Hill Towns

Rating:
Summary: A skilful portrayal of character and place.
Review: A.R.S. has a wonderful way with words. The characters come to life in an intriguing plot set in the beautiful and compelling cities and countryside of Italy, and Tuscany in particular. As one who loves this author's way with words ,and also loves to be in Italy, Hill Towns is totally absorbing.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: After reading and loving 4 other Anne Rivers Siddons books I could hardly wait to sit down with this book. It is a 400 page story of a group of people traveling Italy and eating and sightseeing and eating and sightseeing with a little sexual tension thrown in. If this was my first Siddons book I probably would have never bought a second one. It is certainly not in the same league as her book "Up Island."

Rating:
Summary: Transported me to the canals of Venice and streets of Rome
Review: Having been to Italy on holiday, I must say that Hill Towns engaged my soul and transported me back there over and over -- from Cafe San Eustachius in Roma to the canals of Venezia to the streets of Firenze -- I was there with Cat and Joe, seeing and feeling everything. Anne Rivers Siddons' ability to capture the setting and give it to her readers is pure heaven.

Rating:
Summary: Not Siddons's best, alas.
Review: I agree with what most others say -- not the author's best! I actually liked the parts in Italy much better than the beginning, which I thought went on for WAY too long, with Cat harping on and on about her terrible childhood and her agoraphobia. Boooring. In fact, I considered not continuing with the book after about 50 pages of Idyllic Life On The Mountain and Great Sex With My Husband. But the Italian stuff was interesting.
I haven't read all of her books yet, but Colony is fabulous and so were Downtown and Up Island. Outer Banks was pretty good, too. Interesting how it seems like Siddons's married heroines always stay faithful in the end, no matter how jerky their husbands are and how sexy the competition is. Guess she is really a traditional Southern girl at heart!

Rating:
Summary: Not Siddons's best, alas.
Review: I agree with what most others say -- not the author's best! I actually liked the parts in Italy much better than the beginning, which I thought went on for WAY too long, with Cat harping on and on about her terrible childhood and her agoraphobia. Boooring. In fact, I considered not continuing with the book after about 50 pages of Idyllic Life On The Mountain and Great Sex With My Husband. But the Italian stuff was interesting.
I haven't read all of her books yet, but Colony is fabulous and so were Downtown and Up Island. Outer Banks was pretty good, too. Interesting how it seems like Siddons's married heroines always stay faithful in the end, no matter how jerky their husbands are and how sexy the competition is. Guess she is really a traditional Southern girl at heart!

Rating:
Summary: Very disappointing
Review: I enjoyed the book until they went to Italy. The plot line went downhill from there. It seems to me from reading the others reviews, that you have to have been to Italy to enjoy this book. If I had not already purchased another of her books at the same time, I probably would never have read another. However, I am near the end of "Up Island" and have enjoyed it thoroughly...much more character development.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointed somewhat
Review: I had always had a certain picture of Italy in my mind, but now it seems forboding and stinky from the descriptions presented in this book. The characters drink so much I wonder how they can function. I thought it was a strange story line. I didn't see how this woman who was so afraid to leave her own area, could go 1/2 way around the world and get along so well so suddenly. But it is only a story after all.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointed somewhat
Review: I had always had a certain picture of Italy in my mind, but now it seems forboding and stinky from the descriptions presented in this book. The characters drink so much I wonder how they can function. I thought it was a strange story line. I didn't see how this woman who was so afraid to leave her own area, could go 1/2 way around the world and get along so well so suddenly. But it is only a story after all.

Rating:
Summary: Siddon's best
Review: I have enjoyed all of her books, but this is far the best. Her descriptions of Italy made me feel I was there, her protagonist's changes through out the novel. Made me wish for a sequel, just to find out what had happened once they returned home

Rating:
Summary: Not Her Best
Review: I have enjoyed her other books...but, this one was a yawner. Too slow moving, too repitious, did not grab my attention at all...Joe was a jerk! I hope she does not start pumping out books like other authors just to sell them. All I can do is hope the next one will have a little more substance. Way too much fluff...