It started with Incantation, a book by Alice Hoffman that has been receiving stellar reviews. After that I was hooked.
“I thought I knew the world.
I thought I knew myself.
I thought I knew my dearest friend.
But I knew nothing at all.”
Incantation is a beautifully written, moving story that takes place during the Spanish Inquisition. It’s about love and hate, loyalty and betrayal, and a 16-year-old girl who has been brought up to believe she is Catholic and her discovery that her family is hiding their true Jewish identity.
I had to read more of Alice Hoffman’s books!
Next, I read The Foretelling, an intense, complicated fantasy coming-of-age story about a teen is destined to become queen of the Amazons. While she becomes an expert horsewoman and warrior, she is drawn to mercy and peace.
Aquamarine was next, but read more like a short story than a novel. It’s a sweet coming-of-age novelette for younger readers.
Then I read Green Angel, which I thought was more along the style of Incantation and The Foretelling. When 15-year-old Green’s parents and sister fail to return from the city after an apocalyptic catastrophe, she renames herself Ash as she fends for herself.
Incantation, The Foretelling, and Green Angel are totally different and unrelated stories, but they illustrate Alice Hoffman’s style of lovely, poetic writing encompassing beautiful prose, print and pages.
Alice Hoffman’s Official Page
“I thought I knew the world.
I thought I knew myself.
I thought I knew my dearest friend.
But I knew nothing at all.”
Incantation is a beautifully written, moving story that takes place during the Spanish Inquisition. It’s about love and hate, loyalty and betrayal, and a 16-year-old girl who has been brought up to believe she is Catholic and her discovery that her family is hiding their true Jewish identity.
I had to read more of Alice Hoffman’s books!
Next, I read The Foretelling, an intense, complicated fantasy coming-of-age story about a teen is destined to become queen of the Amazons. While she becomes an expert horsewoman and warrior, she is drawn to mercy and peace.
Aquamarine was next, but read more like a short story than a novel. It’s a sweet coming-of-age novelette for younger readers.
Then I read Green Angel, which I thought was more along the style of Incantation and The Foretelling. When 15-year-old Green’s parents and sister fail to return from the city after an apocalyptic catastrophe, she renames herself Ash as she fends for herself.
Incantation, The Foretelling, and Green Angel are totally different and unrelated stories, but they illustrate Alice Hoffman’s style of lovely, poetic writing encompassing beautiful prose, print and pages.
Alice Hoffman’s Official Page
1 comment:
This book truly cast a spell on me. It was so beautiful and tragic, with a glimmer of hope at the end. Even though it was set in the time of the Spanish Inquisition, I believe anyone can relate to it. The feeling of betrayal and love is something anyone can identify with. The imagery was beautiful, and the allegories were superb. I especially liked how she decribed the burning paper as doves. And how there was a dragon who comes up from the well. My favorite, however, is how her mother described tears as being blue. Such a beautiful story.
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