Critical Praise
“Lilting prose, beautifully meted out folklore and historical references, and Hoffman's deep conviction in her characters (especially those "willing to do anything for love") make reading this 'contes du temps passé' a total pleasure.”
—Kirkus, starred review
"[A] rhapsodic blend of keenly observed historical elements and vibrantly fabulistic invention generates an entrancing saga of sacrifice, forbidden loves, betrayals and family tragedies endured in a world fractured by religion, class and race, and redeemed by art and by love. Hoffman is at her resplendent best in this trenchant and revelatory tale of a heroic woman and her world-altering artist son."
—Booklist, Starred Review
"Hoffman’s subject matter and her evocative writing style are a wonderful fit for this moving story, which illuminates a historical period and women whose lives were colored by hardships, upheavals and the subjugation of personal desires."
—Publishers Weekly
“[A] luminous, Marquez-esque tale.”
—O, The Oprah Magazine
“A fresh tale of human error and achievement. This subject has found the right author at the right time, and no one who reads this story will forget it.”
—Book Page
“Hoffman’s lush, seductive prose and heart-pounding subject --- a forbidden love affair on the island of Saint Thomas --- make this latest skinny-dip in enchanted realism by the author of PRACTICAL MAGIC the Platonic ideal of the beach read.”
—Slate.com
"Hoffman mixes fact and fiction to produce a richly imagined tapestry shot through with her signature blend of folklore, fairy dust and romantic passion."
—The Washington Post
“For readers who would go anywhere Hoffman will take you, this MARRIAGE will only renew your commitment to her astonishing storytelling.”
—USA Today
“Rich with details that transport readers to a tropical paradise. THE MARRIAGE OF OPPOSITES invites comparisons to Gabriel García Marquez, but Hoffman follows her own star…. Hoffman elevates what could have been little more than a summer getaway book to a work of art.”
—Dallas Morning News
