babblinglib's review against another edition
5.0
There is something special when the setting (in this case the haunting plains of Montana) become as much of a character as those family that inhabits it. A good mystery made great by the connections between the people and land they lived and died for.
bellaroobookworm's review against another edition
5.0
This was stunning. A little bit of Willa Cather's wide-open-sky, a dash of Agatha Cristie who-dunnit, a raw romance, family bonds....and the unique flavor of la Seur's writing. This is one to be treasured.
cook_memorial_public_library's review against another edition
3.0
Recommended by Becky K.
Check our catalog: http://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__Shome%20place%20la%20seur__Orightresult__U?lang=eng&suite=gold
Check our catalog: http://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__Shome%20place%20la%20seur__Orightresult__U?lang=eng&suite=gold
iriel_m's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
beccann253's review against another edition
3.0
(Audiobook). This book was very slow going for me. The plot felt a little unfinished and the characters just didn’t seem to have much motivation to justify anything they did. Well written, just not my favorite story.
elvenavari's review against another edition
2.0
While the descriptions of the town are very well done, the main character (Alma) and others come across as flat and rather emotionless, some more than others. For me, if I don't have a character to root for, I get bored. And I was so bored reading this.
rdebner's review against another edition
4.0
A story about family, home, a sense of place, and survival. It's a love letter to the West, and a story about re-evaluating one's priorities. It's a story about families and their secrets, and what one would do to protect the things that mean most to them.
beckylej's review against another edition
4.0
It's the kind of phone call no one ever wants to receive: Alma's sister, Vicky, is dead. It's been five years since Alma last saw Vicky. Five years since she was last home in Billings, Montana. Vicky's life hasn't been easy - the three siblings (Pete, Alma, and Vicky) - lost their parents when Vicky was just twelve. Pete was a military man with a drinking problem and Alma, at seventeen, couldn't handle taking care of the family. It fell to their aunt and uncle to raise Vicky. When she got pregnant at sixteen she left their home to live with her boyfriend and has struggled ever since. Drugs, alcohol, money problems... but when the police suggest her death might not be an accident after all, Alma begins to wonder what else Vicky might have gotten herself into after all this time.
From the very beginning I have to say that Carrie La Seur evokes a very distinct and impressive sense of place. The people, their history and heritage, their lifestyles, all of this is laid out smoothly in Alma's narration. We learn early on about her family's ties to the land, how they got to Montana and what the home place means to them.
We also see the struggles these families face. Lots of drinking, worries about living off the land, coping with the changing times... Alma is at once admired and looked down on for leaving her family behind, breaking out of Montana and making a life for herself. Her own guilt is something that weighs heavy on her.
Much of the story is focused on Alma learning the truth about Vicky's death but this isn't really a mystery. Instead the mystery is an element in a larger story about family. The Home Place is a really fabulous book - an amazing debut, to be quite honest. La Seur writes with an assurance that's unusual for a first novel. This is definitely one I'd highly recommend - and one I'd suggest savoring rather than speeding through.
From the very beginning I have to say that Carrie La Seur evokes a very distinct and impressive sense of place. The people, their history and heritage, their lifestyles, all of this is laid out smoothly in Alma's narration. We learn early on about her family's ties to the land, how they got to Montana and what the home place means to them.
We also see the struggles these families face. Lots of drinking, worries about living off the land, coping with the changing times... Alma is at once admired and looked down on for leaving her family behind, breaking out of Montana and making a life for herself. Her own guilt is something that weighs heavy on her.
Much of the story is focused on Alma learning the truth about Vicky's death but this isn't really a mystery. Instead the mystery is an element in a larger story about family. The Home Place is a really fabulous book - an amazing debut, to be quite honest. La Seur writes with an assurance that's unusual for a first novel. This is definitely one I'd highly recommend - and one I'd suggest savoring rather than speeding through.
timetoread_more2022's review against another edition
4.0
Loved so much of this book - wanted more! Wanted to know the backstory of Ray, the policeman; wanted to know more about the life of Pete (things that were only hinted at), and also about Chance's life. Carrie - write a pre-quel!
heather62's review against another edition
3.0
Well written but it honestly held no surprises for me.