Helpful Score: 3
I loved this book. One of Anne Rivers Siddons most compelling! It is a wonderful story with many unexpected twists and turns. You hardly know which side you are on. It turns a young girl into a fine young woman, the hard way. This would make a great vacation read....you will be engrossed.
Helpful Score: 3
A dear, heartaching story of a young girl growing to womanhood virtually ignored in a house of father, brothers and spaniels. The love of her dog and the memory of her dead brother sustain her until puberty, when she falls under the spell of troubled Charleston beauty Lulu. Poignant, amazing, and worth every minute of the read.
Helpful Score: 2
This book is sooooo good. Beautiful work of a very talented author just pours visison of the south into your mind and tells the tale of a small girl in the south as she grows up without a mother and finds a true life long friend. Abbsolutly wonderful.
Helpful Score: 2
When Siddons writes of the low country of South Carolina, she takes you along and makes you feel as if you live there. She develops characters like the master writer she is.
Helpful Score: 2
Love this author, loved this book. Great story about a young girl growing up in a dysfuntional southern family.
Helpful Score: 2
What a wonderful story! I LOVED this book. Couldn't put it down! Anne Rivers Siddons once again has created a great tale set in South Carolina's Low country. Very vivid characters, a beautiful setting, and ARS's writing style make this a must read! If you like dogs, you will especially love this book as one of the main characters is a beautiful hunting spaniel. This book has the feeling of a classic!
I enjoyed the story. It was hard for me to decide how I felt about some of the characters. I've finished the book and I'm still not sure.
There was too much descriptive prose for my taste, so I skimmed some paragraphs and I was a little unsatisfied with the ending. I guess I always want complete closure.
All in all, though, a good read. I'll look for more of this author's books.
There was too much descriptive prose for my taste, so I skimmed some paragraphs and I was a little unsatisfied with the ending. I guess I always want complete closure.
All in all, though, a good read. I'll look for more of this author's books.
Helpful Score: 1
I have loved each one of Anne Rivers Siddons' books, each for different reasons because each is unique. This is one of my favorites. Your heart aches for the young girl, growing up almost ignored in a house of men, who bravely forges ahead to become a person you'd love to know.
Helpful Score: 1
I really liked this book. First one I have read by this author.....I will read more of her books!
Lisa
Lisa
Helpful Score: 1
A very interesting and compelling southern novel about a young girl who lives an isolated life on an old plantation raising hunting dogs. Her life changes and she grows up too fast after a troubled, wealthy neighbor girl comes to live with them. I really enjoyed this book.
Helpful Score: 1
Not as engaging as her other books. Very slow.
Helpful Score: 1
My first read of this author & I am anixous to read others by her. About a girl who helps her father raise & train spaniels for hunting in South Carolina. Great story of family & people of wealth as well as simpler life. A feel good book.
Fun read esp for dog lovers.
If you like her other books, you will love this one!
At twelve, Emily Parmenter knows about loneliness only too well. Left mostly to herself after her beautiful young mother disappeared and her beloved older brother died, Emily is keenly aware of yearning and loss. Rather than let the sadness consume her, she has built a life around the faded plantation where her remote father and hunting-obsessed brothers raise the legendary Lowcountry Boykin hunting spaniels. To some, it may seem that she lives within a meager, narrow, masculine world, but to Emily that life holds its own special magic: the storied deep-sea dolphins who regularly come to frolic and play in Sweetwater Creek; her extraordinary bond with the beautiful dogs she trains; her almost mystical communion with her own spaniel, Elvis; the dreaming old Lowcountry itself. Emily hides from the dreaded world here. For her, it is enough.
And then along comes Lulu Foxworth, troubled daughter of a truly grand plantation, who has run away from her hectic debutante season in Charleston to spend a healing summer with the quiet marshes and river, and the life-giving dogs. Where Emily's father sees their guest as an entree into a society he thought forever out of reach, Emily is at once threatened and utterly mystified. Lulu has a powerful enchantment and a charm of her own, and this, along with the dark, crippling secret she brings with her, will inevitably blow Emily's magical water world apart and let the real one in - but at a terrible price.
In my opinion, this book was just alright. I found the story to be a bit too long; with too many descriptive passages for my liking. Ultimately, the book boasted a promising build up to a rather disappointing ending in my opinion. My feelings might just be because of the type of mood I was in while reading, but this book never fully delivered on its promise for me. It was a bit of a disappointment for me, because I've read several other books by this author that I absolutely loved. I had to give Sweetwater Creek by Anne Rivers Siddons a B+!
And then along comes Lulu Foxworth, troubled daughter of a truly grand plantation, who has run away from her hectic debutante season in Charleston to spend a healing summer with the quiet marshes and river, and the life-giving dogs. Where Emily's father sees their guest as an entree into a society he thought forever out of reach, Emily is at once threatened and utterly mystified. Lulu has a powerful enchantment and a charm of her own, and this, along with the dark, crippling secret she brings with her, will inevitably blow Emily's magical water world apart and let the real one in - but at a terrible price.
In my opinion, this book was just alright. I found the story to be a bit too long; with too many descriptive passages for my liking. Ultimately, the book boasted a promising build up to a rather disappointing ending in my opinion. My feelings might just be because of the type of mood I was in while reading, but this book never fully delivered on its promise for me. It was a bit of a disappointment for me, because I've read several other books by this author that I absolutely loved. I had to give Sweetwater Creek by Anne Rivers Siddons a B+!
Interesting story of a young girl and her family.
Anne Rivers Siddons is a masterful writer and this book is no exception.
This book was very compelling. The ending still has me a bit confused but it was great. A real coming of age story between a twelve year old and her place in the family.
Wonderful! One of her best.
Well-written, thought-provoking, sad in places, but magical throughout. This is the first of ARS that I've read and I loved it!
Coming of age story of motherless Emily Parmenter. Just when she's finding her place on a Lowcountry South Carolina plantation, Lulu Foxworth comes to stay for the summer. A few months brings changes for everyone - Emily, her father, her brothers, her aunt, and for Lulu.
Wonderful book about the priviliged lives in the low country of South Carolina. I wished for the book to be longer. I will miss young Emily and her amazing Boykin Spaniel dogs!
A true southern tale as only Anne River Siddons can spin.
Great coming of age novel set in the Carolinas
Very background detail oriented, short on story, never tied any of the loose ends up and leaves reader hungering for all the mysteries. Not sure if I enjoyed or not since I didn't feel satsified at ending.
Good read.
This was an AWESOME book-a fast read and i couldn't put it down. I love everything i've read by this author. enjoy!
As usual a lovely tale from Anne Rivers Siddons.
Always a relaxing, easy read. Siddons is so descriptive you feel like you are in Sweetwater Creek. This book is a little darker than most of hers, but a wonderful read
Young girl turn in life from a child to her teen years.
Siddons' books always deliver a heart wrenching story of the low country.
Another marvellous story from an outstanding writer.
True to Ann Rivers Siddons style of writing, but not one of my favorites.
a great read. in the eyes of a young girl going through becoming who she will be, and the emotions that go along with it. Touching and great. an easy read.
I didn't think I'd stick with this book... a little slow in the beginning but if the reader sticks with it the story gets more interesting. In the end, I felt it was a good book.
wonderful satisfying read. gives you what you feel
is a real glimpse in the low country lifestyle of that period.
is a real glimpse in the low country lifestyle of that period.
I adore Anne Rivers Siddons. In this story about a missing Mother, a strange new friend and an amazing breed of hunting dogs we meet "Emily" who is lovable and wise and evolving. There is a bit of a metaphysical mystery in the strange relationship of Emily and her ghost of a brother and her companion guard dog. A little pre-teen motherless child is taking charge of her family's creekside land where magical dolphins and brilliant purebred puppies add light to the surroundings. Emily is coming of age with her lovely but disturbed mentor Lulu. Southern society and the customs and culture of an old established ladies finishing school, threaten and offer a promise of discovery. A villian haunts Emily and her friend Lulu and abruptly changes life for everyone at Sweetwater Creek. Everything blows apart when "Gran" a little old lady who has secrets of her own adds the enchantment to this heartwarming tale
a shattering coming of age story
Wonderful, touching story of growing up by agreat author!
This book like all Anne Rivers Siddons book is a keeper,I would love to read all her books,couln't put it down.
Excellent. I didn't want to put it down. The book takes you to the south, with its grace and beauty and makes you want to stay there.
This was basically a good book, but found the storyline very overly descriptive and repetitive in alot of it. The story was mainly told by the 13 year old from her point. Alot of it was good but this wasn't one of my favorite Anne Rivers Siddons books.
One of Siddon's most impressive novels... (A) touching, dramatic story.
Described as "one of Siddons' most impressive novels". A tale of passage from childhood to young womanhood.
I love anything written by her! Makes me want to move to the south.
enjoyed the story very much. Very touching and dramatic.
Wonderful, sweet book of a 12 year old girl and the summer she turns 13..... I loved this book....
A wonderful read in true southern tradition.
For those who like insight into the "southern" life along with a peak into what occupies those literary hearts and minds - this is Siddons forte and she does it well. Too southern for my taste but worth a quick read.
A fan of Anne Siddons, altho I was a bit disapointed in this book
super with an unexpected ending twist
Another wonderful Low country story by Anne Rivers Siddons. A mystical, almost spiritual coming-of-age story with wonderful characters. I couldn't put it down!
Good read........didn't want to put it down.
My first Anne Siddons book, I loved it !!
A sweet story as only Anne Rivers Siddons could tell it. Loved every word.
A haunting story. It makes you want to be right there, in Sweetwater Creek and comfort Emily.
Another great read from Siddons . . . it doesn't go where you think it's going to go. Really enjoyed this.
I really loved this book and couldnt put it down. If you are a Siddons fan you will love this one. Her characters were excellent I couldnt wait to find out what would happen next.
Another great book by Anne Rivers Siddons.
The best Anne Rivers Siddons yet!
Anne Rivers Siddon at her best. Central character is a 12 year old girl with an old soul. She has experienced so much loss and betrayal in her short life yet rises above it all as she grows into a young woman. Excellent !
I just couldnt get into it.
Twelve-year-old Emily Parmenter survived her mother's abandonment and her beloved older brother's death-and now finds purpose in training her father's magnificent spaniels....and refuge in the magic of Sweetwater Creek. But a new friend has entered Emily's life-a troubled daughter of privilege whose secrets threaten to blow a hole in Emily's beautiful world and let the real one in...
Twelve-year-old Emily Parmenter survived her mother's abandonment and her beloved older brother's death -- and now finds purpose in training her father's magnificent spaniels . . . and refuge in the magic of Sweetwater Creek.
But a new friend has entered Emily's life -- a troubled daughter of privilege whose secrets threaten to blow a hole in Emily's beautiful world and let the real one in . . .
But a new friend has entered Emily's life -- a troubled daughter of privilege whose secrets threaten to blow a hole in Emily's beautiful world and let the real one in . . .
Twelve year old Emily Parmenter survived her mother's abandonment and her beloved older brother's death, and now finds purpose in training her father's magnificent spaniels and refuse in the magic of Sweetwater Creek. But a new friend has entered Emily's life-a troubled daughter of privilege whose secrets threaten to blow a hole in Emily's beautiful world and let the real one in.
Didnt read this
