2.5
The Excellent Lombards
By Jane HamiltonPublisher Description
A new classic from the author of Oprah's Book Club picks A Map of the World and The Book of Ruth.
"This is the book Jane Hamilton was born to write... [it is] magnificent." —Ann Patchett, New York Times bestselling author of Commonwealth
Mary Frances "Frankie" Lombard is fiercely in love with her family's sprawling apple orchard and the tangled web of family members who inhabit it. Content to spend her days planning capers with her brother William, competing with her brainy cousin Amanda, and expertly tending the orchard with her father, Frankie desires nothing more than for the rhythm of life to continue undisturbed. But she cannot help being haunted by the historical fact that some family members end up staying on the farm and others must leave. Change is inevitable, and threats of urbanization, disinheritance, and college applications shake the foundation of Frankie's roots. As Frankie is forced to shed her childhood fantasies and face the possibility of losing the idyllic future she had envisioned for her family, she must decide whether loving something means clinging tightly or letting go.
"Everything you could ask for in a coming-of-age novel-- funny, insightful, observant, saturated with hope and melancholy." —Tom Perotta, author ofLittle Childrenand The Leftovers
"Tender, eccentric, wickedly funny and sage...gives full voice to Jane Hamilton's storytelling gifts." - Nancy Horan, author of Loving Frank and Under the Wide and Starry Sky
"This is the book Jane Hamilton was born to write... [it is] magnificent." —Ann Patchett, New York Times bestselling author of Commonwealth
Mary Frances "Frankie" Lombard is fiercely in love with her family's sprawling apple orchard and the tangled web of family members who inhabit it. Content to spend her days planning capers with her brother William, competing with her brainy cousin Amanda, and expertly tending the orchard with her father, Frankie desires nothing more than for the rhythm of life to continue undisturbed. But she cannot help being haunted by the historical fact that some family members end up staying on the farm and others must leave. Change is inevitable, and threats of urbanization, disinheritance, and college applications shake the foundation of Frankie's roots. As Frankie is forced to shed her childhood fantasies and face the possibility of losing the idyllic future she had envisioned for her family, she must decide whether loving something means clinging tightly or letting go.
"Everything you could ask for in a coming-of-age novel-- funny, insightful, observant, saturated with hope and melancholy." —Tom Perotta, author ofLittle Childrenand The Leftovers
"Tender, eccentric, wickedly funny and sage...gives full voice to Jane Hamilton's storytelling gifts." - Nancy Horan, author of Loving Frank and Under the Wide and Starry Sky
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Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communities20 Reviews
2.5
Heather Fraker
Created about 1 year agoShare
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Jane (Grammy)
Created over 1 year agoShare
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Toni
Created about 2 years agoShare
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“I had a hard time with this one. Up until about 50 pages in, I wasn’t invested.
This is the story of Mary Frances Lombard, sometimes called Frankie, sometimes Francie, sometimes Marlene. She lives on a farm with her family and extended family. They grow mostly apples.
It is her and her brother’s desire to live there forever and never leave, but the family dynamics are such that there is always a threat of a blow up that will divide the farm and business.
There are true life historical events sprinkled throughout that I could have definitely done without. Just a little heads up by the author to let you get a gist of her politics.
I was disappointed that things were never resolved, such as the disturbing relationship or non-relationship between May Hill and Frankie, and May Hill and everyone, really. It was weird.
Also, it felt as if every member of this clan had some type of mental illness brewing in some way or fashion. And, that made it so that the reader was very unsure as to what was actually happening at any given time. Because the story is dictated by Frankie, and she is a young child through most of it, we don’t ever get to the bottom of anything or know for sure if, for example, her mother is a true alcoholic. Or, if in fact, Frankie, through a child’s perspective believes it because of the D.A.R.E. program at her school. Lots of those kinds of doubts are left open ended.
All in all, there were some fun moments, but not enough, and not enough plot to help push it into something that I would recommend. 3 stars.”
Janette W
Created over 2 years agoShare
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Kim
Created over 3 years agoShare
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About Jane Hamilton
Jane Hamilton's novels have won literary prizes, been made into films, and become international bestsellers; and two of them, The Book of Ruth and A Map of the World, were selections of Oprah's Book Club. Her nonfiction has appeared in the New York Times; Washington Post; Allure; O, The Oprah Magazine; Elle; and various anthologies. She's married to an apple farmer and lives in Wisconsin.
Other books by Jane Hamilton
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