Customer Reviews

Alice's Tulips: A Novel

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have read all of Sandra Dallas' books (and have enjoyed them all) since finding a copy of "Buster's Midnight Cafe" at a used book shop many years ago. "Alice's Tulips" is a delightful book about women, friendship, quilting, the Civil War, and murder - although not necessarily in that order. When we first meet Alice, she is a newlywed who - since her husband has enlisted with the Union - has just moved from the city to live with her mother-in-law (Mother Bullock) in the farming community of Slatyfork. Even though the story is told in Alice's voice through letters she writes to her sister, Alice comes alive as a charming but flawed individual. At the beginning of the novel, she is vain, immature, quite a flirt, and not an entirely good judge of character. As the War continues, Alice must face a number of challenges and re-examine her relationship with Mother Bullock. It is their growing respect for each other which neither is willing or perhaps able to express that forms the core of the story. It was refreshing to read a novel where characters change and grow with such believability. Throughout the novel, a good deal of information is given about quiliting, which is Alice's passion - and her refuge. I read this novel aloud to my wife and we both agreed that are only disappointment was that it was too short. Hopefully Ms. Dallas will let readers know what happens to Alice and Charlie, Piecake and Harve, Annie and Joybell, and the irrepressible Miss Kittie.

Wow!! What a great book. I was rooting for Alice all the way! The book consists of letters Alice is writing to her sister during a 2 1/2 year time period that her husband Charlie is away fighting for the union in the civil war. It's amazing to see just how much young Alice grows up in those 2 1/2 years. Living with her mother-in-law, Alice starts out very prideful, wasteful, and immature, but by the end of the book she has grown so much, for the years were not easy on her. I highly recommend this book. A great read.

This is a story of Alice, the wife of a Union soilder and herstuggles during the Civil War. It is told in letter fashion. We(the readers) read the letters Alice has written to her sister over a 2 1/2 year period. I have read all of Sandra Dallas' works and this was a disappointment. It took story lines out of her other books and placed them in a Civil War setting. The "letters" included lengthy quotations of conversations and copies of other letters therefore making them unlikely to be in a letter. There were many explicit references to sex in the letters which were not necessary.It should have been written in a different format. The "letters" did not seem like letters. The characters could have been developed better. It was easy to guess the mystery and know what was going to happen next. I would suggest reading Dallas' other works and leaving this one on the shelf. Buster Midnight's Cafe, The Diary of Mattie Spencer and The Persian Pickle Club.

I enjoyed this book. With each of Dallas's books, I'm amazed at her ability to create such lifelike characters in such diverse settings. Having the book written in the form of letters is a nice change, and allows the reader to really get understand the workings of the character's mind. I've passed this book around a circle of my friends, and all have enjoyed reading it.

This is such a wonderful, entertaining (and educating too I might add) read, during which I was totally immersed in the year 1862 and in the life of Alice Bullock, a soldier wife waiting for her husband Charlie to come home.
This is a women story - which does not mean that a man cannot enjoy - but that the book is about women and women sisterhood. How women can draw strength from each other and learn how to live (and survive) in a world whose rules are changing because of the war. Alice and Mother Bullock, Charlie' s strict mother are left alone in Bramble Farm with only the Negro and the hired man, both of which disappear after a short while. Although Alice and Mother Bullock do not really like each other they learn to work together and respect each other.
Alice life is described in detail in the candid letters she writes her sister Lizzie. This is very close to writing a diary as Alice does not hold anything from her sister, unless this is something she can not discuss even with herself.
The letters portray a growing up period for Alice who had no other way but to change from a young bride to a woman who has responsibility over the lives of others. Alice liked to have a good time, and is especially vain (as she herself says) over her sewing and quilting skills. This is her comfort and when she quilts, she forgets her fatigue.
I especially liked the beginning of each chapter where the Author takes time to explain about various quilt designs, their meaning and the history and art of quilts. This book was also educating to me in the sense it gives a very real account of life during the civil war which was especially interesting to someone non-american as myself who had no knowledge of the accounts of this war.
Alice is a great heroine. She is a fiesty, clever girl and we follow her small and large struggles a with care.
Tremendously enjoying, as I may say are all of Sandra Dallas's books.

As a great fan who has read all of Dallas's works, I keep waiting for her to fall short. Happily, she never does, and with "Alice's Tulips" you are once again sent back in time to read history through intriguing characters.

Through a series of letters, Alice Bullock takes us back to the Civil War. Hardships, grace under pressure, laughter, births, deaths and even supense, propell this story into page turning reading. By book's end, you will be so pleased you treated yourself to this highly entertaining story.....the memories will remain sweet upon your thoughts.

I so enjoyed this book. It was my first of Dallas's books and I just couldn't wait to read more. It was such a satisfying and engrossing story. The historical background was facinating as I love to learn about the civil war. The main character, Alice, was so honest one couldn't help but love her. A story of integrity and friendship, love and tolerance. Very genuine and beautiful. I love the tender and ever-changing relationship between Alice and her mother-in-law. Although some may feel there are too many events in some of Dallas's books to make them believable I disagree. That is what makes them so entertaining and delightful. This book is one of my all time favorites, and I read a lot! A true love story of dedication and sacrifice. Wonderful--I will be sharing it with all my reading buddies.

A word of warning for anyone considering reading a Sandra Dallas book....Once you start, you will ignore everything else until you finish the book! "Alice's Tulips" is no exception. Following the life of newlywed Alice Bullock, who has left a more comfortable life to live in Slatyfork, and the life of a farmer's wife. Her husband joins the Union army and leaves Alive with Mother Butler, her plain speaking (if she speaks at all)harworking mother-in-law. Life is not easy foe a young bride, missing her husband, the comfortable town life she once led, and beginning to face the harsh realities of farm life. The townfolk of Slatyfork barely tolerate her:they accept her only because of her quilting abilities, and the only solace Alice find is in her letters to her sister Lizzie. This is a very fast paced book, character driven, and written in a most engaging manner. In the letters Alice writes, we are able to see her mature as a woman and really begin to face the life and changes the Civil War brings to her and those she loves. A wonderful book.

Sandra Dallas' story of a young bride during the civil war is quite interesting. Alice tells of her trials and triumphs through letters to her sister Lizzie back home. Some parts of the story are only hinted at, but some are described in great detail. Alice struggles through loneliness, poverty, weather hardships, and even being treated as an outcast by her peers. The best part of Alice's story is how she relates to other characters in the book, who also become endearing to the reader.

Lizzie's life is also revealed to us as a secondary story by way of Alice's comments and advice in reply to her letters (which are unseen by the reader). I very much enjoyed Dallas' way of weaving quilting metaphors into the story. It's caused me to want to pick up the hobby again!

If you enjoy this book, you may want to read another of Dallas' books "The Diary of Mattie Spenser", as well as "These Is My Words" by Nancy Turner.

You'll laugh and you'll cry as you reach this touching, funny and well-written picture of life on an Iowa farm during the Civil war.You gain a new appreciation on how hard life was for women during this time, how vulnerable they were and the comfort they found among themselves. I also enjoyed the quilting lore that was included. All-in-all a fascinating read.