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Hill Towns
A single event in her childhood irrevocably marked Catherine Gaillard -- and made it impossible for her to leave her cloistered mountaintop town in Tennessee for the next thirty years. But her devotion to her husband, Joe, and her desire to forever put the incident behind her propel Cat on a life-changing trip to Italy. Making their way across the countryside of Tuscany with two other couples, Cat and Joe soon feel themselves pulled in different directions, and the fabric of their marriage begins to unravel. Expanding beyond the bounds of a carefree trip, their journey takes them deep into the heart of their relationship...and becomes the ultimate test of their love.
432 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
308 people are currently reading
1176 people want to read
About the author
Anne Rivers Siddons
50 books1,257 followersBorn Sybil Anne Rivers in Atlanta, Georgia, she was raised in Fairburn, Georgia, and attended Auburn University, where she was a member of the Delta Delta Delta Sorority.
While at Auburn she wrote a column for the student newspaper, The Auburn Plainsman, that favored integration. The university administration attempted to suppress the column, and ultimately fired her, and the column garnered national attention. She later became a senior editor for Atlanta magazine.
At the age of thirty she married Heyward Siddons, and she and her husband lived in Charleston, South Carolina, and spent summers in Maine. Siddons died of lung cancer on September 11, 2019
While at Auburn she wrote a column for the student newspaper, The Auburn Plainsman, that favored integration. The university administration attempted to suppress the column, and ultimately fired her, and the column garnered national attention. She later became a senior editor for Atlanta magazine.
At the age of thirty she married Heyward Siddons, and she and her husband lived in Charleston, South Carolina, and spent summers in Maine. Siddons died of lung cancer on September 11, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 147 reviews
October 6, 2010
The older I get, the less tolerance I have for the overblown prose that Siddons sometimes gets caught up in while describing her characters. This one was definitely NOT among her best efforts; if you want to read vintage Siddons, I much preferred Colony. On the other hand, I must admit that if you would like to read some beautiful descriptions of Rome, Venice, Florence and Siena, it's clear that Siddons has not only visited these places, but has a true appreciation for them. For that, I'll give Hill Towns three stars.
September 9, 2012
If you've never read any of Siddons books, skip this one and read one of her low-country books. They're much better. This missed the mark.
November 11, 2011
This novel is a book sale find from several years ago. I finished reading it yesterday and still cannot really make up my mind about it.
My main problem with it is that I didn't like one single character in the book. The protagonist, Catherine (Cat) Compton Gaillard, lives on a mountain in Tennessee near famed Trinity College. Her father is a teacher there and her mother is from a poor family, and they are killed in a grotesque accident on a bridge down off the mountain. Five-year-old Cat is sleeping in their car near the bridge so she is unhurt. From that moment she believes she is only safe on the mountain, and refuses to leave, even to live with her wealthy Compton grandparents. She instead insists on staying with her mad maternal grandmother and her grandfather who is a janitor at Trinity.
She marries Joe, a teacher, and they have one child, a daughter who is born blind. Cat's entire life revolves around her home and the mountain. Finally she seeks counseling, and when Joe's protege and his girlfriend decide to get married in Rome, Joe and Cat accept their invitation to go to Rome for the wedding and then accompany the newlyweds on their honeymoon through Tuscany.
It ends up with a group of seven people traveling together and the discord the journey evokes. They drink so much I felt half drunk throughout. One of the women keeps going off after a man, any man, so mostly they are three couples, but three more different couples you couldn't find.
All this time Cat has occasional panic attacks, but stubbornly continues to wander off alone. I just couldn't understand her, so most of the time I felt like shaking her silly.
At the same time, the story seems to be leading up to an event and I couldn't stop reading because I needed to find out how the trip eventually ended. So I must admit it was quite a story even though it drove me crazy more than once. The characterizations are masterful, the description of the places they all go is enough to make me want to pack a bag and go, now. Siddons is an astonishing writer, but I do wish I had been able to like at least one character.
My main problem with it is that I didn't like one single character in the book. The protagonist, Catherine (Cat) Compton Gaillard, lives on a mountain in Tennessee near famed Trinity College. Her father is a teacher there and her mother is from a poor family, and they are killed in a grotesque accident on a bridge down off the mountain. Five-year-old Cat is sleeping in their car near the bridge so she is unhurt. From that moment she believes she is only safe on the mountain, and refuses to leave, even to live with her wealthy Compton grandparents. She instead insists on staying with her mad maternal grandmother and her grandfather who is a janitor at Trinity.
She marries Joe, a teacher, and they have one child, a daughter who is born blind. Cat's entire life revolves around her home and the mountain. Finally she seeks counseling, and when Joe's protege and his girlfriend decide to get married in Rome, Joe and Cat accept their invitation to go to Rome for the wedding and then accompany the newlyweds on their honeymoon through Tuscany.
It ends up with a group of seven people traveling together and the discord the journey evokes. They drink so much I felt half drunk throughout. One of the women keeps going off after a man, any man, so mostly they are three couples, but three more different couples you couldn't find.
All this time Cat has occasional panic attacks, but stubbornly continues to wander off alone. I just couldn't understand her, so most of the time I felt like shaking her silly.
At the same time, the story seems to be leading up to an event and I couldn't stop reading because I needed to find out how the trip eventually ended. So I must admit it was quite a story even though it drove me crazy more than once. The characterizations are masterful, the description of the places they all go is enough to make me want to pack a bag and go, now. Siddons is an astonishing writer, but I do wish I had been able to like at least one character.
February 19, 2011
I found myself speaking outloud to the characters (i.e. "Don't do it, Cat!") which means that the plot is certainly strong enough for me to really get into it. However, I too, was very unimpressed the language. There simply was no need for the foul words that Siddons appeared to enjoy throwing in seemingly on a whim. Also, I believe that I have a pretty broad vocabulary, but Siddons really stretched the limits of every day speech in this book! Words such as "fecundity", "scurrilious", "ennui", etc. There were MANY words in this book that I had to actually look up because I either hadn't heard them used in years or I wasn't familiar with them at all! It was almost like a course in College Vocab! Bottom line: Good read, poor choice of words!
July 22, 2015
There's currently a commercial about chaise lounges on tv. The husband pronounces them "chase" and his wife pronounces them "chaaaze". I felt as if I have been languidly sprawled out on a chaise lounge while reading this book. It was wonderful. Ms. Siddons strings words together like multi-dimensional figures on a strand of holiday ornaments. The settings are the hills of Tennessee and the major cities of Italy. The lighting, the feeling, the emotions, the bourbon.....this book is so good! I really hated for it to end.
October 10, 2019
Another re-read of my all-time favorite author, and again it did not disappoint. Even more thrilling was learning of the backstory of it all - that Anne and Heyward did go to Italy for the wedding and honeymoon of their friends Cynthia and Cliff Graubart, and the story was loosely based on that adventure. Even better, on the Anne Rivers Siddons Fan Club page on Facebook, I was given the gift of this link that gives more detail, including Pat Conroy's role. He was living in Rome at the time, was the best man at the Graubart wedding, and also, identifies with Sam Forrest's character. Go to the midpoint of Chapter 4, though the entire article is amazing, especially if you love Pat Conroy: http://specials.myajc.com/exaggerated.... And his book is definitely on my list to read - not sure of how I missed it!
To me, Hill Towns is sheer magic because of all of the vivid descriptions of the sights in Italy, the food I can taste through her words, the brilliance of the characters and the dynamics. Timid Cat and her alpha male husband Joe. The artist Sam and his put together wife Ada. Yolanda - clear and fresh when she drinks mineral water; not so much otherwise. Maria and Colin, the young newlyweds. I felt like I was traveling through Italy and seeing all that it has to offer. I love how it starts with Cat being so fragile and afraid and her character overcomes her fears and becomes so bold and brave.
What can I say? I loved it and was saddened and surprised to see some low reviews. But everyone is entitled to their opinion, and this book will always have a special place in my heart and will always be one that I highly recommend.
To me, Hill Towns is sheer magic because of all of the vivid descriptions of the sights in Italy, the food I can taste through her words, the brilliance of the characters and the dynamics. Timid Cat and her alpha male husband Joe. The artist Sam and his put together wife Ada. Yolanda - clear and fresh when she drinks mineral water; not so much otherwise. Maria and Colin, the young newlyweds. I felt like I was traveling through Italy and seeing all that it has to offer. I love how it starts with Cat being so fragile and afraid and her character overcomes her fears and becomes so bold and brave.
What can I say? I loved it and was saddened and surprised to see some low reviews. But everyone is entitled to their opinion, and this book will always have a special place in my heart and will always be one that I highly recommend.
August 28, 2011
Hills Towns was an enjoyable read. The book started in Tennessee and ended in Italy. Everyone seemed to change in Italy, and most of the characters would never be the same again. It has beautiful settings and vivid characters.
July 6, 2012
Did not like the unbelievable, slow story, and thought the author was too impressed with her own vocabulary.
February 1, 2018
Enjoyed the descriptions of Italy. Would like to have finished the journey with just Cat and Joe.
May 14, 2014
If you ever wanted to, have already, or want to relive a trip to Italy, especially Rome, Venice, Florence, Siena, and Tuscany then this is the book for you. The descriptions are vivid, detailed, and picturesque of the people, places, the hot sensual scorching weather, and the emotions generated by being there. This is also a book where it is handy to have a dictionary nearby because the prose is overblown with words not in everyday use.
As a five year old child Cat Gaillard was traumatized by the death of her parents on a bridge while she was supposedly sleeping in a car nearby. She develops agoraphobia (abnormal fear of crossing or of being in open spaces) and cannot leave the mountains of Tennessee near Trinity College. She marries Joe, a professor of literature, who understands her problems and becomes comfortable with them. When some friends (Colin and Maria) decide to get married in Italy, Cat with the aid of her therapist, drugs, and determination decides to make the trip. After the wedding, seven of the wedding party including the bride and groom take a road trip through the above mentioned towns. Sam Forrest and his wife Ada and Yolanda Whitney, a Martha Stewart type TV personality, round out the cast of characters. Sam is a world famous painter and decides to paint Cat during the trip. Cat is drawn to Sam and his personality. Everyone seems to slide out of control; and as the trip progresses, Cat and Joe's marriage begins to unravel as well as the newlyweds. The author "probes deeply into the multiple meanings of love and relationships..." as Cat emerges from her fears and constraints. In doing so she alienates the people around her who thrive on her vulnerability. It becomes a life-changing trip for all.
The ending was abrupt and not very satisfying for me. What happens when Cat and Joe return home? Do they work things out? Does the marriage last? It was just an OK read - a character study!
As a five year old child Cat Gaillard was traumatized by the death of her parents on a bridge while she was supposedly sleeping in a car nearby. She develops agoraphobia (abnormal fear of crossing or of being in open spaces) and cannot leave the mountains of Tennessee near Trinity College. She marries Joe, a professor of literature, who understands her problems and becomes comfortable with them. When some friends (Colin and Maria) decide to get married in Italy, Cat with the aid of her therapist, drugs, and determination decides to make the trip. After the wedding, seven of the wedding party including the bride and groom take a road trip through the above mentioned towns. Sam Forrest and his wife Ada and Yolanda Whitney, a Martha Stewart type TV personality, round out the cast of characters. Sam is a world famous painter and decides to paint Cat during the trip. Cat is drawn to Sam and his personality. Everyone seems to slide out of control; and as the trip progresses, Cat and Joe's marriage begins to unravel as well as the newlyweds. The author "probes deeply into the multiple meanings of love and relationships..." as Cat emerges from her fears and constraints. In doing so she alienates the people around her who thrive on her vulnerability. It becomes a life-changing trip for all.
The ending was abrupt and not very satisfying for me. What happens when Cat and Joe return home? Do they work things out? Does the marriage last? It was just an OK read - a character study!
December 12, 2016
Let me preface this review by saying that I have adored the novels of Anne Rivers Siddons for almost 25 years, ever since Colony, my favorite novel of all, came to be through the pages of the Book-of-the-Month Club catalog. Thereafter, I read everything of hers that I could get my hands on. Somehow, I missed Hill Towns.
Had Hill Towns been my second ARS novel, rather than Outer Banks, I may never have read another by this remarkable writer. I simply could not wait until this novel ended so much so that I found myself skipping first sentences and then entire paragraphs just to finish the thing. It was, in the end, a tremendous disappointment. Considering this was the novel that followed Colony as opposed to one of her more recent and disappointing novels, this surprised me.
[spoiler alert!!!!!]
There was entirely too much that stretched believability in this novel. Who goes from being so agoraphobic that you cannot leave your mountain to flying to Italy for several weeks without something less drastic in between? Who goes on a vacation with others on their honeymoon? Who is ever utterly changed by a trip as are so many of the characters in this novel? The answer - hardly anyone at all.
I still love ARS. I will still read Colony over and over and over and revisit Outer Banks on occasion. But this novel? I am sorry it was one I purchased. It shall forever remain on the shelf or, perhaps, find its way to our local library book sale.
Had Hill Towns been my second ARS novel, rather than Outer Banks, I may never have read another by this remarkable writer. I simply could not wait until this novel ended so much so that I found myself skipping first sentences and then entire paragraphs just to finish the thing. It was, in the end, a tremendous disappointment. Considering this was the novel that followed Colony as opposed to one of her more recent and disappointing novels, this surprised me.
[spoiler alert!!!!!]
There was entirely too much that stretched believability in this novel. Who goes from being so agoraphobic that you cannot leave your mountain to flying to Italy for several weeks without something less drastic in between? Who goes on a vacation with others on their honeymoon? Who is ever utterly changed by a trip as are so many of the characters in this novel? The answer - hardly anyone at all.
I still love ARS. I will still read Colony over and over and over and revisit Outer Banks on occasion. But this novel? I am sorry it was one I purchased. It shall forever remain on the shelf or, perhaps, find its way to our local library book sale.
October 28, 2017
Well, I read this book again because I just returned from one of Italy's most bewitching hill towns (Siena) and when I go places I'm eager to immerse myself in literary versions of the places I've fallen in love with. This book doesn't do Siena justice but it does spend time in Rome, Florence and Venice, with a surprisingly unflinching eye. Siddons loves Italy but doesn't seem to like it; she revels in the light but feels its dark underpinnings much more than I. Overwrought plot and prose as usual; but I have for some reason an affection for her and for her pal Pat Conroy. And now of course I want to go back to Italy....
April 29, 2009
I thought this book was absolutely amazing and enthralling. Cat, the main character, has never once left her home town on The Mountain in TN, until she and her husband decide to take a life-changing trip to Italy. Siddons' descriptions of the people and places encountered along the way are so vivid that I could "see" very detailed pictures of them all in my mind. Now I not only want to learn to speak Italian, I want to go there too.
June 28, 2012
I really like Anne Rivers Siddons, and this is my favorite. This is another novel I read over and over. It's funny, heartbreaking, and most importantly, fabulously romantic without being cliche or fluffy. The author draws you so much into the setting, Italy in this case, that you'll feel like your sitting at a table on the Roman terrace watching the characters interact and you'll swear you can smell the garlic and the sweat. I liked this even more the Eat, Love, Pray.
July 4, 2010
I'm glad this was audio because I'd not gotten through the roller coaster ride of relationships and the unnecessary bad lanquage. The characters were professors and other professionals-so didn't expect the gutter mouths. The story seemed very tedious and depressing. I'm going between murders gore and now downer relationships. I'm in need of a funny light easy read.
June 11, 2017
I thought this book was ok, mostly because of the beautiful descriptions of the setting. One thing that really bothered me is the thought of this famous artist traveling around Italy by car with his masterpiece and all his art supplies. I'm not an artist, so I wouldn't know, but that does that really happen?
September 14, 2019
A Big Disappointment!
I have always enjoyed the other books I have read by this author. I was very surprised that this book was a big disappointment. I did not like any of the characters. They all seemed very self-centered and obnoxious. After reading this book I have no desire to visit Italy. It was all pretty awful.
I have always enjoyed the other books I have read by this author. I was very surprised that this book was a big disappointment. I did not like any of the characters. They all seemed very self-centered and obnoxious. After reading this book I have no desire to visit Italy. It was all pretty awful.
April 19, 2010
This was the book that inspired Valerie and me to travel to Italy!!! The first Siddons book I read! LOVED it! I recommend it to anyone that is planning to visit Tuscany, or Italy in general.
February 15, 2013
she can paint a picture and really captures the angst of a relationship betrayed.
July 29, 2018
In the past, Anne Rivers Siddons' southern low country stories have captivated me. But this departure from that setting misses the mark. The main reason is my complete lack of empathy or any kind of positive feeling for these characters. Agoraphobic Cat and her husband Joe leave their Tennessee mountain life for a trip to Italy with Joe's graduate assistant at Trinity College and his new wife. When there, they meet up with three truly unappealing characters whose lifestyles force Cat and Joe out of their idyllic life. So, yes, the couple grow and break out of their shells, but that's not always a good thing.
The saving grace for me in this book was the descriptions of places in Italy that I have visited. Siddons' detailed descriptions bring Venice, Rome, Florence, Siena and all of Tuscany back to life for me. Because of the characters, Siddons explores some of the seedier sides of all of these places alongside the areas I chose to immerse myself in, but that was fascinating too. So high marks for setting but low marks for characters and story.
The saving grace for me in this book was the descriptions of places in Italy that I have visited. Siddons' detailed descriptions bring Venice, Rome, Florence, Siena and all of Tuscany back to life for me. Because of the characters, Siddons explores some of the seedier sides of all of these places alongside the areas I chose to immerse myself in, but that was fascinating too. So high marks for setting but low marks for characters and story.
March 31, 2024
the art of living
Anne Rivers Siddons has long been one of my favorite writers of southern life, culture, propriety. She has a magical touch with words, those phrases become part of the reader’s marrow.
During the reading of this story, I sometimes felt it was somewhat overwritten. The descriptions too vivid for the reality. I also felt both main character and her husband to fall out of character in the most basic of ways. Clearly this was a story of change. And change isn’t always welcome by a partner whose existence or life’s patterns have formed around his or her partner. But some actions seemed too out of place. I would have expected those reactions from Cat’s husband had he been dominating, jealous or insecure. Those seemingly were not in his personality.
Overall, however, it was a great story. I enjoyed the travel log into the parts of Italy I had not yet explored. I felt the heat, saw the beauty and the ugly with the author. Definitely a good read especially if you enjoy southern culture.
Anne Rivers Siddons has long been one of my favorite writers of southern life, culture, propriety. She has a magical touch with words, those phrases become part of the reader’s marrow.
During the reading of this story, I sometimes felt it was somewhat overwritten. The descriptions too vivid for the reality. I also felt both main character and her husband to fall out of character in the most basic of ways. Clearly this was a story of change. And change isn’t always welcome by a partner whose existence or life’s patterns have formed around his or her partner. But some actions seemed too out of place. I would have expected those reactions from Cat’s husband had he been dominating, jealous or insecure. Those seemingly were not in his personality.
Overall, however, it was a great story. I enjoyed the travel log into the parts of Italy I had not yet explored. I felt the heat, saw the beauty and the ugly with the author. Definitely a good read especially if you enjoy southern culture.
May 3, 2025
Catherine (aka "Cat") Gaillard is traumatized in her youth in Tennessee but somehow manages to leave her small town to attend Trinity College. Fast forward a bit - Cat and her husband, Trinity College "Professor Joe", have a blind daughter, Lacey, then go to Rome for the wedding of students Colin and Maria.
Cat and Joe surprisingly join these students on their Venice / Florence / Tuscany honeymoon with Maria's Aunt Ada, Uncle Sam Forrest (a painter), and a TV star Yolanda Whitney. What a bizarre honeymoon group, right? Not surprisingly, Cat and Joe have marital challenges on their trip to Italy.
This audiobook was abridged which left me wondering what portions of the story weren't there and why? I didn't care enough to re-read the unabridged eBook.
Cat and Joe surprisingly join these students on their Venice / Florence / Tuscany honeymoon with Maria's Aunt Ada, Uncle Sam Forrest (a painter), and a TV star Yolanda Whitney. What a bizarre honeymoon group, right? Not surprisingly, Cat and Joe have marital challenges on their trip to Italy.
This audiobook was abridged which left me wondering what portions of the story weren't there and why? I didn't care enough to re-read the unabridged eBook.
November 25, 2019
Soon after beginning Hill Towns, I realized I had read it before. But kept reading because I knew they were going to Italy, and wanted to experience that again. Her descriptions of the scenery, plazas, churches, monuments, art, and neighborhoods were lovely. I had my iPhone handy to look up definitions of food and to look at pictures of places she described. An example, The Ecstasy of St. Theresa, a gorgeous painting that has significance in the story. Some of the characters, while quirky, were also annoying. And no human being could drink as much as these travelers did! Still, a fun read and I would recommend it.
July 29, 2018
A story about an agoraphobic woman who leaves her Tennessee mountain town for the first time in 30 years. She goes with her husband, a college professor at the local college and friends who are planning to marry in Italy on a whirlwind tour of the major and some minor cities in Italy. They meet a famous artist and his wife. The artist insists on painting our heroine. Much interaction among the characters as well as excellent character development. The characters evolve, some positively, others predictably. Mature southern chic lit. A great book to read traveling in Italy.
July 29, 2020
I have never read one of Anne Rivers Siddons' books before. I got a lot of character development, which I like. The trip to Italy sounded, on the whole, more of a nightmare than a good time. There was a tremendous amount of drinking and sexual tension. The younger men came across as very immature, even though they were in their 50's, jealous and self-centered. That said, the book was interesting and hard to put down. If I had never been to Italy, and I haven't, this would definitely make me think twice. However, I look forward to trying another one of her books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 26, 2024
I love Anne Rivers Siddons and enjoy her writing. I bought this book at a tag sale and read it during the Christmas holidays of 2024. It was easy to read and I enjoyed some parts of it. You follow the characters around Italy and you certainly learn a lot about the towns. It seemed like a travel itinerary in that respect. The characters start off interesting but the storyline seems to drag on and on like the heat. I won't spoil the ending but I just did not understand bringing in the falcon to add another layer to the last few pages. This author is excellent, this book is not her best.
July 21, 2020
Although the genre is not a typical one for me (I fall well short of a goal of broadly scoped reading), I bought this book because of ARC's association with Pat Conroy, his glowing recommendation of her work, and her first-person tribute in Our Prince of Tides ("Conroy Redux") . At times I could not tell whether I was reading Conroy or Siddons, and that is the highest compliment I could give, that of being reminded of the genius of PC while reading ARC.
July 2, 2017
A childhood tragedy has bound Cat to the mountains of East Tennessee and for over twenty years of married life it has been enough. Then an opportunity to visit Italy comes and Catherine world is turned upside down.
The challenge of married life is but one part of the book. Rivers Siddons also treats the reader to a visit to the Rome, Venice, Florence, and Sienna.
The challenge of married life is but one part of the book. Rivers Siddons also treats the reader to a visit to the Rome, Venice, Florence, and Sienna.
June 18, 2018
I absolutely love ARS books. In this one, her detailed descriptions of Italy are so important to the story, so take your time and savor them, or even reread them. It's got really interesting main characters, with the main one showing real growth. I borrowed this from the library, but I may purchase a copy to reread when I feel like a trip to Italy is in order.
September 4, 2018
I don't even know where to begin
I felt the author was trying to fill in with every big word and flowery prose she possibly could. It was just w a y too much for me. I could not stay with the book beyond second chapter. I have read other books by this author i enjoyed....not this one!!!! It became tedious very quickly.
I felt the author was trying to fill in with every big word and flowery prose she possibly could. It was just w a y too much for me. I could not stay with the book beyond second chapter. I have read other books by this author i enjoyed....not this one!!!! It became tedious very quickly.
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