Product Description
"An intelligent, moving read" (Pages) and "a testament to women's friendship and to Ann Hood's talent" (Hilma Wolitzer)

After the sudden loss of her only child, Mary Baxter joins a knitting circle in Providence, Rhode Island, as a way to fill the empty hours and lonely days. The women welcome her, each teaching Mary a new knitting technique and, as they do, revealing their own personal stories of loss, love, and hope. Eventually Mary is able to tell her own story of grief and in so doing reclaims her love for her husband, faces the hard truths about her relationship with her mother, and finds the spark of life again. Reading group guide included.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.5 based on 51 reviews)

A wonderful, insightful read

Having read Ann Hood's memoir on the loss of her daughter, which I enjoyed in the sick way misery loves company, I had to read The Knitting Circle, her earlier novel surrounding the same topic. I loved the novel for the same reasons. Ms. Hood zeros in on the unspeakable truths of grief and puts it right out there for all to see. I remember in my own journey through grief only gradually realizing that everyone has pain, that many other women have dark scars on their hearts. I even decided to learn to knit after reading these two books.

A wonderful tale whether you have been through unspeakable loss or you've yet been cushioned from tragedy.
December 25, 2008

On Loss and Redemption

This book appealed to my sense of wanting something personal to curl up with. Hood did not disappoint with her semi-autobiographical novel of loss, friendship, and redemption in The Knitting Circle.

Mary Baxter and her husband, Dylan, are struggling to stay together after the loss of their 5-year-old daughter to meningitis. Everything around them stands as a reminder of what their life was once like. Mary has no interest in getting out of bed most of the time, much less focus on her job as a community and restaurant reviewer for her local paper. She also feels as if Dylan has moved on, and she is left behind. Their dynamics are strong, and the reader roots for something good and powerful to heal the two of them and their relationship.

Mary's mother urges her to join a knitting circle, which she does, at first reluctantly, but eventually discovers that knitting soothes her mind and its frantic thoughts and memories.

Each of the people in the knitting circle are there with his/her own story of loss, and the chapters alternate with Mary's story and then each of the knitters.

Reading about each character's misfortune is a way to put our own stories into perspective. The characters are strong and realistic, and the backdrop of knitting helps to keep the story moving along.

I would recommend this book to anyone who can appreciate a good writer with a story to tell.

October 23, 2008

Not just for the knitting crowd

My book club chose this novel to discuss and I was not sure how excited I was because of the cover. Now, I am so happy that we read this piece. The knitting circle is about a group of women take up this hobby when they have found themselves adrift in life. The story unfolds each person's personal stories. Knitting together helped them create something tangible while they reconnected with themselves or faced their demons. Nice, fairly quick story which was never boring. Laughed out loud a few times, and also shed some tears as I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I will look for more from this author and am sending it to my Mom and sister because it is so good.
August 18, 2008

A heartwarming book

This is a heartwarming book of grief, loss and recovery. A circle of women unite through the common bond of grieving over significant losses in their lives. A mother and daughter finally bond after years of estrangement.

The knitting descriptions are very realistic. As someone who belongs to a knitting circle I found the circle itself and how the women related to one another to be very true to life.
July 29, 2008

Beautifully written

I was drawn to this book title because I am an avid knitter. I generally stay away from any subject matter where a child has died or been hurt. I cried several times while reading this book, but came away from it feeling admiration for Mary (& the author) for surviving such a terrible loss & finding the strength to continue on. I thought the other characters in the story were also well written, each with there own story of sadness that they were trying to move forward from. I've often thought that knitting is my yoga & don't doubt that the author found some restorative energy from doing it as she grieved.
July 28, 2008

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