Coming Back to Me

I stayed up all night reading this. From the first chapter, Caroline Leavitt's writing style captivated me like a delicious bar of chocolate I could not bear to put down. The characters of first Gary, and then Suzanne had such clear voices, I feel as if I know them. As if I've had a peek into their lives. I found that I was privately rooting for Suzanne to "pull through" just as much as I was rooting for Molly. One thing this book illustrates is how each one of us copes with stress in different ways: Gary, plodding along on 'auto-pilot', Suzanne rebelliously smoking in the house while mentally muttering to herself about how unfair her life has been, the neighbors remaining withdrawn, almost invisible (yet, as it turns out, helping in their own clandestine ways), the doctors all the while fueling the frustration by admittedly not knowing what's wrong with Molly.....and Molly, poor Molly, perhaps proving herself to be the strongest of them all, excepting of course for baby Otis. Hope paves the way to faith in this frighteningly realistic (and from what I could gather by the hints dropped in the acknowledgements section, semi-autobiographical) story, and anger, fear and over-reactions give way to compassion and forgiveness. I look forward to reading another Caroline Leavitt novel!

COMING BACK TO ME by Carolyn Leavitt is everything I want a novel to be. The story is told as a narrative in a way that you know how each person thinks and feels. I found myself captured by the essence of the story, by the sadness as Molly is insidiously abandoned by her mother and her sister, by the joy that Gary brings back into her life. I've never read any of Carolyn Leavitt's books before and might not have noticed this one had it not been for the cover. At first, I thought it was one of those shallow stories about a woman who has a baby and gets sick and is then miraculously cured. This book is anything but shallow. It's very real and very good. I was reminded of Alice Hoffman's style, the words wrapping around me like a friendly voice, Leavitt's phrases pleasing me like a warm cup of tea. There were nights when I would wake up after midnight thinking of Molly and Gary and Otis. I'd turn on the light and reach for COMING BACK TO ME to read a few pages before I'd fall back to sleep again. If you like Elizabeth Berg, Cathie Pelletier, Anita Shreve, or Alice Hoffman, you deserve to give yourself a gift by reading this book.

Caroline Leavitt's new book is her best yet. At once a love story, a survival story, and the reunion of two sisters, I could not put it down. Her clear, heartfelt description of a new mother's descent into the vortex of illness is harrowing. But she skillfully brings in a cast of characters to impel the reader to continue along--Gary, Molly's husband--where do we order guys like that? Suzanne, Molly's wild sister--finally sees the light courtesy baby Otis--that tiny wise man a baby nurses insists speaks to him. Much to admire here. Wish I didn't have to wait a year for another book from Ms. Leavitt. A must read for all women--and the very smartest of men.

What I loved about this book, besides getting so immersed with the characters' lives, was the fact that they were so real and filled with life. Gary, Molly, Suzanne, and Otis had their own stories, thoughts, and feelings, which were all woven together beautifully. I thought the author wrote a lovely story about what it would feel like to go from an extremely happy situation to a scary, unknown nightmare. Images stand out in my mind, such as the feeling Gary had when he walked into Otis' room right after Molly got ill and saw the blanket she had special ordered and nearly fell apart. I felt horrible when Ivan left the car to get cigarettes and left Otis in the car. There were images, pieces of conversation, and emotions that were so vivid that any reader, whether or not they have been through a similiar situation, could relate to. It's rare when an author can make me forget about my own life and immerse me so deeply in a piece of writing, which is why I give this novel five stars. I wish I could give it more, but there aren't enough to show how much I appreciate this novel and the excellent work the author displayed.

I have read every single one of Caroline Leavitt's novels, and find her a wonderful writer who creates memorable characters and plots. The writing, itself, is always lovely -- particular phrases and images jump out like perfect little gems -- but what remains long after I've finished reading the book is the story. Leavitt is a master storyteller. And her latest, "Coming Back to Me," is as satisfying a read as I've come to expect. How satisfying? I chose to read it instead of watching The Academy Awards, and that's saying something! And I was so involved in the story -- so engaged by the characters, who felt so real, and the twists and turns of the plot -- that I had to stop reading it a few hours before bedtime, or else I couldn't fall asleep. I highly recommend "Coming Back to Me," not only for long-time Leavitt fans, but for readers who are searching for a novel that's so wonderfully human.