Winnemucca, a small-town fairy tale

by Laura A.H. Elliott

When fear's as blind as love, how far would you go to find your own happily ever after? One mistake will change Ginny's life forever. One answer will set her free. Once upon a time Ginny's road blood ripened, the day she got wise to love. Engaged to the high school quarterback, his quarter-carat ring and enchanting smile should have been enough for her. But, she stands him up and takes a walk where every step questions her happily ever after gone-bad and the fate of the mother she never knew. The mother her father refuses to talk about. Ginny fights to untangle her big, fat, lie-of-a-life on an enchanted road trip to Winnemucca, where she believes all her answers lie. To solve the riddle of her past, she must outrun everyone who wants a piece of her future-including a man determined to see she never has one. BONUS SNEAK PEEK: CH 1 -3 of 13 on Halloween about a girl's birthday wish turning into her nightmare.

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Contemporary

222 pages, Paperback

First published July 9, 2011

About the author

As a teenager, Laura’s love of story began in the Amazon where she water-skied with piranhas while learning about head hunters. A ghostwriter of best-selling, award-winning books and screenplays, she lives at the beach in Santa Cruz, CA, with her husband, near
her daughters and grandchildren. Her search for the truth, wherever it leads, calls her on many adventures. Some come in heartbeats and others in decades. Dear Laura, A Lost Chapter of WWII: An Father-Daughter Adventure of Courage, Faith & Freedom is my first memoir. For more about Laura, visit laurasmagicday.com.

Reviews

[Bonnie Raz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weird.

[Frederick Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

With the best books, you pick them up, and you know after a few sentences, this is going to be a good one. Laura Elliott's YA book Winnemucca is pure poetry. Adults will devour this book as much as any younger readers. I found myself slowing down to breathe in the beauty of the words, sometimes reading aloud, to better try and catch the rhythms of the beautiful and unique back-country voice of this narrator, Virginia Mae Nolyn:

"When the convict slipped back into the circular crowd, I grabbed a handful of San Joaquin soil and swirled the fingers of my free hand in the little mound of dirt in my palm. I touched my soil-stained fingers to my heart and became a Child of the Road."

The story is not complicated, but Virginia Mae's stubborn mind sure is. Running away from her own impending marriage, she has found out that the thing she hates the most is to be managed. She is learning to listen to the impulses that "bubble up inside" and continually reminds herself, especially when the going gets tough, "One foot in front of the other."

Her birth-mother is in Winnemucca, so Ginny is not just running away from something. She is on a quest to find her mother and connect, for the first time. To claim the things that have been denied her. She takes us with her on her harrowing, sometimes dangerous, always breathtaking road-trip, allowing the reader to eavesdrop on every moment of the gorgeously conflicted consciousness of a seventeen-year-old rebel.

There is irony in the fact that the largest employer in her hometown is a federal prison, and half the town population lives within its walls. At one point, Ginny stands just outside the prison fence, looking in: "A convict paused inside the chain-link with his hands on his hips. I let go of the prison sign, dropped to my feet and stood ramrod straight, as different from the wimpy oats as possible. We stared at each other. Him in his prison. Me in mine. We both knew what kept us walking in circles." The writing is self-assured, powerful, and poetic.

Her journey to Winnemucca is Ginny's road to self-discovery, out of her own personal prison of ignorance and self-delusion. From her website I saw that Laura Elliot has another book coming out in a few months. I predict a wide following for this author if the next book is anywhere near as good as Winnemucca. Winnemucca is a newborn classic.

[Courtney Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will admit that when I picked Winnemucca up tonight to read it, I was tired and not really in the mood to read, which is unusual for me. However, it wasn't long before Ms. Elliott's poetic writing had drawn me in and captivated me completely. I quickly knew that I was in for the long haul, so I ran a bubble bath and poured a glass of wine and settled in for the ride.

And what a ride it was! Ms. Elliott has created a main character in Ginny that makes you root for her so completely that when something bad happens (and spoiler alter: bad things do happen), you ache for her- you root for her to land on her feet, to fight harder. And Ginny is a fighter- something that I love in a YA main character. There is no whiny, push-over, mopey girl here in Ginny. No way. She's totally kick-ace.

Winnemucca is more than a coming-of-age story. It's a tale of a girl from a small town who wants- NEEDS- to discover her true self, to come into her own rather than fall into a pre-cut mold of who others think she should be.

This is a novel that is so poetic that it practically reads like a song. The metaphors and descriptions that Elliott uses are a treat and the storyline is both age-old and unique at the same time. I love this book. I love the writing in this book. I highly recommend it to anyone- young and old alike. Seriously- go read it. You'll be happy you did.

[Abbi Glines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Winnemucca is one of the most beautifully written YA novels I've ever read. Ms. Eilliot's voice is unique. It keeps you captivated and makes putting Winnemucca down, impossible.
Ginny is the main character and in so many ways the reader can relate to her life. Everyone in her life knows what is best for her and they don't care what Ginny wants. Like so many of us Ginny has to find the courage to fight for her dreams, her desires, and the guy she loves. The story begins with Ginny walking down a dusty road confused and scared of the future that is being mapped out for her by her family and boyfriend. Everyone believes she is living the perfect life but it isn't what Ginny wants. She is unhappy and lost. Needing to get away from a horrible mistake and wanting to find the mother she has never known Ginny sets out on an adventure that will have you crying, cheering and laughing while you read how one young girl fights for her choices in life instead of just sitting back and accepting fate.

[Rachel Coles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Winnemucca by Laura Elliot is a powerful re-telling of one of the most ancient of stories: The journey of a strong girl to womanhood in a hard, desolate place. While this story has been told a million times throughout history, Laura Elliot re-frames it not only by placing it in contemporary, western-rural America, but by telling it from the point of view of a girl from a rural population historically ignored. The story is boldly told in poetic prose that I have not read since the writers of an older age. The tone of the story is set through the voice of the girl runaway before she has even realized her own talents, and is spoken with 'the sound truth makes being said', as Ray Bradbury once coined the term. Emerging from a sea of derivative and formulaic novels, Winnemucca is a fresh view of a world that is at once savage and beautiful, crushing and hopeful, and above all, brings magic back to ancient storytelling by bringing our attention back to the little things that matter, and the shifting nature of perception and reality alike.

[M. Leighton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Doesn’t everybody want to find that magical place in life that’s uniquely their own? That place that feels so right that it resonates truth somewhere deep down in our soul? Well so does Ginny, only every detail of her life has been planned by others and all with very little thought to what feels right to her.

Laura Elliott takes us on a journey of self-discovery as told through the amazingly profound introspection of a young girl as she finds wisdom, truth, and happiness in a life that’s much more magical than anything she ever could’ve anticipated. Elliott’s voice is so unique and captivating, her turn of phrase so poetic and delightful, that it makes this story seem mystical and transcendent in a way that I’ve not read before. I look forward to her future works to see what philosophical gems and charming use of language she might enchant me with next.

[Sophie Nicholls · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this tale of the 'ripening' of Ginny's 'road blood' and her journey to define herself.

It's beautifully written and I couldn't stop reading.

I think Ginny has a lot in common with the heroine of my novella, 'Ruby Slippers.' A fabulous YA read and I've recommended it to one of my stepdaughters.

[Heather Jackson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ummmm...what the heck was that?? This book was incredibly disjointed for the first 2/3 and I couldn't tell if the main character was insane or if the writing was supposed to be like that. It was very odd. It came together a bit better in the final 1/3 of the book, but I just found this to be overall very weird. A fairy tale? Not really.

[Patti Larsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was sucked into Ginny's world the moment the book opened and followed every step she took, one foot in front of the other, right to the end, cheering her on, feeling her pain, scared for her even as I wanted her to learn to fly. I really loved this book--well done.

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

“One foot in front of the other.”



Seventeen year old Virginia Mae Nolyn has the perfect life – good grades, loving family, and an engagement to her handsome, All-American boyfriend. However, weeks before her wedding, Ginny realizes that the future that’s been laid out before her is not the one she wants. She feels as though her life has been managed to the last detail by everyone but her. In a single moment of magical awakening, the road beckons her to leave her empty future behind and urges her feet toward Winnemucca and the mother she’s never known. Ginny sets out on an enchanted journey filled with Johnny Cash fairy-godfathers, magical semis, mariachis, sequins, música, boys with tattoos, and narrow escapes from the law. Will she make it to Winnemucca to find answers to the mysteries of her past, discover who she is and determine what her future holds?



I have to admit, it took me a little while to grow accustomed to Elliott’s uniquely descriptive and thought-provoking writing style, as it is so different from the books I normally read. But the further I dove into Winnemucca the more charming I found it. Using one-of-a-kind descriptors to create a very poetic view of the world, Elliott gives Ginny a voice that’s powerful, musical and all her own.



The book is largely introspective as Ginny, our first person narrator and tour guide, takes us on a journey through her doubts, her epiphanies, her discovery of the enchanted, and even the mundane. As this book is about a realization of self, Ginny is a bit lost, wandering and at times floundering, throughout the book. Elliot does an admirable job of demonstrating this not only through Ginny’s internal dialogue, but also through her writing style. The prose while incredibly descriptive at times is a bit vague, allows one to read-between-the-lines, rambles a bit, and yet is interspersed with moments of incredible clarity and profundity. I don’t think this is indicative of anything wanting in the writing style, but as I stated previously, a beautiful synchronization with Ginny’s mentality throughout the story. There were so many poignant quotes and moments, so many truisms sprinkled throughout this book that gave me pause, made me think and appreciate Elliott’s insights into life and human behavior.



Winnemucca took me on many twists and turns, kept me on my toes as Ginny journeyed toward her answers, and never quite went where I was expecting. But aren’t the best road trips created by embracing the unexpected and the unknown? This book is a wonderful reminder that it’s not only about the destination, but rather the journey — the discoveries, tragedies, victories, and the magic that happens along the road to our own Winnemuccas — that makes life worthwhile.

[Valerie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Source: Author provided digital copy in exchange for a fair and honest review

My summary:

Ginny is about to turn eighteen. Ginny is about to marry the high school quarterback, Bobby. Ginny is having issues with her feet. Mostly her feet are wondering everywhere except where they are supposed to, walking away from commitments that no one in her small town would walk away from. Now she has to try and figure out if her empty bag of dreams is more important than doing what’s expected of her, from everyone who keeps trying to run her life. Her journey to figure out her life happens on the road trip to Winnemucca. Does that place hold the answers to her road blood ripening? Is there such a thing as prince charming and happily ever after? Ginny’s gonna find out.

My thoughts:




2 stars – not my taste

So I struggled with this book. It’s like nothing I’ve ever read before. It’s a fairy tale. It’s a small town story. It’s a coming of age story.

I didn’t enjoy it.

I wondered a lot about why I didn’t enjoy it while I was reading it. A lot of other people have read this book and loved it. So, I kept asking myself, what is about this story that I don’t like? I think the most important thing I came up with was that I never got attached to Ginny. I didn’t like her and because of that her story just didn’t interest me.

The tale itself is intricately woven among many different shorter stories. The journey that Ginny takes has many stops. Each one has a new cast and a subplot with twists and turns but each one also contributes to the whole story. It takes a brilliant writer to weave those together into one great whole. I admire the writing that went into this story, well done. But in the end, I just didn’t care what happened to Ginny.

I guess I don’t feel like I can recommend this book one way of the other. It wasn’t for me, but it may be for you. I don’t know.

[Cheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Winnemucca is a dreamy, intense journey and coming of age for Ginny. As the reader follows that journey with her, we learn powerful lessons about life and love and the importance of following our feet, wherever they may lead. For Ginny, her restless feet lead her to danger and fear but also to love and answers to her past. Author Laura Elliott's writing voice is very unique. She had me at the first line. There is a lyrical, almost poetic style to her prose, and it lulls you into a dream state as you walk alongside Ginny and root for her to make it through her tribulations unscathed.

I highly recommend this book for those who adore coming-of-age stories, strong heroines, and literary fiction.

[Suzy Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laura Elliott had me from the very beginning of this book. It's enchanting, beautiful, heart-wrenching... a real modern day fairy tale. Everything about it just shouts 'masterpiece'. It's the kind of book that young adults all over the world ought to be reading in college. Yes, it really did have that much of an effect on me. I'd put this up there with The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (one of my all time favourite reads), because simply put, I could read Winnemucca, a small town fairy tale, again and again. As I'm sure I will. I read the ebook version, but I'll certainly be buying it in paperback too so I can cherish it exactly as it deserves to be cherished.
An absolute masterpiece!
Suzy Turner
YA Author

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was too amazing to put down.

It kept me up one night for hours, I was pulled into the story like hot glue on a shiny jewel being attached to a sombrero. I was stuck.

The reason I gave it four stars instead of 5 was because I cheated; three-quarters of the way through reading I had to jump to the end and read the last chapter immediately. I just had to know how it ended and I couldn't take it anymore without knowing. This skip to the end idea almost never happens when I read a book, way to go Laura A.H. Elliott for making me do it with this jewel of a YA book.

So in reality, this is a 5 star book and I was a 4 star reader.

[Cammie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully written and often profound. The style was very distinctive - in many respects it reminded me of early Alice Hoffman, but this felt more grounded in reality (in a good way) and often probed deeper into the thoughts and motivations of the characters. The writing probably ran over-long in some parts, but everything was so beautifully put together it was a pleasure to read it for reading's sake.

[Judy Seguin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up, started reading, and couldn't put it down. I can't remember when I last read a novel in two days. Where did the truth end and fantasy begin? A modern fairytale? Yes...but in the end, one I wanted to believe in.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is nothing I was expecting! Definately glad I read it. :)

[Brittany · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was way too weird for me to like.

[Sandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed in this book, it rambled and often didn't make sense.

[Amanda]

I had a hard time following the direction of this story at times. I didn't always understand all of the characters and how they were connected.

[Krystin Ciesco · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe I'm not young enough to appreciate the writing or story. It was confusing for most of the book and quite frankly I kept waiting to find out at the end that it was all a dream.

[Wendee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could not stand to put this down! If you need your stories to be straightforward, you won't like this. If you enjoy stories with a lyrical bent to them, that make you infer a little bit, this is up that alley.

There were too many strangely-placed commas and one "must of" that contributed to not getting full five stars. The other thing I can't say without spoiling the book. But the end basically had me saying, "How could she NOT know that?" And there is no explanation at all. But the book is such a magical read, I'll let it go.

[Lauren-Sophie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is on my "books-i-didn-t-finish" shelf. Before I put a book there I tried at least twice to finish it. After that, I gave up one it.