A Bit Bookish

Faithful by Alice Hoffman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love Alice Hoffman's writing. The lyrical style and haunting, moody/mystical tone combined with her usual magical realism are always a strong draw for me. This novel about grief is a real page turner. It is also heartbreaking in its exploration of family, its examination of faith, and its perspective on love. Shelby Richmond lives an ordinary life until one night she experiences a great tragedy. She is driving and has a catastrophic car accident that leaves her best friend in a coma and Shelby in a tailspin of survivor's guilt and remorse. While this is a tale of ultimate redemption, Hoffman's gorgeous and elegant prose takes us on a powerful journey through dark suffering and loneliness and ultimately back to the light. Hoffman's greatest gift is her ability to write about the balance between the everyday world and the extraordinary. Beautifully crafted and extremely moving.


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