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littlem0use's review against another edition
4.0
I could not put this novel down. It was a short and easy read for me that kept me intrigued and on the edge of my seat till the very end. This held mystery, suspense, tragedy, and a creep factor which is why I enjoyed this novel so much. It was able to hold enough mystery to make you wonder what is reality and what is not.
I recommend this novel.
Thanks Netgalley!!
I recommend this novel.
Thanks Netgalley!!
b00knerd's review against another edition
4.0
I could not put this novel down. It was a short and easy read for me that kept me intrigued and on the edge of my seat till the very end. This held mystery, suspense, tragedy, and a creep factor which is why I enjoyed this novel so much. It was able to hold enough mystery to make you wonder what is reality and what is not.
I recommend this novel.
Thanks Netgalley!!
I recommend this novel.
Thanks Netgalley!!
missnicolerose's review
3.0
While the basic storyline was captivating, it was overall just too much. Too many characters, too many side stories, too many twists that weren't necessary.
Giulio Rodari was placed under house arrrest at his mother's secluded hotel in the Italian mountains after being suspected of murdering his ex-girlfriend, Patrizia. It had been documented that he had stalked Patrizia, threatened her, and confronted her the night of her disappearance. But, Rodari's consumption of alcohol that night seems to have entirely blacked out his memory of the most crucial time period.
Rodari's small hometown is still reeling from a horrific bus accident four years prior that killed several residents. In the midst of this is a land dispute threatening their "sacred" forest as a waste treatment plant is attempting to move in. Oh, and there's also adultery, mafia, alcoholism, teen rebellion, and a little dose of witchcraft to top it all off.
The writing itself was good, but it was just too much.
Giulio Rodari was placed under house arrrest at his mother's secluded hotel in the Italian mountains after being suspected of murdering his ex-girlfriend, Patrizia. It had been documented that he had stalked Patrizia, threatened her, and confronted her the night of her disappearance. But, Rodari's consumption of alcohol that night seems to have entirely blacked out his memory of the most crucial time period.
Rodari's small hometown is still reeling from a horrific bus accident four years prior that killed several residents. In the midst of this is a land dispute threatening their "sacred" forest as a waste treatment plant is attempting to move in. Oh, and there's also adultery, mafia, alcoholism, teen rebellion, and a little dose of witchcraft to top it all off.
The writing itself was good, but it was just too much.
crystalmayfield's review against another edition
3.0
A well-told story. Very interesting and intriguing at least for me it was. I don't read many translated novels because translation can be a tricky thing. But this one was done well.
I received this eBook for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this eBook for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
thebrownbookloft's review against another edition
4.0
Pre-pub courtesy of NetGalley Aug 14, 2018. Published by AmazonCrossing. Translated from the Italian by Hillary Locke.Hawthorne Season
Summary: A murder, a bridge accident, three cats, a teenage girl and a gnome. These five things appear to have little to do with each other but in the Hawthorne Season, almost nothing is as it appears to be.
Guilio Rodari, the artist/author of a children’s book series, is suspected of the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Patrizia Alberti. Guilio admits to stalking her and being completely obsessed with her, but he can’t believe he murdered her. Guilio has a problem because he has partial amnesia from a bad reaction to alcohol. He can’t remember anything during a four-hour period, the exact time Patrizia went missing. The police have a problem because they don’t have a body.
The authorities decide to put Guilio under house arrest while they gather evidence against him. Guilio is sent to stay with his mother at her hotel, which is closed for the season. But his seclusion is very permeable as people and information drift in and out of his dubious lock-up. With his guilt a foregone conclusion for the authorities, Guilio knows he must use whatever resources he can to recover his missing memories.
Comments: It took me a while to get into the rhythm of reading this book and I did lots of highlighting and jotting down of notes on my Kindle along the way. That served me well at the end of the book when all the various people and incidents came together in some completely unexpected ways. The book was well written, and the translation was clear, I was just nudged out of my fiction comfort zone.
There is a thread of fatalism that runs through the thinking of almost all the characters in this book. For them, it is pointless to buck the system and external forces always prevail. Those who don’t accept this are punished. The Hawthorne Season made me think about American/European cultural differences as expressed in modern literature. I’m glad it did.
4 out of 5 for a smashingly good ending.
#NetGalley #TheHawthorneSeason
Summary: A murder, a bridge accident, three cats, a teenage girl and a gnome. These five things appear to have little to do with each other but in the Hawthorne Season, almost nothing is as it appears to be.
Guilio Rodari, the artist/author of a children’s book series, is suspected of the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Patrizia Alberti. Guilio admits to stalking her and being completely obsessed with her, but he can’t believe he murdered her. Guilio has a problem because he has partial amnesia from a bad reaction to alcohol. He can’t remember anything during a four-hour period, the exact time Patrizia went missing. The police have a problem because they don’t have a body.
The authorities decide to put Guilio under house arrest while they gather evidence against him. Guilio is sent to stay with his mother at her hotel, which is closed for the season. But his seclusion is very permeable as people and information drift in and out of his dubious lock-up. With his guilt a foregone conclusion for the authorities, Guilio knows he must use whatever resources he can to recover his missing memories.
Comments: It took me a while to get into the rhythm of reading this book and I did lots of highlighting and jotting down of notes on my Kindle along the way. That served me well at the end of the book when all the various people and incidents came together in some completely unexpected ways. The book was well written, and the translation was clear, I was just nudged out of my fiction comfort zone.
There is a thread of fatalism that runs through the thinking of almost all the characters in this book. For them, it is pointless to buck the system and external forces always prevail. Those who don’t accept this are punished. The Hawthorne Season made me think about American/European cultural differences as expressed in modern literature. I’m glad it did.
4 out of 5 for a smashingly good ending.
#NetGalley #TheHawthorneSeason
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