not some Barbie doll fake. (This one has big hair. This one has yellow...more
Well I dunno folks. I am underwhelmed with this one. I admit it was the pretty cover and cool title that attracted me. The lady does write really well and I cared about the characters, though they could have been developed a little more. Now that I've read it, I don't really even think it can be considered "spiritual" even though I bought it at a bible store. After reading the last page, I closed the book and felt grumpy. I didn't get my spiritual inspiration or encouragement and felt a little c...more
Agnes is an extremely overweight woman who can no longer leave her house. She decides to pray for people in her community. Those people she prays for start to have miracles happen to them, and Agnes gains a following for being a miracle worker. A stranger's unfulfilled miracle, however, causes the town to rethink their regard for her and the rest of the book surrounds the fallout for Agnes and her sister. I found this book depressing but thought provoking.
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Um, I like cross stitch, baseball, my children and grandkids, but not elevators or laundry. I've been known to run from mayonnaise and I play RPG video games. I don't have a favorite author although I read a lot.
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Aug 28, 2012 02:37pm