The Patron Saint of Pregnant Girls by Ursula Hegi is a very deep and philosophical novel that makes one think about life in the 1800s and the dilemmas faced in that era. Of course there is the Home for Pregnant Girls that dominants the plot line but there is also an interwoven plot involving infidelity, loss, circus life and a family that loses three of their four children because of a rising tide! All of this is touched upon in this story, For someone who is interested in a challenging and multi themed novel thiis the book for you.

I had great difficulty with this book. I have read the authors previous books and never had a problem with the language. I am not sure what caused my problem but when I I analyzed it I think it was the translation. It was awkward and did not flow. I found it disturbed the narrative and I could not finish the book because of it. Sorry.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to review this book!

I found this book to be oddly scattered. I would get into the story, and then the point of view and voice would change. One second it would be 3rd person, and then it would be 1st person. It threw me out of the narrative every time.

What this book boils down to is the intersection of 3 women's lives: Lotte, Tilli and Sabine. However, I never felt like there was a real focus, and new characters popped up constantly. It just never felt cohesive to me.

The Patron Saint of Pregnant Girls by Ursula Hegi is a historical fiction piece that has many elements added: folklore, fantasy, history.
The elements fuse into a novel that is rich in imagery, emotion, and invokes a response from deep within.

I enjoyed this book immensely as it was slightly out of my normal genre, however it was totally worth the experience. I was not sure where this book would initially take me, but as it progressed, the plot quickened and I quickly became immersed. The ending was quite satisfying and impressive.

Definitely a great read.

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Flatiron Books for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am submitting this review to my GR account immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Bookbub, and B&N accounts immediately.

A unique book that wasn’t quite what I expected. I enjoyed the folklore and the story itself. Although I felt that there were too many characters that I couldn’t really relate, and become attached to any of them. It was a quick read, and different than my typical genre of books. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced review copy.

I did not care for this book at all. It was not to my taste at all and I couldn't get into the book because of how dull it was and wasn't worth reading.

This is written by an experienced, talented author, and that shines through. She writes great characters experiencing great drama, and includes good dialog to go with it. Recommended for literature fans.

I really appreciate the NetGalley advanced copy for review!!

I read Stones from the River many years ago, so when I had the chance to read this one, before release, I jumped at the chance! Hegi has a way of making the extraordinary seem more ordinary and vice versa, with characters that are unique. This has a varied cast of characters: a family who loses three children, and how they react to the terrible tragedy; a disparate group of compassionate nuns living in an abandoned mansion they have restored, along with the various pregnant girls they take in; the traveling circus group and all of their idiosyncrasies and problems in their lives; the town people who vie to be crowned the oldest person; to the interactions among all of these people.
I knew it wouldn't be an ordinary novel, and it wasn't! Some of the people with the worst problems grasp and embellish on a local myth for self-soothing, to the point of true belief with possible dangerous consequences. I was almost holding my breath towards the end! I do like endings that don't leave you wondering what happened, but it did seem like it was finished very quickly at the end. I could have used a little more wrap up, but I did enjoy it! Thank you to Ursula Hegi, Flatiron Books and NetGalley for the ARC.