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Barb Butler's Reviews > Magic Hour
Magic Hour
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Interesting plot. I struggled with the quality of the writing, the easy/awkward introduction of a romantic subplot, and the oversimplification of "small town life". Just to start, in this book "small town life" = the REPEATED mention of who was homecoming queen 20 years ago by almost EVERY adult character in the novel, loads of uninformed gossip, the collective "best friendness" of the entire police department, etc., etc., & ...etc.
I also wish the child welfare issues were researched more carefully and were less sensational - if the voices behind this book want the press to stop seeking a scapegoat whenever something terrible or unpleasant happens - it seems the author would try to do the same and honestly examine every side of this fictional story.
I also struggled with the idea that the main "voice" of the book was trying to prove herself as a leader in her field, but she missed OBVIOUS psychological issues with her sister, "boy friend", co-worker, best friend, etc.
Anyway, quick/mediocre read.
I also wish the child welfare issues were researched more carefully and were less sensational - if the voices behind this book want the press to stop seeking a scapegoat whenever something terrible or unpleasant happens - it seems the author would try to do the same and honestly examine every side of this fictional story.
I also struggled with the idea that the main "voice" of the book was trying to prove herself as a leader in her field, but she missed OBVIOUS psychological issues with her sister, "boy friend", co-worker, best friend, etc.
Anyway, quick/mediocre read.
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Reading Progress
Finished Reading
December 25, 2012
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TamElaine
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Apr 10, 2013 05:11AM
I'm only on page 96 and I'm feeling the same way. Julia is supposed to be an esteemed phychiatrist and yet I'm not buying any part of her yet....she mentions Ratt's Syndrome??? I assume she means Rhett's Syndrome ! And the ways she talks about autistics? hmmmm not very authentic....also my dad was a small town police chief - also not buying that character either...it's nice to see your review - I feel a bit more validated in my feelings as I'm reading this book.....
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Totally agree. I think the whole dialogue of the characters was very disingenuous...
I read the book. Who is Sun Hair? Why mother was killed? So many questions unanswered?
Carol-Sun Hair was Alice/Britney’s name for Julia when she thought of her before she could speak. The mother was kidnapped and killed with Alice/Britney
thank you. I finally figured it out that Alice\Brittany called Julia Sun Hair. I would like to have had the author tell the details of kidnappings & why. Alice speaks of Sun Hair hurting her in the forest? I'm just really dense.
The adult characters were so predictable and almost caricatures.
I needed some entertaining escape lit.
It lost integrity for me when the good doctor asks herself if she thinks the girls might have Ratt’s Syndrome. It’s Retts Syndrome!
I’m almost done with this and I agree - pretty mediocre. I can’t even believe I kept going. It’s like watching Grays Anatomy - kinda dumb but you just wanna see what happens.
Well said! You articulated everything I’m feeling after reading this.
I totally agree with Lacey! There was another factual error but I can’t remember it now. If it hadn’t been a book club read, I never would have read this book. I will never read another of her books.
Unfortunately, not one of Kristen Hannah's best.
Margaret, totally with you on the Ratt’s Syndrome. I could not go on!
I teach special education and taught a student who was a feral child and was found at 8, so I found the plot interesting. I hated that she referred to those with autism as autistics.
Molly, yes me too! I’m a therapist and cringed every time she said “autistics”. I love KH’s novels normally but this one was not one of her best by far.
Wasn't this book written almost two decades ago? The mention of "autistics" was, I assume, the norm back then.
I usually love Hannah's books, well like The Great Alone, The Nightingale...but this one didn't read well. Haven't finished it yet, and I'm not giving up, but there are too many great books on my shelf to be bogged down with something I don't love.
Agreed. And I struggled with little Alice’s dialogue. She’s spent years in the forest and then by herself but her thoughts articulated were definitely not that level. Strange and unbelievable. I like her books for the most part but this one left me unhappy.
It’s the classic view that mental health workers should have a sturdier handle on their own personal life. We are too close to ourselves to counsel ourselves or see “obviously psychosocial issues” with our own relationships. What makes counseling/therapy work is because we are outside and detached from everything that makes mental health issues, issues. Being a mental health professional doesn’t magically make you absent from all that life can throw at you. This mindset is outdated.
I agree the “autistics” is really getting to me at only 90 pages in
I just read this book, nearly twelve years after your review. I can’t agree more. The plot is a great idea but the writing? Where was her editor during this?
This was mediocre writing at best. I kept reading until the sex part. I don’t want to read pornography which this was. Boo hiss.
Not everything can be relatable to "real life" , hence the term fiction.
I’ve found the quality of the writing of the two Kristin Hannah books I’ve read to be atrocious. I cannot ‘like’ her writing style. And I agree, where was her editor?! Thank you for your review, I won’t bother ‘trying’ to read any more.
Predictable plot line, shallow characters, a lot of errors of grammar, word usage, and syntax. This book could have used a good copy editor. I expect better of Kristin Hannah.
Interesting story, but the constant mention of Levi’s - worn Levi’s, classic Levi’s, and the other descriptions of clothing, hairstyles and makeup left me feeling like the author was trying WAY too hard to set this up for a Lifetime movie.
