The Peculiar Miracles of Antoinette Martin - A Novel

If you’re anything like me, the atmospheric book cover alone will draw you into THE PECULIAR MIRACLES OF ANTOINETTE MARTIN, but it’s the prose that will make you linger. The publisher heralds the novel as being in the same family as THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. More accurately, I think the true reader for this book lies in the intersection of Diffenbaugh’s works and those who enjoy Sarah Addison Allen’s stories of whimsical magical realism.

There’s a lot to like about Stephanie Kipper’s debut novel, not the least of which is the heart and soul of the book –-- the reconciliation between estranged sisters Rose and Lily. The surrounding cast of characters, including those in flashbacks, round out the warmth and familiarity at which the novel excels. One of the things I loved the most was that Rose’s 10-year-old daughter with special needs, Antoinette, carries her own point of view throughout the story. Reading her thoughts endeared me to her character and gave a perspective that, at times, gently challenged my perceptions of autism without pushing an agenda.

I’d wager that not many of us have ever been to a commercial flower farm, but you won’t be able to say that after picking up this book. The vivid imagery of the flowers and landscaping that the author paints is truly breathtaking, and Lily’s obsession with the Victorian language of flowers adds meaning that grounds the sisters in their life’s work. And if you don’t have the urge to make lavender bread after you’ve turned the last page, there might be something wrong with you.

Kipper sprinkles flashbacks to Rose and Lily’s young adult life throughout the book, adding color and context to the modern-day narrative. While some of these looks back were integrated within the story, some were called out as entries from Rose’s journal from the past. Personally, I found that the writing for these entries didn’t differ enough from the overall tone to make them stand apart, and the plot device actually distracted from what could have been a lovely element to the story.

The tie binding the characters together was love sketched in many different shades –-- the love between a mother and daughter, sisters and friends --- and the list wouldn’t be complete without a touch of romance threaded throughout. However, in my opinion, Lily finds herself in the middle of a poorly drawn love triangle, and the ending seems to be a foregone conclusion early on, removing any romantic tension from the mix entirely.

The magical element alluded to in the book’s description was charming and added a layer of depth to the storytelling that drew me in. I did find myself wishing there had been more mystery surrounding that, specifically; there wasn’t much suspense pulling the story forward.

One particular surprise of note to me was the subtle story of faith that Seth, one of Lily’s love interests, explores. As a person of faith myself, I appreciated the raw honesty with which Seth processes his experience attending seminary, searching for the answers of the whys of life and yet coming up with platitudes sometimes common with organized religion. This plot point was handled deftly while remaining articulate, realistic and honest --- a difficult feat at the best of times.

I’ll avoid spoilers about the ending, but I will say that the pacing at the conclusion of the story was uneven --- much more rushed than the cadence of the rest of the book. And the ending was a little too convenient for my taste. I much preferred the complexity of the comparative THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS, if I’m being honest.

For me, the takeaway from this book (confirmed in the quote below) is that we can all relate to feeling like we don’t fit in. That we are the oddity rather than the norm. That our idiosyncrasies negate our ability to be loved or succeed in life. But, as Rose artfully communicates to Antoinette after she is made to feel like she doesn’t belong, “Everyone’s life is hard in some way. Yours just happens to be easier to see than most.”

Overall, Stephanie Kipper has written a stunning and lyrical debut worthy of a read --- complete with complex relationships, deep meaning and, above all, loves that conquer all.

Reviewed by Amy Haddock

Not since “Love Anthony” has a book moved me as much as this novel did. Heart-wrenching, charming and completely addictive, “The Peculiar Miracles of Antoinette Martin” by Stephanie Knipper delighted me, surprised me and completely took me under its spell.
“Miracles” starts with two estranged sisters, Rose and Lily, who are once again reunited under tragic circumstances. Rose’s ten year old daughter, Antoinette, is non-verbal and has symptoms closely resembling autism, although no doctor is confident enough to give that label to a young girl who is clearly emotionally attached to her mother. Antoinette has other special powers too, special powers that could very well put her own life at risk, and both Rose and Lily stand united to protect this special child from the outside world.
This novel has such passionate and real characters, each so different, yet so endearing. Antoinette is a fascinating little sprite of a character and I loved every minute with her. Ms. Knipper has a child with severe disabilities and this is evident in her portrayal of Antoinette, as the little girl is not a subject of pity, but a young, explorative and questioning young girl who has the same inner desires as all children. The story is told from varying viewpoints- Lily, Rose and Antoinette- and is mostly set in the present tense, although relevant plot points from the past are told to us through Rose’s journal.
The ending of this novel was so shockingly bittersweet, that I almost expected an extra page to appear with the real ending- I loved the character of Will, and the way his storyline ended just made me love him more. I would’ve loved to have seen an alternate ending that did not end in a sad way, but this novel was not set up that way, and in truth, any other ending would have been unbelievable and far-fetched, and would’ve changed the way I reviewed this novel.
The challenges Rose faces as she raises her daughter alone are flowing with realism, however her passionate, abandon-all-hope love for her daughter shines a positive light. I loved the little glimpses into Antoinette’s mind, as she communicates with those she loves in her own unique ways.
This novel is uplifting, addictive, powerful and true. No better words could I give this novel- Ms. Knipper knocked my socks off with this one.

Thank you librarything.com for sending an advanced copy of The Peculiar Miracles of Antoinette Martin, by Stephanie Knipper in return for my honest review.

This is a story about the power of love and forgiveness. 10 year old Autistic Antoinette Martin has special abilities to comfort and aid those that are gravely ill, if only temporarily, but to her own detriment. Her sickly mother, Rose, will do anything to protect Antoinette including contacting her estranged sister, Lily, to help her keep her daughter safe.

I was genuinely surprised by this book. I wasn't sure if I would like it, but I did. It seems silly that the title might have something to do with my hesitancy, but it did. Initially to me the title suggested a religiously based story, but it wasn't. Upon reading only a few chapters, I discovered a well-written, thought-provoking novel that was heart-warming and tragic at the same time. Antoinette possessed an extraordinary gift despite her inability to control her body or to talk. The reader could feel this child's frustration of being so aware but unable to express herself in the traditional sense.

This novel makes the reader stop and think, at least it did for me, of all the beauty and grace that is missed when, as a society, we turn away from those that are different or struggling. Taking the time to look a little deeper may reveal that we are all very much alike despite our different packaging, but it might also uncover the remarkable.

MEDIUM: Paperback
MY RATING: 4.25/5
Hardcover, 336 pages
Published August 2nd 2016 by Algonquin Books
Rose Martin is dying of a heart condition. Her ten year old daughter, Antoinette has special needs, is nonverbal, and seems to possess a special gift that others would love to capitalize on if given the chance. Rose has asked her estranged sister, Lily, to come back home and take care of Antoinette once she passes away. Lily hasn’t seen Antoinette in many years, and she always felt uncomfortable around the little girl. Will Antoinette’s special gift be able to remain hidden from outsiders? Will Lily be able to take care of Antoinette once her sister dies?

I enjoyed this novel because of the use of Victorian Era “flower language” throughout the book. This has always been a topic that I find interesting, and I loved the way Knipper incorporated this into the story. It added a nice extra layer of depth. I also enjoyed the descriptions of everything going on inside Antoinette’s head. Even though she doesn’t speak with words, many times she is able to “speak” in other ways, and it is so touching. The relationship between Rose and Lily is very well written, as well. The character development in this book is done very well, also.

Normally I include a Potentially Offensive Content, but I do not recall any sex, violence, or strong language to report.

This book was gifted to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Other books about extraordinary or interesting children:

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
Miss Peregine’s Home For Peculiar Children Series by Ransom Riggs
Wonder by R. J. Palacio

I love magical realism, and this book had the bonus of being set on a flower farm, so I jumped at it. Sisters Rose and Lily were very close as girls and teens, but when Rose’s unexpected pregnancy while in college led to the birth of a daughter on the autistic spectrum, Lily couldn’t deal with it. Having OCD with some aspects of autism herself, Antoinette was all her fears in human form: unable to speak, difficulty with movements, repetitive behaviors. It all reminds Lily of her own problems that made her constantly bullied at school, and in her mind threatens the ‘normal’ life that she’s built in the city where no one knows her. Lily and Rose haven’t spoken in years. But that has to change now: Rose has end stage heart failure, a complication of her pregnancy with Antoinette. She needs someone who will take care of Antoinette and her only option is Lily. Complicating their reunion is the ‘boy’ next door, Seth. He and Lily used to be an item, until he broke it off to go to seminary, breaking her heart. He dropped out and bought into the flower farm. Then there is Lily’s next door neighbor in the city who flirts constantly…. Also, Antoinette has this ability to restore wilted flowers and temporarily heal anything from birds to broken human hands.

I enjoyed the story, in large part because of the setting (at the nursery/flower farm) and the growing relationship between Lily and Antoinette. Lily is able to help Antoinette with some of her problems, having faced similar herself. The physical setting is described beautifully- the gardens, the lavender fields, the farmer’s market – although I do wonder how two people keep that many acres weeded and harvested alone. Where are the workers? But the story is like some fairy tale, where no one has any flaws (other than physical health problems). Seriously, everyone in this story is honest, giving, hardworking, pleasant natured, and just plain good people. I find it hard to believe in a town where *everyone* is this great! The ending is rushed; in fact, the whole story is in a way. A lot happens in a very short time. The ending also lacks an explanation; we are left guessing as to how Antoinette works her miracles and why one character makes the choice he does. I’d give the story four stars out of five.

I am always a little leery of reading or listening to stories with magical realism. Sometimes, I have found that magic just does not fit the story. This time with Stephanie Knipper’s The Peculiar Miracles of Antoinette Martin it fit perfectly. It was easy to visualize all of the events and they made sense to have them in the story.

The setting is on a Kentucky flower farm, there were two sisters, Rose and Lily who were very close as children. Later, a deep rift between the two occurs. Rose comes home from college, pregnant and develops a terrible heart condition when her child, Antoinette is born. Something was not right with Antoinette, the doctors said that she had a lot of autistic characteristics but she was not autistic. This is why I was interested in this story. My brother is severely autistic and he and Antoinette did some of the same things, like repetitive motions and showed frustration at not being able to talk.

Antoinette fascinated me the most, she wanted to be able to heal people so that she be special. There were lot of times that I cried as I listened to this book. So many things made me think of my brother! One was that Antoinette knew that she was not supposed to go outside by herself. My brother used to sing a song about not going outdoors. Music is such a strong way of enjoying life for Antoinette. For my brother too!

It is so touching and heartbreaking. I was totally wrapped up with the story, listening to the discs were something great to look forward to each day. The descriptions in this story make it easy to visualize, hear and smell. The Victorian meanings of the names of flowers also enhances this story.

I highly recommend the audio version of this story for everyone.

I received a finished audio version of this book as a win from LibraryThing from the publishers in exchange for a fair book review. My thoughts and feelings in this review are totally my own.

The titular Antoinette is a nonverbal, special needs 10 year old girl who can hear songs in the earth and flowers and the people she touches; her mother, Rose, is dying of congestive heart failure. Like any parent of a child in need of lifelong care, she is frightened of what will happen to her daughter after she’s gone, though in this case Antoinette’s gifts give her even more reason to be afraid. She is forced to reach out of her estranged sister Lily, hoping that the rift between them can be mended, and that her sister can be the guardian Antoinette needs. It’s an emotional book; seeing the story from Rose’s perspective, watching her impending death and her fear for her daughter is gut-wrenching and I definitely cried more than once. Though it is an emotionally intense book, the conclusion left me empty and disappointed- I think it had a real opportunity to face life and death and it missed it in favor of something tidy and traditionally “happy”.

Take a special little girl, add an ability like no other, sprinkle with a bit of magic and you have Antoinette!
While she faces physical challenges, Antoinette has the ability to heal. By simply thrusting her hands into the soil, she can bring new life to dying flowers. Which is a blessing to her Mother’s Kentucky flower farm. But it doesn’t stop there, she can heal people as well; from the tremors of a neighbor to her own Mother’s failing health. However, each healing takes a toll on this precious girl, a toll her Mother is no longer willing to risk. So now it falls on Rose and neighbor Seth to protect Antoinette, even if it means protecting her from herself. Antoinette can no longer use her powers to ward off her Mother’s worsening health.
With Roses’ failing health, she realizes she can no longer provide for her daughter. She has to reach out to Lily, her estranged sister. But how does she explain her daughter’s ability to the sister who she hasn’t seen for years? How does Lily return to the home she loved and the man who touched her heart?
This book is about healing and sacrifice and love. It will take the biggest sacrifice of all to bring healing to the family.
The writer reminds us that within every person there dwells someone special.

Antoinette is an autistic child with the ability to heal, but develops seizures when she alleviates someone’s pain. She is desperate to heal her dying mother, but is rebuffed.

Lily yearned for the closeness she once had with her sister growing up on their flower farm, but doesn’t know how to deal with her niece. Whenever she’s around, her battles with OCD seem to be heightened, causing a vicious circle of wanting to be with her sister but not wanting to regress into unhealthy behaviors.

Rose knows she is dying. Her sister Lily abandoned her and refused to help her run the farm when Antoinette was just a toddler, yet she is her only living relative. Afraid of Lily’s rejection, she is even more afraid of leaving Antoinette to grow up alone.

Antoinette, Rose and Lily display both physical and mental impairments as they tell their stories. Their hopes and fears will tug at the emotional heartstrings of readers, reminding them that everyone has a burden to bear, a story to tell, and a heart to be loved.

Recommended for Adults.

Feels :

The Peculiar Miracles of Antoinette Martin is a sweet, homey book that easily transported me back to my childhood and teen years growing up in Ohio. I immediately loved the sisters Rose and Lily and TOTALLY identified with Rose’s stubbornness and heartache in not calling her sister years earlier. Antoinette is clearly a difficult but lovable child and so many times I just wanted to scoop her up and hug her. The slow, off-the-main-plot romance was also sweet…even if I wasn’t particularly fond of how this grown-up version of a love triangle was handled, in the end.

Characters :

The sisters Rose and Lily along with Rose’s daughter Antoinette, are the key players in this story. The story is told in turns from the POV of Lily, Antoinette, and Rose’s diary. It works really well – I was surprised! Antoinette’s father disappeared before she was born and Rose has devoted herself entirely to her daughter. Lily hasn’t had a serious relationship since the-boy-next-door, Seth, broke up with her years before. Even if her best friend is a guy and they’ve been through a lot together. The other side characters that populate small town Kentucky are so real they almost walk out of the pages. I love them all. I wish I could be the sister’s neighbor.

Antoinette is a dear thing, even if I can imagine how frustrating and difficult it would be to try to be her mother or guardian. Her autism is one that baffles even the doctors, as she both shows signs of severe autism and breaks all the “rules” regarding it.

Plot :

Rose is dying. As a last resort, she calls her estranged sister and begs her to come home and help care for Antoinette and their family’s flower farm in Kentucky.

The story centers on Antoinette, even though she never says a word. Her sections of the book are VERY well done. Of course we don’t know for sure how a non-verbal child would describe the world around them, Knipper’s depiction is vivid and sharp without being condescending. Her personal experience with special needs children is evident. Antoinette never feels “wrong,” or like someone to be pitied. She just is, and as she is, she has a lot to offer the world if only people would look past their first impression.

Now, here’s where I have a slight issue. When I requested this book, I guessed it would be magical realism. Which was spot on. However, I’m not really okay with Antoinette’s disabilities being written off as a side effect to her magical ability to heal. At times it seemed like it was more “in addition to” her autism, she could heal things – which is fine and creative and all that. But at other times it seemed like she was different because she could heal things. The difference is small but it’s a lot in terms of how you look at people with impairments. The overall tone is one of deepest respect and love for Antoinette (and by extension, anyone with differences), as well as understanding of and for her, but that point bothered me a little.

I really liked that Lily also has signs of a disorder – she’s very high-functioning, so as an adult she copes and hides it well – but it’s there all the same and as a child she was always the odd one. I loved that so much. I love that it gave her a means to connect with Antoinette, I love that she didn’t grow out of it or magically become cured by coming home.

Anyway, as far as the story arch goes…it was a beautiful story. It’s not very fast-paced (very in line with small town Kentucky), but it’s lovely. I felt like I was walking the rows of flowers with the characters, and I was sure I could smell lavender bread at one point. The resolution was NOT what I expected though…and I really wasn’t pleased with it. I understand that the book is centered around the idea of unexplained abilities, but up until the very end it was still very believable. The ending was just too convenient for my taste, but if you like happy endings you will enjoy it immensely.

There is a little bit of romance – even a grown-up, mellow version of a love triangle – but it works. It’s sweet and a fireflies-in-July type of warm and fuzzy. It’s believable and not over the top. I didn’t like the way it was wrapped up, particularly…well, I was happy with who ended up together but not how it ALL ended.

Setting/Description :

I grew up in Ohio/Virginia. This little town, the farm, and the people, are as familiar to me as my own name. Stephanie Knipper has done an amazing job last bringing this little place to life. I really felt very, very homesick as I read.

Rating/Thoughts :

I’m giving 4/5 stars. Overall this is a lovely story that I would highly recommend for a rainy afternoon and evening while drinking a cup of tea. There’s nothing drastic in it, nothing scary…it’s a very cozy book, but it still managed to rend my heart. I hope Stephanie Knipper writes more books, I would definitely give anything she wrote a chance.

I really enjoyed this book. In actuality, I picked it for it's cover. I really, really want the marketing poster if anyone has it and wants to give it up. HA! However, it turned out to be an awesome story. I loved the characters and little Antoinette. You can't read this book and not feel something for this little girl. For me, when I leave a story feeling any type of emotion, that's a good book. That's time and money well spent. Thank you Stephanie Knipper for bringing us Antoinette!

And I'm serious about that marketing poster - I NEED it on my gallery wall. I already have Heartbroken by Lisa Unger - it's my colors! HA!!!

Huge thanks to Algonquin Books and Net Galley for my free e-galley in exchange for my honest review. And it is, I'm not just sucking up! I definitely recommend it!

The Peculiar Miracles of Antoinette Martin
(Stephanie Knipper)

I was pleasantly surprised at the direction of this debut.
Rose and Lily Martin were inseparable as children.
The relationship has been fractured by Rose's daughter Antoinette.
Antoinette does not speak, does understand and requires
constant attention.
She's now a deterrent, but could she be instrumental in healing a
fragmented family?

This impresses me as domestic women's fiction woven with magical realism.

4 ★

I do not often enjoy books in the magical realism genre. In my experience, they are rarely written well. The Peculiar Miracles of Antoinette Martin is a happy exception! It is a well-written story with a vivid setting, unique characters, and the perfect balance of magic. I was hooked right from the beginning as the story of the estranged sisters and the unique Antoinette began to unfold. The characters are real, and they grown and change throughout the book. The setting of the commercial flower farm in Kentucky is so vivid you can almost smell the flowers. I really enjoyed it.

What a treat!
Antionette is a young girl, trapped within her confusing body, unable to speak except in her dreams, and confused by her special power. When her mother needs help on their flower farm, she contacts Antoinettes's estranged aunt, who returns with her own issues, to reconnect with Antoinette, her mother and Seth, her one-time love.
As the days pass, Antoinette's gift puts her in more danger, yer males her more determined to find a way to help her mother.

This is a lovely story that will stick with you! I would describe it as a perfect blend of page-turning action and well grounded story telling, with ample character development. You can't read it without thinking about these characters as real people, and that's the greatest compliment one could give the author. The story takes place on a Central Kentucky flower farm. Knipper's prose is as subtle and sweet and delicate as the flowers described throughout. Flowers and gardening are threads that weave through the story, subtly tying the story together, but the story itself, at its core, is one of love for family and friends. What makes it unique, however, is that a special needs child with magical abilities is the mechanism through which other characters find their way toward the love they had always felt for one another. Antoinette simply helped them find it, in her very magical, distinct, unorthodox way. The beauty of the book is that you'll feel the love as though you're actually there alongside the characters, but Knipper deftly takes you there without being syrupy or gratuitous. The icing on the cake, for me, was the manner in which Knipper handled the last few chapters in particular. I loved the ending! There is plenty of heartache throughout, but Knipper leaves the reader with a great sense of hope. I highly recommend this book!

Wow. Knipper is a wizard with words. Her debut novel absorbs you with its sensuous details - you can feel the dirt on your hands, see the fields of flowers rippling with the wind, hear the happy squeals and angry growls of a special child, and smell and taste the fresh lavender bread.

This story has it all.

The hero is a little girl, Antoinette, who makes up in heart what she lacks in body. There's a pair of sisters at odds sorting out their complicated history. There's a jumble of romance, the supernatural, and death. There's even a friendly Alpaca named Frank who will make you smile.

I love Redbud, Kentucky. And I can't wait to experience the next magical world that Knipper creates.

This is the kind of novel that, as it entertains, deepens the reader's insight into the human condition. In this case that means being given a glimpse into the mind of a young girl who is autistic and non-verbal. Lovely, intelligent writing, a surprising plot, and a satisfying ending make this book special.

The Peculiar Miracles of Antoinette Martin: A Novel by Stephanie Knipper

Rose and Lily Martin were very close growing up on a flower farm. But as adults they drifted apart, mostly due to Rose's (Autistic) daughter, Antoinette. But Antoinette is not just Autistic, she has a special ability, the gift of healing people. When Rose becomes ill, she calls upon her sister for help. Reluctantly Lily agrees, she decides to try to make things right with her Sister and Niece.

An emotionally charged story, with attention to dialog. I really got the feel of what Rose, Lily And Antoinette were feeling. All three are likable, especially young Antoinette. Watching how the Lily tries to incorporate herself back into her sisters life was moving. Add the touch of "magic" and The Peculiar Miracles of Antoinette Martin: A Novel became the perfect five-star read. I highly recommend this heart felt read.

*I received this book from LibraryThing in exchange for an honest review

Poignant, passionate, and perfect in it's quiet beauty, this is a book that resonates on so many levels that it is hard to settle on just a few.
This novel is beautifully written, almost lyrically so, as if the songs that Antoinette hears are woven into the very words that tell her family's story. There are no careless misspellings or casual misuse of tenses, just flowing, enriching prose that illuminates the delicacy or strength of the emotions being felt.
The characters are just everyday people, no earthmovers or super heroes among them. It is their hearts and humanity that raise them above the ordinary: their ability to love that makes them unique.
I read voraciously, devouring all types of books, by authors of every interest and skill level. Some are like fluffy cotton candy: fun while they last but then forgotten. Others become entryways into worlds that entrance and are to be revisited with each new volume. Lastly, there are the special ones, those rarities that engage the essence of the reader and don't let go, that are re- read and thought about. This unassuming, quiet, beautiful book has the depth to be that kind of special book. I am so blessed to have stumbled across it.

Stephanie Knipper makes me want to believe that miracles can really happen and at the same time grateful that I don't know anyone who can perform them. The price is too high for those involved.
The secondary miracle is the selflessness of true love. Many people talk about having such love but few are capable of actually giving it.
I have read other books and watched some movies dealing with a similar theme but in them the miracle worker always dies.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It holds Magic in its' lyrical style of writing. The characters are well developed, and each has something to offer. The sorry and meaning of flowers, the language of love and the heroes make this book special.
I have this 5 stars, because this is Ms Knippers first book. I look forward to her next adventure, and style. I felt calm inside as the loose ends were wrapped up beautifully.