Publication
New York : Ballantine Books Trade Paperbacks, 2010.
Collection
Call number
Fiction H
Physical description
416 p.; 21 cm
Status
Available
Call number
Description
Fiction. Literature. Romance. HTML:From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Nightingale and The Great Alone comes an incandescent story about the resilience of the human spirit, the triumph of hope, and the meaning of home. In the rugged Pacific Northwest lies the Olympic National Forest�nearly a million acres of impenetrable darkness and impossible beauty. From deep within this old growth forest, a six-year-old girl appears. Speechless and alone, she offers no clue as to her identity, no hint of her past. Having retreated to her western Washington hometown after a scandal left her career in ruins, child psychiatrist Dr. Julia Cates is determined to free the extraordinary little girl she calls Alice from a prison of unimaginable fear and isolation. To reach her, Julia must discover the truth about Alice�s past�although doing so requires help from Julia�s estranged sister, a local police officer. The shocking facts of Alice�s life test the limits of Julia�s faith and strength, even as she struggles to make a home for Alice�and for herself. �One of [Kristin Hannah�s] most compelling and riveting novels.��Booklist.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member sarahinfla
This is a good book. But could have been better had the author skipped the whole romance subplot in the story. very thought and tear provoking. A good beach or pool read. Fast-moving plot with plenty of characters about whom to care.
LibraryThing member lesleydawn
This is an extremely touching story. While I'm a little pessimistic that a child raised in the situation that Alice was would come around as well as she does, I was able to suspend that disbelief as I read. Kristin Hannah is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors and I can't read something
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else by her. Show Less
LibraryThing member lv_jsmith
A child therapist dealing with her own crisis is asked by her sister to help with a child found in a tree in the small town that they grew up in. The child is a feral child and is helped greatly and quickly by the therapist. While I by no means found this story believable I did find it wonderfully
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readable. I kept me wondering what would happen and I simply suspended my thoughts on the fact that it seemed so quick and easy to make that poor child a normal functioning part of society after what she had been through. I thought that Firefly Lane was a better Kristin Hannah read but this was good. Show Less
LibraryThing member LisaMaria_C
Given the reviews I seem to be very much in the minority, but I thought this was a wretchedly written book. It had an interesting premise. Two sisters in small-town Washington state, a child psychiatrist and the town's police chief, try to help a six-year-old feral child. My problem is that from
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the start the book took an overly melodramatic tone as it related Doctor Julia Cates facing a decision in a lawsuit about a tragedy involving a patient of hers. Her sister, Ellie Barton, is an incongruous mix--a chief of police with the mentality of a "small-town beauty queen." But what made this an excruciating read was the cliche-ridden prose. Sentences and phrases such as "listening to the surf, thinking how much it sounded like beat of her heart" "could have heard a pin drop" and "all hell broke loose." Goodness. There's too many good books and too little time to put up with that. Show Less
LibraryThing member asomers
I needed a box of tissues for this one.
LibraryThing member carmarie
This book was a nice easy good read. I find it amazing when authors can write with such ease and elegance...almost makes it look easy. A typical chick-like paperback. I would recommend this for a good airplane or beach read.
LibraryThing member loubigfish
Different storyline yet a page turner. Has excitement and passion and some unforgetable charcters. Keeps you clearly to the end of the book. Fantastic
LibraryThing member kristioverly
This is a must read for anyone wanting a book that will show you about humanity at it's finest (and at it's worst). This is a beautifully written, heart warming story about a lost little girl who has been through the worst anyone can do to another person, but then she finds a woman who is almost as
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lost as she is. Their bond is a truly amazing thing. They teach each other alot about life, love and learning what matters most in life. Show Less
LibraryThing member thebookbabe
This woman can write! Forget that the plot might be a big out there, just relax and enjoy Hannah's way with words, her way with developing characters you come to love and root for, and books you never want to end. I love her historical romances, love her contemporary romances, and now that she has
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moved on to fiction, or to some readers it's women's fiction, she has pulled me in, in spite of my avoidance of women's fiction in general. There are precious few authors out there who can put their words together in such a beautiful way that you just want to read and escape and thoroughly. Show Less
LibraryThing member mandolin
This was a great book. A psychiatrist who just lost a patient to suicide is called to her hometown to help a young child who has been living wild in the woods. She has to try and find out how the child came to be in the woods, teach the child about the world, how to trust, how to love, and try to
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regain her own reputation back in the process. Show Less
LibraryThing member fireblossom32
Having read the same author's "Winter Garden" and having LOVED it, I decided to read this one next. The story of a feral girl who turns up in a small town, and the sisters who try to help her each in their different ways, is engrossing and entertaining. BUT, the whole romance angle between one
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sister and The Impossibly Handsome Single Doctor With A Tortured Past left me cold. Plus, the last fifty pages seemed awfully tv movie-ish. So, three stars. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookalover89
I can't help but be swept away by the story line of a woman looking for love and finding it in a beautiful child named Alice. Another tender, heart breaking, and beautifully written by Kristin Hannah!
LibraryThing member carebear10712
I love Kristin Hannah, and this book was no exception. I was a little skeptical at first, reading the description of the book, but I'm glad I gave it a try.
LibraryThing member JanaRose1
After a patient of hers goes on a killing spree, psychologist Julia Cates is dragged through the mud by the media. When her sister, the chief of police in a small Washington town, finds an abandoned child, she calls in her sister to help. The child is filthy and wild. Once Julia begins working with
This was a very intriguing book. I find the idea of feral children interesting. I thought that the author treated the subject with compassion and realism. I am falling in love with this author and can't wait to read more of her books.
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her, she realizes that Alice, as she calls the girl, is a feral child, one she speculates was raised in the woods without human companionship.This was a very intriguing book. I find the idea of feral children interesting. I thought that the author treated the subject with compassion and realism. I am falling in love with this author and can't wait to read more of her books.
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LibraryThing member MonicaLynn
Julia a highly respected Psychiatrist looses all respect over one of her patients actions. Julia's sister Ellie a small town police chief who has had her ups and downs in life with marriage and love. After school they both went their own ways keeping in contact but not close. Then there is "Wolf
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Girl" who comes into Ellie's small town and brings in quite a stir with towns folk, media and in need of serious psychiatric help. This young girl a little later we come to know as "Alice" brings much needed help to all. With twists and turns in this story, once again Kristin Hannah pulls together another great story. I don't want to give away to much to spoil. But I really enjoyed this story. Show Less
LibraryThing member maggiejaimeson
I love everything I've read by Kristin Hannah, but this was one of my very favorite books. When I put it down I just couldn't stop thinking about it. Then I had to tell everyone about it. And here it is two years later and I still love it. It's definitely a 10 in my book.
LibraryThing member KIPGDK
I could not put this book down. They story was so intense. This would make a great movie :) Watching Alice grow into a child from a scared little girl who thought words were bad is amazing. And watching all the other characters grow up as well. this book was heartwarming, sad, happy and just an
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excellent read. I was sad to see it end. Show Less
LibraryThing member JCogdil1
This is an amazing story of two sisters each searching for happiness and something that has been missing in their loves. It may sounds strange, but the two sisters find a feral child who has been living out in the woods on her own for a long time. It is through this child that both of their lives
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begin to take shape. I originally thought the idea of a feral child would not work, but it certainly does. Show Less
LibraryThing member she_climber
Just simply a very well written story with characters you can't help but love. I wanted to pick up and move to Rain Valley, it felt like home. And Alice...how my heart broke for this little girl who was "raised" in the wild. But man did I want her ability to talk to animals. I highly recommend this
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drama/mystery. Just a beautiful story. Show Less
LibraryThing member olegalCA
Another good effort by Hannah but I was disappointed that we didn't delve deeper into the reasons behind the estrangement of Julia and Ellie. There were hints of their history but it was never fully developed. The rest of the story was very well done and believable, however.
LibraryThing member DesertRain
Very annoying plot device, having to have the media focussed on this abandoned girl, knowing that her caretakers abused her, knowing the position it puts the already media harrangued Julia into.
LibraryThing member micahmom2002
This is the 3 book I've read by Kristin Hannah, and I actually won a signed copy of the book through a facebook giveaway she had. All 3 books I have read of hers are in my all time favorite list. A young child suddenly appears in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. She seems unsocialized and
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unable to speak. The story follows the therapist that begins working with her and those trying to find out who she is and what has happened to her and what the future holds for all involved. Beautifully written, great characters, wonderful plot and somewhat familiar setting in that it takes place in a town near Forks and La Push from the Twilight series. Show Less
LibraryThing member Dawn772
A very compelling story that had me captivated from start to finish even though the romances played secondary roles. The heroine was fantastic and had me near tears at the end. Psychiatrist Julia's career is ruined and she returns to her hometown to help an extraordinary little girl with
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unimaginable fear. Show Less
LibraryThing member Carlathelibrarian
This was an earlier Kristin Hannah book that was on my bookshelf for awhile. I enjoyed the premise, but the writing was not up to what she has written recently. There were a lot of cliches about small towns, sisters not getting along growing up, the homecoming queen, etc. that were a bit
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oversimplified. The story about the young girl that shows up in small town Rain Valley, dubbed the wolf girl is the real story. She is about 5 or 6 years old, doesn't talk, has a pet wolf and no one is able to find out who she is. Town sheriff, Ellie, contacts her sister, fallen child psychiatrist Julia, to come home and help with the girl. The story is about "Alice" coming out of her shell and developing a relationship with Julia and what will happen if her real parents ever show up. There are also some romantic story lines for both Ellie and Julia as well as healing. A nice story. Show Less
LibraryThing member SusanGeiss
A story of a very lost soul and the deepest, healing love that only a mother can give. Another great read that tugs at your heart strings and leaves you haunted by the characters involved. When I go tot the end, I wished for more and still miss the characters. Feral children have existed throughout
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time. Here is one you will fall in love with and never forget. Show Less
Language
Original publication date
2006
ISBN
9780345522184