In February my book club decided to read Firefly Lane
Firefly Lane is the story of two girls who meet as teenagers and form a life-long friendship. Kate Mularky is your typical awkward teenager who is somewhat of a social outcast at school. She lives in a loving, stable home with her parents and younger brother. Then beautiful Tully Hart moves across the street from Kate on Firefly Lane. Tully’s mother is a washed up druggie hippie and Tully hides behind her popularity and beauty. Even though these two would seem to be polar opposites, they quickly form a friendship that will last decades. Soon Tully and Kate are off to college together and there lives begin to change as they pick different paths. Tully is ambitious and charges full steam ahead into a television reporter career. Kate marries and desires a family. As with most relationships, Tully and Kate have their ups and downs, but ultimately realize that their friendship is one of the most important relationships of their lives.
The book follows Tully and Katie from their teenage years in the 70’s through college in the 80’s and careers and families in the 90’s all the way into the 2000s. While there are enough contextual era references in this book to choke a horse, the story itself was quite entertaining. Firefly Lane give you lots of food for thought (i.e. the choices we make – career vs. stay-at-home moms) and I think that it will make an interesting book to talk about when we meet for our book club later this week. While this book may not be the best book I’ve read this year, it was certainly a worthwhile read.
Yeesh- I hate it when more modern “period” novels bash you over the head with era specific references. Are the ones in here more along the lines of music and pop culture, or are they of the kind where they’re weirdly present for historical events?
Then you should probably stay far away from this book, since the era references are everywhere! Mostly music and pop culture, with world events stuck in every so often.
A good friend of mine can’t stop talking about this book, and the author. When she described the book to me, it sounded like it could be emotionally manipulative. Like the author’s solitary goal is to get you crying, and the pull out all the stops to get you there. I don’t like that at all…it is so Nicholas Sparks! I’m just a little relieved to hear you say that it isn’t all that. I thought I was going to have to read the darned thing!
Sandy – Firefly Lane has been compaired to Beaches (so if you know how emotional that one is you can guess how this one is). Although I have to say that the author has started a fund to raise awareness of breast cancer and I think it’s pretty cool. http://www.kristinhannah.com/content/firefly_fund.php
Stephanie, I often enjoy books which show the development of characters as the years pass. This one sounds interesting, like something I could understand or relate to on many levels. Thanks for your well-written, concise review.
Susan, in the end I really think the book was a good read and am interested to find out how the women in my book club liked it.
I’m drawn to this cover but I wonder it’s meaty enough to discuss. Let us know what your book club thinks.
Ti – I have a feeling that this book will be good for discussion since most of the women in my book club can relate to the characters having grown up in the 70’s & 80’s.
I’ve read several books by this author, but not this one. I’m sure your book group will find things to talk about, even if it’s not necessarily from the story iteself. The author’s latest book, Winter Garden, is getting a lot of talk lately.
Glad you enjoyed it!
The only think I liked about this book were the cultural/era references. Otherwise I thought it was trite and predictable. Having said that I liked her writing style and did buy True Colors to read.
Mom loved this author. She would of enjoyed this book. She liked her as much as she liked Danielle Steel, Barbara Delinsky, and Luanne Rice. I like these authors too except for Luanne Rice whom I could never get into. I think this book sounded pretty good. The sroryline sounds interesting. I just got the new Danielle Steel book, Big Girl. I’m hoping it;s good. It’s sort of this type of book.
It’s funny, the entire time I was reading this book I was thinking that it would be the kind of book that Mom would have enjoyed. That’s one of the things I miss about her – we would always talk about the books we were reading!
Along with Steel, Delinsky & Rice, Mom adored Mary Higgins Clark and Lisa See.
==> “enough contextual era references”
Yes – that’s the first thing I recall about this book! Which made it fun as well as glad that I knew most of them, but if I didn’t, I would have been a bit annoyed. Actually, this wasnt’ a favorite but I have a good friend who LOVES this author so I wanted to like it. And it was good if you like these kinds of books. I hope that doesnt’ make me sound like the booksnob I’ve been accused of being. oh well!
Sometimes it’s nice just to read something that isn’t going to make my brain explode – this one fit the bill nicely!
Most of the people I know who’ve read this say they plowed through it wondering why it had to be so long and why they were still reading until they got to the end then went frantically searching for Kleenex. I’m not sure I’m up for something that takes that long to make its point. And all those contextual era references would drive me bonkers!
This one sounds like it makes you think and that’s always worthwhile, if you ask me.
I enjoyed this book too but agree with your comment on the era references – the book was really peppered with them! It is not the most challenging book I have ever read but enjoyable nonetheless!
i definitely agree about ‘its nice to read something that isn’t going to make my brain explode’ sometimes. and this book was definitely that. i read it earlier this year and really enjoyed it.
i dubbed this book as a chick lit book that even a chick lit hater like myself could get into.
I’ve had this book for awhile but haven’t read it yet. I think all those references to prior eras are going to drive me nuts. Thanks for the warning!