Magic Hour

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars | 38,236 ratings

Price: 21.88

Last update: 01-05-2025


About this item

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Nightingale and The Great Alone comes an incandescent story about the resilience of the human spirit, the triumph of hope, and the meaning of home.

In the rugged Pacific Northwest lies the Olympic National Forest - nearly a million acres of impenetrable darkness and impossible beauty. From deep within this old growth forest, a six-year-old girl appears. Speechless and alone, she offers no clue as to her identity, no hint of her past.

Having retreated to her western Washington hometown after a scandal left her career in ruins, child psychiatrist Dr. Julia Cates is determined to free the extraordinary little girl she calls Alice from a prison of unimaginable fear and isolation. To reach her, Julia must discover the truth about Alice’s past - although doing so requires help from Julia’s estranged sister, a local police officer. The shocking facts of Alice’s life test the limits of Julia’s faith and strength, even as she struggles to make a home for Alice - and for herself.

“One of [Kristin Hannah’s] most compelling and riveting novels.” - Booklist


Top reviews from the United States

Cindy Adair
5.0 out of 5 stars family magic!
Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2024
I love Kristen Hannah’s books - they are all so well researched and well written. Case in point- this book! What happens when a wild preschooler shows up suddenly in a town alone except for a wolf pup companion? The town rallies and supports one of their own - a prominent child psychologist- as she works to communicate and gentle this young girl. This book deals with some very traumatic issues that the author handles respectfully and well.

I read other reviews and I agree the ending was wrapped up a little too quickly and neatly, but since I like complete endings, I was ok with it. This is a story that will stay with me, and the characters are ones I’d like to meet in real life. If you are looking for a dramatic family mystery story, look no further! Good book!
Peter R. Nichols
5.0 out of 5 stars A heart wrenching, lovely story
Reviewed in the United States on November 23, 2024
This was my second Kristin Hannah read, and equally as engaging and deep as my first. She is clearly an exceptionally talented author, from her story lines to her writing to the depth and wisdom of her commentary. There are life lessons to be learned from her characters. And I like the way in which she is able to get inside their insights and emotions. A sample:

“Being a good psychiatrist was like reading a novel at forty. You needed to keep the words at arms length or everything became a blur”
Karen
4.0 out of 5 stars Book Club Read
Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2024
I read this before attending a book club.
It was interesting. I found it hard to believe.
There was an abundance of super handsome men who had been hurt and were looking for love. The women were all beautiful and in need of this kind of hero.
It all ends happily ever after.
Kathy
5.0 out of 5 stars Magic Hour is truly magical.
Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2024
Kristin Hannah hit another home run with this book. Her writing is superb and her character development is amazing. I loved the story and everyone in it.
Ashley Schounard
5.0 out of 5 stars Magic Hour is MAGICAL.
Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2024
This is one of those that I KNOW I’ll reread. My face is wet from crying, this story was incredible.

Kristin Hannah is one of the best writers. She has a way of creating a beautiful story out of a tough situation. I loved every second of this book and want to know what happens 5… 10 years from now.

I know this book will sit with me for a long time and absolutely love the bond between Julie and Alice. I know it’s still fresh but I can’t help but cry just thinking of those two. This story was one of my favorites.

Listened to on Audiobook
BookClub pick
Janet Balhan
5.0 out of 5 stars Kristin Hannah does it again!
Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2024
One is immediately drawn into the life of a little girl that some think was a child of the wild and the somewhat broken psychologist who is given the task of finding out the child's identity. Family strife, love interests and a mystery made this book very enjoyable!
Stephanie
4.0 out of 5 stars Good, too tied up in ribbons at the end
Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2024
Well written sentence by sentence. Good command of the English language and almost a good story. It was too pat, too predictable. Some of the behaviors of the characters did not ring true. Spoiler alert. Alice's father would not have taken her home after watching the tapes. Nor we he have stayed out of her life after that. Given what we were led to believe about his feelings for the child, he would have arranged visitation. That would not have hurt Alice at all if he never took her home. Next, Ellie was way to dense about Cal. Lastly, I did not like the epilogue, the quick perfect moments for EVERYONE. Too sugary. We could have left the story with them still working it out. I loved all of the scenes with Alice. I liked that they learned her story. I loved her teaching/ therapy.
Val Mills
5.0 out of 5 stars Writing Magic!
Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2024
Writing Magic, that’s what Kristen Hannah does. I know her, mostly,from her more recent books and her superb writing, compelling characters, and creative plots that have drawn me in to eternal fandom. I’ve decided to go back and read every single thing she’s written. This story about a young child kidnapped, shackled and living in a remote forest, with wolves and other wild animals as her only companions is tragic, but an ultimately triumphant experience of the power of the human spirit to survive the unthinkable, and then finally thrive under the loving guidance of a loving and trustworthy adult. Little Alice, the “wild girl”, was so astutely created and developed, as was her progression through the pains, sorrows and fears toward the slow revelation that the world could possibly be a good place, and she might be a “good girl”. We saw the progression and growth of every character in this novel. Ten stars in my eyes!

Best Sellers in

 
 

Exodus: The Ravenhood, Book 2

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 40755
29.66
 
 

The Coworker

4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 74479
23.54
 
 

California Bear: A Novel

4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 207
19.1
 
 

Jurassic Park: A Novel

4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 27610
19.1
 
 

Forbidden King: Magnolia Falls, Book 3

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1698
17.46
 
 

A Long Time Dead: A D.I. Duncan McAdam Mystery (The Misty Isle, Book 1)

4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 18569
21.83
 
 

Keep It in the Family

4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 40193
21.88
 
 

Stuart Woods' Smolder: A Stone Barrington Novel, Book 65

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 4245
15.75