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A Stone's Throw: A Novel
Two women who never meet, a motherless child and childless mother, are brought together to discover the real magic of creation.
Simona Casale, a Minneapolis artist, learns she’s pregnant the same day she lands a major mural installation at a new women’s center. No problem; she can take on a surprise pregnancy and a monster commission. With the father in London, that’s one less complication.
Gemma Ledbetter, a London homemaker, is grieving the babies she couldn’t have. When her husband returns from the States, she decides they’ll start fresh. But things seldom go as planned.
Simona and Gemma live an ocean apart, yet their lives become forever entwined when the women Simona is painting come to life, stepping out of their portraits. They arrive with a to nurture a broken heart…or two. Simona and Gemma learn about art-making, love, grief, and motherhood when they are magically welcomed into a lineage of women who share their lives’ joys and sorrows during the most creative time of these women’s lives.
Simona Casale, a Minneapolis artist, learns she’s pregnant the same day she lands a major mural installation at a new women’s center. No problem; she can take on a surprise pregnancy and a monster commission. With the father in London, that’s one less complication.
Gemma Ledbetter, a London homemaker, is grieving the babies she couldn’t have. When her husband returns from the States, she decides they’ll start fresh. But things seldom go as planned.
Simona and Gemma live an ocean apart, yet their lives become forever entwined when the women Simona is painting come to life, stepping out of their portraits. They arrive with a to nurture a broken heart…or two. Simona and Gemma learn about art-making, love, grief, and motherhood when they are magically welcomed into a lineage of women who share their lives’ joys and sorrows during the most creative time of these women’s lives.
296 pages, Paperback
Published June 1, 2024
26 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 21, 2024
I was a little scared going into this book because I didn't think it would really be for me once I found out that one of the main characters was pregnant and the other was struggling because she was desperate to be a mother, but I actually really enjoyed this book and how well written it was. It actually had me crying a whole lot, especially considering the times we are living in.
I think my favorite aspect was how interesting the magical realism portion was. It was fun reading about women that could magically walk out of a painting, but watching how those women connected with Gemma and Simona through their grief was really heartwarming. I think if anything this book could really show readers how important it is to build communities with others through times of pain.
I also recommend reading the author's essay called "The Sun Still Shines on the Worst Day of Your Life", I will probably never forget it. There was a lot that I could relate to, even though I haven't been through the same, but it was interesting to see how the author's experience related to this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Wild Woman Typing for the ARC.
I think my favorite aspect was how interesting the magical realism portion was. It was fun reading about women that could magically walk out of a painting, but watching how those women connected with Gemma and Simona through their grief was really heartwarming. I think if anything this book could really show readers how important it is to build communities with others through times of pain.
I also recommend reading the author's essay called "The Sun Still Shines on the Worst Day of Your Life", I will probably never forget it. There was a lot that I could relate to, even though I haven't been through the same, but it was interesting to see how the author's experience related to this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Wild Woman Typing for the ARC.
May 29, 2024
Gemma Ledbetter is struggling to find herself. For years, she’s spent her mental energy and emotion wanting to become a mother, but she's suffered multiple failures and heartbreak. Now she’s no longer sure what she wants out of life. Plus, her singular focus on motherhood has destroyed her marriage. With her husband away on an extended business trip, she experiences visions, where she is inside the body of an artist.
Simona Casale is a muralist on the other side of the Atlantic in Minneapolis. She’s pregnant, and just received a commission for a huge wall mural. As she paints, she feels a strong connection to the women in the painting. Strong enough that talk to her. In fact, they walk out of the painting and sit down for tea.
Women from a painting who come alive. A dash of magic. And two women connected by tragedy in ways they don’t yet understand. That’s the premise of this fascinating novel by Alida Winternheimer which combines art, women’s issues, and a dash of magic to create a unique read.
The author tackles and fantastical complex concept in a credible way that kept me believing. Along the way, she hits on themes around the role of art in sustaining us through tough times.
A feast for artists or any reader who enjoys books with magical elements. A Stone’s Throw is a feat of imagination, truly engrossing and original.
Simona Casale is a muralist on the other side of the Atlantic in Minneapolis. She’s pregnant, and just received a commission for a huge wall mural. As she paints, she feels a strong connection to the women in the painting. Strong enough that talk to her. In fact, they walk out of the painting and sit down for tea.
Women from a painting who come alive. A dash of magic. And two women connected by tragedy in ways they don’t yet understand. That’s the premise of this fascinating novel by Alida Winternheimer which combines art, women’s issues, and a dash of magic to create a unique read.
The author tackles and fantastical complex concept in a credible way that kept me believing. Along the way, she hits on themes around the role of art in sustaining us through tough times.
A feast for artists or any reader who enjoys books with magical elements. A Stone’s Throw is a feat of imagination, truly engrossing and original.
June 8, 2024
Alida Winterheimer’s A STONE’S THROW is a quiet literary story of two very different women an ocean apart whose paths cross in a mystical way.
Simona is a successful Minneapolis painter, an ambitious motherless child who discovers she’s pregnant after taking on an exciting new mural assignment. Gemma, equally gifted, is a mother without a child who’s given up a career in art for life as a housewife in England. Their common thread, initially, is Peter, Gemma’s husband—and also the father of Simona’s child.
The two women’s tales converge through magical realism as Simona’s mural characters, women she once knew in life, walk out of her painting to share their stories of pain and gained wisdom, easing the way for not just Simona, but for Gemma as well. Simona and Gemma's stories merge into one, leading to a suspenseful moment that keeps the reader turning the pages.
A STONE’S THROW is written in vibrant, colorful prose and delivers a thoughtful character examination of two women. Even more, it’s a story of what a community of women can mean to each other when it comes to navigating love and grief as well as forgiveness and growth.
Simona is a successful Minneapolis painter, an ambitious motherless child who discovers she’s pregnant after taking on an exciting new mural assignment. Gemma, equally gifted, is a mother without a child who’s given up a career in art for life as a housewife in England. Their common thread, initially, is Peter, Gemma’s husband—and also the father of Simona’s child.
The two women’s tales converge through magical realism as Simona’s mural characters, women she once knew in life, walk out of her painting to share their stories of pain and gained wisdom, easing the way for not just Simona, but for Gemma as well. Simona and Gemma's stories merge into one, leading to a suspenseful moment that keeps the reader turning the pages.
A STONE’S THROW is written in vibrant, colorful prose and delivers a thoughtful character examination of two women. Even more, it’s a story of what a community of women can mean to each other when it comes to navigating love and grief as well as forgiveness and growth.
October 25, 2024
I loved this! Really different to anything else I've read and I loved the supernatural element that bonded the two main characters, Gemma and Simona.
Gemma lives in the UK and after several devastating miscarriages, her desperation to be a mother has had a detrimental affect on her marriage to Peter. Across the Atlantic, artist Simona is expecting her first baby, and having grown up without her mother in her life, she feels anxious about what is to come.
When the women in Simona's paintings come to life, their guidance becomes something she depends on, at this crucial point in her life. For Gemma, with her mental health at rock bottom, her job is all she has left and her supportive boss realises, when Gemma has a trance-like moment, that rather than her hand shaking, Gemma's hand is drawing, imitating Simona's art and connecting the two women spiritually.
A beautifully written and thought provoking novel, very enjoyable to read.
4.5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Alida Winternheimer and Wild Woman Typing for an ARC in return for an honest review.
Gemma lives in the UK and after several devastating miscarriages, her desperation to be a mother has had a detrimental affect on her marriage to Peter. Across the Atlantic, artist Simona is expecting her first baby, and having grown up without her mother in her life, she feels anxious about what is to come.
When the women in Simona's paintings come to life, their guidance becomes something she depends on, at this crucial point in her life. For Gemma, with her mental health at rock bottom, her job is all she has left and her supportive boss realises, when Gemma has a trance-like moment, that rather than her hand shaking, Gemma's hand is drawing, imitating Simona's art and connecting the two women spiritually.
A beautifully written and thought provoking novel, very enjoyable to read.
4.5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Alida Winternheimer and Wild Woman Typing for an ARC in return for an honest review.
January 17, 2025
A Stone’s Throw by Alida Winternheimer is a well written, heartwarming story about two women who live an ocean apart yet both are facing life challenges. This is a heartwrenching story of love, grief, joy and motherhood told in a magical, fascinating, enchanting way. I received a copy of this book from the author and these opinions are strictly my own. I rated it a four.
December 8, 2024
Not For Me
The concept of this book was good, but it honestly just made me sad and angry the whole time. The writing was done well, and the characters were believable.
The concept of this book was good, but it honestly just made me sad and angry the whole time. The writing was done well, and the characters were believable.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews