kpolhill's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.5
marilynsaul's review against another edition
1.0
Well...I stuck with it. I was determined, despite many negative reviews, to give this book a fair reading. Holman had a bone to pick with fertility drugs and she made her point. But that wasn't the core of this book, which, sadly, just ended up being individuals who, though I started out liking, ended up being singularly unlikable, with August being the single exception. A protestant Priest obsessed with himself and giving out singularly bad advice to people in his role as pastor, advice that benefits only his own self importance in his view as himself as the center of the universe. A strong woman (whom I originally admired) who hasn't the parenting skills of a slug and raises her daughter in a prison designed only to further the mother's self obsession in the guise of protecting her daughter from the world. Then there's poor Manda, talked into taking fertility drugs because her idiot, worthless husband wants a son, and then talked into keeping all eleven embryos at the risk of bearing all eleven damaged rather than saving some to become wholesome survivors; never a thought by anyone of how horrible this is for her own body and spirit, how thoughtless to manufacture through drugs a passel of damaged infants, all the time spouting "God's will" when it is really just modern medicine playing god and the pastor hoping to put their small town on the map and claim fame and fortune. I made it through about 300 pages before I started hating everyone (but August); then did a lot of skipping through way-too-long passages of sermons by the despicable pastor, and Thomas Jefferson quotes and analysis (enough already), finishing, finally, thank goodness, the last 150 pages. I'll pay attention to the other reviewers next time, especially those who said the book is way too long. Oh, my....it is WAY too long!
carlislerose17's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Sexual violence
logophile's review
5.0
Sheri Holman is a new favorite author. She writes about her characters with great compassion, empathy, and humanity, even the most evil ones.
Sheri Holman is a master at creating memorable characters that will stay with you long after you finish the last page. She portrays even her villains with such humanity and compassion that they are always understandable and even sympathetic.
This is a departure from her previous two historical fiction novels, but she paints the community of Three Chimneys, Virginia, in as much detail and vividness as her historical settings.
Sheri Holman is a master at creating memorable characters that will stay with you long after you finish the last page. She portrays even her villains with such humanity and compassion that they are always understandable and even sympathetic.
This is a departure from her previous two historical fiction novels, but she paints the community of Three Chimneys, Virginia, in as much detail and vividness as her historical settings.
anndouglas's review
3.0
An intriguing, multi-layered novel that paints a portrait of life in very small town America. Features an interesting cast of gloriously imperfect characters -- my favorite kind! My only quibble is that the novel sometimes gets bogged down by detail, causing the story to drag. Still, a very well written novel that made for an entertaining weekend of reading.
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