abby_leigh's review against another edition
4.0
I wanted to read this because I have grown up in Kentucky and have heard so much about the snake wielding preachers.
Burns does a great job and keeping you guessing. All in all a really good book and insight into a corner of the world hidden to most of us.
Burns does a great job and keeping you guessing. All in all a really good book and insight into a corner of the world hidden to most of us.
areidj's review against another edition
5.0
“Words kill; words give life, words can be poison or fruit - you choose.”
Reminiscent of Wiley Cash’s writing, SHINER is a debut novel not to be missed. Switching time lines in the middle, we learn the stories of Ivy, Ruby, and Wren - three women who must reconcile what it means to survive in the hidden mountains of West Virginia.
Wren’s father, Briar, handles serpents and claims to hear from God himself, but holds a secret that he’ll do anything to protect.
As Wren discovers the truth about the people she loves, she will have to decide who to love, who to trust, who to become.
One of my favorite fiction reads of 2020 by far- couldn’t turn the pages fast enough!
Reminiscent of Wiley Cash’s writing, SHINER is a debut novel not to be missed. Switching time lines in the middle, we learn the stories of Ivy, Ruby, and Wren - three women who must reconcile what it means to survive in the hidden mountains of West Virginia.
Wren’s father, Briar, handles serpents and claims to hear from God himself, but holds a secret that he’ll do anything to protect.
As Wren discovers the truth about the people she loves, she will have to decide who to love, who to trust, who to become.
One of my favorite fiction reads of 2020 by far- couldn’t turn the pages fast enough!
leahgustafson's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved this one! For me, the best part about this book is the strong women—their fierce friendship, their complexity, strength, and survival instincts. I really appreciated how all these things helped to shape another young woman whose life will be better because of it.
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I really liked the format and the different narrators/perspectives. At first I didn’t like that we don’t hear from each narrator multiple times, but it turned out great in the end. I did, however, flip back and reread specific parts to compare different characters’ perspectives and perceptions. This was fine with a physical book, but if you’re an audio listener, it may be challenging.
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Check out what I’m reading next on Instagram @LeahsLitReview
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I really liked the format and the different narrators/perspectives. At first I didn’t like that we don’t hear from each narrator multiple times, but it turned out great in the end. I did, however, flip back and reread specific parts to compare different characters’ perspectives and perceptions. This was fine with a physical book, but if you’re an audio listener, it may be challenging.
•
Check out what I’m reading next on Instagram @LeahsLitReview
booktraveller4life's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
booksandchow's review against another edition
4.0
So depressing but it totally sucked me in. I loved how the story was told start to finish by one character then it would go back and we’d see it from a new character’s perspective. It’s got everything- murder, rape, incest, abuse… basically all the triggers
lee's review against another edition
5.0
I had actually received an ARC of this book over a year ago and even though, at that time, I had every intention of reading it, life unfortunately got in the way and that was that. It wasn’t until recently, when one of my book clubs chose this for our monthly read, that I remembered about the ARC, so I went and dug it up. I will admit that the slow pace of the story in the beginning turned me off a bit initially, as did the characters, several of whom I found annoying at first with the way they behaved. What drew me in though was the beautiful, immersive writing — almost lyrical in its cadence — and as soon as I started to understand what the author, Amy Jo Burns, was trying to do with the story, I became fully engaged in the lives of these characters, several of whom I grew to love by the end of the story.
Though much of the narrative revolves around Briar Bird, the snake handling preacher who rules the mountaintop with his ‘White Eye’ legend, the heart and soul of the story are actually the “women who give this mountain its splendor” but who get nothing in return — women like Ruby (Briar’s wife), Ivy (Ruby’s best friend), and Wren (Briar and Ruby’s teenage daughter). I love the strong female characters in this story, all of whom have no choice but to forge their own path of survival in a land of men whose power often went unchecked and unchallenged. This is also a story about the complexities of human relationships and how messy and convoluted they can become.
Structure-wise, the narrative is divided into 4 main sections, each told from the perspective of one of the main characters: Wren (the snake handler’s daughter), Ivy (the fearless best friend), Flynn (the moonshiner). Through these segments, we gradually gain insight into the lives of these characters: their triumphs and tragedies, their joys and their heartbreaks, their strengths and their fragilities. Having said that, I thought it was interesting how central of a role Briar played as the instigator of nearly every negative incident, yet we get to hear from every other character except him — whether this was done deliberately or inadvertently, I don’t know, but I feel it was a brilliant move nonetheless, as it gives voice to those who are expected to stay hidden: the wives and daughters living in the mountains of Appalachia, isolated from the outside world, not necessarily by their own choice.
This is the type of book that is difficult to read due to its subject matter, yet at the same time, it’s also an absolutely necessary and worthy read. With its themes of doing the best with the little you have, finding strength in the face of desperation and suffering, survival through sheer determination and grit, the overall tone of the story is melancholic and despondent, yet also hopeful, especially with Wren’s coming of age story and her will to survive in spite of the fates her mother and Ivy suffered.
This is a debut that I highly recommend, one that perhaps takes a little patience to read, but definitely worth the effort. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Received ARC from Riverhead Books via Edelweiss.
Though much of the narrative revolves around Briar Bird, the snake handling preacher who rules the mountaintop with his ‘White Eye’ legend, the heart and soul of the story are actually the “women who give this mountain its splendor” but who get nothing in return — women like Ruby (Briar’s wife), Ivy (Ruby’s best friend), and Wren (Briar and Ruby’s teenage daughter). I love the strong female characters in this story, all of whom have no choice but to forge their own path of survival in a land of men whose power often went unchecked and unchallenged. This is also a story about the complexities of human relationships and how messy and convoluted they can become.
Structure-wise, the narrative is divided into 4 main sections, each told from the perspective of one of the main characters: Wren (the snake handler’s daughter), Ivy (the fearless best friend), Flynn (the moonshiner). Through these segments, we gradually gain insight into the lives of these characters: their triumphs and tragedies, their joys and their heartbreaks, their strengths and their fragilities. Having said that, I thought it was interesting how central of a role Briar played as the instigator of nearly every negative incident, yet we get to hear from every other character except him — whether this was done deliberately or inadvertently, I don’t know, but I feel it was a brilliant move nonetheless, as it gives voice to those who are expected to stay hidden: the wives and daughters living in the mountains of Appalachia, isolated from the outside world, not necessarily by their own choice.
This is the type of book that is difficult to read due to its subject matter, yet at the same time, it’s also an absolutely necessary and worthy read. With its themes of doing the best with the little you have, finding strength in the face of desperation and suffering, survival through sheer determination and grit, the overall tone of the story is melancholic and despondent, yet also hopeful, especially with Wren’s coming of age story and her will to survive in spite of the fates her mother and Ivy suffered.
This is a debut that I highly recommend, one that perhaps takes a little patience to read, but definitely worth the effort. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Received ARC from Riverhead Books via Edelweiss.
awyatt_midbuchanan's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
binxthinx's review against another edition
4.0
For the most part, beautifully written. Sometimes the dialogue sounds pretty unrealistic, but I kinda attributed that to the whole “legend” theme. However, there are some weird, clunky phrases occasionally that jar you out of the flow of the story, but fortunately they don’t happen too often.
Loved the strong mother daughter bond, the idea of knowing and not knowing your parents, gender politics, and strong female friendship. I’m glad the author put in some good male characters so they’re not all horrible selfish assholes (just most!). All I know about this culture is what I’ve read, and she’s from this background, I think, so I’m sure the sexist, abusive elements feel true to her and aren’t just the usual crazy embellishments that “outsiders” attribute to this culture. And I like that she shows the beauty and good that can exist in this culture and level of poverty, because that’s often omitted in stories about rural WV. The ending seems hopeful, although maybe a bit confusing in its implications (or maybe that’s just me). Not a fan of rape as drama and character-defining Worst Thing That Can Happen to a Woman, but at least it’s more implied than described here, and since it’s written by a woman with understanding of the topic, it’s not as off-putting as this trope can be.
Loved the strong mother daughter bond, the idea of knowing and not knowing your parents, gender politics, and strong female friendship. I’m glad the author put in some good male characters so they’re not all horrible selfish assholes (just most!). All I know about this culture is what I’ve read, and she’s from this background, I think, so I’m sure the sexist, abusive elements feel true to her and aren’t just the usual crazy embellishments that “outsiders” attribute to this culture. And I like that she shows the beauty and good that can exist in this culture and level of poverty, because that’s often omitted in stories about rural WV. The ending seems hopeful, although maybe a bit confusing in its implications (or maybe that’s just me). Not a fan of rape as drama and character-defining Worst Thing That Can Happen to a Woman, but at least it’s more implied than described here, and since it’s written by a woman with understanding of the topic, it’s not as off-putting as this trope can be.
wanderlustsleeping's review against another edition
2.0
I stopped reading. Boring. I just have to give up on books set in the middle of nowhere with recluses. They just never can keep my interest.
I would love a plot synopsis of the book though, which I can’t find anywhere! Frustrating!
I would love a plot synopsis of the book though, which I can’t find anywhere! Frustrating!
rubigam's review against another edition
4.0
I want to start by saying that I was not expecting to read the story that I did. It grabs you from the beginning and walks with you through a moment that could possibly be a miracle and untangles the life of its characters.
The glimpse into the lifestyle of moonshining and a man's resolute decision to live by the shiners code, was one of my favorite aspects of the book.
The choices taken, the promises made and secrets kept are what makes this story so unique, powerful and in retrospect so simple.
It is also delightful to read a story with a namesake that is as strong willed and proud as Ruby.
"My mother had never owned a pair of earrings. A name like Ruby is jewelry enough, my mother's mother had told her when she was thirteen and asked for a necklace. A preacher's wife needs no decoration, my father had assured her when she walked down the wedding aisle without a veil."
The glimpse into the lifestyle of moonshining and a man's resolute decision to live by the shiners code, was one of my favorite aspects of the book.
The choices taken, the promises made and secrets kept are what makes this story so unique, powerful and in retrospect so simple.
It is also delightful to read a story with a namesake that is as strong willed and proud as Ruby.
"My mother had never owned a pair of earrings. A name like Ruby is jewelry enough, my mother's mother had told her when she was thirteen and asked for a necklace. A preacher's wife needs no decoration, my father had assured her when she walked down the wedding aisle without a veil."