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51st out of 479 books
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Blackbird House
With “incantatory prose” that “sweeps over the reader like a dream,” (Philadelphia Inquirer), Hoffman follows her celebrated bestseller The Probable Future, with an evocative work that traces the lives of the various occupants of an old Massachusetts house over a span of two hundred years.
In a rare and gorgeous departure, beloved novelist Alice Hoffman weaves a web of tale...more
In a rare and gorgeous departure, beloved novelist Alice Hoffman weaves a web of tale...more
Paperback, 238 pages
Published
March 29th 2005
by Ballantine Books
(first published 2004)
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Places have much greater permanence than people. Land exists for eons (now don’t get picky about ocean fronts migrating and the Big Island expanding. You know what I mean) whereas people last mere generations, and often much less. On the surface at least, Blackbird House is a novel of place, in which the Blackbird House of the title is the stage, and each short story offers characters who play across it. There should be a name (and probably is, but I just do not know it, novel-in-stories or lin...more
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The title for this book, according to Good Reads, indicates that this is a novel, and in a way it is. But it's more of a series of short stories, all centered around a house haunted by a white blackbird, the pet of a young boy lost at sea with his father.
With each story, Hoffman paints a picture of a new generation living in the house. Each story is different and special in its own way. There's tragedy, love, hope...all things found in abundance in all of Hoffman's novels, threaded ...more
With each story, Hoffman paints a picture of a new generation living in the house. Each story is different and special in its own way. There's tragedy, love, hope...all things found in abundance in all of Hoffman's novels, threaded ...more
A charming collection of stories detailing the residents of a farmhouse in Cape Cod spanning two hundred years. It took me several stories to realize that the book followed the house not the people, but once I understood that, I stopped trying to connect their stories and enjoyed the vivid setting. I could see and smell that New England charm as Hoffman breathed life to generations of American culture.
This lovely book contains short stories about the various inhabitants of a farmhouse in Cape Cod over a 200 year period. The stories are refreshingly unique, yet bound together by several common threads: the farmhouse itself, the land and all that has been planted on it over time, a strange white blackbird, recurring characters and/or their progeny, and the color red. All of these things make the reader feel familiar with the land and property in an intimate way - as if the reader is connected w...more
I LOVED this book. I saw it at the library and got it because I was intrigued by her approach with the "story of the house". Though a bit confusing at first- whenever it progressed to the next story, it was difficult to figure out who and how the next person resided there, but my confusion didn't last for long. It reflected just how I feel when I walk into any old or abandoned building. These are the stories I feel; this is what these places try to tell me, that I can only almost hear....more
I read this all in a rush last night. I realized suddenly that it was October, and this meant that my book club was meeting next weekend. Thanks to the magic of the Kindle, the book arrived within seconds of my purchase, and I started to read. I was quickly engrossed. I haven't read any Alice Hoffman in years, and now I can't remember why not! She spins beautiful interconnected tales, all surrounding a particular town (and really, a particular farm) far out on the Cape. The characters are vivid,...more
I have to be honest, I read this book months ago but was unable at the time to find the words to describe this novel. I just have to start by saying that it is one of the best novels I have ever read in my life (and I clearly read a lot). Previous to reading Blackbird House, I had never picked up an Alice Hoffman novel. I knew that she had written Practical Magic and some other novels in the same vein and I thought that she wouldn't be my kind of author. However, when I cracked the spine on the ...more
Blackbird House is a small cottage near Cape Cod and the stories within this collection all center around its inhabitants. The book starts at some point in the late 18th century and progresses up to present day, with many of the characters' stories interwoven as the generational plot changes occur. As with any collection, there were some stories that I loved (loved!) and some stories that I was just lukewarm on. I particularly liked the thread following Violet, her son Lion and his son Lion, ...more
This book was good, but it couldve been so much better.... Basically its a series of short stories, all taking place at the same little cottage in Cape Code, with a generation or so passing between each entry. The characters are mostly tragic, with an occasional happy ending thrown in to keep things from getting TOO depressing. Each story hinges on love, whether romantic or platonic, and the discovery, exploration, and often, loss of this love. Although the stories are predictable, the character...more
I grabbed this off the popular fiction shelf at my library. I then read it in less than 24 hours.
I enjoyed this book, but ultimately found it less than satisfying. I found the first story--of the Hadleys--to be the most moving. Though I loved the sweet peas, turnips, and pear tree continuing (and appropriately changing through time) through the stories, I found the white blackbird to be kind of lame. I am still confused as to whether the original blackbird was white, if he turned whi...more
I enjoyed this book, but ultimately found it less than satisfying. I found the first story--of the Hadleys--to be the most moving. Though I loved the sweet peas, turnips, and pear tree continuing (and appropriately changing through time) through the stories, I found the white blackbird to be kind of lame. I am still confused as to whether the original blackbird was white, if he turned whi...more
I really love these sorts of inter-connected stories. I love the recurrence of symbolic images and the power of recurring themes. Hoffman has distilled the best qualities of her novels into these short stories, connected by one place over time. Different families through successive generations find themselves at Blackbird House, whether drawn there by unknown, invisible forces or called there by some deep emotional resonance... the characters in these stories struggle with life and emotion and r
...more
I was dissappointed with this book. It seemed to have a very novel idea and approach but just didn't deliver. There was such potential for this to be dazzling, yet instead it gave me a headache.
Firstly, the story was very impersonal. I felt completely on the outside looking in as if hovering over the plot with no interest or interaction with those involved. It was as if I were a mold on a tree growing with busseling life all around me. I can see it, but don't comprehend and co...more
Firstly, the story was very impersonal. I felt completely on the outside looking in as if hovering over the plot with no interest or interaction with those involved. It was as if I were a mold on a tree growing with busseling life all around me. I can see it, but don't comprehend and co...more
This being my first read by Alice Hoffman, I must say--I think I've found a new author to add to my favorites list. I'm absolutely itching to go out and read everything else she's written.
What I loved the most about Alice Hoffman's writing was her style. It was absolutely phenomenal. Between her use of words and her descriptions, I was there. This is definitely one of those books that you just want to soak up and enjoy the words. However, for being a book that at times reads almost li...more
What I loved the most about Alice Hoffman's writing was her style. It was absolutely phenomenal. Between her use of words and her descriptions, I was there. This is definitely one of those books that you just want to soak up and enjoy the words. However, for being a book that at times reads almost li...more
Lisa Rathbun
added it
I loved this book. It is an amazing blend of poignancy, history, grief, love, a touch of fantasy, and characters that make you care for them. Some reviewers were dissatisfied with the structure of short stories, preferring an in-depth novel. I actually liked the short-story structure: we are given indelible, beautiful yet melancholy glimpses of the lives of those who lived in the house on Cape Cod over the last 200 years. It reminded me a little bit of Garrison Keillor's "Lake Woebegon...more
I would actually give this book at least 3 1/2 stars. I love the way Hoffman writes, but I did find a few difficulties with this book.
If I were her editor, I would have told her to write fewer vignettes and elaborate on the ones she decided to keep. Each of the stories contains vivid, richly drawn characters that deserved more plot development. There was very little transition between "chapters," making me feel as though I might have missed something along the way. Wh...more
If I were her editor, I would have told her to write fewer vignettes and elaborate on the ones she decided to keep. Each of the stories contains vivid, richly drawn characters that deserved more plot development. There was very little transition between "chapters," making me feel as though I might have missed something along the way. Wh...more
Blackbird House is a collect stories that span over 200 years. The book begins with a story about the family who built the house and continues to tell about the lives of all the inhabitants of Blackbird House.
Each story has one occurring character, a white blackbird. I think this bird is suppose to be like a spirit watching over the house and all those that live there. There are also plants and a summer kitchen that play a role in all the stories. They become a character of in thems...more
Each story has one occurring character, a white blackbird. I think this bird is suppose to be like a spirit watching over the house and all those that live there. There are also plants and a summer kitchen that play a role in all the stories. They become a character of in thems...more
Not what I have come to expect from Alice Hoffman, but in some ways better.
While her prose continues to be a fast read that lulls you in, grabs you, and propels you forward, I thought the format of this book was interesting and more believably magical than previous books I have read by her.
It is a story of home, the Blackbird House, and you learn about its inhabitants from the Revolutionary War to present time and it is all tied together through the house, the blackbird, and the p...more
While her prose continues to be a fast read that lulls you in, grabs you, and propels you forward, I thought the format of this book was interesting and more believably magical than previous books I have read by her.
It is a story of home, the Blackbird House, and you learn about its inhabitants from the Revolutionary War to present time and it is all tied together through the house, the blackbird, and the p...more
I loved "Practical Magic," by Alice Hoffman, so when I came across "Blackbird House," I had to pick it up. Written in the same effortless lyricism as "Magic," "Blackbird" is a series of thematically connected short stories that explore the intersection of grief and love. The stories all take place in America, though in radically different time periods ranging from 1600s Jamestown to modern day. One of the most delightful aspects of the collection is the in...more
I picked up a copy of Blackbird House at my local library because I'm a big fan of Alice Hoffman's work. Her book The Ice Queen is one of my favorites. I really had no idea what this book was about. After reading it I have some mixed thoughts on it. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it either. It didn't grab me, I found I had to push myself to read it and finish it.
The book is a collection of short stories based on people who lived in a farmhouse in Cape Cod called Blackbird House...more
The book is a collection of short stories based on people who lived in a farmhouse in Cape Cod called Blackbird House...more
Alice Hoffman writes without a trace of melodrama, which is a good thing, because the stories in this book are full of melodrama.
Whether it is men and boys lost at sea or promising young people snuffed out in traffic accidents or a woman who takes matters into her own hands toward an abusive husband, the tales in "Blackbird House" brim with dramatic twists and turns.
Hoffman handles this by quietly inserting these vertiginous twists as though they were just one m...more
Whether it is men and boys lost at sea or promising young people snuffed out in traffic accidents or a woman who takes matters into her own hands toward an abusive husband, the tales in "Blackbird House" brim with dramatic twists and turns.
Hoffman handles this by quietly inserting these vertiginous twists as though they were just one m...more
This is a group of short stories that are interconnected, taking place at the same house through time. I loved it. The descriptions are vibrant, the stories intense. Each story happens at the point of a pivotal change in someone’s life. They are filled with sorrow and devastation, and are about starting again and connecting with others. There is a theme of a special relationship between mothers and sons. The stories were filled with a wide range of realistic emotion.
I loved the use o...more
I loved the use o...more
I love Alice Hoffman's writing style, with that ethereal, possibility of something supernatural always present, but this book was very different from others of hers I have read. Instead of a main character, there is a main setting, Blackbird House. Each chapter is basically a short story about people who lived in and around Blackbird House, for a span of about 200 years. Some of the characters are descendants of previous owners, others not, but they all have some connection to at least one pri...more
Hoffman is fond of symbols. If you share this fondness, you may appreciate the magic of Blackbird House, where birds, flowers, and colors become links to the past and omens of the future. If, however, such devices leave you coldand particularly if you like your fiction unpredictableyou may find Blackbird House frustrating. Some critics thought that Hoffman's accumulation of tragedies were formulaic, complaining that she too obviously sets characters up for their falls. Subtlety is not Hoffma
...more
This'll teach me to judge an author by an early book. Can't remember the title that I read ages ago, but the writing was much less polished and the story a bit thin. Decided to give Hoffman another try, after reading glowing reviews. I highly recommend this book. It's written in connected-short-story style and I normally don't care for the feeling of wanting more that short stories impart. But these are rich and deep and so very well written. There's a bit of magic or surrealism in some, but on...more
Blackbird House is a collection of interconnected short stories, telling the tales of those who have lived on a particular farm near Cape Cod over more than two hundred years. As always, a thread of magic - a white blackbird, a red pear tree, fire and water - runs through Hoffman's stories, and her prose is lyrical and haunting.
I must admit, though, that I tend not to like short stories, as I like to have more time to get to know characters and places than they generally allow, and ...more
I must admit, though, that I tend not to like short stories, as I like to have more time to get to know characters and places than they generally allow, and ...more
Alice Hoffman has such a knack for making me crave sea-side towns with lots of nature, and quiet, and the smell of salt and gardens in the air.
This is a collection of interconnected short stories, that revolve around the inhabitants of Blackbird House over the span of hundreds of years. The house is a special place in each story, usually a kind of sanctuary for the various characters.
The descriptions in this book were fantastic, and the characters were all very interest...more
This is a collection of interconnected short stories, that revolve around the inhabitants of Blackbird House over the span of hundreds of years. The house is a special place in each story, usually a kind of sanctuary for the various characters.
The descriptions in this book were fantastic, and the characters were all very interest...more
Alice Hoffman is a unique writer. I love her books because she always has a way of making a believeable story with highly imagineable characters and sneaks in a bit of make-believe, or magic! It is so subtle that you don't think about the impossible until the story is over. At least thats how I feel after her books. I like it but then I say, "wait a minute, that could never happen!" Blackbird House is about a Farm House (Blackbird House) on the Cape that strings along different fa...more
A mysterious and magical story of a 200-year-old house on Cape Cod. The book is little chapters of stories about the occupants that can be very unique characters. One story “Insulting the Angels” didn’t seem to fit or add to the story line while the others displayed cohesion to the history of the times and connected families. Hoffman always writes with a mystical theme and there is the legend of the white bird and ghosts from the original family that built the cottage. My favorite chara...more
A flowing collection of short stories centered around the various occupants of house on Cape Cod ("the edge of the world"), Blackbird House was an enchanting little read. I especially liked that, even though the main character was a house, the stories made me want to go outside and watch lightening bugs or pick strawberries and sweet peas. The other characters, all human except the white blackbird, were real and flawed but hopeful in most cases although they were no strangers to traged...more
I did not really connect to this book as I have with others I've read. It took me until the 3rd story (I thought they were chapters initially) to realize that this was a compilation of short stories featuring the Blackbird House as the one, common character.
Some characters are children in one story then adults in the next. Others just disappear when their stories are done.
Different expressions of Love and Relationship are featured, symbols are consistent throughout, and wound...more
Some characters are children in one story then adults in the next. Others just disappear when their stories are done.
Different expressions of Love and Relationship are featured, symbols are consistent throughout, and wound...more
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Alice Hoffman was born in New York City on March 16, 1952 and grew up on Long Island. After graduating from high school in 1969, she attended Adelphi University, from which she received a BA, and then received a Mirrellees Fellowship to the Stanford University Creative Writing Center, which she attended in 1973 and 74, receiving an MA in creative writing. She currently lives in Boston and New Yor...more
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