Arcadia Falls
By Carol Goodman
When Meg Rosenthal’s husband dies, she takes a job at an art school in small town Arcadia, bringing her resentful daughter, Sally, with her. Meg is quickly swept into the mysteries of the school and its haunting history and Sally is swept into a strange clique in the school.
I loved this book! I was captivated from the first page and want to gush over it but I don’t want to give anything away. It’s like Practical Magic meets Hansel and Gretel. Okay, that sounds weird but Lily and Vera, the founders of the school, wrote hauntingly real fairy tales and Goodman beautifully laces one in particular throughout the book, bringing to light the inspiration for the story.
The school is set in a wonderfully eerie forest with a dramatic waterfall that was the site of a death years earlier. Goodman creates a beautiful story about art and life and love. The love a mother has for her daughter, the passion an artist feels for her work, the connection between an artist and muse.
I want to live in Arcadia and experience the apple trees and the old, mysterious buildings. I felt so many connections to this book then, at the end when I thought it couldn’t get any better, Goodman mentions Phish Food. Seriously people, if you haven’t tried Ben and Jerry’s Phish Food ice cream you are not living.
This is a love story, a ghost story, a fairy tale, an amazing book. I can’t wait to read Goodman’s other books.
**Source: ARC for review from publisher, thanks Ballantine Books.
5 comments:
Jess...high praises for this one. I am so glad you enjoyed it. I must get to it soon.
Sounds like a good read! I'll have to check it out.
I've heard great things about Carol Goodman! Definitely need to check out some of her books. :)
Every time I see a review of this book, I keep thinking "I want it." It sounds like a great read.
Practical Magic meets Hansel and Gretel? Oh, you know just what to say to get me to read something!
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