Lamott's fiction has a certain charm that can truly have a profound impact on me.

Her works are filled with an air of mystery that keeps me on the edge of my seat, eager to uncover the hidden depths within each page.

The way she weaves her stories, with unexpected twists and turns, makes it impossible for me to put her books down.

It's as if she has a magical touch that draws me into her fictional world, making me feel as if I am a part of the story itself.

The mystery in Lamott's fiction is not just about the plot, but also about the characters and their inner lives.

She delves deep into their psyches, revealing their fears, hopes, and dreams, which adds another layer of complexity to the already captivating narrative.

Overall, Lamott's fiction is a truly unique and enchanting experience that I will always cherish.

As a self-proclaimed postulate of St. Anne Lamott,

I am truly ashamed that I have never read her fiction before.

This book, however, was an absolute wonder.

The characters were well-developed and felt extremely real, as if they could walk right out of the pages and into our lives.

It delved into some heavy subjects with great insight, yet it never felt overwrought or forced.

So much of the Annie that I love shines through in this work of fiction.

Her unique voice and perspective are evident throughout, making it a truly engaging and thought-provoking read.

I am so glad that I finally discovered this book and can now add it to my list of favorites.

I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys well-written fiction that explores the human condition with depth and compassion.

I have a deep affection for Anne Lamott's spiritual books, which naturally piqued my curiosity about what her novels would be like. Surprisingly, you would never be able to tell from her writing that the author is a Christian. So, when you pick up her fiction, don't have such an expectation.

Nevertheless, she is an outstanding writer, and "Rosie" is no different. The story primarily focuses on a young girl named Rosie, but it delves even deeper into the lives of her mother, her best friend, and her mother's boyfriend, exploring how Rosie impacts all of them.

Rosie experiences the highs and lows of childhood. Tragically, she is molested by her best friend's father, which forces her to grow up prematurely. Despite this, she remains an intelligent and sassy girl who manages to bring joy to the less-than-glamorous lives of those around her.

Overall, "Rosie" is a captivating read that showcases Lamott's remarkable storytelling skills.

Rich alcoholic widow

who does not work

whines constantly about her lot in life

gardens with a certain degree of obsessive-compulsion

and makes elaborate meals that are often more for show than for actual enjoyment

She is also mean to the nice man

who, for some unfathomable reason,

loves her deeply. Despite his kindness and affection,

she treats him with contempt and disregard,

perhaps out of her own insecurities or the demons that haunt her due to her alcoholism and widowhood. The nice man, however, persists in his love,

hoping that one day she will see his worth and change her ways. But for now,

the rich alcoholic widow continues to lead her rather dysfunctional life,

alienating those around her and wallowing in her own self-pity.

I read Lamott's "Operating Instructions" when my baby was a newborn. It was a wonderful experience. Then I read and fell in love with her "Bird by Bird". I really like Lamott's literal and bald-faced honesty. There is so much in her neuroses and human foibles that I can relate to, especially those that are never admitted to.

"Rosie" initially took my breath away with how much I related to its main character. However, a few chapters in, my interest started to flag. I think what I need is more sleep, if only my child would let me, and a sense of the direction of this plot.

I have since updated my thoughts on 16/11/09. I'm really not liking and not getting this book. It's so disappointing. I think I've figured out why I find it so unlikable/frustrating. After reading two of her non-fiction books, I feel like I know some of what the author, Anne Lamott, is about. I know a bit of her history and the way she thinks on paper. And the characters of "Rosie" just feel like fragments of Lamott's own personality, her neuroses, her weaknesses, and her foibles. One character is an alcoholic, one is screwed up about men, and another is a neurotic writer. It's too easy and direct a line from the writer to the personalities of her characters. I have heard that you should "write what you know", but I'm beginning to wish that I'd read at least one of her novels before getting to know her as herself. I LOVED her non-fiction stuff, which is why I picked up a couple of her novels, wanting MORE of her! I couldn't get enough of her honesty and her letting-it-all-hang-out style.

Not only do the characters feel too transparent as facets of the author's psyche, but they all read too alike. They're meant to be different people with different backgrounds, interests, and motivations. But in the dialogue, which there is plenty of, I frequently can't distinguish who's who. Even the eight-year-old from the alcoholic mother. It's driving me a bit crazy.

The neuroses in the book are relentless. I just finished a bit where the protagonist and her best friend go on a six-hour hike. The sentences that describe the transformational nature of Nature are lovely and inspiring, but they're so brief. And then poof! Back to negativity, complaining, and neuroses. I appreciate that that's what the character is about, but every time there's a potentially calm, beautiful, or uplifting scene, it reverts to neurosis. It's maddening, like watching too many Woody Allen films without coming up for air.

Pop culture/literary references are another issue. I don't get them. And if they are necessary to establish personality and mood, then not understanding them means I'm losing context and ambiance in the reading of this book. It's also maddening. On top of this, I just don't know people who quote obscure books or movie lines like this. I've never seen it happen in real life. If just one of the characters did this, I could write it off. But it's several or many of the characters. I can look up an unusual word in a dictionary, but if I wanted to understand the movie/literary/musical references in "Rosie", I'd have to look up the quote on the internet and then either watch the whole movie/read the whole book/read a synopsis on wikipedia. That's way too much effort for what feels like a pretty directionless story.

Hopefully, it'll get better, but at least I feel a bit better now that I've expressed my frustration.

This was my very first fictional read from Anne, and let me tell you, it had me completely captivated from the very start all the way to the finish.

I found myself so engrossed that I managed to devour the entire book in just one afternoon. I simply couldn't tear myself away from the fascinating characters and the incredibly well-written story that unfolded before my eyes.

This family that Anne has created is far from traditional. They don't have their lives neatly put together by any means. However, there is something about them that makes you fall in love with them and become deeply invested in their growth and development.

As I turned the pages, I was drawn into their world, sharing their joys, sorrows, and challenges. It was truly a remarkable reading experience that I won't soon forget.

Anne's writing is so engaging and vivid that it brought the characters and the story to life in my mind. I can't wait to explore more of her fictional works and see what other wonderful tales she has in store for her readers.

Wow, this was truly not the Lamott experience I had anticipated. It was quite disappointing, considering how much I adore her non-fiction works.

Rosie is essentially about Rosie's mom, Elizabeth. However, Rosie serves as Elizabeth's anchor, and there are portions of the book where Rosie takes center stage, so the title isn't too off the mark. For the majority of the novel, Elizabeth is a wealthy widow and an alcoholic, filled with self-loathing. I can somewhat identify with that (to a certain extent), but it's not something I desire to immerse myself in for an entire book—perhaps because I encounter enough of it in real life. I also grew a bit weary of reading about the various types of alcohol Elizabeth chose to consume. Additionally, since the story is set in the '80s, there is some offensive language included that was rather jarring.

On the positive side, Rosie is a precocious child. Thankfully, I didn't find her as incredibly creepy as I often do with fictional precocious kids; she was just a little annoying with her constant exclamations of "God!".

Also, it's worth noting that a child is sexually assaulted in the last third of the book. I had a hunch something might be amiss after a questionable scene in the first third, but by the last third, I had let my guard down and attributed it to paranoia. Due to my sensitive nature, I skipped about six pages when I realized what was happening. Fortunately, it was easy enough to catch up afterward, and as far as I know, I didn't miss anything crucial.

Some high points of the book include Lamott's objectively good writing. The characters in Rosie feel like real people, not mere caricatures. The sense of time and place is also quite strong. Despite not enjoying the book as much as I had hoped, I couldn't bring myself to put it down unfinished.

I don't feel like my time was completely wasted, but for now, I'll stick with Lamott's non-fiction offerings, unless I hear truly extraordinary things about any of her other novels.

(two and a half stars)

This is my very first encounter with a book by Anne Lamott.

I am well aware that perhaps I should have begun with her non-fiction works, but unfortunately, I found myself starting here.

My feelings towards this book are truly a mix of emotions.

The dialogue between the characters often comes across as rather awkward and choppy, lasting for several pages at a time. At certain moments, I even had the urge to take on the role of an editor myself and make some changes.

However, on the other hand, there are also some truly beautiful aspects of character development that occur within the story.

My ultimate concern lies with the protagonist, Elizabeth. She is an unlikable and narcissistic character. In real life, I would surely avoid someone like her, and in the novel, I also struggled to find the desire to spend time with her.

Moreover, I felt rather unsatisfied with major portions of the romantic storyline.

I can say with certainty that I would never read this book again. Given the amount that I read, I highly doubt that this novel will leave a lasting impression on me.

That being said, there were still parts of it that I enjoyed. In particular, the characters Rae and Rosie were quite engaging, and this made the time I spent reading the book definitely worthwhile.

I approached this book with trepidation. I don't usually like books written about horrible childhoods.

The title character's father was killed in an accident, and her mother is an alcoholic. The summary described Rosie as a precocious 9-year-old who is basically raising herself.

But Lamott is such an excellent writer that I was very quickly absorbed into both the writing and the characters. Rosie is indeed precocious, and her mother Elizabeth appreciates her and interacts with her. There is some delightful dialog between them.

Although Elizabeth is managing not to recognize her alcoholism, we come to see that Rosie is ashamed of her sometimes and tries to protect her from potential criticism or exposure to people outside the family.

The other characters, such as Elizabeth's best friend Rae, her boyfriend James, and Rosie's best friend Sharon, are equally well-drawn and multi-layered. Lamott's descriptions of Rosie's and Sharon's days spent away from their homes, entertaining themselves, took me back to my own childhood spent playing outside.

She perfectly captures the imagination and gumption of kids figuring out what to do. Lamott's own history with alcoholism was evident in her descriptions of Elizabeth's denial and eventual struggle.

I'm wondering whether future book club gatherings will be without alcohol. I wonder if others who read this for book club found themselves wondering about how our meetings have journeyed more towards the party and away from the appreciation of the books we read.

I discovered this book by Anne Lamott at my library.

It must be one of her earliest writings, dating back to the early 1980s, and it is a novel.

I have to admit that I prefer her later works, as most of them center on faith, which I find more inspiring.

This particular story is about an alcoholic mother and her daughter, and to be honest, most of it is just plain depressing.

The author vividly describes the daily struggles of an alcoholic, and I am certain that these descriptions are real and accurate.

However, the book does end on a note of hope, which gives the reader a glimmer of optimism.

Overall, while it may not be my favorite of Lamott's works, it is still a worthwhile read for those interested in exploring the complex relationship between an alcoholic and their loved ones.

Rosie is the adored six-year-old daughter of Elizabeth Ferguson. Elizabeth, widowed at a young age, is an intelligent and attractive woman. However, her life is a complex web of financial security and emotional turmoil.

She is both critical and envious of those around her, and is often harshly judgmental of herself when she is sober. This book chronicles the Ferguson duo's journey through a year filled with upheaval, new relationships, trauma, and an abundance of imperfect yet perhaps just right love.

Their friendships are significant; Elizabeth's with artist Rae and Rosie's with classmate Sharon. But it is evident that the mother and daughter are each the most important person in the other's life, even when a new love interest enters Elizabeth's life.

In "Rosie," Lamott constructs a story that fearlessly depicts anxiety, alcoholism, and the strength of family bonds, set in the late 1970s/early 1980s in California. She fully develops her characters, with an all-knowing understanding of the inner thoughts that drive their actions. The mother-daughter duo leaves a profound and lasting impression on the reader.

At times, the story's content can be difficult and painful to read. But Lamott effectively showcases her characters' strengths when it matters most. Rosie must grapple with being thrown into a situation far beyond her years, while Elizabeth makes some crucial life decisions.

Lamott, who was still a bit clumsy as a writer, managed to really pull it off for the first time in this novel.

The story is about a young widow mother and the family that forms around her and her daughter, who is the titular character.

I have a deep admiration for this book and its sequel.

It's rather strange that Lamott herself later became a single mother.

Perhaps her personal experience added an extra layer of authenticity and depth to her writing.

Her ability to bring the characters to life and create a vivid and engaging world is truly remarkable.

This novel not only tells a touching story but also explores themes such as love, loss, family, and growth.

It makes the reader reflect on their own lives and relationships.

Lamott's writing style, although still evolving at the time, shows great promise and potential.

Overall, this is a book that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a heartwarming and thought-provoking read.