juicecrew's review
4.0
Good book. Starts a bit slow, but is really thoughtful throughout. Great read.
hmuraski27's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
wheems01's review against another edition
3.0
This was a good book about a depression era family struggling to survive in the dust bowl and hold on to what they have. The father in this story is a gambler and loses more than he can afford to. The women fight to survive his losses and make a life for themselves. It was slow going in parts, but a good read overall.
canadianbookworm's review
4.0
This work is set in Texas in the late 1930s. The Stoddard family is following the man of the house around the state as he chases down work related to the oil fields. When he dies, leaving them with little they retreat to the family home of the mother, Elizabeth and try to make a go of it. With the mother and the three daughters going back to a farm in drought conditions, where they find they owe a great deal in back taxes and have little money and a racehorse as their only assets, they put their heads together and find a way to survive. Leasing out the land, repairing the damaged house, reclearing the fields and finding what work exists brings them both closer together and pushes them apart. They rely on each other and yet annoy each other as well. The girls have different personalities and skills and learn to take advantage of what they have and make the most of it. This is an interesting story of the time and place and well told.
daschneider's review
4.0
Jiles's style was bit too disjointed for me in the first third of the book, but I grew to understand and follow it. I became more and more engaged in the lives of the characters once the family settled on their family farm and the community around them was a bit more fleshed out.
I like historical fiction and thought she was clearly knowledgeable about the Depression in Texas, match horse racing and oil drilling. It took me longer to catch on to the latter two.
I preferred her books, Enemy Women and The Color of Lightning.
I like historical fiction and thought she was clearly knowledgeable about the Depression in Texas, match horse racing and oil drilling. It took me longer to catch on to the latter two.
I preferred her books, Enemy Women and The Color of Lightning.
beccake52c7's review
3.0
I liked this book, but I kept waiting for something...more to happen. The description of life in the TX oil fields and living during the Depression was excellent, but the characters stayed a bit distant. An enjoyable read, but not outstanding.
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