A Possible World

Possible Worlds

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Clare begins her story. Leo meets with a psychologist who hypnotizes him and therein Leo tells a very intriguing story. Lucy goes to the place where Leo lives now and brings him toys. They go for a walk after the nurse tells her to be sure to call him Ben. Lucy is also living with a private pain. Her husband no longer wants to live together. She still loves him, but moves out.

This is a beautiful story. It is made of memories and ghosts of the past as well as people of the present. It is filled with nostalgia, sadness, pain but most of all, it is a love story.

Possible world

Not romantic love, but rather the bonds of being human and how our past shapes our present. This is a remarkable well written and plotted novel. The timeline transitions were so well done that the reader hardly notices them flowing from one into another. I am looking forward to reading more of Ms.

I want to thank NetGalley and Scribner for forwarding to me a copy of this most remarkable book to read and enjoy. Mar 05, The Cats Mother rated it it was amazing Shelves: This lovely but sad book set in Rhode Island, tells the story of Lucy, overworked Emergency resident, six year old prodigy Ben, small for his age 11 year old Leo, given up by his mother to live in an orphanage, and Clare, the elderly resident of a nursing home. Lucy, who has recently separated from her husband and is on the verge of burnout from the relentless demands of her job, meets Ben when he is brought into the ER as the only survivor of a horrific mass killing at his friends birthday party This lovely but sad book set in Rhode Island, tells the story of Lucy, overworked Emergency resident, six year old prodigy Ben, small for his age 11 year old Leo, given up by his mother to live in an orphanage, and Clare, the elderly resident of a nursing home.

Lucy, who has recently separated from her husband and is on the verge of burnout from the relentless demands of her job, meets Ben when he is brought into the ER as the only survivor of a horrific mass killing at his friends birthday party. Admitted to the child psych ward with traumatic amnesia, Ben, who insists his name is Leo, reveals a story under hypnosis about life in an orphanage decades ago.

Meanwhile Clare, who has isolated herself for years, decides to tell her life story to a new resident, Gloria, including how she came to live in a cottage by a cemetery and know a little boy called Leo The blurb has a quote from Jodi Picoult praising it, and in some ways it is similar, but I thought actually superior to the Picoult books I have read. I know I would be much more likely to buy a copy, particularly if it were a gift, if it had the beautiful cover.

View all 3 comments. Jan 31, Carla Buckley rated it it was amazing. A compelling and gorgeously-written story about how chance meetings can send resounding ripples across generations and deep into the most unexpected and poignant places. Review can be found on my blog here: While at the hospital he crosses paths with Lucy, an ER physician at the hospital. Ben doesn't speak when the police, and Lucy herself try to talk to him to see how he is feelin Review can be found on my blog here: Ben doesn't speak when the police, and Lucy herself try to talk to him to see how he is feeling and to get some answers about that fateful and terrifying night.

Without Ben talking they are unable to get any answers at all and are left with nothing but question marks about that night. But how can they get Ben to talk? Does he remember what happened? On the other side of town lives a woman named Clare who will soon be celebrating her th birthday. She has kept many secrets from her past for all of these years and didn't think they mattered anymore. That is until one day she realizes she has to tell her secrets.

The question is, what brings all 3 of the main characters together? They were destined to meet, but why? This book was a fantastic read from the first chapters through to the end. There were many shocking twists and turns that I did not see coming and many surprises to keep your interest throughout. And who doesn't love a good twisty, turny murder mystery? This book will pull at your heart strings and make you feel many different emotions. I loved how the book was written, how you get a glimpse into each character and their lives, and get an understanding of how they all come together in the end.

Such a compelling, heart warming story that you simply cannot put down. A must read to add to your collection. Feb 12, Patty rated it it was amazing Shelves: The rating and review are my own thoughts and opinions, and have not been influenced by receiving this book to read. The Possible World is a story narrated from 3 points of view.

Each storyline is beautifully executed, and expertly interwoven. We learn about her young life just before the Great Depression, and the path she chose was not an easy one, but it was hers alone and she owned it. Lucy is an extremely competent ER doctor managing the clinical environment, but is adrift when it comes taking control of her personal life. Her husband is the type you just cannot like even though she wants it to work out.

The transitions between the POVs are very well done. Time spent reading this book is very satisfying. Jul 11, Alecia rated it really liked it. I am rounding up a 3. The problem I had was in the to me slightly creaking structure of this book. Told from many points of view, it got a bit confusing to me when it toggled between Ben and Leo, and it took awhile to adjust to time and place differences. The beginning scene is both horrific and told very well. I also thought that the medical scenes with Lucy, the ER Dr. The chapters on Lucy, Be I am rounding up a 3. The chapters on Lucy, Ben, Leo and Clare link them all together.

At first they seem like disparate, isolated stories, but the author makes the connection, and the reader sees it coming about half way through the book. It's a leap of faith, but a sweet one. Most of the main characters are layered and deeply nuanced. I enjoyed the prose and the book's intention, and would read this author again.

Feb 19, Sue Fernandez rated it it was amazing. Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for an E-arc of this title in exchange for my honest review.

The Possible World

I stayed up reading this book long into the night, knowing it would be worth being tired the next day. I love an alternating narration, and The Possible World tells the story from 3 points of view, one of whom is a young child. This seems like it would be difficult to do well, but Schwartz has done just that.

A young boy survives a terrible crime, and his story soon gets woven with the past, wit Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for an E-arc of this title in exchange for my honest review. A young boy survives a terrible crime, and his story soon gets woven with the past, with a friend of his mom's, and with their back stories. I don't want to give any spoilers, I will say this story eloquently and beautifully weaves the stories together for such an interesting book.

This is a book that was bittersweet for me I wanted to finish it, yet I wish I could have savored it even more. This one is highly recommended. Mar 28, Ann rated it it was amazing.

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What a stunning story. Three people who have never met but whose lives are affected by each other's actions. This book deals with second chances and a persuasive argument for reincarnation or past lives. Clare is almost years old and living a lonely life in a nursing home. One of the residents makes it her mission to become friends and throughout the book Clare tells Gloria her life's story.

Lucy is an ER doctor who treats Ben, a young boy who survives a massacre. Ben wakes up in the ER beli What a stunning story. Ben wakes up in the ER believing his name is Leo and is searching for a woman named Clare who once took care of him. I couldn't put this book down. This is an author I'll be watching for, she creates very believable characters and writes with compassion and forward thinking. You'll want to have this on your "Keeper" shelf. Jul 27, Lynne White rated it it was amazing.

I absolutely loved this book! I wish I could give it more than 5 stars! I read the last pages in a day. I couldn't get enough of this story of Lucy, Ben, and Clare. Three strangers who meet entirely by chance.

Lucy, an ER doctor who treats the young Ben after he witnesses a brutal murder. Clare, the almost year old woman who weaves herself into this heartfelt story. Cliffhanger a few chapters toward the end, but it wraps itself up into an amazing tale of ordinary people who are brought t I absolutely loved this book! Cliffhanger a few chapters toward the end, but it wraps itself up into an amazing tale of ordinary people who are brought together. I really and truly enjoyed this read. I recommend to all who love a great, character-driven story.

This author is a great storyteller but for me the structure of this novel felt contrived and distracted from her main achievements, Clare and Leo - strong, credible characters I came to care for. Some lovely writing here, too. I finished this late last night, then felt bereft. Tempted to go back to the beginning and read it again I loved it that much. Jul 12, Susu added it Shelves: This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.

To view it, click here. Apr 11, Sue Bottino rated it it was amazing. One of the best books I've read in a long time. The characters were so rich and so well-developed. This was another read on The Pigeonhole, in fact it's my sixth read with them this year! For those of you who don't know it's like an online book club, reading along with other readers on the web. The book was split into 10 parts, called staves, emailed to me each day. I was able to leave comments throughout and interact with the others. This was a beautifully written book tha This was another read on The Pigeonhole, in fact it's my sixth read with them this year!

This was a beautifully written book that got under my skin in such a subtle way that I didn't realise until the closing sentences. Clare and Ben's stories were definitely my favourite part of the book, especially as Clare was recounting her life to Gloria. Lucy's story was really interesting, although some of the medical descriptions were a bit too much for me at times. I think if you enjoy medical stories you'd enjoy this part. I loved the way the author captivated me with her writing, bringing Clare, Ben and Lucy's so vividly too life and how she seamlessly brought those strands together at the end.

Another wonderful read from The Pigeonhole and a book that I thoroughly recommend. Mar 10, Jacqueline rated it it was amazing. Thank you Netgalley and publishers for providing an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest opinion. What a wonderful novel The Possible World is! This story unfolds through the perspectives of three narrators: All three harbor pain and darkness in their lives and their stories come together in the most satisfying way.

This novel is beautifully written May 29, Judy Collins rated it it was amazing Shelves: The cover of the book caught my eye and the story ended being amazing. It was beautifully written. This is one of those books that I find myself randomly thinking about, especially while driving home from work. The characters and their story just stuck with me. I loved everything about it- the story, characters and writing style. Tell us what you like, so we can send you books you'll love.

Sign up and get a free eBook! Price may vary by retailer. Add to Cart Add to Cart. Photograph by Amy Stern. Scribner June Length: The Possible World Hardcover Thank you for signing up, fellow book lover! Both of these interact with Ben at times: I found the constant interweaving of chapters relating to Lucy, Clare, Ben and a fourth character, Leo, distracting from the overall storyline.

A beautifully written, original and absorbing story about how different peoples lives can be connected in the most unusual of ways. The story opens with a series of murders at a birthday party and Ben is the sole survivor. His mother is dead.

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Ben has forgotten everything, but starts thinking that he is a boy called Leo. Then there is Clare, who fostered Leo after his mother sent him to a reform school. All three have suffered loss in their lives. Clare is now one hundred and has spent the last 20 years in a nursing home.

Lucy has separated from her husband and starts to bond with six year old Ben. Reincarnation is an unusual subject for a book and at times it was hard to follow. Overall though a really enjoyable read. A beautiful, compelling book. Beautifully written, eloquent and moving. I will remember this book long after finishing. A beautifully written, original book examining the separate lives of three characters - Ben, who is the sole survivor of a most horrific event at a very young age, Lucy an overworked and overwrought emergency doctor who deals with Ben in the aftermath of his terror, and year old Clare living an isolated life in a nursing home - and the ways in which their lives converge.

I found the characters authentic and believable, and the writing eloquent and moving, examining the intricacies and nuances of human lives and experiences and the connections made between them. Although there were a lot of medical references in the story in the setting of Lucy in the Emergency department, these were made pertinently and the fact that the author once worked in this area made you feel they were appropriate and necessary, and above all, correct. I think they worked very well in drawing you into her world.

If I had one criticism, it would be that there wasn't much of a plot or a story, but it was so compelling in other ways, that I could forgive this. I also had problems initially as the story moved between two of the younger characters, Ben and Leo, a young boy from a reform school who strikes up a relationship with the elderly Clare, although again it all became clearer as the book progressed.

Altogether a compelling read and one which linger long after reading. I look forward to reading more from Liese O'Halloran Schwarz. Beautifully written, with just the right mix of poetic descriptions, interesting characters and an intriguing plot. This book is not what you expect it to be. It starts off with a brutal murder, and follows through into a busy emergency room.

But though this kicks things off, it is not really what the book is about at all, and the murder is actually almost incidental to the plot. So if that is why you're picking the book up, you might be disappointed. However, the book that it becomes is one that I thoroughly enjoyed and I am grateful that the author took a different tack. The whole thing is beautifully written, with some lovely evocative descriptions which fit the characters and aren't trying too hard.

Heather Byrne

It follows three different stories, and each has it's own tone which kept things interesting. There is a definite difference in pace between Clare's quiet existence, and Lucy's busy life in the ER and it makes for a nice contrast. That said, there are also distinct parallels between Clare's story and Lucy's - they are both devoted to their work, to the point of keeping everything else at bay, and they both come to the rescue of a child.

Similarly, the children in the story have both been abandoned by their mothers in different ways, and both are taken in by strangers. These contrasts and similarities tied their stories together nicely, and although you know throughout that all three stories will eventually converge, the author does a great job, and you are left neither surprised by the ending nor disappointed. A creative, engaging tale of three people's individual and collective stories. This is a fantastic, imaginative book by Liese O'Halloran Schwarz.

We follow the stories of three different characters: Each of the stories is interesting in its own right but as the novel progresses they become more and more intertwined. The style of the novel is relaxed and engaging, and I found that I couldn't put it down. Admittedly, you have to suspend disbelief to some extent with the little boy's story and I would have appreciated an explanation of why he was connected to the character that he identified with but I think that the writing is of such good quality that it isn't a problem.

A really beautiful book that is currently being passed around my entire family to read. When this book first arrived I was hard pushed to read it before my Mum took it off me - as soon as she read the blurb she was dying to read it. The Possible World is an intriguing story that has you asking questions as soon as you pick it up. This is a really complex book depicting the intertwining story lines of three separate characters. I loved this book, because you start out not quite sure how all of the characters are going to be connected, an uncertainty that urges you to read on and know more.

I liked that the different characters have chapters to themselves, with the name of the speaker heading up the chapters to prevent any unnecessary confusion. Liese O'Halloran Schwarz writes so beautifully and manages to convey terrible events as well as emotional stories that pull at your heartstrings. A story of survival that grips you from the first chapter and doesn't let go until the end. I would definitely recommend this book as a perfect holiday or weekend read to fully immerse yourself in and savour.

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