Happy Purple Girl

• Rated 4 stars

“Beautifully written, though the vocabulary and structure of the storytelling is very different from most other things I have read---and I think that is part of the appeal. This was a morose, tragic, and liquid story--flowing back and forth between time, past and present, memory and impressions vs. facts. I think Baby is one of the worst villains I have read anytime recently. The heartbreak of the children and their mother was moving--everyone trapped in some fashion grasping for a frond of hope with the deep yearning for acceptance and love. I would definitely recommend it, but be aware that even in it's joyful passages, which are few, there is foreboding and dampness in the telling of the tale.”

Happy Purple Girl wrote this review Saturday, April 12 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 3 stars

“Anne Taintor's word art incorporated into old advertising is very funny...some might think some of it is a little edgy, but I enjoyed it. Not a novel or a book to read so much as to look at. I enjoyed sharing it with other women that I know--friends, mother and sister all got a kick out of it. Definitely recommend, especially if you need a little bit of an acidic, yet tempered pick me up.”

Happy Purple Girl wrote this review Friday, February 1 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“This is a new favorite! I loved the fairy tale style that the story was told in, all of the Russian folklore and myth that it incorporated, while at the same time, feeling like it was fresh and new. I love fairy tales, myth and legend, and this was a difficult book to put down!”

Happy Purple Girl wrote this review Friday, February 1 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 3 stars

“Enjoyable short story read, good authors. I did enjoy My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon a little bit more though. I would definitely recommend it if you enjoy vampires, werewolves and the supernatural, (with a smattering of romantic situations tossed in for good measure.)”

Happy Purple Girl wrote this review Friday, February 1 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 2 stars

“We read this for a book club I belong to. It was o.k. Has some very interesting articles, but is pretty much what you would expect from a "Best Of" from a women's magazine. If you love Oprah, and/or really enjoy her magazine, a definite pick for you.”

Happy Purple Girl wrote this review Friday, February 1 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“Absolutely beautiful photography--primarily focused on non-U.S. peoples. Well done and beautiful. Worth picking up.”

Happy Purple Girl wrote this review Friday, February 1 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 3 stars

“Interesting and fun read, but unfortunately it seems that 20-something lists predominate. I would have liked to have seen a broader age range in this book, think it would have been a little more interesting. I enjoyed it though, and it gave me some good ideas for new lists, to add to my current lists of lists....LOL”

Happy Purple Girl wrote this review Friday, February 1 2008. ( reply | permalink )

1 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 5 stars

“I rated this book as a 5--Not because it is technically well written--or because there are astounding philosophies and insights--but because it is beloved to me--and has brought me joy for many, many years in the reading of it.

I started reading this book when I was 11 yrs. old. I snuck it off of my mom's reading table when she was done with it. I have completely worn out the first copy (my mom's copy) because I read it so many times. I bought a new one recently when we read it for our book club. It was a hit all the way around.

What I love about this story, is that it displays true human development. No perfections, but rather imperfections, growing, joy and sadness, bitterness and pain, loss and redemption, all of the things that as human beings we go through.

I also like the sense of adventure that the main character shows--and the love and loyalty that she displays towards her husband. I recommend it frequently as a must read and a favorite.”

Happy Purple Girl wrote this review Sunday, November 18 2007. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“I just finished reading this for our book club this month. I was a little wary at first because, honestly, stories of this nature can really go awry and become over the top in so many ways. That said, I was very pleasantly surprised with the book as a whole. I liked it. I liked it a lot. [br/][br/]The things that stood out the most for me were in the magnitude of this devoted relationship between father and son and the seemingly outrageous (to our world view) yet very realistic obstacles (in their world view) that they suffered on a daily basis. Tremendous loyalty, commitment, honesty, tenderness, true service from the father for the child all amidst the nightmare of a devastated and pillaged world. Everyday a struggle to survive, everyday vigilant for attack--and not just attack but enslavement and much, much worse.[br/][br/]The book is beautifully written--poetic even, as one of the previous reviews states. It was not a technically difficult book to read, but due to the topic/nature, I can see how for some people this would be difficult to get through subject-matter wise. Again, for myself, I breezed through it because I couldn't put it down. I needed to know what happened--how things turned out.[br/][br/]Not a book for everyone--you'll need to evaluate that for yourself--but I would definitely recommend it.”

Happy Purple Girl wrote this review Monday, November 12 2007. ( reply | permalink )

2 of 2 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 4 stars

“My grandparents were immigrants as was my father. Different countries, different cultures, but similar experiences just the same. My father passed away before I read this book, and reading it, gaining some insight into some of the immigrant experiences with language, culture, society, leaving family behind, all of this, helped me feel a new connection and understanding of my own father. I enjoyed the read and the enlightenment it provided. ”

Happy Purple Girl wrote this review Tuesday, November 6 2007. ( reply | permalink )