Sacred Time: A Novel Audiobook

" Seven-year-old Anthony Amedeo's comfortable life with his caterer father, Victor, and his mother, Leonora, is disrupted when his ne'er-do-well Uncle Malcolm goes "elsewhere" (a family euphemism for prison) and his Aunt Floria moves into the Amedeo apartment with her eight-year-old twin daughters. They arrive just before Christmas 1953, and soon afterwards, one of the twins plunges to her death from an open window. The tragedy will define the lives of everyone in the two families and change them as surely as their Bronx is changing. Even before the accident, trouble was brewing. Leonora, aware that her husband is having an affair, considers divorce and dallies with a much younger man, but reluctantly allows her philandering husband to return. "

" This book starts out in the 1950's and goes to present. It was a short and interesting read though the plot was a bit weak compared to Stones from the River. "

" I picked this up from the library when I had about 2 minutes to find a book. Since I had loved Stones from the River, I figured I was safe with Ursula Hegi. It wasn't until I got home and had time to open it that I realized I had already read it about 8 years ago. I have carried a memory of this book (a particular scene/revelation) with me all these years, but could never remember the name of the book. Unfortunately, it wasn't a good memory--more of a that-was-really-annoying memory. So, I won't be re-reading this one. Meh. Back to the library. "

" OK. Sept 2006 -- OK "

" I read this too fast, and on a plane, to be able to give it four stars. Ursula Hegi is certainly one of my new favorites. I love the way she brings the reader into each character in this and the other books I've read. We're never in danger of tunnel vision; never stuck in the mind of any one person. (Aside: I wish more humans could broaden their views in this way.) "

" It never caught my interest, so I quickly stopped reading. Boring. "

" This was the last Hegi novel I had to read. It was my least favorite of them all but was still an enjoyable read. "

" This was fast paced and hard to put down, almost a 5 by Laura's rating scale. It is very different than Hegi's books about Germany. It was almost like someone else wrote it. "

" Horrible...had to put it down and stop reading it. Just wasn't into it and didn't want to waste any more time on it. "

" I just couldn't get into this book at all. "

" Multiple perspectives and fifty years in the life of a family. Each of Hegi's characters was beautifully individual, and the whole book laces together gorgeously. "

" I really like Hegi's style of writing and how she puts a book together, but I didn't really care for this story all that much. I can't put my finger on why, but there you are. Others I know have truly enjoyed it, so give it a whirl. See what you think. "

" engrossing characters but a slow read. "

" Read half and couldn't finish "

" I didn't love this book, I really loved her "Stones from the River" so I was expecting too much. She writes well but just not my favorite story. "

" One of my favorite parts of this book is when Anthony's mother puts him in the clothes he received for his birthday, photographs him, and says in the Thank You card that it is his favorite clothing item. "

" My favorite is the chapter where Floria is dying, drifting randomly through bits and secrets of her life, surrounded by her family. "

" Nothing special. Hegi is a good writer, but this story of the effects on a family, over a 50-year-period, of a child's death just didn't grab me. "

" I really enjoyed the stories of this Italian family. I would recommend it as good reading. "

" I've liked all the other Hegi books I've read but this one didn't work for me. I grew up with one foot in Italian America. I didn't think this rang true. I wondered how she got th an Italian-American family from her German roots, and remember thinking she shoulda stayed at home. "

" Sad book and I didn't totally get into it, but I still enjoyed bits of it. "

" I've loved everything Hegi has written, so this one was somewhat a disapointment. It's difficult for me to articulate what it was that didn't work in this book (other than that it was depressing!) I do feel I got a good feel for the characters. It just wasn't her best "

" Really good book about the stories, mostly hidden from others, that shape our lives and interactions. "

" Horrible...had to put it down and stop reading it. Just wasn't into it and didn't want to waste any more time on it. "

" One of my favorite parts of this book is when Anthony's mother puts him in the clothes he received for his birthday, photographs him, and says in the Thank You card that it is his favorite clothing item. "

" This was a good book. I enjoyed the POV shifts and the character and thematic development. I am impressed, also, by how Hegi was able to move into this culture and show it so well. Lovely ending. "

" This was the last Hegi novel I had to read. It was my least favorite of them all but was still an enjoyable read. "

" It never caught my interest, so I quickly stopped reading. Boring. "

" I've loved everything Hegi has written, so this one was somewhat a disapointment. It's difficult for me to articulate what it was that didn't work in this book (other than that it was depressing!) I do feel I got a good feel for the characters. It just wasn't her best "

" the impact of fear and secrets on families can be immense...well written and thought provoking... "

" Book on CD... having three narrators was helpful, but at times, the two ladies didn't differentiate well between their characters. The cover jacket was more interesting than the plot of the story. "

" engrossing characters but a slow read. "

" For me, this novel was very erratic in holding my interest. I had to switch to another book before I could come back to it and finish it. Much of the writing is compelling but some seems disjointed. "