The Age of Hope was a good read that followed a girl into womanhood. It made the trials and tribulations of the time very real. This book was like a Canadian version of Vivi in "The Divine Secrets of the YaYa Sisterhood." Where Vivi's sickness was verry hush-hush by the community, Hope's depression was accepted and understood by her family and friends. I appreciated Hope's strength and will to survive and accept her family through all their own trials.

Hope, to the ages, of her young life of potential in a small Mennonite town of Eden, Manitoba, where she thinks she has made it big with a kind man and small brood of children to her experienced life as an elderly woman in big city of Winnipeg. But when life decides to bring her lemons and curtail it upside down. What will she make it, will she be able to find herself and happiness? The story spans seventy years from conservative standpoint of 30's, through the 50's to 70's, into a more liberal lifestyle/thinking of freedom and happiness, guess Hope will only know if she is truly happy in her passive nature.

Mini Book Review: It's always hard to write a review for a book that you just couldn't get into even-though you appreciate the talents of the author. I don't want to turn people off of the book, but at the same time I cannot lie and say I loved it. Beautifully written, which kept me reading even-though I wasn't really enjoying Hope's story. I just found her wishy washy and the storyline just left me feeling depressed. I also think I had a problem with it because it was based in Winnipeg & just brought back memories of High School English. Which also makes me feel as stupid as I did back than trying to figure out why someone was interested in reading about some women who survives through it all. I do that everyday, I'm a survivor, but I don't want to read about women like me. I'm just a simple girl and need something more than a character study, I want adventure or at least to learn something. He's an extremely gifted writer and I think this will be a big hit. But as I said before, it's just not my thing. Mr Bergen you are a talented writer with a true insight into the human psyche and I applaud you for that 3 Dewey's (Based on my enjoyment not on the talents of the author) I received this at the HarperCollins Indigo Insiders event & didn't have to review