zeljana's review
4.0
I was provided with an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
This was a fun, whimsical novel with a splash of magical realism recalling Alice Hoffman or Laura Esquivel. The author titled this "love poem to Illinois disguised as a novel". You can feel the love she has for small-town America and its eccentric inhabitants. Interestingly, I got very strong southern vibes from this, and it was difficult for me to place this in Illinois (which I know very little about). The language is very poetic which from the onset set my expectations really high. Somewhere around the first 50 pages, I went on to research whether Laura McHale wrote anything else because I really liked her style.
However, the latter part of the novel dragged on a bit, and I lost the satisfaction of reading which I had in the beginning.
For me, this novel fell flat in the main story, which somewhere around the middle became very predictable. The many storylines didn't help, and at times it was difficult to remember who everyone was. I do think that a more inquisitive editor could've made this a much better experience.
But, I can't seem to shake off the fuzzy, comfortable feeling I had while reading this. Like a childhood memory of summer when all the people we loved were there in one place.
In that sense, Laura McHale Holland did a very good job.
This was a fun, whimsical novel with a splash of magical realism recalling Alice Hoffman or Laura Esquivel. The author titled this "love poem to Illinois disguised as a novel". You can feel the love she has for small-town America and its eccentric inhabitants. Interestingly, I got very strong southern vibes from this, and it was difficult for me to place this in Illinois (which I know very little about). The language is very poetic which from the onset set my expectations really high. Somewhere around the first 50 pages, I went on to research whether Laura McHale wrote anything else because I really liked her style.
However, the latter part of the novel dragged on a bit, and I lost the satisfaction of reading which I had in the beginning.
For me, this novel fell flat in the main story, which somewhere around the middle became very predictable. The many storylines didn't help, and at times it was difficult to remember who everyone was. I do think that a more inquisitive editor could've made this a much better experience.
But, I can't seem to shake off the fuzzy, comfortable feeling I had while reading this. Like a childhood memory of summer when all the people we loved were there in one place.
In that sense, Laura McHale Holland did a very good job.
jody_j's review against another edition
3.0
I appreciated the small-town 60s vibe and the multitude of characters, but for me, that was about it. The numerous storylines became perplexing and it began to drag on near the end of the book. This was a satisfactory debut, but an author with abundant potential.
I would like to thank Laura for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I would like to thank Laura for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
bridgets_books's review against another edition
5.0
This story is truly magical. I was hooked from the opening paragraphs and read it in one day.
I loved the mysterious small town of Kiminee. The author creates a wondrous world with rich characters and believable but far-fetched escapades.
One of my favorite quotes from the book is, “the past is the past; nothing can change it. All we can do is change how we feel about it.” This seems to be a lesson we can all learn.
The residents of Kiminee are each enchanting, whether in a loveable or curmudgeonly way. Coming from a small town in Illinois myself, I know the power, good and bad, that towns like this carry. They truly can be magical. I appreciated the explanation at the beginning of the book on who the main players were. I referred to this several times while reading.
The author is an extraordinary storyteller. This art seems to be rare in today’s world, where instant gratification is the norm. The slow-building of the story, the twists in the path, and how it all ties together in unexpected ways at the end make this one of the best books I’ve read in a while. I think it will stay with me for a long time, which is quite a tribute to the author and her words.
I hope you give this amazing book a chance. It’s a rare gift to the reading world.
This review was originally posted on ginaraemitchell.com.
I received a copy of the book for an iRead Book Tour. This review is my honest, unbiased opinion.
I loved the mysterious small town of Kiminee. The author creates a wondrous world with rich characters and believable but far-fetched escapades.
One of my favorite quotes from the book is, “the past is the past; nothing can change it. All we can do is change how we feel about it.” This seems to be a lesson we can all learn.
The residents of Kiminee are each enchanting, whether in a loveable or curmudgeonly way. Coming from a small town in Illinois myself, I know the power, good and bad, that towns like this carry. They truly can be magical. I appreciated the explanation at the beginning of the book on who the main players were. I referred to this several times while reading.
The author is an extraordinary storyteller. This art seems to be rare in today’s world, where instant gratification is the norm. The slow-building of the story, the twists in the path, and how it all ties together in unexpected ways at the end make this one of the best books I’ve read in a while. I think it will stay with me for a long time, which is quite a tribute to the author and her words.
I hope you give this amazing book a chance. It’s a rare gift to the reading world.
This review was originally posted on ginaraemitchell.com.
I received a copy of the book for an iRead Book Tour. This review is my honest, unbiased opinion.
erraticelle's review
4.0
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review. *
There is a group of magical realism reads that tend to remind me of Sarah Addison Allen's work. Allen is a master of the original magical realism and anyone who can follow successfully in her footsteps can write a story I'll love to read. This book falls quite nicely into that camp. Built around a small town where magical things just seem to happen, The Kiminee Dream is a well-written novel with a lot packed into a nicely paced plot.
Holland's writing is beautiful and lyrical, flowing easily and smoothly. It didn't take long for me to get wrapped up in the story and start falling in love with the town and its inhabitants. The entire story only took me two days to read, as caught up as I was in everything that was happening.
Writing a magical realism novel well takes some real talent, melding the believable with the magical in a way that still feels natural. This is well done in this case. There is one small scene near the end of the book that I felt left the confines of what felt natural for the genre and the book, but beyond that everything just seemed to fall rightly into place. The progression of the plot makes sense while still remaining mysterious and intriguing.
While I am more often drawn to a plot-driven novel, I also need reads where I can find myself interested in the characters. There was no short supply of interest in this case. The characters are clearly written with great care, with even minor characters having very distinct personalities and being built quite dynamically. This wonderful cast, combined with the magical elements that are sprinkled here and there, bring the small town to life and create a home base for this narrative that begs you to return. The true magic to a magcial realism read is having a town that makes you want to visit. Kiminee is that place. Even as the plot meanders here and there, gathering bits of story, there is always the anchor of Kiminee holding it all together and drawing the reader even more closely in. The multiple story lines build on one another and give great depth to the overall picture.
The Kiminee Dream is incredibly imaginative, sometimes terribly heartbreaking, and full of magical whimsy. Highly recommend for those who love a magical realism tale built upon a charming town.
There is a group of magical realism reads that tend to remind me of Sarah Addison Allen's work. Allen is a master of the original magical realism and anyone who can follow successfully in her footsteps can write a story I'll love to read. This book falls quite nicely into that camp. Built around a small town where magical things just seem to happen, The Kiminee Dream is a well-written novel with a lot packed into a nicely paced plot.
Holland's writing is beautiful and lyrical, flowing easily and smoothly. It didn't take long for me to get wrapped up in the story and start falling in love with the town and its inhabitants. The entire story only took me two days to read, as caught up as I was in everything that was happening.
Writing a magical realism novel well takes some real talent, melding the believable with the magical in a way that still feels natural. This is well done in this case. There is one small scene near the end of the book that I felt left the confines of what felt natural for the genre and the book, but beyond that everything just seemed to fall rightly into place. The progression of the plot makes sense while still remaining mysterious and intriguing.
While I am more often drawn to a plot-driven novel, I also need reads where I can find myself interested in the characters. There was no short supply of interest in this case. The characters are clearly written with great care, with even minor characters having very distinct personalities and being built quite dynamically. This wonderful cast, combined with the magical elements that are sprinkled here and there, bring the small town to life and create a home base for this narrative that begs you to return. The true magic to a magcial realism read is having a town that makes you want to visit. Kiminee is that place. Even as the plot meanders here and there, gathering bits of story, there is always the anchor of Kiminee holding it all together and drawing the reader even more closely in. The multiple story lines build on one another and give great depth to the overall picture.
The Kiminee Dream is incredibly imaginative, sometimes terribly heartbreaking, and full of magical whimsy. Highly recommend for those who love a magical realism tale built upon a charming town.
More...