Apr 18, 2011

Firefly Lane- Kristin Hannah


Firefly Lane
Author:  Kristin Hannah
Genre:  Women's Fiction
Publisher:  St. Martin's Press
Date Published:  February 5th 2008

From Goodreads:

In the turbulent summer of 1974, Kate Mularkey has accepted her place at the bottom of the eighth-grade social food chain. Then, to her amazement, the “coolest girl in the world” moves in across the street and wants to be her friend. Tully Hart seems to have it all—-beauty, brains, ambition. On the surface they are as opposite as two people can be: Kate, doomed to be forever uncool, with a loving family who mortifies her at every turn. Tully, steeped in glamour and mystery, but with a secret that is destroying her. They make a pact to be best friends forever; by summer’s end they’ve become TullyandKate. Inseparable.
So begins Kristin Hannah’s magnificent new novel. Spanning more than three decades and playing out across the ever-changing face of the Pacific Northwest, Firefly Lane is the poignant, powerful story of two women and the friendship that becomes the bulkhead of their lives.

From the beginning, Tully is desperate to prove her worth to the world. Abandoned by her mother at an early age, she longs to be loved unconditionally. In the glittering, big-hair era of the eighties, she looks to men to fill the void in her soul. But in the buttoned-down nineties, it is television news that captivates her. She will follow her own blind ambition to New York and around the globe, finding fame and success . . . and loneliness.

Kate knows early on that her life will be nothing special. Throughout college, she pretends to be driven by a need for success, but all she really wants is to fall in love and have children and live an ordinary life. In her own quiet way, Kate is as driven as Tully. What she doesn’t know is how being a wife and mother will change her . . . how she’ll lose sight of who she once was, and what she once wanted. And how much she’ll envy her famous best friend. . . .

For thirty years, Tully and Kate buoy each other through life, weathering the storms of friendship—-jealousy, anger, hurt, resentment. They think they’ve survived it all until a single act of betrayal tears them apart . . . and puts their courage and friendship to the ultimate test.

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I’ve been reading reviews of Kristin Hannah’s books for awhile, and that is the reason why I have her books in my TBR. When the majority of bloggers are giving her praise I have to believe there is something good there.  Some of her books have been in my TBR for awhile now, and I made a little goal for me this year..I would read at least 1 of her books.  I kept passing them by while looking for my next read, I don’t know why I simply had no urge to pick up one of her books.   With my husband working nights I decided I wanted to read something wholesome, for some reason when he works night I end up watching A&E shows, and they begin to scare me.  Why do I do that?  After putting on the alarm, checking everything is locked I cozied up to Firefly Lane .

Firefly Lane did the job.  I became immersed in Tully’s and Kate’s life.  I rode through the wave of emotions with them,ending with tears free falling from my eyes at the end.  Tully and Kate become friends when Tully moves in across the street from Kate when they are young girls.  Kate has lived her short life lonely with no social life. Tully is instantly a hit at school, she’s gorgeous, spunky and a social butterfly, but Tully has a secret of her own.  Her mother floats in and out of her life, and Tully is cared for mostly by her grandmother.  Kate’s stable family life is what Tully wants the most, while Kate wants to be Tully “social butterfly”.  There begins a very rocky yet loving friendships that last decades. 

Kristin Hannah can write about female friendships.  The jealousies, the arguments and the unconditional love came across the pages.  I rode the wave with them.  As I mentioned earlier on at the end I was crying like a baby.  I really enjoyed Firefly Lane.  I thought the writing was wonderful, and the story sad, but fulfilling. 

3 comments:

  1. I just love Kristin Hannah. You reminded me that I need to get going on Firefly Lane!

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  2. Yay, I loved this one too!! Do you know which of hers you'll be reading next?

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  3. I loved this one too! I have her new one sitting on my shelf, but other than this I haven't read anything else by her.

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