Rating: 
Summary: Good Southern Reading
Review: As a fan of Ms. Gilchrist's for a long time, I was delighted by her latest book. I savored each page of her book with her rich characters and great stories. Great work and would highly recommend this book to all.
Rating: 
Summary: Vintage Gilchrist
Review: As a long-time devoted Ellen Gilchrist fan, I rushed out to purchase The Cabal as soon as it hit the shelves, and was not disappointed. The title novella introduces a new set of characters based in Jackson, Mississippi, all coping with the typical Gilchristian themes of love, sex, death, and, most importantly, life here on earth. The short stories that follow are equally entertaining, particularly the latest installment from Miss Crystal's maid Traceleen. This title is a must-have, both for those familiar to Gilchrist's work and for newcomers to her fiction.
Rating:
Summary: Good Southern Reading
Review: Ellen Gilchrist is back again with another book of familiar and delightful stories. Some regulars make another appearance here as well as some great new characters. Gilchrist weaves her enchanting spell again, drawing the reader into the lives of her characters. They are real, fun, annoying, idiosyncratic people whose lives open up and draw us in. If you are a fan of Ellen Gilchrist you will not be disappointed with this new entry into her world!
Rating:
Summary: Vintage Gilchrist
Review: Ellen Gilchrist is back again with another book of familiar and delightful stories. Some regulars make another appearance here as well as some great new characters. Gilchrist weaves her enchanting spell again, drawing the reader into the lives of her characters. They are real, fun, annoying, idiosyncratic people whose lives open up and draw us in. If you are a fan of Ellen Gilchrist you will not be disappointed with this new entry into her world!
Rating: 
Summary: Feh!
Review: Gilchrist is a good, frustrating writer. She has a sharp eye for detail and a keen ear for dialogue, but sometimes she has a dull mind for constructing plots. "The Cabal" begins with a sensational hook that would drag in the most jaded reader; then it rambles along in a droll manner, and finally collapses in a bog of pink cotton candy. The lead character (Julia Roberts) is sassy and amusing. Her gay best friend (Rupert Everett) is tart and amusing. The wacko shrink (Kevin Spacey) is undeveloped and unamusing. The fairy tale ending might satisfy a lot of readers; it struck me as a trite disappointment. Rather than confront the dramatic tensions of her initial premise, Gilchrist casually tossed away her plot, choosing to smooth the hair of her little darling and put a pretty bow on top of its now pointy head. Instead of feeling warm and fuzzy, I was left cold and grumpy. Feh! And again I say: Feh! Did you hear me? Feh!
Rating:
Summary: Feh!
Review: Gilchrist is a good, frustrating writer. She has a sharp eye for detail and a keen ear for dialogue, but sometimes she has a dull mind for constructing plots. "The Cabal" begins with a sensational hook that would drag in the most jaded reader; then it rambles along in a droll manner, and finally collapses in a bog of pink cotton candy. The lead character (Julia Roberts) is sassy and amusing. Her gay best friend (Rupert Everett) is tart and amusing. The wacko shrink (Kevin Spacey) is undeveloped and unamusing. The fairy tale ending might satisfy a lot of readers; it struck me as a trite disappointment. Rather than confront the dramatic tensions of her initial premise, Gilchrist casually tossed away her plot, choosing to smooth the hair of her little darling and put a pretty bow on top of its now pointy head. Instead of feeling warm and fuzzy, I was left cold and grumpy. Feh! And again I say: Feh! Did you hear me? Feh!
Rating: 
Summary: Saccharin Blather
Review: I can't believe I read the entire thing without throwing up. If this is what southern women (and God forbid, men) read for entertainment, they need to break out of their hoop skirts, put down those mint juleps and run at breakneck speed toward the north. How did she garner such amazing reviews is beyond me. Is this what passes for great writing these days?How Ellen Gilchrist can take a fairly interesting plot line and ruin it with boring drivel and meaningless conversations by two-dimensional and cliché characters is nothing short of amazing. Why wasn't this a novel instead of somewhat-connected short stories? What is the point of this collection in the end? To show how much she hates men and adores names like CeCe and DeDe? Her hatred of men (unless, of course, they are over-the-top handsome and spineless or gay) is barely concealed. Apparently she's been burned good by Hollywood producers as well... what was all that stuff about the tiny penis in "The Sanquine Blood of Men" ? Enough, already! You've emasculated the poor devil in one paragraph, you can stop now, no need to go on and on. Don't waste your money on this one. Get something by Annie Proulx if you want great story lines with odd names. At least her men seem real and her women aren't self-absorbed, whiney sex-fiends. And while we're on the subject of sex, there are much classier terms for it. The F-word is not very genteel, Ellen.
Rating:
Summary: The South Rises, Again
Review: I had goose-bumps just reaching out to pluck the latest Gilchrist collection from the shelves! I relished each page, drinking in these new additions to the Southern family. THE CABAL was Ellen at her finest and the stories that followed pure delight. Even if this is your first Gilchrist experience you feel like a part of the family. You know these people. What a treat to find the latest installment in Crystal and Traceleen's lives at the very end. I could not have been more delighted with this latest colection and have sent it to every friend I know!
Rating:
Summary: Saccharin Blather
Review: I liked this book (which I listened to on audiotape) a lot but agree with the reviewer who complained about the ending. Overall, the writing is wonderful, the characterizations sharp, the intermingling of many stories effective. BUT, at the end you are still left wondering about motivations, particularly of the central character. Though things were tied up neatly, I at least was left somewhat unsatisfied. It won't stop me from reading her other books though.
Rating:
Summary: Only a little "Feh"
Review: I liked this book (which I listened to on audiotape) a lot but agree with the reviewer who complained about the ending. Overall, the writing is wonderful, the characterizations sharp, the intermingling of many stories effective. BUT, at the end you are still left wondering about motivations, particularly of the central character. Though things were tied up neatly, I at least was left somewhat unsatisfied. It won't stop me from reading her other books though.
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