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The Probable Future (2003)

by Alice Hoffman

Other authors: See the other authors section.

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1,945598,591 (3.79)82
Alice Hoffman's most magical novel to date--three generations of extraordinary women are driven to unite in crisis and discover the rewards of reconciliation and love.  Women of the Sparrow family have unusual gifts. Elinor can detect falsehood. Her daughter, Jenny, can see people's dreams when they sleep. Granddaughter Stella has a mental window on the future--a future that she might not want to see.  In The Probable Future this vivid and intriguing cast of characters confronts a haunting past--and a very current murder--against the evocative backdrop of small-town New England. By turns chilling and enchanting, The Probable Future chronicles the Sparrows's legacy as young Stella struggles to cope with her disturbing clairvoyance. Her potential to ruin or redeem becomes unbearable when one of her premonitions puts her father in jail, wrongly accused of homicide. Yet this ordeal also leads Stella to the grandmother she was forbidden to meet and to a historic family home full of talismans from her ancestors.  Poignant, arresting, unsettling, The Probable Future showcases the lavish literary gifts that have made Alice Hoffman one of America's most treasured writers. Praise for The Probable Future "A thrilling adventure of literary alchemy . . . A magical, mystical tour de force of pure entertainment."--The Seattle Times "Delicious . . . Hoffman is an unapologetic optimist, and optimism is in short supply these days. It feels like a vacation to curl up with [The Probable Future]."--The New York Times Book Review "Instantly alluring . . . A mysterious, modern-day fairy tale . . . Hoffman is an amazingly talented writer with a beautiful sense of sentence construction, an intriguing imagination, and the ability to create compelling, complex characters that readers care about."--Fort Worth Star-Telegram  "Hoffman's ethereal tale of a family of women with supernatural gifts is a magical escape, grounded in the complex relationships between mothers and daughters."--Marie Claire… (more)
  1. 00
    House of Echoes by Brendan Duffy (JessyHere)
    JessyHere: Similar small town history that consumes the whole town.
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Showing 1-5 of 60 (next | show all)
Another delightful Alice Hoffman novel that combines the real world with a bit of magic. Just enough lore to puzzle the reader and enough reality to puzzle us even more. Could all this be true? Can a woman just appear in a town or a woman not feel pain, spot a liar, tell when someone is going to die? Alice Hoffman makes you believe it in a novel filled with imagery, history and the reality of teenage angst,mother and daughter disfunction, bad marriages and women working together. ( )
  Smits | Jun 4, 2024 |
I read Hoffman's The Museum of Extraordinary Things this summer and was not super impressed. I'm so glad I gave her another try though because I LOVED The Probable Future!! I don't believe in "magic" but I do believe in giftings so I loved how it was mystical without being magicky. I also love the New England setting as that is where my father's side is from and I know almost nothing of that history. I read books like this and know that it's my history, too---and I imagine that these characters are my ancestors! Ha! ( )
  classyhomemaker | Dec 11, 2023 |
I really enjoy Alice Hoffman's books and have read a fair few. This one is without a doubt my favorite. I picked it up ages ago and took it on vacation as my beach book. Little did I know that it would quickly become one of my favorite books and certainly my favorite Hoffman to date.

The Probable Future is beautifully written, taking you in and out of the past, present, and future of Unity seamlessly. It is a very human story winding love, loss, betrayed, understanding, family, and self discovery throughout in a way that will keep you turning pages all night long. I can't say enough good things about this book and for those of you who have read her other novels, you know what I mean. ( )
  Pen_neh | Jul 16, 2023 |
This was my introduction to Alice Hoffman's writing and I enjoyed every word! ( )
  Christine_Taylor | Jan 14, 2023 |
I had a weird experience....I had been thinking, dreaming, and seeing “bees” 🐝 and I picked up this book and bee imagery was everywhere ...not sure what it means! 🤷🏼‍♀️

This is not my favorite Alice Hoffman book, but it was a quick read! I’m striking out lately with unsatisfying reads and wondering if I’m “outgrowing” certain authors! 😐 ( )
  Eosch1 | Jan 2, 2022 |
Showing 1-5 of 60 (next | show all)
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» Add other authors (5 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Hoffman, Aliceprimary authorall editionsconfirmed
Ericksen, SusanNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
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For Tom
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Anyone born and bred in Massachusetts learns early on to recognize the end of winter.
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Proof of love could be found in a single blade of grass, in what was kept and what was thrown away.
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Alice Hoffman's most magical novel to date--three generations of extraordinary women are driven to unite in crisis and discover the rewards of reconciliation and love.  Women of the Sparrow family have unusual gifts. Elinor can detect falsehood. Her daughter, Jenny, can see people's dreams when they sleep. Granddaughter Stella has a mental window on the future--a future that she might not want to see.  In The Probable Future this vivid and intriguing cast of characters confronts a haunting past--and a very current murder--against the evocative backdrop of small-town New England. By turns chilling and enchanting, The Probable Future chronicles the Sparrows's legacy as young Stella struggles to cope with her disturbing clairvoyance. Her potential to ruin or redeem becomes unbearable when one of her premonitions puts her father in jail, wrongly accused of homicide. Yet this ordeal also leads Stella to the grandmother she was forbidden to meet and to a historic family home full of talismans from her ancestors.  Poignant, arresting, unsettling, The Probable Future showcases the lavish literary gifts that have made Alice Hoffman one of America's most treasured writers. Praise for The Probable Future "A thrilling adventure of literary alchemy . . . A magical, mystical tour de force of pure entertainment."--The Seattle Times "Delicious . . . Hoffman is an unapologetic optimist, and optimism is in short supply these days. It feels like a vacation to curl up with [The Probable Future]."--The New York Times Book Review "Instantly alluring . . . A mysterious, modern-day fairy tale . . . Hoffman is an amazingly talented writer with a beautiful sense of sentence construction, an intriguing imagination, and the ability to create compelling, complex characters that readers care about."--Fort Worth Star-Telegram  "Hoffman's ethereal tale of a family of women with supernatural gifts is a magical escape, grounded in the complex relationships between mothers and daughters."--Marie Claire

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