A review by bethgiven
Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns
3.0
So this book took me weeks to finish. I think that's saying more about my priorities lately than the book, though, because every time I picked it up I rather liked the story that was told.
The story is a simple one, focusing more on the quirky characters than any real plot. But I like those kind of books, especially when they're well done, like this is. The voice is just perfect; I loved reading the southern colloquialisms that really brought the dialogue to life. And the characters were distinct and fun to read about.
One of the themes I really liked was the gossipy nature of this small town. Everybody was set on judging everyone else, and sometimes the actions of those who didn't fit the mold were an embarrassment to those who did. The climax on this issue came about 2/3 of the way through the book through the offhanded comment from Aunt Carrie, a character so minor she really only had two scenes. But is caused Will to reflect:
"I knew Mama and them were shocked at Aunt Carrie, but she made sense to me. Long as you didn't hurt anybody, why shouldn't you dance if you liked dancing, and marry again if you needed looking after, and go fishing or wear a flowerdy dress if it might lift your grief a little?" (p. 255)
The other theme I liked: the ties of family to one another. The bond between grandfather and grandson was especially nice, and I also enjoyed the changing relationship of Will and his aunt Loma (which bordered on sibling rivalry since they were only five or six years apart).
There was a few mildly sordid scenes toward the end of the book that I found a little uncomfortable -- though I think I was bothered more by the fact that a fourteen-year-old boy was the one overhearing, the one witnessing, the one revealing it to the reader. And when I reached the end of the book, I'm not sure whether the ending was entirely satisfactory (it's not exactly "happy").
But still, on the whole I liked this novel. Worth reading.
The story is a simple one, focusing more on the quirky characters than any real plot. But I like those kind of books, especially when they're well done, like this is. The voice is just perfect; I loved reading the southern colloquialisms that really brought the dialogue to life. And the characters were distinct and fun to read about.
One of the themes I really liked was the gossipy nature of this small town. Everybody was set on judging everyone else, and sometimes the actions of those who didn't fit the mold were an embarrassment to those who did. The climax on this issue came about 2/3 of the way through the book through the offhanded comment from Aunt Carrie, a character so minor she really only had two scenes. But is caused Will to reflect:
"I knew Mama and them were shocked at Aunt Carrie, but she made sense to me. Long as you didn't hurt anybody, why shouldn't you dance if you liked dancing, and marry again if you needed looking after, and go fishing or wear a flowerdy dress if it might lift your grief a little?" (p. 255)
The other theme I liked: the ties of family to one another. The bond between grandfather and grandson was especially nice, and I also enjoyed the changing relationship of Will and his aunt Loma (which bordered on sibling rivalry since they were only five or six years apart).
There was a few mildly sordid scenes toward the end of the book that I found a little uncomfortable -- though I think I was bothered more by the fact that a fourteen-year-old boy was the one overhearing, the one witnessing, the one revealing it to the reader. And when I reached the end of the book, I'm not sure whether the ending was entirely satisfactory (it's not exactly "happy").
But still, on the whole I liked this novel. Worth reading.