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Arcadia

By Lauren Groff
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3.73 goodreads logo

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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Arcadia by Lauren Groff is a lyrical exploration of life in a utopian commune set amidst the lush, Eden-like expanses of New York State in the 1970s. The narrative follows the journey of Bit, a young boy growing up amidst a community striving for harmony and perfection, while navigating the inevitable challenges and realities of life. Through exquisitely detailed prose, the story gracefully transitions from Bit's childhood innocence to the complexities of adult life.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you are intrigued by lyrical storytelling and deep explorations of utopian communities. Set against a backdrop of a commune's rise and fall, it delves into themes of idealism, love, and redemption, offering a richly layered narrative that resonates with both beauty and melancholy.

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FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF FATES AND FURIES

In the fields of western New York State in the 1970s, on the grounds of a decaying mansion called Arcadia House, a few dozen idealists set out to live off the land.

Set on the grounds of a decaying mansion in western New York State in the 1970s an American dream is taking shape

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The New York Times Bestseller

Stunningly sensual and visceral

NEW YORK TIMES

Smart, beautiful . . . paints a lyrical picture

STYLIST

Groff is a sensuous writer

GUARDIAN

In the fields of western New York State in the 1970s, on the grounds of a decaying mansion called Arcadia House, a few dozen idealists set out to live off the land. Abe and Hannah's only child, Bit, is born into the commune soon after its creation. He grows up there, becoming deeply attached to its way of life and everyone within it, in particular the beautiful but troubled Helle. While the commune rises and falls, Bit, too, ages and changes. But when it's time to find a way to live in the world beyond Arcadia, will he be able to let go of the past to forge a new start?

An exquisite tale of idealism and disintegration . . . Utterly absorbing

MARIE CLAIRE

Intricately wrought . . . A powerful pean to the human desire to make the right sort of place live

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Arcadia is stunningly sensual and visceral in describing behaviour straight out of a time capsule . . . A shimmering evocation of the commune's heyday

NEW YORK TIMES

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Lauren Groff's Arcadia is highly praised for its vivid portrayal of a five-year-old's perspective and its deep, emotional narrative. Reviewers commend the novel for its rich characters, exquisite prose, and the author's ability to capture a sense of place. It is described as a lyrical and absorbing tale of idealism, with a captivating style that immerses readers in a unique world. The book is celebrated for its stunning sensuality, fairy-tale clarity, and the exploration of human longing for an ideal living space.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780099537250

Publisher: Cornerstone

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 04 April 2013

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Windmill Books

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 17.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 202g

Pages: 288

Collections

Fiction General Fiction Lauren Groff Literary Fiction Penguin Books

About the Author

Lauren Groff is a three-time National Book Award finalist and the New York Times bestselling author of four novels, The Monsters of Templeton, Arcadia, Fates and Furies and Matrix, and two short story collections, Delicate Edible Birds and Florida. She has won The Story Prize and been a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. Her work regularly appears in the New Yorker, the Atlantic and elsewhere, and she was named one of Granta's 2017 Best Young American Novelists.

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