On Mystic Lake

by Kristin Hannah

Book Overview

NATIONAL BESTSELLER - A poignant and tender story of love, loss, passion, and the fragile threads that bind families together from the author of The Nightingale.

"A beautifully simple, deeply compassionate story."--Diana Gabaldon

Annie Colwater's only child has just left home for school abroad. On that same day, her husband of twenty years confesses that he's in love with a younger woman. Alone in the house that...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0345471172
• ISBN13: 9780345471178
• Release Date: April 2004
• Publisher: Ballantine Books
• Length: 448 Pages
• Weight: 0.76 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Liked but...

I liked this book a lot but I was disappointed with the ending. I feel like there should have been another chapter or two. I would've given it another star.

Amazing

Absolutely loved this book. All the emotions, brilliantly written and I loved seeing the main character grow as the story went on.

Page-turner

I really enjoyed this book. It was very real and relatable. I found myself talking to Annie trying to give her some (I felt) much needed advice. The only thing missing in my humble opinion is an epilogue!

Totally Predictible

I have enjoyed Kristin Hannahs books in the past. But I found this one totally predictable, bordering on "trite". Are we riding a little too hard on our "merits"?????

About Starting Over in Many Ways-Great Read! A++++!

On Mystic Lake is another very hard-to-put down book! I truly enjoyed it from beginning to end. Annelise, the main character of the story had a devastating blow when on the way home from dropping her daughter off at the airport for college, her husband says he wants a divorce. Blake told her he hasn't been in love with her for years, and that he'd been having an affair with Suzannah for a very long time. Thrown into a deep depression of course over that awful news, Annilise returns to her home on Mystic Lake, where she grew up to her father's house. Her father provides the love and comfort , support she needs at this trying time, while Annilise is trying to figure out what to do. It doesn't take too long though, when gradually, she begins to take new steps in another direction. She meets up with Nick, an old love from high school. He and his 6-year-old daughter are terribly grief-stricken from the loss of his wife Kathy. His daughter hasn't spoken a single word since the loss of her mother, and Nick is becoming an alcoholic. Nick needs someone in his life not only to help him recover, but moreso for his daughter. This is where Annilise steps in, watching Izzy for Nick, and yet at the same time, providing the child with a motherly figure, which she so desparately needs. As time goes along in the story, Annilise falls deeply in love again with Nick. Gradually, he tries to overcome his battles with grief, and alcoholism, and his daughter Izzy, with a lot of help from Annilise starts to talk again. Things begint o take a wonderful turn, until Annilise is once again dealt another blow.

What a Story!

Kristin Hannah has done it again. She is a master of taking the reader to beautiful places with interesting and often complex characters. Annie returns home to Mystic Lake after her husband of 20 years tells her that he wants a divorce because he's in love with another woman. Annie is a nurturer and is always there to take care of others, but in the meantime she has lost herself. During her stay in Mystic Lake she comes to know true love, finds out about herself, and helps a little girl who has lost her mommy understand that "it's going to be okay." The little girl, Izzy, will capture your heart and make you laugh and cry. Hannah keeps you waiting until the bitter end...the last few pages...to see how things tie up and if the ending will be happy. This book will not disappoint you.

Absolutely terrific!

You don't know what you're missing if you've never read a book by Kristin Hannah, and _On Mystic Lake_ is one of the absolute best books ever written. The characters come alive and endear themselves to your heart. Annie is down to earth and easy to read about. Izzie, the little girl who needs to find her way into the world again is precious and Nick is the type of character whom you wish you could jump into the book and give a hug to. _On Mystic Lake_ is by no means "lite reading". The main character, Annie, is getting a divorce from her husband who claims to love another woman. Trying to come to grips with her failing marriage, Annie returns home to Mystic to spend some time with her father. There she meets up with her first love, Nick, who chose her best friend over her, breaking Annie's heart. It turns out that Nick's wife (Annie's old best friend) has died leaving Nick and his daughter Izzie devestated. When the three first get together, it's sort of like the blind leading the blind. They are all so hurt that it is hard to see who needs more help. But, Annie brings healing to Izzie's soul, the little girl mends Annie's heart, and a love rekindles between Nick and Annie. Still, things are not that easy, and a conflict makes the world harder in Mystic. Kristin Hannah is an amazingly gifted author and her talent shines in _On Mystic Lake_. Her descriptive writing will take you to another place- a little logging town in Washington where mist floats above the ground and life moves at a slower pace. This is a beautiful book about three healing souls who learn that bad things do happen but you can get around them. I'd recomend _On Mystic Lake_ to anyone who enjoys putting down a book with a sense that the world is a wonderful place and they can do something to make it better.

An incredible, moving book!

Wow,what an awesome book.It was really moving and inspirational.I cried through the entire book.The main character,Annie, was so strong and courageous. I felt like I knew the characters so well and that I was a part of their lives.The author did an incredible job writing this terrific book.If you haven't read it please do, because it moves you so much and makes you value life. A job well done!

Becomes apart of your heart

It is easy sometimes for readers to forget what a good book really is. It is easy sometimes for us to accept the complacency and mediocracy that pours from the publishing world in a torrent of so-called "bestsellers" and "best yets" -- until a true voice with a marvelous story to tell sneaks in while nobody is looking. Kristin Hannah is just that voice; "On Mystic Lake" is just that story. It isn't an easy book to read. It deals with divorce, alcoholism, and suicide. The trials and travails of Annie, Nick, and Izzy-bear as they deal with these issues will have you crying and despairing as they muck their way through -- it will have you laughing and rejoicing when they triumph in the end. But this isn't a novel about issues and that's why it works. Their story captures your fancy on page one. It becomes a part of your heart by the end.