Tuesday, September 16, 2008

The Knitting Circle by Ann Hood

I confess I'm a closet crafter (say that three times fast!). At 30 years old, I get a bit embarrassed confessing that I really do enjoy spending my evenings at home with either my nose in a good book or up to my elbows in embroidery thread cross-stitching. There's a reason my sisters call me "Grandma Scribbles". I'm a cross between a hip-hop lovin diva and an old soul ;-)

So with all that out in the open, you now know why a book about a knitting circle of friends sounded so appealing to me. As a matter of fact after reading The Knitting Circle, I wouldn't hesitate for a minute to join a knitting circle if I knew of one.

The women in this story come from all different backgrounds and trials in their lives. But what I really appreciated was that as difficult of situations these women were living through, they found a way to persevere. It wasn't depressing, though it easily could have been, because the author was so great about showing how through the strength of each other as friends they literally could get through anything. It was powerful and inspiring and I really enjoyed this book a lot. Plus I now have this desire to try and pick up knitting again. I would highly recommend this book.

For more reviews on The Knitting Circle, you can click on the links below:

Book Club Classics
Books on the Brain
Booking Mama

Description: After the sudden loss of her only child, Stella, Mary Baxter joins a knitting circle in Providence, Rhode Island, as a way to fill the empty hours and lonely days, not knowing that it will change her life. Alice, Scarlet, Lulu, Beth, Harriet, and Ellen welcome Mary into their circle despite her reluctance to open her heart to them. Each woman teaches Mary a new knitting technique, and, as they do, they reveal to her their own personal stories of loss, love, and hope. Eventually, through the hours they spend knitting and talking together, Mary is finally able to tell her own story of grief, and in so doing reclaims her love for her husband, faces the hard truths about her relationship with her mother, and finds the spark of life again. By an "engrossing storyteller," this new novel once again "works its magic" (Sue Monk Kidd).

Rating: ****

Recommend: for sure, but you do need to keep an open mind.

7 comments:

Alicia said...

I read this book as well earlier this year and I really liked it. I am a knitter and reading different knitting books just illustrates how something like knitting can bring together different people!

Darlene said...

I read this book a while ago and just loved it. I love knitting and cross stitching so books about women brought together by these things are just great. Glad you liked it.

LisaMM said...

I don't knit but loved the book anyway! Thanks for linking to my review.

Rachel Sarah said...

I thought having a nose in my book for an evening was perfectly normal!

Anonymous said...

I haven't read this one, but my book club read The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs. We all enjoyed it. Kate Jacobs actually called into our meeting to talk! It was fun.

Anonymous said...

This is on my TBR list, but I completely forgot about it somehow. Thanks for the review and reminder!

Anonymous said...

You don't have to be a closet crafter! I'm 30 as well, and I love to knit and cross stitch. I hope to take a crochet class soon, too.

I read this book and thought it was good but very sad. I nearly cried on the train reading it. Did you know the author lost her young daughter as well? So sad.