Sarah Addison Allen

This book reminded me of lazy hot summers up north in Michigan. Lying on a sun warmed dock, the lake lapping against the wooden posts, feeling sweaty and lazy and relaxed. And happy. Definitely happy, with the sun on your skin and blinding you even with your eyes closed, a book laying next to you where you laid it when you got tired, wishing you had a drink nearby. The trees rustling behind you from the sporadic breezes, that wash over your skin making it possible to stay there just a little show more longer. I had to make reservations at a cabin near a lake after reading this book, true story.

Yes, this what Lost Lake made me think of.

The story is beautiful and whimsical and sad, a story of beginnings and endings and the stuff in between. Everyone is looking for something, and Lost Lake has the magic to make them dream and want and realize what they want is not always out of reach. The main characters are absolutely charming, and the villains devilishly villainous. But even they are not always how they appear. Kate Pheris finds herself at Lost Lake with her daughter Devin on a whim - an old postcard hidden away for two decades finds itself at last into the hands of its intended recipient. Eby Pim, the owner of Lost Lake, is carefree and easy and full of goodness, and is maybe one of my favorite characters in any Allen book. She can fix anything, and the town loves her. The lost and broken have found themselves at her door many times, needing her to help them out. Lisette especially. Lisette who was born without vocal cords yet has one of the loudest presences in the book, and Jack who is painfully shy but desperately in love with her.

And we can't forget Devin. Eight years old, inquisitive, who still believes in the magic of the world around her, who believes that she can see better out of her formerly lazy eye, than she can using both of her eyes. There is Selma who can make any man fall in love with her if she chooses, Buhladeen who knows that endings can change and who has one of the best background stories, and then there is Wes. Wes. Wes who carries around his old demons and hope, who will break your heart, who recognizes a good thing when he sees it and doesn't want to let it go.

There is magic around every corner in this book. It is a story of love and hope and the ghosts that haunt our daydreams. It was an amazing story, I fell thoroughly in love with its twists and turns and characters, and I hope that you do too. show less

On a small island in South Carolina, buried behind the highly tourist-focused main street is a building made up of five condos. When Zoey Hennessy moves into her deceased mother's old condo, she has hopes of both connecting with the mother she barely knew and making some new friends. What she doesn't expect is that the death of one of the other tenants in the condo building will unravel the secrets of several of her new neighbours.

This was a really charming piece of magical realism with a show more strong theme of found family. All of the characters Allen crafts are deeply sympathetic and there are several reveals that occur over the course of the book that surprised me (although several I saw coming). If you're looking for a soothing read, that provides similar vibes to sinking into a warm bath, this might just be the read for you. show less

I really enjoyed this book, which I listened to on audio narrated by Susan Ericksen. It is the story of two sisters leading very different lives until one comes home to western North Carolina seeking safety. Allen incorporates magical realism into her stories beautifully, so that it adds to the story but doesn't overpower it. I can only describe her books as "gentle" - when I picture them in my head, it's always in soft focus. But her characterizations are strong and the quirks and oddities show more of both her main characters and secondary ones are always charming and never seem forced. I think I am down to only one of her books unread at this point - she needs to write some more! show less

This is a really beautiful book, peppered with just enough magical realism to keep things interesting. Zoey, the protagonist, is so very like-able. As is Charlotte. There’s even a Boo Radley type and I’m impressed that this character has one denouement moment, but remains a mystery at the end—she doesn’t change, but the people in her orbit, and how they relate to her, do. That’s nuanced.

These "other birds," joined by Mac and Frasier, create their own flock, and that's ultimately show more the point of the book. But along the way, there are painful histories, ghosts--real and imagined, and a special "bird" named Pigeon.

There are some artful reveals, and those that should be obvious, but might not be. The book is slightly weakened by an unevenness in narrative--there are times when we aren't quite sure whose story is center stage because there's a bit of stream-of-consciousness jumping from one character to the next. Ultimately, however, the real value is in how Allen doesn't resort to cliché--what typically detonates fizzles out instead, and we are left satisfied with the unanswered questions just as we must be in real life in order to grow and have meaningful relationships. show less