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frostap's review against another edition
4.0
Lovely writing from a Kentucky author. Reminded me a bit of Wendell Berry. Very real characters. Highly recommend.
marcieqc's review against another edition
reflective
medium-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
4.5
libraryladys's review against another edition
1.0
This was a depressing book :( I was unclear as to the time period the author was writing in. The characters were not sympathetic and although they remain together at the book's end, I couldn't understand why.
afterwordrag's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
hjfritz27's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-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
4.5
amywoolsey_93's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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? No
4.75
desirosie's review
4.0
It is hard to say that I "enjoyed" this book, because it was so heavy; so fraught with sadness. (I'm relieved it was a relatively short book; I could not have borne it if it was a tome.) Nevertheless, it was exceptionally well-written and well-done.
Of particular interest to me was the nature of grief(s) -- Orren's is recent, fresh, and brutal and it has fundamentally changed him; he has no lightness, no relief, but he is determined. Aloma's grief is so long ago, she denies it, and its conceivable, when she says it does not bear upon her that she speaks the truth as she can know it, but it is there in her longing, her anger, and in her indecisiveness.
One thing that struck me was the isolation of the story in relation to time and geography, and it reminded me of McCarthy's "Outer Darkness" (which I forgot to track and was completely and totally bonkers). The "outside world" exists only in a nominal fashion (Orren has been to Lexington and Aloma dreams of playing the piano somewhere "out East") and Aloma in particular is hemmed in by the mountains and their narrow spaces. We are given some clues as to the time, but it leaves us guessing, and I would not be surprised if I were told it was much more contemporary than it seems. I have spent some time in places like this in rural Kentucky/SW Virginia/Tennessee and rural Kentucky is where my mother's people were from (for close to 200 years). It was a world apart for a very long time.
I don't know how to feel about the ending...it was the type of ending where I wanted it to be different; I wanted everyone to make different choices, but I also knew, when I turned the last page, that they *couldn't* make any other choices; it had to be that way.
Of particular interest to me was the nature of grief(s) -- Orren's is recent, fresh, and brutal and it has fundamentally changed him; he has no lightness, no relief, but he is determined. Aloma's grief is so long ago, she denies it, and its conceivable, when she says it does not bear upon her that she speaks the truth as she can know it, but it is there in her longing, her anger, and in her indecisiveness.
One thing that struck me was the isolation of the story in relation to time and geography, and it reminded me of McCarthy's "Outer Darkness" (which I forgot to track and was completely and totally bonkers). The "outside world" exists only in a nominal fashion (Orren has been to Lexington and Aloma dreams of playing the piano somewhere "out East") and Aloma in particular is hemmed in by the mountains and their narrow spaces. We are given some clues as to the time, but it leaves us guessing, and I would not be surprised if I were told it was much more contemporary than it seems. I have spent some time in places like this in rural Kentucky/SW Virginia/Tennessee and rural Kentucky is where my mother's people were from (for close to 200 years). It was a world apart for a very long time.
I don't know how to feel about the ending...it was the type of ending where I wanted it to be different; I wanted everyone to make different choices, but I also knew, when I turned the last page, that they *couldn't* make any other choices; it had to be that way.
rachelwhite11's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.75
katejones's review against another edition
2.0
The book supposedly takes place in 1984, but it seemed to be well before that.
Everyone is very self absorbed.
Aloma and Orren move to farm where Orren grew up after his family apparently dies in some horrible accident
(and unless my audiobook was abridged they didn't really explain in much detail what happened, other than they died).
Aloma plays piano (but somehow won't just get someone to tune the old one in Orren's house..), and it takes her a long time to adjust to the move.
She plays for the church to earn some money, and mainly to flirt with Bell.
And then in the end she marries Orren after all and settles for the same 'blah' life she's had on the farm since the move.
Not much happened in between, so for me the book was a bit long.
The book is written from Aloma's point of view and none of the other characters grow beyond their name and occasionally what they're doing (eg, Orren works hard).
Everyone is very self absorbed.
Aloma and Orren move to farm where Orren grew up after his family apparently dies in some horrible accident
(and unless my audiobook was abridged they didn't really explain in much detail what happened, other than they died).
Aloma plays piano (but somehow won't just get someone to tune the old one in Orren's house..), and it takes her a long time to adjust to the move.
She plays for the church to earn some money, and mainly to flirt with Bell.
And then in the end she marries Orren after all and settles for the same 'blah' life she's had on the farm since the move.
Not much happened in between, so for me the book was a bit long.
The book is written from Aloma's point of view and none of the other characters grow beyond their name and occasionally what they're doing (eg, Orren works hard).