Customer Reviews

Circle of Quilters (Elm Creek Quilts Series #9)

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Jennifer Chiaverini continues to use interesting styles of writing to keep the Elm Creek Quilts series alive and enjoyable.

We avid readers are familiar with the ficticious characters and traditions of the quilt camps held at Elm Creek Manor in Waterford, Pennsylvania. What we don't always remember is that Elm Creek Quilts is a business, one that faces the same kinds of challenges that any other organization does. In this installment, the women are planning to interview five candidates for the two teaching openings left behind by Summer and Judy. The book opens with the advertisement for the position. Then each of the first five chapters focuses on a single applicant. We learn about that candidate's history, personal life, personality, quilting experience, and interest in the craft. We experience the interview with her/him, including encounters and interactions with the other candidates. The final chapter returns to the Elm Creek Quilters as they debate the merits of each person and decide whom to hire. It takes them several weeks, and the process is not without its twists and turns. But they do make a decision, and it's one that holds a surprise or two.

What a great story-telling technique! It's human nature to pause between the fifth and sixth chapters and ponder the question, Who would I hire? I have to admit, I wasn't quite in agreement with the Quilters, but I'll live with their choices. This book is also a lesson in perspective. A dozen individuals see the same incident in a dozen different ways. That's Life. And what a great way to introduce some new blood into the familiar Circle of Quilters! We will undoubtedly meet these five individuals again. We *want* to meet them again. We wish them all well. Bravo, Jennifer!

There is something quite appealing about this author's work and this particular series. To be honest, I have not read a bad book in the whole bunch and this one is certainly no exception. We have plenty of synopses already written here, so I will leave that to others and just say, briefly, that two members of the group need to be replaced and this is the search for those new members. The author certainly has a native ability to tell a good story, great syntax and her character developement is absolutely great. These are comfortable books to read as you can always be pretty assured that right will rule out. In this day and age, that is sort of nice, i.e., nice to be able to rely upon. Now keep in mind, this is coming from a guy who has never made or even watched a quilt being made. (although I do enjoy the shows my wife takes me to). I do enjoy a good, well written story though. My wife turned me on to these books and for that I am truely grateful. Job well done Ms Chiaverini, thank you!

Judy and Summer realised that their lives were taking them away from Elm Creek Camps in the last book about the campers themselves. In Circle of Quilters Chiaverini introduces us to the five candidates who are vying for their positions as teachers at Elm Creek Manor.

There is Maggie, who discovered a historical quilt and trained up her rusty skills by learning how to sew each different patch and then teaching others the same skills; Karen, the mother of two little boys who wants something outside the home too; Russell, a man who lost his wife, and took up quilting to finish her last quilt; Gretchen whose husband's accident propels her into making quilts for a living with Heidi, a woman who has money but only professional jealousy for Gretchen; and finally Anna who is a chef at college with an unsatisfactory boyfriend and plans for the future.

Five candidates for the two teaching positions available at Elm Creek Quilts. Chiaverini does for these five what she does best. She writes five separate stories about their lives, their pain, their loves and their passion for quilting - how they started, what they love doing and why - and by the end of the book I was crying. After all with five people you have grown so close to in this time it is difficult to know that some will have to be let go.

It had, in a sense a happy ending as each of the stories had an ending which suited it I really wanted them all to 'come home' to Elm Creek where they wanted to be.

I was somewhat surprised when in each of the interviews Diane was so obviously aggressive - I hadn't noticed this as part of the Elm Creek philosophy before. Why would Diane need to be like this - it simply seemed to be an author's device to set up conflict rather than a reflection of the character - or maybe it was a reflection of the character. The answer seemed lame, and unacceptable that the others only commented on it in the last of the 5 interviews. It came across more as an author's device to me than a valid reaction by Diane. It disappointed me. I really liked the 'problem solving' issue proposed to each of the candidates. It showed the diverse range of talents and personalities, and so Russell's high ranking surprised me in that this was the test that he showed most of his character in.

In the end the book was a warm read where the characters and characterisation, while at times unfortunate was for the most part real and Comfortable. Overall it was a delicious and highly enjoyable.

I flew through this book. It landed on my doorstep yesterday 4/21 - and I am done!!! It is 3pm on 4/22 -What a great book!!! The characters were so well told about - they really did seem to come alive as I read about all of them! I don't really want to give anything away about the story - even though others have expanded about the book - all I can say is - half way through you will need a few tissues - I did!! But, in the last chapter everything seemed to work out for all the characters - and left a good segway into another book - to possibly tell about the first year for the new teachers at the camp and about the two that are leaving and what they find when they get to their new destinations - oh yeah - I would like to hear a little more about the character Bonnie - did she get a good sum of money from that nasty husband from making him sell the furniture in his office as part of the divorce - I like to think she made out well and got to have a good laugh at his expense in the end!!! The one thing that keeps you guessing is the "student in need" - I didn't figure it out until the end!!! Anyway - get the book! and the others if you haven't read them! and the pattern books! I hope they come out with one to go with all the great patterns talked about in this book - I would buy that book also![...]

I have enjoyed all of Jennifer Chiaverini's books and I usually prefer her historical novels, but although Circle of Quilters is primarily a contemporary story, I was engrossed from the first page. As the sister of a cancer survivor, I found Russell's story especially moving, both heartbreaking and redemptive. As a history buff, I delighted in the story of how Gretchen and quilters like her kept the traditions of quilting alive before quilting's renaissance in the 1970's. Another excellent novel from a writer whose talent continues to grow.

She writes another great novel. Her writing just gets better. In Circle of Quilters two of the Elm Creek quilters are leaving so five different people are being interviewed. Each quilter gets his or her own storyline. I wanted everyone of them to have the job while I was reading thier story. It starts out with a single woman who had just broken up with her boyfriend. She finds a antique quilt treated as a rag at a yardsale. She researches the history of it and decides to make another quilt. The second story is about a stressed out, under appreciated stay at home mom raising two under four boys. The third story is about a neighbor of Summer's boyfriend who longs to be a chef but her boyfriend doesn't understand her. The fourth is about a widower who starts quilting to finish up some of his deceased wife's UFOs and finds that he actually likes quilting. The final storyline is about an older woman who has been taken advantage of by a rich childhood friend all her life. Everything she would try to do in life her so called "friend" would try to do but even better.

So you have this storyline for each character and in the last few pages of each character there is the interview at Elm Creeks. There is one character who is quite critical of each of the applicants vying for the job and tries to sabotage each interview.

As in life, the only certain thing is CHANGE. Two of the original circle will be leaving, so the book is about the search for new teachers. I didn't know exactly where the story was going at first, but really enjoyed the ride. Meeting each quilter, one at a time, and eventually seeing their lives intersect....I tried to decide myself who would best complement the other quilters.(I really got caught up in this!) The decision is finally made; the new quilters are hired, and the stage is set for yet another exciting story at Elm Creek Quilts.

It was an interesting change to the life and times of the Elm Creek Quilters .. But, As usual Jennifer has done herself proud again.

Her writing is excellent. I cant wait for the next book!

I read this book all in one day.. I couldnt put ir down!

Jennifer Chiaverini has a way of creating characters whom readers can enjoy and understand. They are women who have often gone unappreciated by their husbands, boyfriends, and families. In this book, she also adds a man who has been through a difficult situation and who uses quilting for therapy, despite the opposition he receives from women quilters. Each of the book's five main characters is applying for a teaching job at the Elm Street Manor. Each one has embraced quilting as a way to express himself/herself and to teach others in order to pass on this timeless craft. The Elm Street Quilters have the task of interviewing the five candidates and choosing the two who will do the best to exemplify the qualities most valued at Elm Creek Manor. This is another winner in this enjoyable series.

Having read each of her novels as she wrote them, this gives the most full description of the characters, and has the most diverse characters of any of her books. I ended up glad that when I go to the next retreat at Elm Creek there will be new teachers, and maybe a male guest teacher. It's about time! This book spends it's time helping us become friends with the new characters she's introducing. Jennifer does such a great job putting herself in each of their places, we can't help but know and love them. I felt this book had deeper character development than her other books, and was the most enjoyable, so far.