Arcadia Audiobook

" Think of this story as a bell curve. Starts out slow, gets better, drops off. "

" Just mesmerizing, full of gorgeous prose. "

" A library book club read. Amazing writing; poetic at times. A 70's commune and its effect on a child who grows up within it. Protagonist is male, but filled with beautifully drawn female characters. "

" Beautifully and imaginatively crafted novel about a community traversing the changes of life together. So well written you become attached to each and every character and are very sad to see them go. Groff is a really talented author who one to look out for... "

" Not quite a solid 4 stars, but closer to 4 than 3. "

" As my friend would say.......meh. Hard time getting through the first part. Some parts were well written but a lot of uninspiring for me. "

" Told from the point of view of Bit, a child growing up there, this book follows the rise, decline and after years of a commune called Arcadia. "

" Story of commune living in western New York in the early 1970's. Story spans 2 generations and is some of the best prose I've read in a long time. "

" So so sad to have this one end. Maybe not really a full five stars but I was deeply affected, infected. Delightful and uplifting. Piercing in its pain. Hard to pick up the next book right now... "

" sad and haunting. Wonderful use of limited POV. "

" I grew attached this this book and Little Bit, but I'm not sure I liked it equally throughout its pages. Interesting to ponder freedom and community like that. "

" I particularly liked the beginning of this book, and I thought the whole thing was beautifully and lyrically written, but I wasn't really invested in the characters or the story - it won't stick with me the way some of the other Tournament of Books books will. "

" I think short stories are really Groff's forte. "

" Well written and engaging, especially for folks who lived the 1960s among the fringes. "

" For a lyrical type novel, I really enjoyed this. I don't typically like this genre, but this one was well written and the subject matter/plot is original and fresh. "

" The writing flowed very well. I enjoyed it, but it probably will not stick with me. "

" Great characters, lovely writing (though once or twice perhaps trying too hard, like bread that "plumpens" on the shelf), and an intriguing time frame for the story. I went in knowing little about the story, and was impressed and immersed in the world. "

" I loved the sensuality of this book. Groff's writing is lyrical yet gritty, heart-felt, yet funny. And with all that, she never forgets about a plot that compels the reader onward! "

" I'm always a sucker for books about hippies living in a commune, and this one did not disappoint! "

" I was a bit skeptical about this book. I didn't think I'd enjoy reading about people in a commune. Of course, it was about much more than that. This was really a surprisingly lovely story about hope, love, and family. "

" It is beautifully written, but I had a difficult time connecting with any of the characters. "

" I really enjoyed this book. Life in a 60's commune come to life as told through the child narrator little Bit Stone. The story goes from childhood to teenager and to becoming a man after growing up in a commune, the only life he knew. Beautifully told. I would recommend this book. "

" This was fascinating reading. I couldn't put it down. "