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The Story Sisters
The Story Sisters charts the lives of three sisters–Elv, Claire, and Meg. Each has a fate she must meet alone: one on a country road, one in the streets of Paris, and one in the corridors of her own imagination. Inhabiting their world are a charismatic man who cannot tell the truth, a neighbor who is not who he appears to be, a clumsy boy in Paris who falls in love and stays there, a detective who finds his heart’s desire, and a demon who will not let go.
What does a mother do when one of her children goes astray? How does she save one daughter without sacrificing the others? How deep can love go, and how far can it take you? These are the questions this luminous novel asks.
At once a coming-of-age tale, a family saga, and a love story of erotic longing, The Story Sisters sifts through the miraculous and the mundane as the girls become women and their choices haunt them, change them and, finally, redeem them. It confirms Alice Hoffman’s reputation as "a writer whose keen ear for the measure struck by the beat of the human heart is unparalleled" (The Chicago Tribune).
What does a mother do when one of her children goes astray? How does she save one daughter without sacrificing the others? How deep can love go, and how far can it take you? These are the questions this luminous novel asks.
At once a coming-of-age tale, a family saga, and a love story of erotic longing, The Story Sisters sifts through the miraculous and the mundane as the girls become women and their choices haunt them, change them and, finally, redeem them. It confirms Alice Hoffman’s reputation as "a writer whose keen ear for the measure struck by the beat of the human heart is unparalleled" (The Chicago Tribune).
336 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
1444 people are currently reading
14187 people want to read
About the author
Alice Hoffman
117 books25.1k followersAlice Hoffman is the author of more than thirty works of fiction, including The World That We Knew; The Marriage of Opposites; The Red Garden; The Museum of Extraordinary Things; The Dovekeepers; Here on Earth, an Oprah’s Book Club selection; and the Practical Magic series, including Practical
Magic; Magic Lessons; The Rules of Magic, a selection of Reese’s Book Club; and The Book of Magic. She lives near Boston.
Magic; Magic Lessons; The Rules of Magic, a selection of Reese’s Book Club; and The Book of Magic. She lives near Boston.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,250 reviews
February 14, 2011
There really needs to be a 6th star for Alice Hoffman. When I see that there is a new novel out, I get butterflies in my stomach in antipation of the joy that is about to be held in my hands. Before I turn the cover, I am like a child again on Xmas morning - just before the household wakes, and it is time for presents to be opened. I cancel life, and settle in for my journey. My breath shortens as I read, and my heart swells amidst the beauty of her words and the love that she paints - sometimes amidst the darkest of pages and the unlikeliest of hearts. Alice Hoffman simply does 'take my breath away' and as I immerse myself into the world she invites me to visit, it is like being enveloped in a moist and fragrant garden inhabited by magical creatures who reaffirm life and love. As the final page approaches, a small knot of fear takes hold - what if this is the best book ever? Will I be disappointed in everything else from today? Thankfully, Alice keeps on writing, and they keep getting better and better, so whilst I reluctantly reach the last page and farewell the characters I have come to love, I go back to the world filled with hope that one day, soon, another Hoffman will hit the shelves and my literary Xmas Day will begin all over again.
November 11, 2018
The Story Sisters is about three sisters Elv 15 Meg 14 & Claire 12 & the challenges each one has to face evil, loss & happiness they have a mother Annie & their Grandmother Natalia (Ama) help them guide through their lives. Despite all the trauma & loss in their lives they have their grandmother Natalia who is always watching over them, she is like a second mother loves her granddaughters no matter what.
The Girls communicate by a secret language Arnish which not even their mother Annie knows, Annie has been divorced by her husband Alan a two timing cad of a man who has no idea who his daughters are & has hardly any association with them, its not until Elv gets into some serious trouble that both sisters eventually become estranged from Elv , she sleeps around, disappears into the night without Annie knowing, takes drugs & self harms you could say she is definitely on the edge. The only one who keeps in contact when she ends up in Westfield school her life changes, she tries to act tough has little friends bar one Michael who helps her get used to the ins & outs of this so called prison that she starts following rules being nice to teachers but is she playing them to get what she wants!!
My THOUGHTS
I absolutely loved every minute of this delectable book Miss Hoffman took me on a journey that I didn't want to get off it was beautifully written well layered dark & a definite page turner I couldn't stop reading it just wanted to keep going YAY I have found another new author, am definitely on a roll lately lucky me. Am now venturing into different genres to enhance my reading experience, am definitely reading more from Miss Hoffman & am a fan. My favourite characters was Natalia & Elv Natalia was a very strong character with lots of undying love for her granddaughters & Elv loved her as she was gritty & on the edge, but showed her weaknesses as well. 5 big fat *****RS
The Girls communicate by a secret language Arnish which not even their mother Annie knows, Annie has been divorced by her husband Alan a two timing cad of a man who has no idea who his daughters are & has hardly any association with them, its not until Elv gets into some serious trouble that both sisters eventually become estranged from Elv , she sleeps around, disappears into the night without Annie knowing, takes drugs & self harms you could say she is definitely on the edge. The only one who keeps in contact when she ends up in Westfield school her life changes, she tries to act tough has little friends bar one Michael who helps her get used to the ins & outs of this so called prison that she starts following rules being nice to teachers but is she playing them to get what she wants!!
My THOUGHTS
I absolutely loved every minute of this delectable book Miss Hoffman took me on a journey that I didn't want to get off it was beautifully written well layered dark & a definite page turner I couldn't stop reading it just wanted to keep going YAY I have found another new author, am definitely on a roll lately lucky me. Am now venturing into different genres to enhance my reading experience, am definitely reading more from Miss Hoffman & am a fan. My favourite characters was Natalia & Elv Natalia was a very strong character with lots of undying love for her granddaughters & Elv loved her as she was gritty & on the edge, but showed her weaknesses as well. 5 big fat *****RS
August 9, 2018
This emotional and affecting family saga is Alice Hoffman at her best. Moving back and forth between New York and Paris, it tells the story of the Story family. Although Annie and Alan Story have three lovely daughters, when they divorce, Alan is more interested in pursuing his new life than he is being a father to his daughters.
The three girls, Elisabeth (Elv), Meg, and Claire are very close and share all their secrets, hopes, and dreams. When Elv is 11, Meg is 10, and Claire is 8, Elv and Claire are involved in a situation that is traumatizing. They never speak about it to anyone, not even to each other. Elv begins to create stories that involve a completely different world – she even invents a language that is central to this world and the three sisters are the only ones who understand the language. Elv’s stories are elaborate and as time goes on, they become more in depth and her sisters are fascinated – both by her stories, and by their eldest sister.
By the time Elv is 15, her invented world is even more defined, although it begins to take on layers of darkness. In Claire’s eyes, Elv can do no wrong. However, Meg begins to feel very uncomfortable and a wedge starts to find its way into the relationship, edging closer to drive the sisters apart.
This story follows the sisters through their teen years and shows what can happen when people’s secrets become their masters and take over their lives. Issues become weapons and constricting emotions take over from common sense and reason.
I found this read to be fascinating. Alice Hoffman’s ability to tap the emotions and follow the stream through decades for several different people at different stages of their development in their lives is uncanny at times.
Although there is a great deal of darkness in this book and many issues surface that confront and tempt young people and their parents, there are also moments when there are breakthroughs into the light – some are small, and some are larger. It is via those breakthroughs that growth can take place, even when it might appear hopeless at first glance.
By the end of the book, Claire (the youngest), is now 30 and we are back in Paris again. There are threads in their stories that are not meticulously tied, yet we can also see how far these characters have grown and we are allowed to glimpse the potential for even more growth in the future beyond the pages of this novel.
I recommend this book to everyone who enjoys family sagas with mesmerizing characters and a strong, intriguing storyline.
The three girls, Elisabeth (Elv), Meg, and Claire are very close and share all their secrets, hopes, and dreams. When Elv is 11, Meg is 10, and Claire is 8, Elv and Claire are involved in a situation that is traumatizing. They never speak about it to anyone, not even to each other. Elv begins to create stories that involve a completely different world – she even invents a language that is central to this world and the three sisters are the only ones who understand the language. Elv’s stories are elaborate and as time goes on, they become more in depth and her sisters are fascinated – both by her stories, and by their eldest sister.
By the time Elv is 15, her invented world is even more defined, although it begins to take on layers of darkness. In Claire’s eyes, Elv can do no wrong. However, Meg begins to feel very uncomfortable and a wedge starts to find its way into the relationship, edging closer to drive the sisters apart.
This story follows the sisters through their teen years and shows what can happen when people’s secrets become their masters and take over their lives. Issues become weapons and constricting emotions take over from common sense and reason.
I found this read to be fascinating. Alice Hoffman’s ability to tap the emotions and follow the stream through decades for several different people at different stages of their development in their lives is uncanny at times.
Although there is a great deal of darkness in this book and many issues surface that confront and tempt young people and their parents, there are also moments when there are breakthroughs into the light – some are small, and some are larger. It is via those breakthroughs that growth can take place, even when it might appear hopeless at first glance.
By the end of the book, Claire (the youngest), is now 30 and we are back in Paris again. There are threads in their stories that are not meticulously tied, yet we can also see how far these characters have grown and we are allowed to glimpse the potential for even more growth in the future beyond the pages of this novel.
I recommend this book to everyone who enjoys family sagas with mesmerizing characters and a strong, intriguing storyline.
April 20, 2012
Perhaps a more apt title for this book would be "Four Funerals and a Wedding." It started with such promise: a secret language shared between sisters, a private world, a shared tragedy. For the first half of the book, I was enthralled with the dark and troubled Elv, the oldest daughter, and her self destruction; I was especially captivated by the magical elements of the novel. But then halfway through, the plot degenerated into one tragedy after another; I don't mind bleak and dark novels, but it became overkill (no pun intended). Although there were many wonderful, beautiful passages, too often Hoffman relies on exposition to tell the story; so many times I hoped she'd slow down and let us linger in an actual scene, hear the characters, watch then interact with each other, but those moments were far and few between. By the last third of the novel, I found myself skimming the pages to quickly finish it because I'd grown so tired of it. I know there are many readers out there who loved this book, which is why I chose this Hoffman novel in the first place, but I was very disappointed by the end. One reader compared it to a Danielle Steele novel, and while Hoffman is a much better writer, this plot was too contrived and convenient to be satisfying. If Hoffman had focused on Elv, her sisters, and their complicated ties to the wonderful, secret world of Arnelle instead of trying to juggle multiple story lines, the novel would have been a much richer, worthwhile read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 21, 2016
I loved this book!!
March 24, 2015
This satisfied my craving to experience Hoffman’s special voice in a pure form and her brand of magical realism in a context that really works, that of the experience of children.
In every fairy tale there were always three sisters: the eldest was brave, the middle one was trustworthy, and the youngest had the biggest heart of all.
Elv is the oldest, Meg in the middle, and Claire the youngest, living on Long Island with divorced mother Annie. She spends a lot of time at night in moon light atop their tall hawthorn. She makes up a magical world, Arnelle, and captivates her sisters with her visions about it:
It was easy she said. Just let go of this world. They’d been stolen by mortals, she whispered, given a false family. They’d been stripped of their magic by the charms humans used against faeries: bread, metal, rope.
It was a faerie tale in reverse. The good and kind lived in the underworld, down twisted lanes in the woods where trout lilies grew. There evil could be found walking down Nightingale Lane. That’s where it happened.
Just what that “it” is will unfold slowly over the course of this novel. A traumatic event in which Elv at 11 steps in to save her eight-year old sister Claire and ends up taking her fate. We can only see that Arnelle is a way of making sense of this impossible reality and gives Elv a purpose:
In the faerie world, the old Queen was dying; she was a thousand years old. She had summoned Elv to her side. Which of the three is the bravest? She has no fear of what is wicked in the only one who is worthy. She alone will follow me and be our Queen.
Annie doesn’t know about this event. She can only wonder about her daughters’ persistent retreat into their own world, with its own language:
All were self-reliant and practical, honor students any parents would be proud of to claim as their own. But when the girl’s mother came upon them chattering away in that language no one else could understand, when she spied maps and graphs that meant nothing to her, that defined another world, her daughters made her think of clouds, something far away and inaccessible.
All goes well for awhile. Elv becomes talented at dance and art, Meg is a keen reader, and Claire is diligent and kind-hearted. But when we first encounter the sisters as young teens, on their annual spring visit to their beloved and elegant grandmother in the Marais district of Paris, an event occurs that reveals just how disturbed Elv and Claire are. It leads to a progressive breach in the relationship between the sisters. From then on Elv gets wilder and turns into the nightmare of any parent, far beyond the typical “drugs, sex, and rock and roll.” A forced stay at a special mental health facility/school is in the cards for her, events of catastrophic relapse, and a long subsequent period of tragic estrangement.
This story has many elements of a fairy tale, one that turns from an idyllic start of purposeful bonds between sisters and a passage proceeds through horrific quests worthy of the Brothers Grimm. It works as well as a powerful, realistic tale of family dysfunction and recovery. That Annie and the grandmother Natalie could not catch anything about the trauma of the two girls around when it happened may not seem realistic. Also, the return of Elv and the remaining family to a fair state at the end may seem too pat. I forgive Hoffman for these flaws. I most appreciate her ability to evoke the illusion of animism in nature and the sense of hidden purpose in one's travails and special talents, things we all feel and dismiss all too soon as we grow up. This was a terrific read for me and the best of the five of her 24 novels I have read so far.
In every fairy tale there were always three sisters: the eldest was brave, the middle one was trustworthy, and the youngest had the biggest heart of all.
Elv is the oldest, Meg in the middle, and Claire the youngest, living on Long Island with divorced mother Annie. She spends a lot of time at night in moon light atop their tall hawthorn. She makes up a magical world, Arnelle, and captivates her sisters with her visions about it:
It was easy she said. Just let go of this world. They’d been stolen by mortals, she whispered, given a false family. They’d been stripped of their magic by the charms humans used against faeries: bread, metal, rope.
It was a faerie tale in reverse. The good and kind lived in the underworld, down twisted lanes in the woods where trout lilies grew. There evil could be found walking down Nightingale Lane. That’s where it happened.
Just what that “it” is will unfold slowly over the course of this novel. A traumatic event in which Elv at 11 steps in to save her eight-year old sister Claire and ends up taking her fate. We can only see that Arnelle is a way of making sense of this impossible reality and gives Elv a purpose:
In the faerie world, the old Queen was dying; she was a thousand years old. She had summoned Elv to her side. Which of the three is the bravest? She has no fear of what is wicked in the only one who is worthy. She alone will follow me and be our Queen.
Annie doesn’t know about this event. She can only wonder about her daughters’ persistent retreat into their own world, with its own language:
All were self-reliant and practical, honor students any parents would be proud of to claim as their own. But when the girl’s mother came upon them chattering away in that language no one else could understand, when she spied maps and graphs that meant nothing to her, that defined another world, her daughters made her think of clouds, something far away and inaccessible.
All goes well for awhile. Elv becomes talented at dance and art, Meg is a keen reader, and Claire is diligent and kind-hearted. But when we first encounter the sisters as young teens, on their annual spring visit to their beloved and elegant grandmother in the Marais district of Paris, an event occurs that reveals just how disturbed Elv and Claire are. It leads to a progressive breach in the relationship between the sisters. From then on Elv gets wilder and turns into the nightmare of any parent, far beyond the typical “drugs, sex, and rock and roll.” A forced stay at a special mental health facility/school is in the cards for her, events of catastrophic relapse, and a long subsequent period of tragic estrangement.
This story has many elements of a fairy tale, one that turns from an idyllic start of purposeful bonds between sisters and a passage proceeds through horrific quests worthy of the Brothers Grimm. It works as well as a powerful, realistic tale of family dysfunction and recovery. That Annie and the grandmother Natalie could not catch anything about the trauma of the two girls around when it happened may not seem realistic. Also, the return of Elv and the remaining family to a fair state at the end may seem too pat. I forgive Hoffman for these flaws. I most appreciate her ability to evoke the illusion of animism in nature and the sense of hidden purpose in one's travails and special talents, things we all feel and dismiss all too soon as we grow up. This was a terrific read for me and the best of the five of her 24 novels I have read so far.
December 4, 2013
In my humble opinion, Alice Hoffman has either degenerated or I have outgrown her. This book read like a Danielle Steels novel---all incredible extremes.
This girl is the most beautiful girl in the world; men commit suicide over her when she is a teen. Everyone adores her, yet she cares for no one except her little sister. She becomes more and more withdrawn, sitting in a tree outside her window; running off in the night barefooted to get involved in drugs and drinking and sex, because she suffered a trauma and could tell no one. She continues on this self-destructive path throughout most of the book and I would have cared if I could have suspended disbelief for just a minute.
One of her sisters is the smartest girl in the world, winning all the academic achievements possible. The other sister is the kind-hearted one. In the first chapter, at the age of 11, she impulsively attempts to rescue a horse from its life of dreary work in Central Park, racing through the park with the police chasing, and holding on to the reins, though she breaks both arms, and the police shoot the horse to stop him.
Who are these people and what strange universe do they inhabit? Everyone in this novel behaves like a creature from a fairy tale and I am not sure if this is a new style of writing or if it's just as ridiculous as it appears on its face.
This girl is the most beautiful girl in the world; men commit suicide over her when she is a teen. Everyone adores her, yet she cares for no one except her little sister. She becomes more and more withdrawn, sitting in a tree outside her window; running off in the night barefooted to get involved in drugs and drinking and sex, because she suffered a trauma and could tell no one. She continues on this self-destructive path throughout most of the book and I would have cared if I could have suspended disbelief for just a minute.
One of her sisters is the smartest girl in the world, winning all the academic achievements possible. The other sister is the kind-hearted one. In the first chapter, at the age of 11, she impulsively attempts to rescue a horse from its life of dreary work in Central Park, racing through the park with the police chasing, and holding on to the reins, though she breaks both arms, and the police shoot the horse to stop him.
Who are these people and what strange universe do they inhabit? Everyone in this novel behaves like a creature from a fairy tale and I am not sure if this is a new style of writing or if it's just as ridiculous as it appears on its face.
July 24, 2015
This "Story" is about the lives of three young girls, Elv 15, Meg 14, and Claire 12, and the challenges, evil, sorrow and, yes, even happiness at times that they encounter throughout their lives with their loving mother Annie and grandmother Natalia (Ama). Despite all of the trauma and losses, grandmother Ama is always there and never gives up on the sisters even from far away Paris. All of the characters (and animals) were so well described and developed. Pete and Annie's relationship was particularly touching. Excellent read!
January 11, 2019
A most disappointing Hoffman read. Multiple (too many)plot lines and dysfunctional family members. I can’t even begin to tell you about all the characters lives and problems that were at the heart of the book. It’s really not worth it.
Every once in a while the storyline jacked up with interest, as if it received an IV infusion; only to be let down again.
Of all the books I’ve read by this author, this one’s gotta be close to the bottom of the pile.
I personally would not recommend this one at all.
Every once in a while the storyline jacked up with interest, as if it received an IV infusion; only to be let down again.
Of all the books I’ve read by this author, this one’s gotta be close to the bottom of the pile.
I personally would not recommend this one at all.
October 20, 2011
I ran into Alice Hoffman by accident. This is kinda my thing... lately I've been running into many, until then unknown to me, authors that quickly become part of my favourites list... in a blink of an eye, I would say, or perhaps at the turn of a page, if you prefer.
There's one word that perfectly describes Alice Hoffman's books (even though I haven't read all of them... yet): enchanting. Her words lure you to a private little world... and you fall in love with it, not being able to put it down, not being able to let go. But then the last page arrives, always too fast, and you can't help but stop and stare at the book's cover, wondering about the experience you've just been through, thinking it through. Or maybe that's just my thing again. I truly hope not.
"The Story Sisters" is quite a dark story, and yet it is filled with hope, love and compassion. It's a lesson about seconds chances... not only about the ones you should give to others, but about the ones you should give yourself. It also speaks of forgiveness and in the most incredible and clear way.
I really don't know what else to say... another stunningly beautiful book.
There's one word that perfectly describes Alice Hoffman's books (even though I haven't read all of them... yet): enchanting. Her words lure you to a private little world... and you fall in love with it, not being able to put it down, not being able to let go. But then the last page arrives, always too fast, and you can't help but stop and stare at the book's cover, wondering about the experience you've just been through, thinking it through. Or maybe that's just my thing again. I truly hope not.
"The Story Sisters" is quite a dark story, and yet it is filled with hope, love and compassion. It's a lesson about seconds chances... not only about the ones you should give to others, but about the ones you should give yourself. It also speaks of forgiveness and in the most incredible and clear way.
I really don't know what else to say... another stunningly beautiful book.
August 17, 2009
I could not relate to the main character Elv the way I usually do in Hoffman's books. This girl was constantly being described as so beautiful, so much like a broken fairy with her long wild hair and delicate figure, she was the most beautiful sister, the most talented artist, the one who made up the whole magical world and language the sisters shared etc...it was overkill especially when she was being such a mean person after her traumatic childhood event that is never even fully explained!!! I mean it's obvious what happened but come on don't drag it out over the whole book and then still leave it as just metaphor. Iron, bread, ropes and water? It was upsetting that she never told anyone (except the husband)what happened to her. That does make me sad and it is very worrisome- I hope parents are teaching their kids to report abuse more these days.
Anyway- one of the problems with this story and I have noticed it in other Hoffman books as well is that she has a hard time integrating drug addiction into her magical realism style. I just don't think she has ever tried drugs and she writes like someone imagining the experience. For example when Elv decides to stop doing heroin because she was in jail and she gets out and wants a new life, having a husband who is still doing it would probably cause her to relapse at least once- the pregnancy is a nice excuse but usually a drug that powerful would be hard to resist.
I liked some of the other characters in the book but they were not the focus and poor Claire- how much guilt can a person carry around constantly? I wish she had blossomed more instead of just quickly at the end.
I think you would have had to really like Elv to like this story and I just didn't like her enough. I felt that what she suffered was not enough for her to treat her mother that badly or her sisters and everyone else who loved her for that long.
Anyway- one of the problems with this story and I have noticed it in other Hoffman books as well is that she has a hard time integrating drug addiction into her magical realism style. I just don't think she has ever tried drugs and she writes like someone imagining the experience. For example when Elv decides to stop doing heroin because she was in jail and she gets out and wants a new life, having a husband who is still doing it would probably cause her to relapse at least once- the pregnancy is a nice excuse but usually a drug that powerful would be hard to resist.
I liked some of the other characters in the book but they were not the focus and poor Claire- how much guilt can a person carry around constantly? I wish she had blossomed more instead of just quickly at the end.
I think you would have had to really like Elv to like this story and I just didn't like her enough. I felt that what she suffered was not enough for her to treat her mother that badly or her sisters and everyone else who loved her for that long.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2025
135 pages in, and I’m so bored. Dnf bye onto the next
June 22, 2009
Alice Hoffman doesn't just write about magical reality, she performs it. I had no idea, really, what to expect when I picked this up (other than lovely prose and captivating characters, of course) since no one else I know has read it yet. What happened was like being grabbed by the throat and yanked into the Story sisters' world. Each Alice Hoffman book has me greedily reading as if starved for words and language, and when I am through, I usually feel wistful, but sated. With this book, the banquet was so over-whelming, I had to continually stop and walk away. I honestly cannot remember a book that made me cry so often. At one point, my husband asked me why in the world I kept reading it if it was so sad. How do you explain the magic of words and imagination to a non-reader? I tried explaining some of the storyline but he looked as though he was about to have me committed so I just opened the book and read him one of the descriptions of walking in Paris in the dusky twilight time. Then I asked him if he could actually see it as I read. He looked stunned and just nodded. The sisters, their mother, the settings, the very story itself held me in their thrall, which actually felt physical, the entire time. What happened to Elv changed the life of everyone who came in contact with her - for years. A selfless act had so many tragic consequences. We'd like to think that love heals everything. We'd like to think that life is fair on some level, and that people get what they deserve in the end. We'd like to believe in fairy tales. And maybe all those things are true. But, I think, we'd also like to believe that Truth should come without pain. ...wouldn't we?
June 16, 2009
Just a note: I really want to give this two and a half stars, but Goodreads won't let me do that.
This novel tells the story of three sisters, Claire, Meg and Elv. Led by Elv, the oldest, they invent their own language, and stories of a magical underground world that only they can enter. As children and young adolescents, the girls are secretive and insular, and the two younger sisters, Claire and Meg, are fascinated, envious and adoring of beautiful Elv, as are all of her classmates. Elv's fairy tale inventions were borne largely out of a traumatic event shared by Claire and Elv as young girls, when a local schoolteacher attempted to abduct Claire. Elv had pursued his car, begging to be let in, until the teacher stopped the car and she was able to signal Claire to run as he pulled Elv into the vehicle. Claire was saved, but Elv was abused before she was able to escape from the teacher's house. The fairy tale world and secret, bird-like language became a way for Elv to feel powerful and separated from the human world in which such terrible things could happen.
The remainder of the novel follows the sisters and their single mother as Elv becomes increasingly troubled and frightening. The loyalties between the three girls are in constant flux, and their mother struggles to save Elv from herself without pushing her away entirely.
This novel had a lot of promise, and some really wonderful moments. The fairy tale motif didn't become too cute, which I appreciated, and because it apppeared again and again it gave the author a lot of room for moments of magical realism within the plot. There were definitely plot points that didn't ring true, though. The family experiences one failure and tragedy after another, to such an extent that it becomes a little hard to swallow. There are also events in the book that seem sudden and out of place, and you can almost feel where the author made a decision that something needed to happen to move things forward, making it feel less natural.
Overall, though certainly dark at many points, it was an entertaining and fast read, and filled my general desire to read semi-magical stories in Summer.
This novel tells the story of three sisters, Claire, Meg and Elv. Led by Elv, the oldest, they invent their own language, and stories of a magical underground world that only they can enter. As children and young adolescents, the girls are secretive and insular, and the two younger sisters, Claire and Meg, are fascinated, envious and adoring of beautiful Elv, as are all of her classmates. Elv's fairy tale inventions were borne largely out of a traumatic event shared by Claire and Elv as young girls, when a local schoolteacher attempted to abduct Claire. Elv had pursued his car, begging to be let in, until the teacher stopped the car and she was able to signal Claire to run as he pulled Elv into the vehicle. Claire was saved, but Elv was abused before she was able to escape from the teacher's house. The fairy tale world and secret, bird-like language became a way for Elv to feel powerful and separated from the human world in which such terrible things could happen.
The remainder of the novel follows the sisters and their single mother as Elv becomes increasingly troubled and frightening. The loyalties between the three girls are in constant flux, and their mother struggles to save Elv from herself without pushing her away entirely.
This novel had a lot of promise, and some really wonderful moments. The fairy tale motif didn't become too cute, which I appreciated, and because it apppeared again and again it gave the author a lot of room for moments of magical realism within the plot. There were definitely plot points that didn't ring true, though. The family experiences one failure and tragedy after another, to such an extent that it becomes a little hard to swallow. There are also events in the book that seem sudden and out of place, and you can almost feel where the author made a decision that something needed to happen to move things forward, making it feel less natural.
Overall, though certainly dark at many points, it was an entertaining and fast read, and filled my general desire to read semi-magical stories in Summer.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2013
Jodi Picoult's endorsement of this book should've been warning enough. This is the most melodramatic work I've read since I unsuccessfully attempted Ellen Hopkins earlier this year. "The Story Sisters" tells the story of sisters. Endowed with all the intrinsic and extrinsic blessings any girl could want, these sisters descend a pathetic downward spiral after an isolated unfortunate act of violence befalls the eldest. Said eldest, Elv Story, lives up to her weird name by being an unbecoming, moody, sullen drug addict obsessed with her complicated fantasies of a make-believe masochistic fairy land called Arnelle. She even invents a make-believe language, Arnish, that she magically teaches her sisters. This fake language might have been cute or precocious if the girls were 5. But they are teenagers. And it is creepy. A cascade of unfortunate events drones along mercilessly until everything is solved when eldest vapid sister Elv gets knocked up and has a little girl of her own, and youngest vapid sister Claire marries a socially inept Frenchman. The middle sister Meg? She's dead. Serves her right for being the sole Story in possession of an ounce of ambition and drive. To make things worse, Alice Hoffman sprinkles the F-word throughout the book in awkward and unnerving places. Altogether, the yuck factor was just too high. Unless you like to read unlikely tales about groveling, helpless, whining, withdrawn adolescents, don't bother.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2011
I saw the following review and it was exactly how I'd describe the book myself. So I thought I'd share it here with my friends: My experience reading this book was somewhat surreal. In the beginning, it was a bit like a train wreck or a car accident - ghastly and grim, yet I couldn't look away. It was nothing like I expected, not at all what I wanted, and yet I found myself incapable of just returning it, unread, to the library. I continued on, reading the unfolding horrors and drama, told in the almost poetic haunting voice, not sure why I was still reading. And then it happened. Somewhere around page 218 I found myself crying and realized I was affected by this story. The Story Sisters' tale of loss and sadness and destruction and even redemption is one that captivated me, and much of the imagery will stay with me for a very long time. I don't think this is a book for everyone, but then again I didn't even think it was a book for me at first. So all I can say is give it a try. It's disturbing and horrific, yet somehow beautiful in its tragedy, and it may just hook you like it did me.
March 6, 2016
When I first read this back in 2009, I gave this 4★ but this time round, with it's second reading it only gets a 3★: maybe I've just grown up a little in my reading. Even so, Hoffman does write delicious prose and will continue to be my 'guilty pleasure' author.
March 17, 2012
“The Story Sisters” is a grim tale. This family of three very close sisters, their divorced mother, and their maternal grandmother, can’t catch a break. One bad thing happens after another; child rape, illness, accidents, deaths, self harm, alcoholism, drugs, self isolation and an almost total lack of communication shatters the family.
And yet there are traces of magic, both good and bad. Demons attach themselves to young girls. Cakes make one tell only the truth. Some of the characters find happiness, although it’s usually short lived. The novel has the feel of a fairy tale to it: the hero who accepts someone else’s bad fate; the character who finds their teacher and calling almost magically; the wise old woman who sets people up for true love. Remember, the original fairy tales were very dark things, not the Disneyfied versions we have today.
Hoffman’s prose has its usual enchanting rhythm and flow, and the imagery is as exquisite as ever. But the pace is slower than most of her books, and I found it hard to feel for the characters. Despite their strong emotions the characters seemed rather flat- perhaps, though, this was deliberate as they do, after all, spend a lot of time withdrawing from the world and each other. Still, I stayed riveted to the book.
And yet there are traces of magic, both good and bad. Demons attach themselves to young girls. Cakes make one tell only the truth. Some of the characters find happiness, although it’s usually short lived. The novel has the feel of a fairy tale to it: the hero who accepts someone else’s bad fate; the character who finds their teacher and calling almost magically; the wise old woman who sets people up for true love. Remember, the original fairy tales were very dark things, not the Disneyfied versions we have today.
Hoffman’s prose has its usual enchanting rhythm and flow, and the imagery is as exquisite as ever. But the pace is slower than most of her books, and I found it hard to feel for the characters. Despite their strong emotions the characters seemed rather flat- perhaps, though, this was deliberate as they do, after all, spend a lot of time withdrawing from the world and each other. Still, I stayed riveted to the book.
December 18, 2012
I just can't keep reading this book. Thank you to those of you who have given me the courage to quit! It has been sitting next to my bed for weeks. Awhile ago I kept skimming ahead to see what happens but I am not compelled to read it. It's just not for me.
August 12, 2014
This was my introduction to Alice Hoffman, an author selected by the Oprah Book Club (her bio on the dust jacket says so). It wasn't the Hoffman title I wanted to start with -- The Dovekeepers intrigued me more -- but it was one my library had in stock.
I lasted 10 pages.
The Story Sisters has to do with three beautiful sisters (Hoffman mentions how beautiful they are repeatedly) aged 15, 14 and 12. Their favorite things are Paris, the Plaza Hotel and listening to the oldest sister spin tales of make believe. Hoffman suggests that the oldest sister survived a kidnapping and based on her behavior, seems to be suffering post-traumatic stress.
Hoffman writes in a passive voice, telling us about the sisters rather than letting the reader discover them on our own through any action or dialogue. The last novel I abandoned also had this problem. It's difficult for me to commit to authors who resist dialogue, who can't or won't allow the reader to discover the story on our own without having our hand held the entire time. I cut class quick unless the language is mesmerizing. And Hoffman's language didn't mesmerize me:
Elv had always been an animal fanatic. Years ago she'd found a rabbit, mortally wounded by a lawn mower's blades, left to bleed to death in the velvety grass of the Weinsteins' lawn.
I'm from Texas and have never known a rabbit to get run over. I've seen all types of roadkill but have never seen a rabbit felled by a vehicle, especially a lawnmower. So there's that small detail but other than that, Hoffman's writing came across as too passive and sugary for me. I almost expected a cartoon bird to flutter out of the pages.
I lasted 10 pages.
The Story Sisters has to do with three beautiful sisters (Hoffman mentions how beautiful they are repeatedly) aged 15, 14 and 12. Their favorite things are Paris, the Plaza Hotel and listening to the oldest sister spin tales of make believe. Hoffman suggests that the oldest sister survived a kidnapping and based on her behavior, seems to be suffering post-traumatic stress.
Hoffman writes in a passive voice, telling us about the sisters rather than letting the reader discover them on our own through any action or dialogue. The last novel I abandoned also had this problem. It's difficult for me to commit to authors who resist dialogue, who can't or won't allow the reader to discover the story on our own without having our hand held the entire time. I cut class quick unless the language is mesmerizing. And Hoffman's language didn't mesmerize me:
Elv had always been an animal fanatic. Years ago she'd found a rabbit, mortally wounded by a lawn mower's blades, left to bleed to death in the velvety grass of the Weinsteins' lawn.
I'm from Texas and have never known a rabbit to get run over. I've seen all types of roadkill but have never seen a rabbit felled by a vehicle, especially a lawnmower. So there's that small detail but other than that, Hoffman's writing came across as too passive and sugary for me. I almost expected a cartoon bird to flutter out of the pages.
December 15, 2018
I tried. I really did. Made it to page 30. I tried skimming ahead but that didn't help. Couldn't bring myself to continue. Talk about a bleak and dark novel. The writing was very different. Was it supposed to be like a fairy tale? A very depressing fairy tale? Totally not my kind of book. (Also, there was also a horrible incident with a horse that is going to take me a long time to get over...)
June 21, 2009
Alice Hoffman is an author known for her novels filled with magical touches. Her latest, The Story Sisters, continues that, when a magical world created by three sisters collides with the reality of the world in which we all exist.
Elizabeth, called Elv, Meg and Claire Story live with their mother in a small town on Long Island. Their parents are in the middle of a bad divorce, and it has affected the girls deeply. When they were young children, Elv (whose nickname connotes the fairy-like elves) created a fairy tale world, Arnelle, which had its own language. It slightly concerned their mother Annie when they would continue to speak this language, even as they grew out of childhood. Annie's mother Natalia warns her that this behavior could isolate the girls from the real world.
This fantasy world contrasts with the physical world in which they live. Annie has a large garden, and grows heirloom tomatoes. The girls are knowledgeable in all areas tomato. They love animals: Elv likes dogs, Claire rides horses. Elv is artistic, attracted to painting and color. Meg is a voracious reader, and a very good student. They sleep in the same bedroom, and are each other's best friends.
The horrors of the real world intrude on the girls of Arnelle when a bad man hurts Elv, who saves the younger Claire from his clutches. They never tell anyone about "the day the bad thing happened", not even Meg. This bad thing, and her reluctance to tell her mother, causes Elv to act out. Annie is struggling too, "she felt as if everything she did was in halves: half a mother, half a teacher, half a woman". In that one sentence, Hoffman articulates the feelings of so many women.
Elv begins to believe "that evil repelled evil, while good collected it", and she is determined to become evil in order to expel it from her life. She uses drugs, becomes promiscuous, steals- everything a young woman with low self esteem does to dull her pain. Meg is angered by her sister's behavior, but Claire vows to remain loyal to Elv. Elv's behavior breaks the bonds of sisterhood she so tenderly nurtured.
Hoffman uses imagery and metaphors so beautifully. When Elv saves a kitten thrown into a river, she tells Claire that she is haunted because she couldn't save a second kitten thrown in. Claire reminds her that it is important that she saved one, but Elv can't get over that she couldn't save the other, echoing the fact that she saved Claire once, but was unable to save herself.
The author's writing hits home with the reader, as when following a death, Annie's cousin says,
"Call me the minute you need something," she told Annie and Claire, but neither of them could think of a single thing they might need that anyone could possibly give them.
Everyone who has lost someone knows that exact feeling.
This is a moving, haunting novel that will make you cry. There is so much sadness, so many tragic things that happen, and we all know people about whom we say, "haven't they suffered enough?" About a good man who becomes involved with the Story family, Hoffman writes
He stayed in the kitchen with the dog for a while. He covered his face and wept. When he was done, he patted Shiloh's head. This wasn't his house or his family or his dog, but it was his sorrow.
Hoffman broke my heart with this beautiful story of how secrets can destroy, but ultimately about the power of love to redeem. I became deeply invested in her characters, and will not be able to get them out of my thoughts. It is so powerful, so moving, it is the best of what fiction attempts to be. I give it my highest recommendation of five stars.
Elizabeth, called Elv, Meg and Claire Story live with their mother in a small town on Long Island. Their parents are in the middle of a bad divorce, and it has affected the girls deeply. When they were young children, Elv (whose nickname connotes the fairy-like elves) created a fairy tale world, Arnelle, which had its own language. It slightly concerned their mother Annie when they would continue to speak this language, even as they grew out of childhood. Annie's mother Natalia warns her that this behavior could isolate the girls from the real world.
This fantasy world contrasts with the physical world in which they live. Annie has a large garden, and grows heirloom tomatoes. The girls are knowledgeable in all areas tomato. They love animals: Elv likes dogs, Claire rides horses. Elv is artistic, attracted to painting and color. Meg is a voracious reader, and a very good student. They sleep in the same bedroom, and are each other's best friends.
The horrors of the real world intrude on the girls of Arnelle when a bad man hurts Elv, who saves the younger Claire from his clutches. They never tell anyone about "the day the bad thing happened", not even Meg. This bad thing, and her reluctance to tell her mother, causes Elv to act out. Annie is struggling too, "she felt as if everything she did was in halves: half a mother, half a teacher, half a woman". In that one sentence, Hoffman articulates the feelings of so many women.
Elv begins to believe "that evil repelled evil, while good collected it", and she is determined to become evil in order to expel it from her life. She uses drugs, becomes promiscuous, steals- everything a young woman with low self esteem does to dull her pain. Meg is angered by her sister's behavior, but Claire vows to remain loyal to Elv. Elv's behavior breaks the bonds of sisterhood she so tenderly nurtured.
Hoffman uses imagery and metaphors so beautifully. When Elv saves a kitten thrown into a river, she tells Claire that she is haunted because she couldn't save a second kitten thrown in. Claire reminds her that it is important that she saved one, but Elv can't get over that she couldn't save the other, echoing the fact that she saved Claire once, but was unable to save herself.
The author's writing hits home with the reader, as when following a death, Annie's cousin says,
"Call me the minute you need something," she told Annie and Claire, but neither of them could think of a single thing they might need that anyone could possibly give them.
Everyone who has lost someone knows that exact feeling.
This is a moving, haunting novel that will make you cry. There is so much sadness, so many tragic things that happen, and we all know people about whom we say, "haven't they suffered enough?" About a good man who becomes involved with the Story family, Hoffman writes
He stayed in the kitchen with the dog for a while. He covered his face and wept. When he was done, he patted Shiloh's head. This wasn't his house or his family or his dog, but it was his sorrow.
Hoffman broke my heart with this beautiful story of how secrets can destroy, but ultimately about the power of love to redeem. I became deeply invested in her characters, and will not be able to get them out of my thoughts. It is so powerful, so moving, it is the best of what fiction attempts to be. I give it my highest recommendation of five stars.
May 7, 2022
This was another fantastic Hoffman journey, filled with demons (real and imagined), fairy-tales, talismans, and LOTS of tomatoes. I really loved almost everything about it, my only discouragement being how neatly everything always turned out for (most of) the characters. Obviously not everyone has exorbitantly wealthy grandmothers who can come to one’s rescue time after time. And, having always been the responsible, “fixer”-type, I really felt anger for both Meg and Pete, who always seemed to lose and give more than anyone else. Nevertheless outstanding, I felt that “The Story Sisters” was not without a few “fatal flaws.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2016
Full of plot stereotypes
Nothing original at all
Relegated to chick lit status
Nothing original at all
Relegated to chick lit status
April 26, 2018
This is an enthralling, epic read, reminiscent of Janet Fitch’s White Oleander. Powerful, heartbreaking stuff.
December 22, 2022
What can I say? Ms. Hoffman is such an amazingly talented and accomplished novelist that where I am in awe of her ability, I always come away from reading her books somewhat in a stupor, mystified, and challenged.
"The Story Sisters," is one of the best books I have read about a devoiced mother raising her three daughters, Meg, Claire, and the oldest Elv. The three sisters are just a few years apart and as young girls are very close, even making up their own language to speak to one another.
The transformation from childhood, to teenagers, to young adults is truly a depiction of the female mind that at times is so true that it is frightening.
Elv is a character that is so complicated yet fully realized that it is going to take me a while to put her aside.
Like everything I have read by Ms. Hoffman, I highly recommend this novel.
"The Story Sisters," is one of the best books I have read about a devoiced mother raising her three daughters, Meg, Claire, and the oldest Elv. The three sisters are just a few years apart and as young girls are very close, even making up their own language to speak to one another.
The transformation from childhood, to teenagers, to young adults is truly a depiction of the female mind that at times is so true that it is frightening.
Elv is a character that is so complicated yet fully realized that it is going to take me a while to put her aside.
Like everything I have read by Ms. Hoffman, I highly recommend this novel.
August 6, 2011
This was a rather strange book - it was dark, mysterious and also enchanting as well as being a very difficult book to describe! The way that it is written is detailed and beautiful - I really do think that the writing style should be commended. Especially in the sections situated in Paris, I soaked up the atmosphere and felt as though I was there. The subjects that are faced in this book are pretty 'sinister' (Abuse, mental issues, drugs) and the book does seem dark, but not at all horrifying - I guess you could call it slightly eerie. This book is clever and quite psychological without getting too deep or confusing. Absolutely loads of things happen in this book and everything does seem significant in it's own way. There are several characters, each with a reasonably well formed personality and appearance.
The one thing that I believe could've been better dealt with was the world of Arnelle. It added a magical side throughout the beginning of the book but somewhat lost steam through the middle and end - I do think that it could have been focused on or developed more though I am glad that it didn't competely dominate the story.
Whilst I wasn't that compelled by this book at the beginning, once I became more accustomed to it, I began to enjoy it more. I appreciated this one a lot.
The one thing that I believe could've been better dealt with was the world of Arnelle. It added a magical side throughout the beginning of the book but somewhat lost steam through the middle and end - I do think that it could have been focused on or developed more though I am glad that it didn't competely dominate the story.
Whilst I wasn't that compelled by this book at the beginning, once I became more accustomed to it, I began to enjoy it more. I appreciated this one a lot.
May 26, 2010
I really wanted to like this book, but from the beginning I was forcing myself to read it. I have liked other books by Hoffman, but this book just lacked her usual touch of magic that I have always enjoyed.
The magical element that was in the book was a story of a made up world that the Story Sisters created called Arnelle. At first, all of the sisters were likable, but as Elv delves into a world that is more bleak, the story became darker. It does portray a family in crisis and how one person can affect others in his/her family. It is a story that had me questioning why their mother was so out of the look. It almost seemed that Madame Cohen was more of a parental figure than the mother and the grandmother. It left me conflicted on their characters. In a way, I don't think I connected to any of the characters though. Ultimately, there is a theme of redemption and hope as the characters weave though their feelings of the events that get them to where they are.
I found some parts interesting, but for the most part I just felt the story dragged. Definitely not the last book I will read by Hoffman, but hopefully the only one that I will not particularly like.
The magical element that was in the book was a story of a made up world that the Story Sisters created called Arnelle. At first, all of the sisters were likable, but as Elv delves into a world that is more bleak, the story became darker. It does portray a family in crisis and how one person can affect others in his/her family. It is a story that had me questioning why their mother was so out of the look. It almost seemed that Madame Cohen was more of a parental figure than the mother and the grandmother. It left me conflicted on their characters. In a way, I don't think I connected to any of the characters though. Ultimately, there is a theme of redemption and hope as the characters weave though their feelings of the events that get them to where they are.
I found some parts interesting, but for the most part I just felt the story dragged. Definitely not the last book I will read by Hoffman, but hopefully the only one that I will not particularly like.
January 2, 2014
Wake up. Look around. See the people around you, really see. Look past the material, past the false bravado and painted smile, move beyond what you've superimposed on them, and truly see the being existing in the space next to you. Remember that your reality is not theirs. More often than not, we have a tendency to slip our insecurities onto others tongues like Eucharist and afterwards are consumed by emptiness and disgrace...and it was all our own doing, the other person never really had a chance.
I forget this lesson time and time again and am only reminded periodically from Hoffman's tales. Now, to be honest, the author has always been a hit-or-miss for me. I either love the latest book or I want to sit back and watch it burn into oblivion. This one, thankfully, not only was loved but was serendipitous. Those words above? This is ultimately what I came away with, and was something I needed to be reminded of. Plus, it was a hell of a story, written beautifully and filled with a cast that felt like family.
In other words, it's my new favorite!
I forget this lesson time and time again and am only reminded periodically from Hoffman's tales. Now, to be honest, the author has always been a hit-or-miss for me. I either love the latest book or I want to sit back and watch it burn into oblivion. This one, thankfully, not only was loved but was serendipitous. Those words above? This is ultimately what I came away with, and was something I needed to be reminded of. Plus, it was a hell of a story, written beautifully and filled with a cast that felt like family.
In other words, it's my new favorite!
November 3, 2015
I am somewhat at a loss for words to describe the beauty of this story! I didn't want it to end. I didn't want to talk to my son who is away at college so I could listen to this story. I just want to listen-read this a million times over. It's sad and beautiful and awful and delicious! There is divorce, drug addiction, recovery, gardens, cancer, death, Paris, art, inner growth and a wedding. There is so much more emotion than I can describe. It's my new favorite book. Thank you Alice Hoffman for such a lovely story and thank you Toledo Lucas County Public Library for enabling me to have such a touching experience!
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