Alice Bliss Reviews

Obon Lanterns“People Pick” 4 out of 4 stars, People Magazine

“Harrington’s first novel makes a powerful statement against the war without pointing fingers. There are thousands of American kids like Alice, facing down their teen years with a parent gone to war. Her story is harrowing and heartbreaking, but it reads like truth.” Sue Corbett, People Magazine

“Nothing less than a fully realized vision of a young, complicated girl.” Entertainment Weekly

“A heroine of her day. 15-year-old Alice, whose relationship with her father is tenderly and movingly realized, struggles to come to terms with this unlooked-for coming of age. The setting and writing style is American through and through, but the relationships at its heart are recognizable anywhere.” London Sunday Times

Starred Review. “This is a remarkably sensitive first novel, full of splendid characterizations… It’s a heartbreaker – have tissues at hand – with promise shining through the pain.” Booklist

“Though the fluid narration offers access to many characters, this is the story of Alice, her courage, fear, and optimism.” Publishers Weekly

“I put down this book and thought, there is no one like this girl, so fully has Harrington brought a new Alice to life. The great sorrow, of course, is that there are many Alice Blisses out there. The power of Harrington’s richly delineated novel lies in putting a girl like Alice before us and asking us to remember how many beautiful, feisty others are staring down the long hall of adulthood with a father or a mother gone to war.” Sarah Blake, bestselling author of The Postmistress

“Move over, Scout. Meet smart, plucky, funny Alice Bliss. …. I loved this book the way I loved To Kill A Mockingbird…” Charlotte Gordon, author of Romantic Outlaws, winner of the BCCA

“This book may be the Our Town of the twenty-first century.” Anne Roiphe, author of Epilogue: A Memoir

“You won’t see Iraq in these pages. Laura Harrington is too smart to go there. She stays with the people left behind, with home fires that burn dimly. Her book, in the end, really isn’t about this war. It’s about kids and fathers, about growing up with decent values and then being shaken hard and having to figure it out from there. It’s a very fine book, and if rips your heart out, that’s not a bad thing.” Jesse Kornbluth, Head Butler

“These characters were so well drawn, they were part of the 1% like me. I’ve met that woman at an FRG meeting, I’ve seen that teenager slumped in the halls of the schools we meet in, I’ve read their cries for help on Facebook and on blogs, I’ve met them at conferences. I’d like everyone else to meet them – especially the other 99%. LAW (liberal army wife) @ leftface.wordpress.com

“Alice is a true heroine: intelligent, passionate, strong-minded. Watching her find her way is an absorbing pleasure.” Margot Livesey, author of The House on Fortune Street

“Playwright Harrington’s debut novel should touch a nerve for many readers.” Library Journal

“ … a beautifully wrought tale of a young girl growing up in small-town America during our most recent years of craziness and warfare …. Engaging and sweet, Alice Bliss is a great book.” Bookreporter

“Heartbreaking yet edged with promise, Alice Bliss explores the wounds of war, love, and family bonds while illuminating the strength of a young girl’s spirit. A stunning debut.” Beth Hoffman, New York Times bestselling author of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt