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trudy1963's review against another edition
5.0
This book came highly recommended and not only did it meet expectations, it exceeded them. As soon as I read the first page I was hooked. The primary character, Granada, brought you into her world as a slave on the plantation right before the Civil War. What an incredible rollercoaster of feelings for her as she tried to grasp what freedom meant with the help of her mentor Mother Polly. I especially loved the ending which tied everything together.
utahmomreads's review against another edition
5.0
It's been quite some time since I've read a book that I could honestly rate five stars--one that I thoroughly enjoyed; found the characters and plot engaging and the writing beautiful, inspiring and emotional and then could actually recommend to any of my friends.
The Healing by Jonathan Odell is that book.
Granada, a young slave girl and the pampered pet of the grieving mistress, has her eyes opened and her life changed when the master buys Polly Shine, a healer. Polly immediately recognizes that Granada has the gift and Polly sets out to train Granada to take her place on the plantation.
Odell is not simply a good writer, he is a gifted writer. He, like Polly and Granada, have a gift for seeing the human soul and expressing the desires, pains and struggles of each person. In his written note at the end of the book, Odell mentions how pleased he was that after the publishing of his first novel The View from Delphi, that a reviewer thought incorrectly that he was an African American. I chucked at the mistake because several times during the novel, I found myself looking at the cover to verify that the author wasn't actually a woman. This novel is an incredible and beautiful tribute to women and the power of creation of new life. Odell writes about these topics so tenderly and powerfully that it seems simply impossible to believe that he is a man.
I was disappointed at the end of the novel, simply because I had reached the end. I would have liked to read so much more about Polly Shine, Granada and the others who worked the Satterfield plantation. With careful attention to historical detail, The Healing is a compelling novel with strong and memorable characters that will not soon be forgotten.
Read this book.
The Healing by Jonathan Odell is that book.
Granada, a young slave girl and the pampered pet of the grieving mistress, has her eyes opened and her life changed when the master buys Polly Shine, a healer. Polly immediately recognizes that Granada has the gift and Polly sets out to train Granada to take her place on the plantation.
Odell is not simply a good writer, he is a gifted writer. He, like Polly and Granada, have a gift for seeing the human soul and expressing the desires, pains and struggles of each person. In his written note at the end of the book, Odell mentions how pleased he was that after the publishing of his first novel The View from Delphi, that a reviewer thought incorrectly that he was an African American. I chucked at the mistake because several times during the novel, I found myself looking at the cover to verify that the author wasn't actually a woman. This novel is an incredible and beautiful tribute to women and the power of creation of new life. Odell writes about these topics so tenderly and powerfully that it seems simply impossible to believe that he is a man.
I was disappointed at the end of the novel, simply because I had reached the end. I would have liked to read so much more about Polly Shine, Granada and the others who worked the Satterfield plantation. With careful attention to historical detail, The Healing is a compelling novel with strong and memorable characters that will not soon be forgotten.
Read this book.
mfraise05's review against another edition
1.0
I've been working on this book for about three weeks and cannot get through it. I'm calling it quits on page 101 which is a shame because it sounds like a story I would enjoy. However, I can't stand the younger version of the narrator Gran Gran (Granada in her youth) and it's taking far too long for Odell to really get into the meat of Polly Shine's character.
I find the writing lacking in its description of everything save the scenery of the Mississippi Delta and there's been an inability thus far to etch out any distinctive traits in any of the characters - for me, they could all be interchangeable save maybe for the mute little girl that Gran Gran is telling this story to who has just witnessed her mother's death. *shrug* I tried, really, I did.
Side note: I don't know who they paid to write the raving reviews on the back of this novel but they ought to be ashamed of themselves.
"...Odell gives voice to strong women at a time in history when their strength might have been their undoing. This moving story is a must-read for fans of historical fiction."
Rubbish, I say. The women I've encountered so far are as one-dimensional as they come. I didn't know until I gave up on the book that the author was caucasian and I would imagine it's difficult for a white male to write from the voice of black, enslaved, females. That being said, it seems it's the *effort* at sincerity that's making these characters flat and the emotion forced.
I find the writing lacking in its description of everything save the scenery of the Mississippi Delta and there's been an inability thus far to etch out any distinctive traits in any of the characters - for me, they could all be interchangeable save maybe for the mute little girl that Gran Gran is telling this story to who has just witnessed her mother's death. *shrug* I tried, really, I did.
Side note: I don't know who they paid to write the raving reviews on the back of this novel but they ought to be ashamed of themselves.
"...Odell gives voice to strong women at a time in history when their strength might have been their undoing. This moving story is a must-read for fans of historical fiction."
Rubbish, I say. The women I've encountered so far are as one-dimensional as they come. I didn't know until I gave up on the book that the author was caucasian and I would imagine it's difficult for a white male to write from the voice of black, enslaved, females. That being said, it seems it's the *effort* at sincerity that's making these characters flat and the emotion forced.
anneessdee's review against another edition
sad
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.25
maiello13's review against another edition
5.0
From the "Note to the Reader" at the end of the book:
For the first time I saw the whole picture. This is not black history, I thought. This is my history! And I know nothing about it. These people, white and black, and especially the unspoken space between us, made me who I am. Every day as a white man I shape and am shaped by race.
This book blew me away from the very beginning. Gran Gran's voice floated through me like Polly's floated through her. Mr. Odell did a beautiful job of bringing the black midwives stories to life for this young, white, privileged woman. Through Polly's voice he reminded me over and over again that we are all part of a river that leads to God. I will never be able to understand what it's like to be black in America, but this book gave me a glimpse into one person's life. Thank you, Mr. Odell!
For the first time I saw the whole picture. This is not black history, I thought. This is my history! And I know nothing about it. These people, white and black, and especially the unspoken space between us, made me who I am. Every day as a white man I shape and am shaped by race.
This book blew me away from the very beginning. Gran Gran's voice floated through me like Polly's floated through her. Mr. Odell did a beautiful job of bringing the black midwives stories to life for this young, white, privileged woman. Through Polly's voice he reminded me over and over again that we are all part of a river that leads to God. I will never be able to understand what it's like to be black in America, but this book gave me a glimpse into one person's life. Thank you, Mr. Odell!
ginelise's review against another edition
5.0
I can definitely say, The Healing was one of the best books I've read all this year.
somanybookstoread's review against another edition
3.0
This book was slow to get started but I enjoyed it. I'd probably give it four stars if it hadn't been SO slow to grab my interest.
janetll's review against another edition
4.0
I could have lived without the mystical/magical elements, but it's certainly possible the characters involved would have believed them. Aside from that I found this book to be a wonderful description of life on a plantation right before emancipation (with all its terribleness), and it increased my understanding of the situation of freed slaves as well as the white people who had their own burden under slavery. I greatly admire the author's passion for this subject.
trueleahliongirl's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting especially considering the authors background. How does a white man raised in Mississippi write a book from the point of view of a black slave midwife? Amazing. Redeeming.
jillianwolf's review against another edition
5.0
The Healing by Jonathan Odell has been compared to the monster hit “The Help” in that they are both stories about women treated as Slaves in the South. While I liked “The Help,” I was actually really glad the stories read very differently to me. Where “The Help” felt light in many ways to me, “The Healing” was a complex, vivid portrayal of how multi-generational the effects of slavery were in the United States as well as how interconnected the lives of people are in many ways.
Granada is a slave born on a plantation that seems plagued by bad luck. When the plantation’s mistress loses yet another child to death, Granada is brought in as a surrogate child. Years later, Polly Shine, a slave healer, is brought to the plantation to heal the slaves when a disease breaks out and Polly’s arrival brings Granada to her knees and changes how she views her world and herself. How Polly goes about changing life on the plantation is staggering and completely unexpected. The book was compelling and I enjoyed reading it. I found myself bringing it with me everywhere so that I could read it in my downtime. While it does not have the humor of some of the contemporary setting novels of late, the story is well-written and I felt better for having read it. It involved some mystical elements and also some interesting insights into human nature. A thoughtful novel that I could re-read a few times and still not catch everything the author intended.
Granada is a slave born on a plantation that seems plagued by bad luck. When the plantation’s mistress loses yet another child to death, Granada is brought in as a surrogate child. Years later, Polly Shine, a slave healer, is brought to the plantation to heal the slaves when a disease breaks out and Polly’s arrival brings Granada to her knees and changes how she views her world and herself. How Polly goes about changing life on the plantation is staggering and completely unexpected. The book was compelling and I enjoyed reading it. I found myself bringing it with me everywhere so that I could read it in my downtime. While it does not have the humor of some of the contemporary setting novels of late, the story is well-written and I felt better for having read it. It involved some mystical elements and also some interesting insights into human nature. A thoughtful novel that I could re-read a few times and still not catch everything the author intended.