Many, many eons ago, according to the Old Women of Strand, a humungous wave of the Nordsee came and totally buried the neighboring town of Runholdt. Ms Hegi uses this legend as she carefully creates a lyrical and beautiful impressionistic tale of the present town of Strand. Her spot-on descriptions of many of the characters and their contributions help to explain why the town is so successful. By adding psychological details about some of the residents she explains what the Legend means to them, and how it will influence their lives. She carefully weaves love, in all of its forms, throughout.

** spoiler alert ** Thank you Net Galley for the free ARC. I loved Carrying Stones from the River, but struggled a little with this story. I liked the characters of the Home, the circus and the village. I liked the setting. I think there were too many storylines going on at once.

I was very much attracted to the premise of this book and that is what ultimately lead to my requesting the title. Spoiler alert: I'm so happy I did!

This book takes place in the Summer of 1878 in Germany. During a parade, the unthinkable happens. A tidal wave occurs, sweeping up three young lives. The mothers that are present when this tragedy takes place end up supporting and bringing unanticipated change to one another's lives.

The three main characters, Lotte, Sabine, and Tille all had very interesting storylines. That is what really kept me interested in the novel. I was motivated to find out what would happen to all of them. The character development was very well done.

Any historical fiction fan would really enjoy this book!

3 stars.*

I download this one based on an online recommendation of upcoming feminist literature.

I wasn't a huge fan. It was an interesting story-although I struggled to make sense of the characters and the time frame. It takes place in a small German village in 1878, and all of the lead up conjured up the impression that I'd be back in Water for Elephants. The only real similarity was the circus. I struggled to relate to any of the characters and the imagery and allegory was just lost on me. It is the story of Lotte and her husband Kalle who suffer following the tragic drowning of three of their four children. They village where they live is home to a former monastery that has been converted into a home for pregnant girls run by nuns. It is also the story of 11-year old Tilli, a pregnant girl who comes to care for Lotte's surviving son after her baby is taken from her and Lotte cannot function after the loss of her other children.

I really enjoyed the writing style and the imagery. I just didn't connect with the story.

*with thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for this honest review.

I did find this book a little in the unusual side, all at once whimsical and charming while also deeply fraught with some very heavy emotions. Set in the late 1800’s on the small island of Nordstrand in Germany, three vastly different women confront different aspects of love and loss. All share a special connection through a unique school/ orphanage/ church where pregnant girls who are cast out by their families for their sin can find a safe haven. Many of the babies are adopted out, those that are not are raised by the industrious sisters. Many of the girls return to their families after having their babies, while others that have nowhere else to go stick around to assist as needed. It is here that Sabine, Tilli, and Lotte find themselves. Sabine has spent much of her life protecting her developmentally challenged daughter, Tilli who fell pregnant at age 11, and Lotte who lost three of her four children in a freak 100 year wave. While their backgrounds are very different, each girl comes to serve a valuable place in the each of the other girls lives. While I did get slightly lost here and there, especially in the flash backs, generally the story held together well and is at times both hopeful, and melancholic. A worthwhile speed read notable for its ability to impart the unique perspectives of three extraordinary women on the reader while weaving an intricate period tale that is almost 150 years old. Review posted to Goodreads, and LibraryThing.

Full disclosure- I only read 32% of this book. I liked Stones from the River all those years ago, and I was looking forward to this one. I have no qualms with the author’s writing. She is a wonderful writer. I just found this story difficult to follow. There seemed to be lots of background and little random asides. It was hard to follow which protagonist was speaking. I kept waiting for the storyline to become clear.
I hope someone else likes it- sadly it just wasn’t for me.
#netgalley #arc

Very choppy and not sure what was happening the first part of the book. Not a book for me. I am not into books starting in a way that does not capture my attention, but instead is all over the place.

When a rogue wave sweeps Lotte's three eldest children out to sea, she is bereft and tosses her youngest into the surf in an attempt to trade God one child for the other three. In their mourning, her husband Kalle deserts her, leaving town with the traveling Zirkus that comes each year. Lotte is moved in with the sisters of St. Margaret's and her child is wet nursed by young Tilli, who has lost her own child via adoption at the tender age of 11.

The Patron Saint of Pregnant Girls is a good multifaceted view of grief and hardship, following how the human mind and soul deal with loss. Highly character driven, the story provides bits and pieces of Lotte, Tilli, and Sabine (the Zirkus seamstress) as they process their own personal moments of grief. The character driven approach provides insights, but can be frustrating because it feels like there is so much potential in the outlines that exist. So much more could be explored beyond the boundaries that are tested.

This is a weird and winding narrative that feels more like a series of short stories loosely intertwined than a full-fledged novel. For me, there wasn't enough here. The stories felt outlined and unfinished--giving a taste of the depth that could be fleshed out without actually achieving it. I was left terribly underwhelmed and, though I liked the writing of it, I didn't like where it ended.

This was my first Ursula Hegi book and, while the writing was beautiful, it just wasn't for me. The actual events of the book didn't line up super well with the synopsis so I found myself confused for most of the beginning. Also, there were just too many points of view and I found myself getting bogged down in characters that just weren't as important to the story.

After reading an intro to The Patron Saint of Pregnant Girls by Ursula Hegi , I immediately requested an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review. I was hooked by the cover and the title as well as the description and was thrilled to have it sent to me. I wasted no time diving in and the author wasted no time in introducing the reader to the tragedy that sets this story in motion. Shortly after that, though, things really began to simmer down for me.
I had a hard time sticking with the story. Each character faced so much despair with topics of grief, abandonment, homosexuality, incest etc. that it took me more than a month to make my way through it. I should mention that this did remind me of Water for Elephants (which I LOVED) as it is a circus based story but that is where the similarity ends. I just didn't want to jump back in again and again but I also wont walk away from a book prior to finishing with the hope that things will pick up.
The description that reads "as full of joy and beauty as it is pain" was off the mark for me. I just didn't see the joy or feel it through this book. I did find myself caring about some the characters in this story but wanted so much more for them.
Although this book was not for me, others may enjoy this read that is set on a small island of Germany in 1878.

Patron Saint of Pregnant Girls

My thanks to #NetGalley for this ebook in exchange for an honest review. Reminiscent of Like Water for Elephants, Ursula Hegi, brings together the fanciful world of the folklore and fantasy with historical fiction. The Patron Saint of Pregnant Girls is filled with rich imagery and vivid descriptions which tell the story of women and girls, families, and marriages, all told together in a mish-mash of a winding plot. The plot is slightly convoluted and a little hard to follow at times, but it’s worth the trip. Hegi builds a story filled with joy and pain, beauty and sorrow. It is a tribute to the monumental strength of women.

Ursula Hegi has written of a town divided by circumstance and prejudices that gives a perfect picture of how a natural disaster can change people in an instant. A town's celebration changes to disaster in a few seconds, leaving the survivors clinging to each other. While the book centers on women and children, it definitely portrays how extreme measures can bring together those who would never step outside their routine to help the others. This is definitely a must read.

I read 25% and I couldn’t finish this book... the premise was so interesting and I was excited to read it but man, I just couldn’t do the writing style. It was confusing and jumpy and I had the hardest time following or trying to understand what the author was trying to portray. I couldn’t tell what emotions I was supposed to be feeling by certain encounters. Others who have liked the book have mentioned the ‘poetic’ writing as a factor. To each his own. To me, an example of poetic writing is The Book Thief. This didn’t feel poetic. Just because you use one word sentences and run on sentences and big beautiful words doesn’t make it poetic. I don’t read it and say ‘This is so so confusing so it must be so deep that I can’t grasp the importance and intentionality.’ Who would? What’s the point of poetic writing if it doesn’t illicit emotion or take the reader on the proper journey? I was frustrated because I wanted to see it through and I want to see where it goes but I just can’t take the writing. I can only read so many books in a year and I didn’t want to continue wasting my time to read something that just frustrated me.

**Thank you NetGalley for the ARC and I’m sorry I couldn’t give a better review for this one**

This poetic novel begins with a tragedy. Lotte stands on the Nordsee shore with her four healthy children. Suddenly three of them are taken by a wave as she clings to her youngest child. Abandoned by Kalle, her husband, who escapes to the Zirkus, Lotte, overwhelmed with grief and guilt, turns to the kind nuns for healing. The nuns’ mission is to shelter abandoned, unwed pregnant girls, many barely past childhood. One of these, Tilli, a witness to Lotte’s tragedy, is forced to give up her baby and turns to others to fill the void. Sabine, another witness, also abandoned, has spent her life searching for someone who will protect her damaged daughter from herself. Ursula Hegi’s imagery allows the reader to join in the myths, legends and dreams of each of her characters. Heartbreak and disappointment seem to prevail, but hope and happiness hover nearby.

I was intrigued by the blurb for this book, but am conflicted on how I feel about it overall. I did find the pacing a bit slow, but at the same time I couldn't put the book down. I think the author excels at making the extraordinary seem more ordinary and vice versa, with characters that are unique.

I liked this book. I wanted to love it, but I felt it ended a little abruptly. The characters are amazing, but the plot feels a little meandering.

The book is set in a small community on the water. One day, Lotte is walking with her four small children in the water, when three of them are tragically swept away from her, leaving only her baby son, Wilhem. The book follows her story, how it affects her marriage, her relationship with her remaining child, and even her sanity.

There is also a convent that offers a home for young girls to give birth to their children conceived out of wedlock.,

And, a traveling circus that is full of interesting characters.

There is a lot to like in a book with all of these features, and I certainly did, but I do wish the story had more cohesiveness, and I still had a lot of questions at the end.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The premise of the book was interesting but unfortunately the finished product was disappointing. I loved Stones From A River and had high hopes. I rated it a generous 3.

I was very excited to begin this book after reading the description. The premise sounds amazing and the setting and cast of characters sounded promising.

On a German island, a giant wave takes out three young children belonging to the Jansen family. Mothers from the Ludwig Zirkus, from St. Margaret's Home for Pregnant Girls, and from the island town come together to aid each other through grief and other life experiences.

I found the writing extremely difficult to follow. The point of view jumped all over the place without a smooth transition. I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and reviewed the book in December. This leaves several months for editing and I would be interested in trying this book again if there were any changes made. It was much too difficult to enjoy the story line the way it's currently written.

The women from various backgrounds that were able to assist each other through their difficult life experiences was very touching. I also enjoyed learning more about the obstacles faced during life in the 1800's.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the opportunity to review this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved Stones from the River years ago, and was excited to delve into this new one. While I wasn't left disappointed, it definitely wasn't what I expected and I was left feeling a little "meh" at the end. I liked the premise of the pregnant girls and their home, the traveling circus, and how things wove together. However, at times it did seem a little scattered and hard to follow. Narration point of view would switch, not solid transitions between settings too.
Good solid ending. I enjoyed this read, and am thankful for the ARC from Netgalley!

Ursula Hegi’s novel “The Patron Saint of Pregnant Women” is set in 1878, on a real island off the coast of Germany, the Nordstrand, where there is a tale of a vanished island, Rungholt. Rungholt is real: the “Atlantis of Norsee” was washed away by a massive storm in 1362.

The novel teeters right on the edge of magical realism. A nearly fantastical panorama of human experience is lived out within one small island, one small traveling circus (Zirkus), and the island’s convent, St. Margaret’s, a haven and school for pregnant girls. Hegi’s style is ethereal and methodical at the same time, with a flood (Hochwasser) of emotions just beneath the surface. It is sometimes unclear whether the biggest Zirkus is under the tents with the animals or in the audience; the Zirkus seems at times to be more normal than the island at large or the convent, which has a poor adoption record and is full of children.

Part of the book is written in first person (narrated by Sabine, a seamstress with the circus) and part is written in third person, and in this reviewer's opinion Hegi should have chosen one or the other.
The Old Women of the Nordstrand have weathered, and help other women to weather, unbelievable ordeals, but some griefs, they whisper, may never heal, and some methods of coping are unholy, and will bring more of the wrath of God and the sea—the same thing, in their view—upon the tenuous landscape.

The good nuns of St. Margaret’s are busy turning shamed pregnant girls into certified teachers with references, but some girls, they whisper, may never fit into their system.

The trio at the heart of the story are all mothers: Lottie, who can’t heal from her grief over her three children, swept out to sea by the Hochwasser, Tilli, who can’t get with the program at St. Margaret’s, and Sabine, who breaks all the rules in trying to secure her fragile daughter's future.

As with Hegi’s masterpiece “Stones From the River,” misfits are a big theme, whether gender misfits, differently abled misfits, family misfits, religious misfits, or some combination of the above. The reader encounters many closely held secrets, much tragic human weakness, much uplifting and powerful love, and the constant presence of the chilly sea, soothing but also menacing.