Night Jasmine

A New Orleans native, I also graduated from Dominican High School and read this book for an assignment. Many years and books later... and living in California, across the country from "home" ... it's still the book I treasure most. I believe it captures the true essence of the great city in which I grew up, and every time I read it I can't put it down. Thank you Mary Lou Widmer! www.MelanieHebert.com

Night Jasmine captures every essence of New Orleans. Its passion, history, conflict, and more. Her characters are Southern, her style is Southern, and the story is the same. I graduated from Dominican High School, where the novel was suggested by one of my teachers. I wasn't at all disappointed. If you have a passion for reading and an appreciation for New Orleans, then you can't help but love Night Jasmine.

A must read for New Orleanians. Considering I'm an MCA student, I was assigned to read it a couple summers ago. I heard too many good things about it that I bought it 6 months before summer. By the time I took the test I had read it 15 times, easily. I'm so glad other people have read this. They need to put it back in print so people all over the country can fall in love with it. By the way, if you loved this book read LACE CURTAIN by Widmer. It's just as great. If you can get your hands on a copy, read it. I was lucky enough to have a telephone interview with this wonderful author. This women is sweet and cheerful and has a true love for her city. She's also a phenomonal writer if I haven't mentioned it before. A must read for everyone and also check out her other fiction and non-fiction.

I was assigned to read Night Jasmine as a summer reading project for school. I just finished it and it was completely awesome! I could not put it down!! The way that Wildmer links all of the characters together is spectacular. Just as you think the book is settling down, she throws another surprise at you! She also gives you a wonderful look at New Orleans at the turn of the LAST century! Myself, being from New Orleans, love being able to read a book and saying "Hey, I rode down the street that Katie used to live on the other day!" I also love being able to picture what it was like. I absolutely love this book and i would recommend it to anyone.

I love to read so when I pick favorite's they have to be pretty good. I'm from New Orleans, Louisiana, where the book is set, so I loved to read descriptions of the city in 1906. The story of Katie and Stephan was so romantic. As I read the book last night for about the 20th time, I pictured myself as Katie while she begins her life a poor uneducated girl and follow her through her days as servant for the Eagan family to her loves and losses. A must read for anyone, especially if you live in New Orleans. This book was assigned to me for summer reading but since I had heard so many good things about it I had to read it about 7 months before summer vacation, I just couldn't wait!