(7.5) This story follows the lives of Poppy and Lukas raised in a commune on the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand. The Gaialands philosophy meant that they were unaware which of the adults were their parents as the adults believed that the rearing of the children was a shared responsibility. However the impending relationship between two siblings forced the revelation. Follow the sudden disappearance of the youngest member, the other young people left to pursue their own futures. Poppy and Lukas remain together as Lukas follows his dream of becoming a successful member of a rock band. But are they prepared for the impact of this life on their relationship and how accurate is the prediction about their futures?
I enjoyed the setting of this book, as I live just south of the Coromandel Peninsula. The time frame was also similar to my own, however the characters experiences of this period were vastly different to my own. I was interested in their alternative version but overall a lighter read. ( )

So, truth be told, I'm still not entirely sure where I stand with The Predictions. When I saw the synopsis, the word "commune" jumped out at me. I've always had a fascination with communes and cults. Obviously they aren't the same thing, but the simple idea of living together with so many other people, of relying on all those people, fascinates me. What is it like? I hoped this book might tell me.

Now, and this is entirely my fault, I didn't quite grasp the fact that Bianca Zander's book focused on a New Zealand commune in the 1970's. Not only was I out of my element in terms of the era, but some of the wording caught me off guard too. It took me almost 50 pages to finally sink into Poppy's world. To see the commune as more than just a group of strangers. I found myself with that weird dilemma of not exactly feeling connected, but still wanting desperately to try.

That being said, once Poppy left the commune and fled to London I was thrilled. This was the portion of the book that I really enjoyed. Watching her come into her own. Following her as she would seek out love, make mistakes, and just live her life. Zander did a great job weaving together Poppy's past and present. It was a wonderful reminder that we never truly leave our old selves behind.

While the ending wasn't as satisfying as I would have liked, overall The Predictions ended up being a solid read. I'd never read a book like this before. The concepts of communal breastfeeding, and public nudity made this an interesting ride for me. I like pushing against those comfortable reading walls I hide in sometimes though, and so I'm glad I gave this a shot. ( )

Poppy is one of 7 children raised on a vegan commune, off the grid, in a valley of New Zealand. It’s a wilderness encampment of hard work survival. When, while cleaning a pig pen, a gypsy-style wagon and its towing car crash into their toils, life’s course is set to change. Shakti is unlike anything they have seen, tho already aquatinted with their leader, Hunter.

Hailing from Berkeley, but deeply rooted in commune life, Shakti brings excitement to Poppy’s doldrum life. When Poppy finds a tarot card of the lovers on Shakti’s caravan porch, a confused read is given.

Soon, Shakti is hosting self-care and (ala Annie Sprinkle) public cervix announcements via show & tell in sequestered women meetings. Then the night of “the predictions” comes and life changes. More so for Poppy & Lukas than the rest.

Leaving the commune, they wind up slumming in London, Lukas in search of a profession of musician, Poppy for her predicted king of love. A 3 year separation brings changes that quickly fall to the wayside when they happen upon each other again, more secure and on to better things. But the draw is persistent and undenied.

Lukas winds up in a very successful band, Poppy winds up pregnant. They wed, but see little of each other while he tours. And it is on one of these tours that Poppy realizes the inevitable life they lead and leaves to go back home just after she arrived to join him.

Back at the commune, secrets are found, shared and extracted. Revelations are made and acted upon and I got the ending I hoped for with entrenched emotions for the main characters. A well written, character driven read that should please most every reader. I’ve even learned a few new phrases, so double delight. ( )

This is the story of a small group of people living in a commune in New Zealand beginning in 1978, with the story continuing through 1989. It is told in first person by one of the children of the commune, Poppy, telling about what it is like to live in the commune and how she and the six other children were raised. Which seemed to be fine until a visiting hippie woman came in and gave all the children a "Prediction" of each of their futures. Unfortunately these predictions played a negative part in the rest of their lives.
My Opinion: I enjoyed this book, it caught me right up in the story of the commune living, and the way it was written kept me wanting to read more. However, in the end I really wanted it to have had a little more drama or mystery or....something. It was good, but not quite good enough. It is a book that I think I will remember because I didn't know too much about day-to-day commune living and I liked learning about that. But I don't know if I will always remember how the book ended. ( )

*** I RECEIVED THIS BOOK FREE FROM GOODREADS FIRSTREADS ***

I was hesitant to start this book because I wasn't sure I could get into the whole commune thing. I surprised myself. It only took me a day to read it because it completely sucked me in. This book is beautifully written and the characters are easy to like/dislike. I loved Poppy's story and was happy it ended the way it did. Looking forward to reading more from this author. ( )