Rating: 
Summary: Travel back into history
Review: Stones From the River is a compelling novel that takes you back into history to the daily lives of German civilians exposed to the Nazi uprising. Ursula Hegi, a German-born writer, eloquently masters the English language by literally illustrating the events through her main character, Trudi Montag. Hegi is commended for her artistic ability to paint a vivid picture in the reader's mind through the written word.
Rating: 
Summary: A moving, excellent book!
Review: It took me a while to finish this book the first time but not the second. I have never liked a character more than Trudi. Don't ask me why because I don't entirely know myself. Maybe it was her pure gutsiness? Maybe it was her strength? I don't know but I do know that even when she gossiped I liked her. An interesting spin on an interesting but sad time in our world's recent history. A good book!
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Summary: Lasting Impression
Review: A very overwhelming book to pick up - more than 500 pages. While the first 100 pages very trying to keep me interested, the next 400 pages zipped by with a blur. Being of German heritage, it was eye-opening to get a glimpse of the common everyday citizens living during the war. The book moved me at times to cry and to laugh. One of the best books that I have ever read and I recommend it to everyone I meet.
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Summary: Different and amazing.
Review: Once I settled into this book it was hard to put down. I can just picture Trudi in all her outfits and hats strolling through town collecting gossip for later use. Don't read this book if you are looking for a holocaust book alone because it is much more than that. Her father was the most beautiful male character ever. I was slightly disappointed in the ending I definitely recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: Definitely one to reccomend.
Review: When my Book Club chose Stones From the River as our next book for discussion, I was quite leery. Reading a book about a "dwarf" didn't really appeal to me. I gave it the benefit of the doubt and picked it up. By the end of the first chapter I was totally hooked. Trudi is not just a dwarf. She is me. She is anyone who feels uncomfortable in themselves. I related to Trudi's character as I am sure many, many readers did. The story itself was brillant and I loved getting to know all the characters--I even craved to know more! It was enlightening hearing about this terrible period in Germany's history from a non-Jewish, german's point of view. I really appreciated this book. Thank you Ursula Hegi and I thank my Book Club for making me read it!
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Summary: This book has a little bit of everything.
Review: I am a fast reader, but this book to me my entire weeks vacation to read. What a trooper Trudi was! I really liked the book because it had a lot going on. It was about the holocaust, the war, Germany, being a Catholic, books, Hitler, abuse and growing up physically different from everyone else. I thought it was an amazing story.
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Summary: Rare use of the language
Review: I have seldom experienced a book that contained such a complex story told in english prose that is so textural that you can almost touch it.
Rating:
Summary: A courageous book
Review: Ursula Hegi introduced Trudi her character in a small semi-autobiography called In My Mother's Palm. This book merits a great applause. For a German born writer to be this honest about the holocaust is refreshing. I truly recommend many of Hegi's books, they are honest and straight forward. Wonderful writing.
Rating:
Summary: An amazing, moving book
Review: When I tell adults that I have just finished reading the deepest, most powerful book I haveever read, the expect me to say the Giver, or some other young adult book. That is probably because I am 12. My reading level is Post High School and yet, I still can't bring myself to believe some of the occurences in this story. I just can't . I can barely explain how this book touched me so much. The only word that can truly define this book is-remarkable.
Rating: 
Summary: Good, but please, not a masterpiece
Review: Hegi does many things well -- some nice writing, some good characters, some good metaphors, some good questions to ponder. On the other hand, in other parts it smacked of the touch of a new-age writers' support group, and seemed in need of a firmer editorial hand. If you like Hegi's somewhat mystical feminist storytelling touch, and would like to read a five-star effort, try Isak Dinesen's Winter's Tales, or for four stars, the short stories of Ursula K. Le Guin, to name an Ursula who does this better. For a five-star (six-star?) epic sandwiched around a war, read Tolstoy's War and Peace. And finally, for a tight five-star ending of the sort Hegi was reaching for but couldn't find, that in fact uses a stones in the river metaphor, read MacLean's A River Runs Through It. This was certainly a solid effort and a worthwhile read. It is a book I will keep for selective lending, but I will not re-read it. I think my main bone of contention here is that so many readers gave it five stars...
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