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Seventh Heaven

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Seventh Heaven

By: Alice Hoffman
Narrated by: Hillary Huber
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About this listen

Nora Silk doesn't really fit in on Hemlock Street, where everyhouse looks the same. She's divorced. She wears a charm bracelet and high heels and red toreador pants. And the way she raises her kids is a scandal. But as time passes, the neighbors start having second thoughts about Nora. The women's apprehension evolves into admiration. The men's lust evolves into awe. The children are drawn to her in ways they can't explain. And everyone on this little street in 1959 Long Island seems to sense the possibilities and perils of a different kind of future when they look at Nora Silk.

This extraordinary novel by the author of TheRiver King and Local Girls takes us back to a time when the exotic both terrified and intrigued us, and despite our most desperate attempts, our passions and secrets remained as stubbornly alive asthe weeds in our well-trimmed lawns.

©1990 Alice Hoffman (P)2014 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Contemporary Fiction Genre Fiction Women's Fiction

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All stars
Most relevant  
In some places I had to think carefully of what was meant by certain character thoughts and actions. There are many lessons to be learnt here. Patience. Endurance. Self acceptance. Bravery. Remorse. Really enjoyed it. Narration was first class. Beautifully calm and soothing.

Strange storyline but enjoyable

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I didn't expect to love this book so much!
It reminded me of Steinbecks descriptive prose and characterisations.

Character Driven Loveliness

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Although I enjoyed Alice Hoffman's typically character-driven narrative, I prefer her books that are focused on one or two central characters. In this case it is as if Hoffman is trying to fully actuate as many characters as possible, fleshing them from cardboard caricatures into 3-dimensional complex individuals, while the odd one out - the woman whose arrival in the community has caused such a stir - goes from being more complex to seemingly less so as she becomes the Mrs Robinson-like figure to a teenaged boy who is finally coming of age. I would have preferred for her character to have fulfilled the promise it showed in the beginning, instead of diminishing. That said, the characters that *were* more fully actualized are as life-like as could be and I commend Hoffman for her skill in bringing fictional people to life in all their flaws and foibles. The narration was also well executed.

Character-driven but a little unfocused

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Nicely written & interesting characters but I found it hard to get fully engrossed & truly feel for the main players. Felt it meandered & then just petered out. The I summary I read before reading over promised in my view. Enjoyed it to a fair degree but was left wanting more to have happened/been concluded.

Fair but a tad disappointing

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Typically enjoyable Alice Hoffman where the world depicted starts out recognisable and relatively normal but soon develops an eerie note as well as touching on more serious topics — but always in a compelling narrative. Always love her attention to tiny details like product names or typical activities for the time she’s set her story in. And of course — funny too

Enjoyable and fun with a sad and serious streak

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Set on my most favourite era. The 1950s and the cusp of so much change. Beautiful evocative writing, effortlessly developing characters always with the thread of the otherworldliness. I wanted it to go on longer and could imagine it being a perfect for movie treatment. But mostly I wanted to be living through it.

Beautifully Evocative

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Alice Hoffman writes about the minutiae of suburban life so masterfully. I was captivated by every character and all their interconnected stories. Wonderful narration too. If you like Alice Hoffman, I strongly recommend her masterpiece, The Dove Keepers.

Beautifully observed domestic drama

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Hoffman so often uses « said » that it’s very, very distracting. It lets down the story/stories.

Aside from that it’s okay, a collection of overlapping stories set in 1950s suburbia (in the heavy-handedly named “Hemlock Street”).

Altogether ok as a free book in the plus collection but I’m glad I didn’t pay for it.

Well-read but very average writing

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I had no idea what to expect when I chose this book, which was included with my membership.
I don’t want to spoil it with too many words; f you are wondering whether to choose it or not, don’t hesitate. It is a wonderful book.
Enough said. Try it for yourself

Just Wow!

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A 1950’s/60’s novel about the rise of women and their breaking away from stereotypes of where they should be and how they should behave. Great narration

Slow burner

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