The Probable Future, by Alice Hoffman

The Probable Future
Alice Hoffman

Well, I just finished this novel, and I have the perfect word for it: meh.

It was ooookay. I would describe it as a beach book, the type of book that should be read when you want to fly through a novel without taxing your brain. In fact, I skimmed a good third of the book without feeling cheated afterward.

The book’s plot is interesting enough: all of the Sparrow women, upon turning 13, receive a “gift” of some sort. One could make food out of anything; another could feel no pain. The story focuses on Elinor Sparrow (who can tell when a person is lying), her daughter, Jenny (who dreams the dreams of others), and Jenny’s daughter, Stella, who has just turned 13 and received the ability to see a person’s death.

However interesting the plot may seem, it is filled with so many contrivances and conveniences that prevent the reader from even trying to believe the story. I’d be willing to believe the Sparrow’s supernatural abilities, but I just can’t swallow that ten individuals, several having suffered failed marriages or major life upheavals, can, in the span of only a few months, manage to resolve all their problems AND find (and connect with) their true loves. By the end, everything has been tied up neatly in a way that rarely happens in the real world. If only.

The characters were for me the most interesting part of the book, but they weren’t truly remarkable, either. Finally, the prose was well enough written, but was overall bland and trite. Granted, I’m not exactly writing Nobel-prize-winning material here, either, but I just call ‘em like I see ‘em, folks. At any rate, I was able to read this book quickly and with little mental exercise on my part.

If this book were a movie, it would be You’ve Got Mail. That is to say, it’s not even Sleepless in Seattle. Rather, it’s the type of book for when there’s nothing else on, but you really just want to lounge on the sofa and veg out, so you settle for whatever old thing is playing for the billionth time on USA.

In a nutshell: this is a good book to read in between literary classics or other tough reads. Ultimately it’s a forgettable novel, but one that will help you pass a few hours in a mundane, yet basically enjoyable way.

Bibliolatry Scale: 3.5 out of 6 stars