gretel7's review
4.0
I received this from Netgalley.com for a review.
"A timely story of the anger and disaffection tearing apart many communities in this country, S.M. Hulse's Eden Mine is also a beautiful novel of the West, of a deep love for the land, of faith in the face of evil, and of the terrible choices we make for the ones we love. "
The writing is tangible (I could almost smell the fresh Montana air) - the characters and their emotions feel real. Good story, Hulse is now my newest favorite author.
4☆
"A timely story of the anger and disaffection tearing apart many communities in this country, S.M. Hulse's Eden Mine is also a beautiful novel of the West, of a deep love for the land, of faith in the face of evil, and of the terrible choices we make for the ones we love. "
The writing is tangible (I could almost smell the fresh Montana air) - the characters and their emotions feel real. Good story, Hulse is now my newest favorite author.
4☆
lbandoch's review
5.0
I've rarely felt a book nails an ending so wonderfully, and this book is worth every page to get to the end. So often we think of the West as in the past, but S. M. Hulse makes it its own character here. The ideals of individualism at odds with collectivism - the landscape - the sorrows and hard won triumphs. It's a timely tale in that it deals with what happens when we ignore loved ones' real feelings in an attempt to shield ourselves from the truth. The way Hulse writes is so beautiful. I love how Jo's disability comes out a little at a time. This is a wonderfully crafted tale that should absolutely be on your Book Club's TBR list ASAP. There's so much to dissect here, that I doubt even if I wrote for the next hour I could even touch the peak of how this book made me feel and what it made me think.
kateschu's review
5.0
I've been avoiding books with main characters who are white women lately, but this came in the Powell's Indiespensable box just as I was ready for something new. It was anything but a mirror: Jo sees an FBI agent's polished boots as proof that government workers don't understand rural life, is an artist, is paraplegic.
I don't know enough about any of those things to know how realistic the depiction is (esp. her medium,) but I especially appreciated the matter-of-fact acknowledgement of the wheelchair without dwelling on disability -- it is a part of her life and she works around it to the best of her ability. I also thoroughly enjoyed the artist's lens for describing everything from landscapes to expressions.
It's a page turner. It explores faith and trust and loyalty and love. I wanted to commit several beautifully written lines to memory; wish I could quote them for you.
I don't know enough about any of those things to know how realistic the depiction is (esp. her medium,) but I especially appreciated the matter-of-fact acknowledgement of the wheelchair without dwelling on disability -- it is a part of her life and she works around it to the best of her ability. I also thoroughly enjoyed the artist's lens for describing everything from landscapes to expressions.
It's a page turner. It explores faith and trust and loyalty and love. I wanted to commit several beautifully written lines to memory; wish I could quote them for you.
shelfnurturing's review
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
The book had interesting things to say about family, faith and terrorism, but the story and plot were poorly executed. There was way too much telling. The main character explained everything she was thinking and feeling and doing and why. It kept me from connecting emotionally with the characters or the story.
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