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Whispers from the Ashes
A coming of age mystery, set in 1950s Pennsylvania as the coal mining industry fades and the area plunges into recession, Whispers from the Ashes follows one family as they struggle with an underground anthracite fire that is creeping toward their home in the mountainside town of Giant's Despair.
Young Molly Branigan, a descendant of the nineteenth century Molly Maguire 'gangsters', paints a subtle picture of crime and punishment as she investigates the secret scandals of previous generations of her family. From a father who rode the rails during the great depression, his hobo friend Magee, her historian mother, and numerous friends and relatives, she slowly garners clues to five mysterious deaths listed in her great-grandfather's hidden diary. While researching the deaths, she struggles with her father's alcoholism, her first crush, and a threatening teenage boy.
Young Molly Branigan, a descendant of the nineteenth century Molly Maguire 'gangsters', paints a subtle picture of crime and punishment as she investigates the secret scandals of previous generations of her family. From a father who rode the rails during the great depression, his hobo friend Magee, her historian mother, and numerous friends and relatives, she slowly garners clues to five mysterious deaths listed in her great-grandfather's hidden diary. While researching the deaths, she struggles with her father's alcoholism, her first crush, and a threatening teenage boy.
417 pages, Nook
First published September 16, 2014
113 people are currently reading
583 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Hester
5 books4 followersOriginally from Pennsylvania, now living in Western Washington, Patricia Hester has served as a Registered Nurse in states from Florida to Alaska. Her debut novel, Whispers from the Ashes, previously titled Giant's Despair, was a semi-finalist in both the 2005 James Jones First Novel Fellowship and the 2009 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. Her story The Light of Life took first prize in Nursing2009's short story contest. Currently Patricia is a substance abuse/mental health nurse in a small county jail. Her most recent novel, Crimson Clover, the first of a series featuring a young woman who is a cross between Mother Theresa and Fanny Hill, is now available on Kindle.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
June 13, 2012
Family history. Family dynamics. Family secrets. All things 13-year-old Molly was fascinated by, curious about, and had a deep desire to know how she fit into this picture. The character development in this book is outstanding, although I had a bit of difficulty getting past the first 100 pages. I wasn't sure where the book was actually headed, but just in the nick of time it caught my interest and I didn't want to put it down. The history involved in "Whispers from the Ashes" is the factual representation of the coal mine fires in Pennsylvania (that still burn today). I knew little to nothing about these fires and I was interested enough that I did some extra research on the subject - eerie and fascinating at the same time. It was also historically accurate regarding the economic hardships these people faced. This book was a nice blend of fact and fiction, with a main character who was easy to identify with and a person worth rooting for! A worthy read.
December 18, 2013
All families have secrets in the past. Molly reads an old diary, goes to the library, and asks lots of questions from older family and friends. Sometimes, you may not want to know the past. I enjoyed the read.
July 20, 2018
Coming of age in the 1950s, family saga in a small mining town in Appalachian Pennsylvania. Molly finds a diary with the recorded deaths of her passed family members. She’s determined to find the secrets to their deaths. But finding the secrets reveals more than she expected.
The story is told through 12 year old Molly whose father is estranged from his family and her mother’s family isn’t free from baggage and secrets, either. Molly’s father is an alcoholic as he fights his own demons and the underground mining fires are threatening their family’s homestead. Molly and her mother are the strength that keeps the family going.
This book is like reading Molly’s journal. It’s an ongoing story with lots of details of her town and daily life with her family. Though it’s a slow reading story, I still turned the pages as I wanted to continue to be a part of the family, in spite of their dysfunction.
For the sensitive reader, there is strong language used throughout. There are no sexual scenes but one mention of a boy exposing himself (not detailed). There’s a passing character who is a transvestite but he is not a main character. There is alcoholism, children taken into state custody and mentions of a character who is a prostitute (no details of her daily activity).
I enjoyed the relationship Molly had with her father. In spite of his upbringing and alcoholism, he was a good father who tried to give his family the life he didn’t have.
The story is told through 12 year old Molly whose father is estranged from his family and her mother’s family isn’t free from baggage and secrets, either. Molly’s father is an alcoholic as he fights his own demons and the underground mining fires are threatening their family’s homestead. Molly and her mother are the strength that keeps the family going.
This book is like reading Molly’s journal. It’s an ongoing story with lots of details of her town and daily life with her family. Though it’s a slow reading story, I still turned the pages as I wanted to continue to be a part of the family, in spite of their dysfunction.
For the sensitive reader, there is strong language used throughout. There are no sexual scenes but one mention of a boy exposing himself (not detailed). There’s a passing character who is a transvestite but he is not a main character. There is alcoholism, children taken into state custody and mentions of a character who is a prostitute (no details of her daily activity).
I enjoyed the relationship Molly had with her father. In spite of his upbringing and alcoholism, he was a good father who tried to give his family the life he didn’t have.
October 12, 2011
3.5 stars
In the 1950s, life is hard for the Pennsylvania mountainside coal community of Giant’s Despair. The community is struggling with economic collapse, as well as dealing with the fumes from an underground coal fire, which is poisoning their trees and their water supply. This story is a snapshot into the life of one family, as told through the eyes of young Molly. She tells of the stress that comes from living in the dying community. Through her, we meet her hard drinking father, her mother who is native to the town, her older brother and sister, her odd assortment of relatives and members of the community. As life goes on, Molly discovers an old diary and sets out to discover more of her family’s history. The more Molly digs, the more she learns, and the more she discovers her family’s history is not exactly what she has been lead to believe…and perhaps how some things should have been left untold.
Ms. Hester writes of a time long past, a simpler time where modern conveniences were rare, and family loyalty is paramount. The community of Giant’s Despair is brought to life in vivid detail, the reader smells the smoke from the underground mine fires and feels the bitter winter and the hope of the oncoming spring. In the beginning of the story, we meet Molly as a young and innocent girl, as the book progresses she grows older and her innocence is slowly lost. She discovers her father is not the big strong man she believes him to be, realizing for the first time he has weaknesses. Like all father/daughter relationships, this moment of innocence lost is devastating. Molly’s parents have a deep love for each other and their children, and throughout the story, this love is tested and holds strong. Molly’s mom is a strong woman; she sees her husband’s faults and still does everything she can to hold her family together. As the book progresses, we learn more about each member of Molly’s immediate and extended family…although, like Molly, we may end up wishing we hadn’t.
Whispers from the Ashes is a book about coming of age; it is a story of a hard life that is not easy to read. As a reviewer, I read have the genres I enjoy, but it is my job to describe a book and tell the reader the highs and lows. I’m not supposed to bring personal feelings into the review. If I usually read and enjoy a certain genre, personal preference is not supposed to come into the review. Unfortunately, I just can’t set those feelings aside for this book. I just don’t read “tough life” type books. Life is hard enough; I read for pleasure and need an occasional spot of sunshine in my books. This book reminded me of a cold, dark, rainy day, with just no sunshine to be seen. I hate to admit I was tempted to abandon the book at times, and it took me a long time to finish reading because I would become either bored or depressed and would set it aside. When it came time to rate the book, I had a hard time deciding on a rating. Was it a well-written book? No doubt about that. Did I enjoy it, I can’t say I liked or disliked it, I just got through it. Bottom line, if you enjoy coming of age books that aren’t sunny and bright, but instead real and gritty, then this book is for you. While not my cup of tea, I can say it was well- written, the characters are all brought to life and the reader does get to feel their pain and little joys.
Member of Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
In the 1950s, life is hard for the Pennsylvania mountainside coal community of Giant’s Despair. The community is struggling with economic collapse, as well as dealing with the fumes from an underground coal fire, which is poisoning their trees and their water supply. This story is a snapshot into the life of one family, as told through the eyes of young Molly. She tells of the stress that comes from living in the dying community. Through her, we meet her hard drinking father, her mother who is native to the town, her older brother and sister, her odd assortment of relatives and members of the community. As life goes on, Molly discovers an old diary and sets out to discover more of her family’s history. The more Molly digs, the more she learns, and the more she discovers her family’s history is not exactly what she has been lead to believe…and perhaps how some things should have been left untold.
Ms. Hester writes of a time long past, a simpler time where modern conveniences were rare, and family loyalty is paramount. The community of Giant’s Despair is brought to life in vivid detail, the reader smells the smoke from the underground mine fires and feels the bitter winter and the hope of the oncoming spring. In the beginning of the story, we meet Molly as a young and innocent girl, as the book progresses she grows older and her innocence is slowly lost. She discovers her father is not the big strong man she believes him to be, realizing for the first time he has weaknesses. Like all father/daughter relationships, this moment of innocence lost is devastating. Molly’s parents have a deep love for each other and their children, and throughout the story, this love is tested and holds strong. Molly’s mom is a strong woman; she sees her husband’s faults and still does everything she can to hold her family together. As the book progresses, we learn more about each member of Molly’s immediate and extended family…although, like Molly, we may end up wishing we hadn’t.
Whispers from the Ashes is a book about coming of age; it is a story of a hard life that is not easy to read. As a reviewer, I read have the genres I enjoy, but it is my job to describe a book and tell the reader the highs and lows. I’m not supposed to bring personal feelings into the review. If I usually read and enjoy a certain genre, personal preference is not supposed to come into the review. Unfortunately, I just can’t set those feelings aside for this book. I just don’t read “tough life” type books. Life is hard enough; I read for pleasure and need an occasional spot of sunshine in my books. This book reminded me of a cold, dark, rainy day, with just no sunshine to be seen. I hate to admit I was tempted to abandon the book at times, and it took me a long time to finish reading because I would become either bored or depressed and would set it aside. When it came time to rate the book, I had a hard time deciding on a rating. Was it a well-written book? No doubt about that. Did I enjoy it, I can’t say I liked or disliked it, I just got through it. Bottom line, if you enjoy coming of age books that aren’t sunny and bright, but instead real and gritty, then this book is for you. While not my cup of tea, I can say it was well- written, the characters are all brought to life and the reader does get to feel their pain and little joys.
Member of Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
January 10, 2012
Well, I have to start my review with saying that at Chapter 7 ( about 15% into the book according to my kindle) I just about abandoned this book. I stopped and read a different book and then came back to it. Glad I did, although, I probably only finished it because I was reading it for a book challenge to read a book about Roughin’ It. I thought this book was going to be more about living near a coal mine, but it actually centered around the secrets of a family.
The book is set in a coal mining town in Pennsylvania, called Giant’s Despair in the 1950’s. It is told from a young girls point of view. Molly is the youngest of three children in a family living in a house they inherited struggling to make ends meet. Although, the story does tell of the struggles living near a coal mine that is burning and affecting the area, it also centers around a diary that Molly finds. She tries to piece together what happened to her mother’s relatives who grew up in that area. As she discovers secret’s of her families history she unveils things that a young girl would be better off not knowing. As her dad told her,some things are better off not known. It’s a book about hardships and a families struggle to rise above poverty and family tragedies.
Though I struggled getting into the book, once it got going I did want to know what was going to happen next or what Molly’s research would unfold. My heart broke for what Molly unveiled and for Molly watching her dad battle his drinking. The book described the struggles of growing up in a mining town in the 1900’s. My interest in the book picked up when Molly found the diary and started to research her family’s history. It’s hard to review this book without giving too much of it a way. I really wanted to love this book like the reviews that are out there, but for me, it was 3.5 stars. I liked it, but I gave it a 3.5 because it didn't grab me from the beginning.
The book is set in a coal mining town in Pennsylvania, called Giant’s Despair in the 1950’s. It is told from a young girls point of view. Molly is the youngest of three children in a family living in a house they inherited struggling to make ends meet. Although, the story does tell of the struggles living near a coal mine that is burning and affecting the area, it also centers around a diary that Molly finds. She tries to piece together what happened to her mother’s relatives who grew up in that area. As she discovers secret’s of her families history she unveils things that a young girl would be better off not knowing. As her dad told her,some things are better off not known. It’s a book about hardships and a families struggle to rise above poverty and family tragedies.
Though I struggled getting into the book, once it got going I did want to know what was going to happen next or what Molly’s research would unfold. My heart broke for what Molly unveiled and for Molly watching her dad battle his drinking. The book described the struggles of growing up in a mining town in the 1900’s. My interest in the book picked up when Molly found the diary and started to research her family’s history. It’s hard to review this book without giving too much of it a way. I really wanted to love this book like the reviews that are out there, but for me, it was 3.5 stars. I liked it, but I gave it a 3.5 because it didn't grab me from the beginning.
July 1, 2012
This was an almost free download ($.99, I think) from Amazon, so I was pleasantly surprised to see how much I enjoyed this novel. It's the early 1950's in the coal mining village of Giant's Despair, near Wilkes-Barre, PA. Mollie Branigan is a curious, intelligent 12 year old when she stumbles upon a diary written by her grandfather, "Old Charlie." She's surprised to discover how many of her relatives died under suspicious circumstances When she starts asking questions, her parents and other relatives evade her questions for the most part. So she begins to research her family history in secret. She haunts the library reading newspaper clippings, and during frequent family gatherings, she listens in on as many conversations as she can. What she eventually finds out, stuns and repels her, and leaves her wishing she hadn't been so curious. This is also a story of Mollie's relationship with her weak-willed alcoholic father, and her strong, no-nonsense mother. It's also a story, based on fact, of a dying coal town, threatened not just by job loss, but also by the growing underground fire. This could have been a depressing story, but it's not. It's a story of a family who learn to live with some terrible secrets, and who don't allow the past to overcome their love for each other.
January 10, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. It is very well written and the author does an amazing job at keeping you very interested in every-day real-life scenarios that the family in the story experiences. They live in a poor, small town in Pennsylvania, that is greatly affected by the mining operations there. There's conflict between the big business coal miners, the government, and the poor every-day worker.
The family that the story centers around is full of interesting people - a hard-working mother, an alcoholic father, teenage children, a vampy aunt, and a whole bunch of crazy to keep track of grandmothers, cousins, etc. The author doesn't elevate or demonize the characters - they are just people and they are real.
The main character, Molly, is a wonderful character - I really liked her! As the story develops, Molly becomes interested in her family history, and uncovers family "skeletons in the closet" that most feel are best left deeply buried.
There are swear words and sexual situations (not many) that occur in this book, but they are not there to shock or titillate. I feel that the author is very careful in the way she uses them to develop the reality of the situations in the book. I was not offended by reading them, but if you're really sensitive to those types of things, this may not be something you'd enjoy reading.
The family that the story centers around is full of interesting people - a hard-working mother, an alcoholic father, teenage children, a vampy aunt, and a whole bunch of crazy to keep track of grandmothers, cousins, etc. The author doesn't elevate or demonize the characters - they are just people and they are real.
The main character, Molly, is a wonderful character - I really liked her! As the story develops, Molly becomes interested in her family history, and uncovers family "skeletons in the closet" that most feel are best left deeply buried.
There are swear words and sexual situations (not many) that occur in this book, but they are not there to shock or titillate. I feel that the author is very careful in the way she uses them to develop the reality of the situations in the book. I was not offended by reading them, but if you're really sensitive to those types of things, this may not be something you'd enjoy reading.
August 17, 2012
Molly finds her grandfather's diary with references to untimely deaths in her family's past along with some odd notations. She sets out on a covert quest to uncover the family history - keeping a secret notebook of her own to record her discoveries. I could so relate to her eavesdropping and questioning! I also connected with her dysfunctional family. It all seemed so real to me. Family members that are never discussed, those who have ended contact with the family, stories that are not told because they are too painful for some to remember, the fighting over who got the house, etc. I think most people can relate to these events. The story is at times amusing as well. My favorite line was when Molly was eavesdropping on her dad and her aunt discussing their childhood - "Now Aunt Maura was not only a sinner, she was a kidnapper too. Aunt Maura was becoming very interesting." There's another part later in the book when there is an issue with her older sister. Molly makes assumptions about what happened because nobody will tell her. Her thinking made me laugh out loud. When her father finds out she is researching the family, he tells her she may not like what she finds - how right he is!
May 21, 2012
This is a pretty good book about the corrosive effect family secrets can have on the family as a collective, and on the individual. Molly, 13, lives with her older brother and sister near a coal mine in a home that has been in the family for some time. Molly finds a diary hidden in a vent in her room. The messages in it seem like they are written in code, and she makes it her mission to find out what they mean. By unearthing pictures, looking up newspaper articles, asking endless questions of neighbors and estranged relatives, and, finally, eavesdropping, Molly discovers the true story of her family's past. When the partial truth is revealed to her, she regrets her incessant digging and chooses to believe that it would have been better to not have known the truth. She is only pacified when she learns the whole truth from the only person who could provide it.
It is an interesting read, and it does pull you in, but there are many holes left open and unresolved in the end. There is also a gap in character development in all characters except Molly, and maybe her father. I would recommend it, but just not very highly.
It is an interesting read, and it does pull you in, but there are many holes left open and unresolved in the end. There is also a gap in character development in all characters except Molly, and maybe her father. I would recommend it, but just not very highly.
September 12, 2012
Molly’s family lives in a coal-mining neighborhood near an underground coal fire that is slowly destroying the town. Her father is a drunk, beleaguered by family secrets that Molly is determined to uncover after she discovers an old diary hidden in her bedroom wall. As the mystery is slowly unraveled, the underground menace creeps ever closer, threatening their home and their lives from without as the secrets and lies threaten to destroy them from within.
Ms Hester has told a poignant heartrending tale. The book is very well written, using beautiful poetic descriptions. Although the story is often sad and depressing, it accurately depicts a previous era and the hardscrabble existence common to coal miners’ families during that time, when profit was king and workers were expendable. Rich with flawed characters, I sometimes had trouble keeping them all straight, but you eventually realize this is common in these small isolated communities, where everyone is related by blood or tied to each other by their shared circumstances. A fabulous book, deserving far more than the five stars I’m allowed to give.
Ms Hester has told a poignant heartrending tale. The book is very well written, using beautiful poetic descriptions. Although the story is often sad and depressing, it accurately depicts a previous era and the hardscrabble existence common to coal miners’ families during that time, when profit was king and workers were expendable. Rich with flawed characters, I sometimes had trouble keeping them all straight, but you eventually realize this is common in these small isolated communities, where everyone is related by blood or tied to each other by their shared circumstances. A fabulous book, deserving far more than the five stars I’m allowed to give.
March 25, 2011
This novel is set in a Pennsylvania coal mining region of Despair in the 1950s, a time when the township is suffering from severe economic hardship and being encroached upon by the polluting coal industry. The story is told from the eyes of Molly Branigan, a young girl brimming with love for her family and an intense curiosity about her family's troubled past. The narrative is poetic, the circumstances of hardship reminiscent of Angela's Ashes. The strong bond between Molly and her alcoholic father is touching, but what differentiates this from others is that the father is not portrayed as the stereotypical alcoholic and violently abusive man, but rather a loving one weak in character, victimized by his addiction to booze, yet trying hard to provide for his family. The mother is portrayed as a strong woman who stands behind her husband and makes tough decisions during extreme family tragedies. This is the type of story you think about for a long time, something that makes you feel lucky in comparison to the life of this brave young girl.
January 18, 2012
Part coming of age story, part mystery; set in a small mining town in Pennsylvania during the 1950's.
While the community is struggling with economic collapse, religious differences, and an encroaching underground mine fire, 12 year Molly finds a hidden family diary, with some mysterious entries. She gets to work with innocent curiosity to uncover the secrets, but her father warns her she might find out things she would rather not know.
There are a few true life events in Pennsylvania history that are highlighted in this boo, including the underground Red Ash Fire which still burns to this day.
I really enjoyed this book; the character of Molly reminded me a lot of Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird. It was interesting to read how mining can affect the environment in and area, and the health of those that live near it. My only complaint was that there were a few unanswered questions at the end; I think it was probably a result of poor editing, not so much that the author left them unanswered on purpose.
While the community is struggling with economic collapse, religious differences, and an encroaching underground mine fire, 12 year Molly finds a hidden family diary, with some mysterious entries. She gets to work with innocent curiosity to uncover the secrets, but her father warns her she might find out things she would rather not know.
There are a few true life events in Pennsylvania history that are highlighted in this boo, including the underground Red Ash Fire which still burns to this day.
I really enjoyed this book; the character of Molly reminded me a lot of Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird. It was interesting to read how mining can affect the environment in and area, and the health of those that live near it. My only complaint was that there were a few unanswered questions at the end; I think it was probably a result of poor editing, not so much that the author left them unanswered on purpose.
July 19, 2012
Via Kindle lending program. I read this partially because it is set in the general proximity to my own novel, Crestmont, but in a time period about which I know little.
This is a debut coming of age story set in 1950s Wilkes Barre, PA. It focuses on the hardships faced because of coal mine fires. Three generations of Molly's family have lived in a home threatened by the fires. Thirteen-year-old Molly unearths secrets long held by her coal-mining family. She solves the mystery by examining diary entries, newspaper clippings and using her vivid imagination.
The novel begins slowly, but soon picks up. It seems historically accurate. Family dysfunction, secrets, poverty and a strong female character you will cheer for combine into a worthwhile read.
Point well made by Molly's father. "Some things are best kept inside. Telling somebody else makes them need to keep a secret, too. Not everybody is good at keeping secrets."
This is a debut coming of age story set in 1950s Wilkes Barre, PA. It focuses on the hardships faced because of coal mine fires. Three generations of Molly's family have lived in a home threatened by the fires. Thirteen-year-old Molly unearths secrets long held by her coal-mining family. She solves the mystery by examining diary entries, newspaper clippings and using her vivid imagination.
The novel begins slowly, but soon picks up. It seems historically accurate. Family dysfunction, secrets, poverty and a strong female character you will cheer for combine into a worthwhile read.
Point well made by Molly's father. "Some things are best kept inside. Telling somebody else makes them need to keep a secret, too. Not everybody is good at keeping secrets."
July 11, 2012
So this was a free read from Amazon prime for Kindle. I love YA literature and this was not a disappointment! A story set in a small coal mining community in rural PA in the 1950s. Could have very easily taken place across the boarder on some of our close VA coal mining communities. The author (and I believe this was a debut novel for her??) carefully weaves together the story of one family who has lived, worked and died in the house for three generations. The families cherished home is threatened by an underground mine fire that has been smoldering for many years. It is also a coming-of-age story of Molly who faces struggles with growing up in rural poverty. Molly discovers a diary hidden purposefully in a vent in the front room of the house. As she tried to piece together the events detailed in the diary, she uncovers secrets her family has tried to keep covered.
February 17, 2012
Pennsylvania coal country, 1955.
A community struggling with economic collapse, religious differences, and an encroaching underground mine fire.
A mysterious entry in a dead man’s diary.
A father with a troubled past.
A daughter's innocent curiosity.
A house filled with secrets.
A debut coming-of-age story that will tug at your heart-strings.
It must be my month for coal mining stories. I really enjoyed this book. The characters were well developed. The circumstances of these peoples lives were difficult and troubled but I was sure that they would be "alright" in the end. The story had a little mystery and a lot of love in it. Borrowed this one from Kindle and wish I owned it so I could lend it to friends.
A community struggling with economic collapse, religious differences, and an encroaching underground mine fire.
A mysterious entry in a dead man’s diary.
A father with a troubled past.
A daughter's innocent curiosity.
A house filled with secrets.
A debut coming-of-age story that will tug at your heart-strings.
It must be my month for coal mining stories. I really enjoyed this book. The characters were well developed. The circumstances of these peoples lives were difficult and troubled but I was sure that they would be "alright" in the end. The story had a little mystery and a lot of love in it. Borrowed this one from Kindle and wish I owned it so I could lend it to friends.
January 15, 2012
I read this only because it's set in Wilkes Barre, my hometown, but the novel disappoints as it lives in all of the stereotypes I grew up in. From the drunken Irish father to the molly Maguires to the lapsed Catholics, just one stereotypical Valley behaviour after another with no allowance for individual growth or individual lives outside stereotypes. so much more happened in this Valley than drunken Irish.
February 7, 2012
Got this book free on my kindle & wasnt sure how good it would be... but it turned out to be very interesting.
A story of a family that hides secrets, all through the eyes of a young lady who is piecing the history together.
I wasnt sure how the story was going to end, wasnt even sure where it was headed, but I was interested in the family dynamics & wanted to make sure the family would be OK in the end...
A story of a family that hides secrets, all through the eyes of a young lady who is piecing the history together.
I wasnt sure how the story was going to end, wasnt even sure where it was headed, but I was interested in the family dynamics & wanted to make sure the family would be OK in the end...
June 20, 2012
It was a decent story, and the author specifically used some great detail. However, it was incredibly difficult to keep the characters straight; the family relationships got quite confusing. Also, there were some details, stories, and loose ends that didn't really seem to contribute to the story. When the book ended, I felt like some problems still weren't dealt with. And I felt like the "mystery" was pretty predictable.
June 27, 2012
I'm sort of between liked it and really liked it. The characters were interesting but some were a little unreal and the plot wasn't hard to figure out. The back story about the coal mines,the mine owners, and the ravaging of the Pennsylvania mountains was really sad and got up my ire! I've seen it as it is....wish I could have seen it before the greed of the mine owners changed the landscape and the lives of all those who lived there.
November 23, 2013
It took several attempts to get through this book. At a quarter way through the book, I would just give up and put it away. On the third attempt I was determined to finish the book. In the end I found that several of the events in the book were unnecessary to the telling of the tale. Some were developed but never really completed. Knowing the setting of the book well, I felt the author did an injustice to the area and the people of the area. I had hoped to like it more.
November 19, 2014
Whispers from the Ashes was a coming of age story taking place in a small coal mining town in Pennsylvania in the 1950s. The family, while they had skeletons in their closets, was truly a warm loving family unit. The close-knit Brannigan family had to deal with a plethora of dysfunctional relatives, but managed to love them all and help them despite their problems. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and its main character, Molly.
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February 25, 2012This was a free download on my Kindle so I thought, what the heck. It sounded interesting. The book promised more than I believe it delivered. The mysteries dragged one, then all of a sudden, everything was answered in one short paragraph and the story ended. It just dragged on but ended very abruptly.
February 25, 2012
I wasn't expecting much from this book, just because I downloaded it as a free ebook. I was pleasantly surprised by what a solid writer she is. I would have liked this book a lot if she had had an editor with a slightly heavier hand, as the first 3/4 of the book is very slow. There are also tons of characters and it's really difficult to keep track of who everyone is and how they are related.
March 8, 2012
I really enjoyed this story, set in the 50s in a coal mining town. The main character, Molly, is a 13 yr old girl who finds an old diary in the house that her grandparents lived in and her mom grew up in. The diary has a few entries that lead Molly to discover more about her family and about herself.
March 23, 2012
This coming of age story takes place in 1950's Pennsylvania Coal country. Its a family saga, with young Molly trying to unravel the secrets of the past generations. Its a gripping story, and I was hooked from the beginning. (in fact I read about it on Amazon, found out my husband had it on his Kindle, and got him to loan it to me to read)
May 25, 2012
I enjoyed reading about the impact of coal on the region. This book also finds a way to illustrate why regulation of the mining industry was so important to implement. The family mystery was really secondary for me. I was more absorbed by the economy and way of life in an area highly dependent on mining.
June 22, 2012
This was a $2.99 special offer from Amazon so I didn't expect too much , but I really enjoyed it. The main characters were so likeable and complex. It was set in a coal mining town in Pa in the 50's and 60's. I could relate to a lot of it because my Dad grew up in a coal mining town in Pa, and told us many stories of his childhood.
This is a good one.
This is a good one.
July 15, 2012
Family secrets are sometimes really ugly. Main character is Molly, around 8-10 years old at the start of the book. Everything that happens is seen through her perspective, so it takes on a slightly gentler, less graphic, twist. Her curiosity helps her piece together a family history that the adults were keeping to themselves. Set in a mining community.
October 9, 2012
Reminiscent of "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" set in the coal mining region of Pennsylvania. I was drawn into Molly's coming of age story, the layers of family life however dysfunctional from alcohol abuse and being part of the hard working poor. I really enjoyed the book. I am reviewing this months after reading which speaks to how well the story and characters stayed with me.
July 17, 2012
A wonderful book centered on a young girl named Molly growing up in coal mining country in Pennsylvania. She discovers a diary and she starts exploring how all her relatives met their demise. She uncovers a great deal of hurt and pain for the adults in the family. Wonderful portrait of this area of the country back in the early 1950s and in particular how the Irish Catholic suffered.
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