Circle the Soul Softly

Circle the Soul Softly wraps itself around the reader like a shawl woven from sweet and sorrowful strands of truth. It holds you, and gently insists you hear what it means to be human. Why do we feel what we feel? What are the stories behind our behavior? These universal themes are explored in Davida Wills Hurwin's beautifully expressive, skilled prose. Circle the Soul Softly offers a deeply intimate psychological portrait of how a young women begins to lift the covers off her memory and reveal a past she had forgotten. The covers are heavy. They come off slowly. And when the truth of her childhood emerges, Hurwin is clear with the reader; revelation is just the first step in healing. This novel does not succumb to the "quick fix". Integrating (into the present) our wounds, our grief, our past... takes time. In this compassionate, expertly crafted work of fiction, Ms. Hurwin gets at the deeper truth. I read it one sitting a week ago, and still feel held in its soulful circle.

I've read all oh Ms. Hurwins books and this one may just be my favorite (although A Time for Dancing has become a young womens classic). In Circle the Soul Softly Hurwins writng is complex yet straightforward, always progressing the plot and deepening the characters emotional life while using language that any women would love to luxuriate in. I was so enthralled I read it in one sitting! I would highly reccomend it for anyone and give a special recomendation to young women who have had traumitic life experiences. Nothing in the world is better then reading about someone elses experiences confirming that you are not alone during the hardest times of your life.

I have read all of Ms Hurwin's books and enjoyed them. This is possibly my favorite. The story was compelling and moved along at a rapid pace. I read it in two sittings. I couldn't wait to see what emotionally would develop on the next page. The characters were clearly drawn, and Ms. Hurwin found each of their unique voices. I particularly liked the ending (often people can't decide how to end a book). I won't give it away. I found the book's sense of compassion and empathy for the human condition, and the difficulties of complex relationships most satisfying. A read that left my heart feeling full.

circle the soul softly is a true elixir of the adolescent psyche. The telling of foreign surroundings and unfamiliar lifestyles becomes only a backdrop for the beautiful unfolding of a young girl's mysterious past. After beginning with the sibling banter of young Katie and her brother Michael, the pages quickly turn and you find yourself rapidly seeking the undying darkness that so haunts our heorine. I read this in one night! This novel is an excellent read for both adolescent girls and those who have well exceeded the years of lip gloss and prom dates.

This book is thoughful, thought provoking and a great resource for young adults to recognize the symptoms of Post traumatic stress disorder. This just might be able to help many people, young and old, to help themselves. An excellent read, current and yet not trendy. THe characters are real, and you hoep for them. I highly reccomend it as a book that does not talk down to young adults or sell them short.