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Local Girls Paperback – May 1, 2000

by Alice Hoffman (Author)
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 332 ratings
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The New York Times bestselling author of The Rules of Magic is at her haunting, thought-provoking best with these interconnected stories about a Long Island family.

Alice Hoffman casts her spell over a neighborhood filled with dreamers and dreams as she evokes the world of the Samuelsons, a family torn apart by tragedy and bound together by devotion. As Gretel grows up, she is witness to the breakup of her parents' marriage, the ups and downs of her cousin Margot's search for love, the deterioration of a brother who passes up Harvard for a job at the Food Star, and emotional explosions that shatter the suburban quiet...
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    208 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Berkley
  4. Publication date
    May 1, 2000
  5. Dimensions
    7.99 x 5.12 x 0.48 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0425174344
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0425174340
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Local Girls
Named by School Library Journal as one of the
Top Five Adult Fiction Books for Young Adults

“Moving and illuminative...a fine piece of literary magic.”—USA Today

“Moving and deadpan funny...Epiphanies about passion, pain, and resiliency induce smiles and shivers in equal measure.”—Entertainment Weekly

“Wonderfully sly and unforgettable scenes...Hoffman gets it just right.”—The Boston Globe

“Disarming wit...she balances the down-to-earth and the ethereal, and indicates that the human spirit can survive despite the cruel workings of fate.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Hoffman evokes the intimacy of close attachments—mother, brother, aunt, friend, neighbor, classmate—with tender humor and deceptively simple language.”—Richmond Times-Dispatch

About the Author

Alice Hoffman is the bestselling author of more than thirty works of fiction, including The Invisible Hour, The World That We Knew, Practical Magic, The Rules of Magic (A Reese’s Book Club pick), Magic Lessons, The Book of Magic, Here on Earth (An Oprah’s Book Club pick), and The Dovekeepers. She lives near Boston.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley; Reissue edition (May 1, 2000)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 208 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0425174344
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0425174340
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.7 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.99 x 5.12 x 0.48 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 332 ratings

About the author

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Alice Hoffman

Alice Hoffman

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Alice Hoffman is the author of thirty works of fiction, including Practical Magic, The Dovekeepers, Magic Lessons, and, most recently, The Book of Magic. She lives in Boston. Her new novel, The Invisible Hour, is forthcoming in August 2023. Visit her website: www.alicehoffman.com

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
332 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Ann McKaig
5.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing
Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2018
Verified Purchase
Alice Hoffman never disappoints her readers. This book, as most of hers, is written about everyday people. Could they be you and me? She manages to make life magical, but not fairytale. While not avoiding sensitive subjects, Hoffman explores them with a mix of fact and hope that does not negate the tragic, but never leaves the reader feeling hopeless. I am fascinated by the way she can move through long periods of time without details, yet never losing the cohesiveness of the story. If I were going to study an author for a paper (which I am not), I would research her use of light throughout her books. If any of you readers decide to do so, please share your papers with me.
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R. Witte
4.0 out of 5 stars A great beach read!
Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 1999
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It is always a pleasure to read a good book. Alice Hoffman is a literary "witch" who weaves a little magic into each of her novels. Although this is not one of her best novels (try TURTLE MOON or HERE ON EARTH)---it's really a little too short to explore any of the character's psyche or motivations---Ms. Hoffman has given the reader another pager turner full of glorious prose. She makes ordinary life extraordinary in each of her novels, and she has fast become my favorite author.
12 people found this helpful
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anna mancini
3.0 out of 5 stars Not among the best she has written
Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2015
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Beautifully narrated, but with a thin story, unusual for Alice Hoffman, whom I read for her astounding originality and whimsy...but still a good read
One person found this helpful
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Shari Ring Wolf
5.0 out of 5 stars Another catching read
Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2020
Verified Purchase
Alice Hoffman has a style of writing that just grabs me. I've been unable to read any other author for the past week!

This is a coming of age story, written in chapters that follow a timeline and characters over the course of about 15 years. Each chapter could be a standalone essay, and is told in a different voice and perspective. I had to spend several hours driving today, so I added narration so I didn't have to put the book down. Most of the narration was terrible! Only when the story was told in the first person by Gretel was the narration any good. With some of the other chapters, the narration made me cringe!

As with most of Hoffman's books, there is a lot of real life sadness and pain in the story, and also glimpses of great beauty and great joy. It all felt so real, the characters were well developed and so relatable. The situations were plausible and evoked compassion. I still feel the characters after finishing the book...their voices and their essence.

My favorite books by this author are still "Practical Magic" and "Rules of Magic". I still like anything by this author that I've read so far. Thankfully she's written a lot of books and I intend to eventually read all of them!
One person found this helpful
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MEH
4.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2021
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It’s great to get slightly used books. They are in good condition and less money. Plus it feels like sharing with other readers.
One person found this helpful
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jzw
5.0 out of 5 stars Best AH I’ve read in awhile
Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2018
Verified Purchase
I’ve run hot and cold with Alice for awhile now, but here she really captures the heart, mind and soul of a teenage girl growing up on Long Island. The voice of Gretel ran true to me. I could picture my friends and I (I too grew up on Long Island) in the situations she goes through. It’s rather uncanny that I knew people who lived these lives. It can be rather sad and bleak, but hopeful all the same. I’m a fan again!
3 people found this helpful
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Christine M. Ashby
4.0 out of 5 stars A quiet sort of book about a girl' youth.
Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2018
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With all the hype and terror in today's world, this book takes us back to a calmer time. Would be a great book to read on vacation, or before going to sleep.
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Wisconsin
5.0 out of 5 stars This is a chance to follow the life and friendships of a girl from her teens into her twenties.
Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2018
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This book is a collection of short stories that read like a diary! Loved the characters and the twists and turns of their lives.
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Top reviews from other countries

Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars It was nice to receive a note from the origin of the ...
Reviewed in Canada on February 24, 2017
Verified Purchase
It was nice to receive a note from the origin of the shippment, aloong with the product being wrapped.
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