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The Good Dream
In this full-length novel from the New York Times Bestselling author of The Christmas Hope series Donna VanLiere has written a beautifully rendered and poignant story about one woman's unlikely path to motherhood and the healing power of love.
Tennessee, 1950: Still single and in her early thirties, Ivorie Walker is considered an old maid; a label she takes with good humor and a grain of salt. But when her mother dies, leaving her to live alone in the house she grew up in, to work the farm she was raised to take care of, she finds herself lost in a kind of loneliness she hadn't expected. After years of rebuffing the advances of imperfect, yet eligible bachelors from her small town, Ivorie is without companionship with more love in her heart and time on her hands than she knows what to do with. But her life soon changes when a feral, dirty-faced boy who has been sneaking onto her land to steal from her garden comes into her life. Even though he runs back into the hills as quickly as he arrives, she's determined to find out who he is because something about the young boy haunts her. What would make him desperate enough to steal and eat from her garden? But what she can't imagine is what the boy faces, each day and night, in the filthy lean-to hut miles up in the hills. Who is he? How did he come to live in the hills? Where did he come from? And, more importantly, can she save him? As Ivorie steps out of her comfort zone to uncover the answers, she unleashes a firestorm in the town-a community that would rather let secrets stay that way.
This pitch perfect story of redemption and the true meaning of familial love is Donna VanLiere at her very best.
Tennessee, 1950: Still single and in her early thirties, Ivorie Walker is considered an old maid; a label she takes with good humor and a grain of salt. But when her mother dies, leaving her to live alone in the house she grew up in, to work the farm she was raised to take care of, she finds herself lost in a kind of loneliness she hadn't expected. After years of rebuffing the advances of imperfect, yet eligible bachelors from her small town, Ivorie is without companionship with more love in her heart and time on her hands than she knows what to do with. But her life soon changes when a feral, dirty-faced boy who has been sneaking onto her land to steal from her garden comes into her life. Even though he runs back into the hills as quickly as he arrives, she's determined to find out who he is because something about the young boy haunts her. What would make him desperate enough to steal and eat from her garden? But what she can't imagine is what the boy faces, each day and night, in the filthy lean-to hut miles up in the hills. Who is he? How did he come to live in the hills? Where did he come from? And, more importantly, can she save him? As Ivorie steps out of her comfort zone to uncover the answers, she unleashes a firestorm in the town-a community that would rather let secrets stay that way.
This pitch perfect story of redemption and the true meaning of familial love is Donna VanLiere at her very best.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
106 people are currently reading
7449 people want to read
About the author
Donna VanLiere
78 books1,326 followersDonna is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author. She's an in-demand conference speaker and gifted teacher and has 14 published books including four that have been adapted into movies.
Donna is the recipient of multiple industry awards including a Retailer's Choice Award for Fiction, a Dove Award, a Silver Angel Award, two Audie Awards for best inspirational fiction, a nominee for a Gold Medallion Book of the Year and is an inductee in the Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges Hall of Excellence joining such luminaries as Coretta Scott King, Hugh Downs, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale and Senator John Glenn.
Learn more about Donna by visiting www.DonnaVanLiere.com and stay up-to-date and in-touch by subscribing to her free Friendship List.
Donna is the recipient of multiple industry awards including a Retailer's Choice Award for Fiction, a Dove Award, a Silver Angel Award, two Audie Awards for best inspirational fiction, a nominee for a Gold Medallion Book of the Year and is an inductee in the Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges Hall of Excellence joining such luminaries as Coretta Scott King, Hugh Downs, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale and Senator John Glenn.
Learn more about Donna by visiting www.DonnaVanLiere.com and stay up-to-date and in-touch by subscribing to her free Friendship List.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,126 reviews
February 12, 2013
Once I started reading this book, I couldn't put It down. It is a paradox to say that a story that deals with extreme sexual and emotional abuse of a child is sweet but it is. It is a story that shows how one woman who dared to take action in an awful circumstance, changed the life of, not only the child she rescued, but of everyone else connected to her.
Donna VanLiere tells the story of Ivorie Walker, spinster in a small southern town. Set in the 1950's when society decreed that in order to have a fulfilled life, a woman had to be married. the small town Ivorie lives in is a microcosm of all that is good and not so good about small town living. Ivorie defies the conventions of the time and, as a single woman, takes in a young boy who has experienced unimaginable abuse. She is determined to redeem what is good In his spirit and banish or weaken what is haunting his soul. Somehow the author manages to tell of the horrors while preserving the story's inherent sweetness...No small feat.
There are many lessons to be learned: when do we get involved in others lives? Do we avoid the messy? Do we care what others think? Can we accept the different qualities of others while appreciating and really caring about the person inside?
While simply written, easy to read, The Good Dream tells a story with depth. It is a story that I think will stay with the reader for a while after finishing the book.
Donna VanLiere tells the story of Ivorie Walker, spinster in a small southern town. Set in the 1950's when society decreed that in order to have a fulfilled life, a woman had to be married. the small town Ivorie lives in is a microcosm of all that is good and not so good about small town living. Ivorie defies the conventions of the time and, as a single woman, takes in a young boy who has experienced unimaginable abuse. She is determined to redeem what is good In his spirit and banish or weaken what is haunting his soul. Somehow the author manages to tell of the horrors while preserving the story's inherent sweetness...No small feat.
There are many lessons to be learned: when do we get involved in others lives? Do we avoid the messy? Do we care what others think? Can we accept the different qualities of others while appreciating and really caring about the person inside?
While simply written, easy to read, The Good Dream tells a story with depth. It is a story that I think will stay with the reader for a while after finishing the book.
July 5, 2015
Note: Plot includes disturbing child molestation!! However, despite those horrific scenes, and except for one major quibble and a few minor gripes, I loved this Audie Award Nominee for Inspirational Fiction, 2013, narrated splendidly by the author. (See below for secondary character listening guide. Also, try my 15-question quiz.)
This is the story of a brutalized little boy and the spinster who spits in Satan's eye to save him. It's an unforgettable story, the type that lingers long in my mind, somehow both heartbreaking and heartwarming, utterly appalling and then hope-filled and optimistic, with brief flashes of humor. (The child abuse isn't portrayed with full explicit coverage, and that section is over fairly soon, I was relieved to note. It was bad enough as it was.)
It seemed slow at first, but I think that was the plan: my tension and frustration increased as the opening chapters shifted back and forth from the hellish events up on the mountain to the commonplace events down in the valley (gardening, cooking, courting). This contrast had me about to scream. At one point, I almost found myself praying for the child (how crazy is that?!) and half yelling at Ivorie to "forget the blasted berries" and "hurry your ass up that mountain!" (she literally rode a mule named Miss Kitty into the Appalachians).
Yet I also chuckled and smiled several times. The narration was pitch perfect, too, reinforcing the vivid descriptions, clever metaphors, solid dialogue, and bad bad jokes: "It's so hot, my chickens are laying hard-boiled eggs."
This aptly named story is set in a small fictitious community in Tennessee, 1950. A spinster at age 30, Ivorie Walker isn't expecting to find a half-feral 7-year-old boy raiding her garden. "The boy" has been horrifically abused by "the man" on the mountain. Sarah Ivorie Walker takes the nameless child under her wing, despite the naysaying neighbors.
Not a romance, but there is a courtship and a happy ending. Not a suspense novel, but there are several mysteries that must be resolved. Not a thriller, but there is certainly horror, a monstrous beast, and some lesser demons. Not a fantasy, either, but the boy's new home must have felt somewhat fantastical. He's finally safe, clean, fed, cherished.
Tension continues after Ivorie rscues the boy, including threats and worse. Some folks think she's crazy. Several want Ivorie to "let them mountain folk alone, they're not our kind" -- they even demand that she put the boy back. But she's like a mama bear, determined to help the boy, who is -- on top of everything else --
I appreciated the shifting perspectives, as the first-person POV changed from Ivorie to her big brother Henry to the boy. This shift only occurred once per chapter (usually), so I wasn't constantly hopping from one head to another -- yay for that! When Henry was talking or thinking, Ivorie became "Sarah" -- her first name. Henry called Ox by his real name, Holt.
I loved Ivorie, her brother Henry, and his wife Loretta. Loved seeing the boy -- with the dog Sally's help -- begin to forget his past horrors (it would take much much longer, but I reckon his healing has only begun).
Although this book may be classified as Christian fiction, the author didn't spout a lot of scripture and she wasn't preachy. It reads like any other post-war novel, when folks said grace before dinner, etc.
Support characters / Listening Guide:
-- Ivorie's brother Henry and wife Loretta (drug store owners)
-- Davis Carpenter, banker, wants Ivorie to sell her land
-- Holt Oxman (called Ox) and wife Avis (farmers)
-- Pete Fletcher (preacher-mechanic) and wife Charlotte
-- Joe and Fran Cannon, their kids Jane, John, Milo, Will-Henry
-- George Coley, farmer, suitor
-- Aunt Dot / Dotty / "Hot Dot" (Ivorie's mom's sister)
-- Dr. Culp at the Crippled Children's Hospital in Knoxville
-- Dr. Langley in Morgan Hill
-- Dolly Wade, a childlike adult
Quibbles: Major gripe is that I wish the author had come down like the wrath of Khan on the villians. I wanted all the bad guys to pay a much bigger price. I especially wanted to bury the mountain monster alive and spit on his grave. His sniveling enabler, too!! It breaks my heart to think this kind of thing goes on. But I know it does. I felt the author rushed the boy's healing, and too quickly exposed him to so many new people and places. I wanted another chapter or two -- to see the boy growing up, going to school, learning to speak better, to read and write better, etc. Maybe a sequel is coming? I'd like Ivorie to feature largely in the sequel, too. I want Ivorie to help that poverty-stricken family on the hillside that sometimes fed the boy.
Nonetheless, I enjoyed this one! An ultimately uplifting book, with a fairly credible peek into post-war Appalachia, when female cosmetics were still considered "fast" and intolerance was still the status quo. When gas stations were springing up across the nation even though many women couldn't drive. When war rationing was still vividly remembered and poverty was profound (still is today).
This is a stand-alone book, but a previous publication tells the story of some key secondary characters: How Joe Cannon marries Fran, and how young Jane and Milo -- a black boy and a white girl -- become siblings. See The Angels of Morgan Hill.
This is the story of a brutalized little boy and the spinster who spits in Satan's eye to save him. It's an unforgettable story, the type that lingers long in my mind, somehow both heartbreaking and heartwarming, utterly appalling and then hope-filled and optimistic, with brief flashes of humor. (The child abuse isn't portrayed with full explicit coverage, and that section is over fairly soon, I was relieved to note. It was bad enough as it was.)
It seemed slow at first, but I think that was the plan: my tension and frustration increased as the opening chapters shifted back and forth from the hellish events up on the mountain to the commonplace events down in the valley (gardening, cooking, courting). This contrast had me about to scream. At one point, I almost found myself praying for the child (how crazy is that?!) and half yelling at Ivorie to "forget the blasted berries" and "hurry your ass up that mountain!" (she literally rode a mule named Miss Kitty into the Appalachians).
Yet I also chuckled and smiled several times. The narration was pitch perfect, too, reinforcing the vivid descriptions, clever metaphors, solid dialogue, and bad bad jokes: "It's so hot, my chickens are laying hard-boiled eggs."
This aptly named story is set in a small fictitious community in Tennessee, 1950. A spinster at age 30, Ivorie Walker isn't expecting to find a half-feral 7-year-old boy raiding her garden. "The boy" has been horrifically abused by "the man" on the mountain. Sarah Ivorie Walker takes the nameless child under her wing, despite the naysaying neighbors.
Not a romance, but there is a courtship and a happy ending. Not a suspense novel, but there are several mysteries that must be resolved. Not a thriller, but there is certainly horror, a monstrous beast, and some lesser demons. Not a fantasy, either, but the boy's new home must have felt somewhat fantastical. He's finally safe, clean, fed, cherished.
Tension continues after Ivorie rscues the boy, including threats and worse. Some folks think she's crazy. Several want Ivorie to "let them mountain folk alone, they're not our kind" -- they even demand that she put the boy back. But she's like a mama bear, determined to help the boy, who is -- on top of everything else --
I appreciated the shifting perspectives, as the first-person POV changed from Ivorie to her big brother Henry to the boy. This shift only occurred once per chapter (usually), so I wasn't constantly hopping from one head to another -- yay for that! When Henry was talking or thinking, Ivorie became "Sarah" -- her first name. Henry called Ox by his real name, Holt.
I loved Ivorie, her brother Henry, and his wife Loretta. Loved seeing the boy -- with the dog Sally's help -- begin to forget his past horrors (it would take much much longer, but I reckon his healing has only begun).
Although this book may be classified as Christian fiction, the author didn't spout a lot of scripture and she wasn't preachy. It reads like any other post-war novel, when folks said grace before dinner, etc.
Support characters / Listening Guide:
-- Ivorie's brother Henry and wife Loretta (drug store owners)
-- Davis Carpenter, banker, wants Ivorie to sell her land
-- Holt Oxman (called Ox) and wife Avis (farmers)
-- Pete Fletcher (preacher-mechanic) and wife Charlotte
-- Joe and Fran Cannon, their kids Jane, John, Milo, Will-Henry
-- George Coley, farmer, suitor
-- Aunt Dot / Dotty / "Hot Dot" (Ivorie's mom's sister)
-- Dr. Culp at the Crippled Children's Hospital in Knoxville
-- Dr. Langley in Morgan Hill
-- Dolly Wade, a childlike adult
Quibbles: Major gripe is that I wish the author had come down like the wrath of Khan on the villians. I wanted all the bad guys to pay a much bigger price. I especially wanted to bury the mountain monster alive and spit on his grave. His sniveling enabler, too!! It breaks my heart to think this kind of thing goes on. But I know it does. I felt the author rushed the boy's healing, and too quickly exposed him to so many new people and places. I wanted another chapter or two -- to see the boy growing up, going to school, learning to speak better, to read and write better, etc. Maybe a sequel is coming? I'd like Ivorie to feature largely in the sequel, too. I want Ivorie to help that poverty-stricken family on the hillside that sometimes fed the boy.
Nonetheless, I enjoyed this one! An ultimately uplifting book, with a fairly credible peek into post-war Appalachia, when female cosmetics were still considered "fast" and intolerance was still the status quo. When gas stations were springing up across the nation even though many women couldn't drive. When war rationing was still vividly remembered and poverty was profound (still is today).
This is a stand-alone book, but a previous publication tells the story of some key secondary characters: How Joe Cannon marries Fran, and how young Jane and Milo -- a black boy and a white girl -- become siblings. See The Angels of Morgan Hill.
September 3, 2016
A big shout-out to GR friend Pamela who recommended this novel.
This is a story of a woman, Ivorie, who is single in her early thirties and considered an old maid! A bit of context, the story takes place in the 1950’s in Tennessee. Given the date, it’s a wholesome story when times were simpler: no cell phone, no 24/7 news stations, no Internet, no cable etc. The story is not a full-on happy-go-lucky story though.
Ivorie lives alone on her parent’s farm. The story begins when she finds an “animal” or something stealing from her garden. As the book cover provides, Ivorie discovers that it is not a four-legged animal, it’s a little boy.
Author Donna VanLiere explores what a person would do in such a situation. There are “hill people” who live near her. Many of the town folk think she should not get involved with “hill people” as they are known to be feral. Ivorie, in good conscious, can’t leave this malnourished boy to his own devices. Much to the town folk’s displeasure, Ivorie becomes involved with the boy. The life of the hill folk is brutal and reading about that life is beyond unsettling.
I found this to be a wonderful read about the spirit of following one’s own conscious, despite controversy. It’s a satisfying read that’s thought provoking.
This is a story of a woman, Ivorie, who is single in her early thirties and considered an old maid! A bit of context, the story takes place in the 1950’s in Tennessee. Given the date, it’s a wholesome story when times were simpler: no cell phone, no 24/7 news stations, no Internet, no cable etc. The story is not a full-on happy-go-lucky story though.
Ivorie lives alone on her parent’s farm. The story begins when she finds an “animal” or something stealing from her garden. As the book cover provides, Ivorie discovers that it is not a four-legged animal, it’s a little boy.
Author Donna VanLiere explores what a person would do in such a situation. There are “hill people” who live near her. Many of the town folk think she should not get involved with “hill people” as they are known to be feral. Ivorie, in good conscious, can’t leave this malnourished boy to his own devices. Much to the town folk’s displeasure, Ivorie becomes involved with the boy. The life of the hill folk is brutal and reading about that life is beyond unsettling.
I found this to be a wonderful read about the spirit of following one’s own conscious, despite controversy. It’s a satisfying read that’s thought provoking.
July 11, 2015
This book kept my interest the whole time!
Loved the main characters and the story. I'm happy that I randomly decided to pick this to read off my bookshelf. It's perfect for summer, even though the story was tragic there was joyous parts as well!
I recommend. :)
Loved the main characters and the story. I'm happy that I randomly decided to pick this to read off my bookshelf. It's perfect for summer, even though the story was tragic there was joyous parts as well!
I recommend. :)
July 24, 2013
This was my first book by this author and I very nearly didn’t read it, once I encountered abuse of a child. This is a hard topic to deal with emotionally. But neither could I leave it alone. The novel starts with the voice of novel of Ivorie, a spinster in her thirties back in 1950 Tennessee. After her mother’s death, Ivorie lives alone with her faithful canine companion Sally. About this time she also starts keeping company with the widowed George. The future looks promising, until someone comes into her garden stealing food.
The feel of the story is relaxed and I could picture it all. When I came to the second chapter, the boy’s chapter, that’s when I started to have doubts about whether I could read it. I’m glad I did.
This is a story about the evil in our world but also about the redemptive power of love. I liked the way the author handled the abuse, giving enough details but without subjecting the reader to every gory moment. There are enough details to form a clear picture of the situation.
The chapters alternate between Ivorie and the boy, with the occasional chapter by Henry, Ivorie’s brother. The author included enough description to make you feel you are there. The colourful expressions are interesting too. I kept reading gems out to my husband. I loved the character of Ivorie. She was spunky and not afraid to go against public opinion even if it cost her. It's a book to make you think as well as emotionally involve you. The scene where she takes up her rifle in the hills is a beauty and will have any reader cheering for her.
The feel of the story is relaxed and I could picture it all. When I came to the second chapter, the boy’s chapter, that’s when I started to have doubts about whether I could read it. I’m glad I did.
This is a story about the evil in our world but also about the redemptive power of love. I liked the way the author handled the abuse, giving enough details but without subjecting the reader to every gory moment. There are enough details to form a clear picture of the situation.
The chapters alternate between Ivorie and the boy, with the occasional chapter by Henry, Ivorie’s brother. The author included enough description to make you feel you are there. The colourful expressions are interesting too. I kept reading gems out to my husband. I loved the character of Ivorie. She was spunky and not afraid to go against public opinion even if it cost her. It's a book to make you think as well as emotionally involve you. The scene where she takes up her rifle in the hills is a beauty and will have any reader cheering for her.
March 6, 2013
I listened to the audible version of The Good Dream by Donna VanLiere. The audible version is an excellent narration by the author. Set in the 1950s, The Good Dream tells the story of Ivorie Walker, an unmarried, 30 something year old, who lives in a small town in Tennessee. Recovering from her parents deaths, most especially her mothers passing, Ivorie is living alone until she rescues a young and abused boy from 'the hills'. Faced with opposition and obstacles from the small community where she lives, Ivorie steps up to the challenge of taking the boy under her wing.
This is an easy listen, a heart warming, feel good story which shows how much one can achieve with determination, love and caring. I enjoyed Ivorie's character a lot. She was extremely likeable and I loved some of her 'sayings'. The writing was very good and there were interesting characters throughout. However whilst I liked this book for what it was, an easy listen, I can't help feeling that while it was cute, it was perhaps too light for my personal taste. Recommended, if you are looking for a very light, quick read.
This is an easy listen, a heart warming, feel good story which shows how much one can achieve with determination, love and caring. I enjoyed Ivorie's character a lot. She was extremely likeable and I loved some of her 'sayings'. The writing was very good and there were interesting characters throughout. However whilst I liked this book for what it was, an easy listen, I can't help feeling that while it was cute, it was perhaps too light for my personal taste. Recommended, if you are looking for a very light, quick read.
September 12, 2012
This book was better than I can say. It was a quick, easy read for me because I could not put it down. The authors narrative, her characters, and the way story unfolds hooked me instantly. I think what I appreciated the most is that its a love story, but not the love story you are expecting. The main character does not realize what her life is lacking until she loses her constant companion, her mother. When her life aches with emptiness she starts to question the maiden life she has created for herself. Then one day a dirty little boy from the mountains steals her heart and changes her world. I sat at work and cried while I read this book. You see my world changed when my son arrived. I have a new lens on viewing the world and the atrocities that happen in it. When I thought of this shaggy little boy I thought of my son and my heart broke. When the story works out for this duo and their dog you are left feeling warm and complete. I have not loved a book this much in a long time. It is lovely.
October 3, 2024
A heartwarming journey that takes you on a roller coaster of emotions.
July 16, 2019
This book was stunningly good, and I cannot understand why it isn't more widely talked about. I assumed it was new, and was shocked to find it to be from 2012! My theory is that the child abuse (and it's pretty horrible, although it doesn't happen "on the page"), is what's keeping this from being as "big" as something like The Help. I laughed and cried in equal measure. This tale of a 30 year old spinster and the voiceless boy she takes in was GORGEOUS. I loved every one of the characters, and they surprised and disappointed me exactly the way real people do, with their kindness or pettiness or meanness, and I loved it! And I loved Sarah Ivorie and The Boy and Sally Dog, especially, but also Henry and Loretta and JaneandJohnandMilo!
And you ABSOLUTELY have to listen to the audiobook, which is read by the author with the full Tennessee accent she learned from her parents and grandparents, and there's an interview at the end where she talks about how summers at her grandmother's house in the Tennessee hills inspired the story.
And you ABSOLUTELY have to listen to the audiobook, which is read by the author with the full Tennessee accent she learned from her parents and grandparents, and there's an interview at the end where she talks about how summers at her grandmother's house in the Tennessee hills inspired the story.
January 5, 2013
Have you ever read a book that you didn't want to end? It makes you feel so good inside that you wish it could just go on and on and on? The Good Dream was one of those books for me. I would give this book 10 stars if I could. It's a little scary that possibly here it is only the 5th of January and this feels like the best book I'll read this year. The characters, Ivoree, Peter, Henry.....they are just so real and they all just touched a place in my heart that fictional characters rarely reach. This story of an "old maid" (30 years old!) whose life becomes entangled with an almost feral 8 year old boy is wonderful to behold, the love that's there, the sacrifice, the compassion. Ivoree is so brutally honest and straight-forward, speaks straight from the heart. I listened to this book on audio and it was narrated by the author, and she did a fantastic job. She tells the entire story in a back-hills of Tennessee southern drawl that is perfect. I believe in this case the audio is probably better than reading it on the printed page. Listen to this book, you will not be sorry.
July 22, 2021
Luminous, atmospheric writing, bringing back memories of what we now think of as an innocent time--but wasn't. Ivorie is an example of how often the strength of women is underestimated. Whenever this author had a chance to tread a well-work path, she turned aside.
August 25, 2012
Generally, I treat audio books as a convenience, still preferring to read a “real” book where I can easily flip back through the pages to remind me of something I missed or write in the margins. But I highly recommend listening to
The Good Dream
on this audio book recorded by Donna VanLiere. Unlike most authors, who should stick to quietly writing and keep their mouths shut, VanLiere background includes doing voiceovers, so she definitely knows how to interpret the written word.
She brings a heap of atmosphere to this story set in 1950′s Appalachian Tennessee. I was roaring with laughter at some passages, and appreciated the humor breaks in what could be at first a depressing picture and later a cloyingly sentimental story. The author balances the book's moods with skill.
Although I have traveled to Tennessee, one of these days when I take a road trip through some southern states, I think I’d like to include Eastern Tennessee. When the book ended, I wanted to stay right there. Sit a spell on the front porch and have some berry cobbler in 1950′s Morgan Hill, Tennessee.
This is just a portion of the book review published at A Traveler's Library. Read more.
She brings a heap of atmosphere to this story set in 1950′s Appalachian Tennessee. I was roaring with laughter at some passages, and appreciated the humor breaks in what could be at first a depressing picture and later a cloyingly sentimental story. The author balances the book's moods with skill.
Although I have traveled to Tennessee, one of these days when I take a road trip through some southern states, I think I’d like to include Eastern Tennessee. When the book ended, I wanted to stay right there. Sit a spell on the front porch and have some berry cobbler in 1950′s Morgan Hill, Tennessee.
This is just a portion of the book review published at A Traveler's Library. Read more.
July 28, 2012
SPOILER ALERT This was a bit cheezy but a sweet story nonetheless I was surprised at the extreme mix of cheeziness but at the other end addressing with more detail than I would've expected molestation & sodomy.
They didn't quite mesh in that Peter has gone thru extreme abuse; has a cleft palate; has been malnuritioned for extensive time and yet Ivorie seems to be able to help push thru this. Realistically, I would expect that with that he would definitely need extensive counseling & tutors to help him.
And the romance between Ivorie & George added some interest to the storyline but was articulated differently. It's understood that Ivorie hasn't had much experience or interest dating but even so, her character expresses how she's feeling in a very junior high level. Even if the feelings are new, a woman that age & that bright would be able to articulate her feelings better I think.
Plus, when you finally find out Ox is the father of Peter & had an affair with Peter's mother, Ruth, it's cheeze how Henry, Ivorie's brother, has little reaction of anger in that he beat the tar out of Ivorie & left her dog off the side of the road. I believe in forgiveness but it's only human to still feel a wide range of emotions in a situation like that.
It was a sweet story in the end though. I just felt it could've been much better
They didn't quite mesh in that Peter has gone thru extreme abuse; has a cleft palate; has been malnuritioned for extensive time and yet Ivorie seems to be able to help push thru this. Realistically, I would expect that with that he would definitely need extensive counseling & tutors to help him.
And the romance between Ivorie & George added some interest to the storyline but was articulated differently. It's understood that Ivorie hasn't had much experience or interest dating but even so, her character expresses how she's feeling in a very junior high level. Even if the feelings are new, a woman that age & that bright would be able to articulate her feelings better I think.
Plus, when you finally find out Ox is the father of Peter & had an affair with Peter's mother, Ruth, it's cheeze how Henry, Ivorie's brother, has little reaction of anger in that he beat the tar out of Ivorie & left her dog off the side of the road. I believe in forgiveness but it's only human to still feel a wide range of emotions in a situation like that.
It was a sweet story in the end though. I just felt it could've been much better
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2014
This was a book my Secret Santa recommended to me on the NBRC group page - and thank you so much, Margaret! This was a truly touching read. I really, really enjoyed it.
Even though I'm used to YA and its addicting and engaging style, I found myself listening to this with rapt attention and I became invested in the story and the characters. The relationship between Ivorie and the boy was heart-warming and perfectly done.
My only reservation is that I thought there was potential for more. I think most of the characters could have been rounded out more and the plot could have had a little more complexity. The author doubtlessly conveyed her message and did it well, but I would have liked a little more depth and a little more to ponder.
Note on the audio: Loved it and highly recommend it. I think it gave the characters life that wouldn't have been as apparent on paper.
Even though I'm used to YA and its addicting and engaging style, I found myself listening to this with rapt attention and I became invested in the story and the characters. The relationship between Ivorie and the boy was heart-warming and perfectly done.
My only reservation is that I thought there was potential for more. I think most of the characters could have been rounded out more and the plot could have had a little more complexity. The author doubtlessly conveyed her message and did it well, but I would have liked a little more depth and a little more to ponder.
Note on the audio: Loved it and highly recommend it. I think it gave the characters life that wouldn't have been as apparent on paper.
February 8, 2021
Not going to lie...part of this story line was hard for me to listen to. But the overall story of a "Mother's" love was great!!
June 1, 2012
I was fortunate enough to get an advance copy of this novel from my friend Donna VanLiere and I devoured it within several days. I used to be strictly a fiction reader and yet I find myself drawn more these days to non-fiction, likely due to the proliferation of hopelessness offered in so much fiction today. I want to find some hope (albeit realistic) in a story, and I want to find characters I can develop some empathy for. Too much modern fiction offers neither.
Donna is a friend, so it is a delight to see her and meet others she knows in her fiction. She writes with the same southern flavor I find in her home, her day to day sense of humor, and even on her Facebook page. As I completely appreciate Donna's sense of humor, this makes her slice-of-life fictional style quite satisfying to read.
Donna creates characters at once ornery, compassionate, broken, derisive, helpless, and driven... sounds a lot like my own family members. I appreciate the fact the bad guys are bad - not at all sugar coated. It is as if she has perhaps come face to face with evil during the course of her own life, which of course she has. Some of her villains, too, are merely misguided and wounded souls. Nowhere do we find a protagonist who is flawless. These are all key character development points for me. This is a real story comprised of REAL pain, REAL risk, and REAL redemption.
I don't want to live in a world that is so dark the light cannot penetrate it, because personally I do not believe such a darkness exists. Neither does Donna VanLiere. The light shines in the darkness, and even if the darkness does not comprehend, it is compromised and truly dark no more. Thus we have here a tale of darkness penetrated by the light and restoration of hope, and that is always going to be a good dream.
Donna is a friend, so it is a delight to see her and meet others she knows in her fiction. She writes with the same southern flavor I find in her home, her day to day sense of humor, and even on her Facebook page. As I completely appreciate Donna's sense of humor, this makes her slice-of-life fictional style quite satisfying to read.
Donna creates characters at once ornery, compassionate, broken, derisive, helpless, and driven... sounds a lot like my own family members. I appreciate the fact the bad guys are bad - not at all sugar coated. It is as if she has perhaps come face to face with evil during the course of her own life, which of course she has. Some of her villains, too, are merely misguided and wounded souls. Nowhere do we find a protagonist who is flawless. These are all key character development points for me. This is a real story comprised of REAL pain, REAL risk, and REAL redemption.
I don't want to live in a world that is so dark the light cannot penetrate it, because personally I do not believe such a darkness exists. Neither does Donna VanLiere. The light shines in the darkness, and even if the darkness does not comprehend, it is compromised and truly dark no more. Thus we have here a tale of darkness penetrated by the light and restoration of hope, and that is always going to be a good dream.
June 13, 2012
Background info – “The Angels of Morgan Hill” (2006) by Donna VanLiere, set in 1947 Morgan Hill, Tennessee, is currently my favorite book.
“The Good Dream” (2012) is set in 1950 Morgan Hill, Tennessee, so I was looking forward to reading about some of the beloved characters from the earlier book. Also, I’ve found that I get emotionally attached to Donna VanLiere’s characters more than any other author and expected that to happen again. I was not disappointed in either case in this new book. I do admit that I didn’t think I would like this book about halfway through it. It’s heart-rending to read about child abuse, and there was a romance that was a little boring to me, but I stuck with it and was rewarded with a very satisfying full story. Ivorie Walker is a 30-year old single woman that has the courage to do what’s right by facing pure evil when she learns about the boy raiding her vegetable garden. It’s an old superstition that bottles tied to the branches of a tree are supposed to catch evil spirits that live in the tree and capture them inside the bottles. Ivorie hopes to perform a similar function and dispel evil spirits torturing an innocent soul. A story that shouldn’t be missed!
Although “The Good Dream” can definitely be read without reading “The Angels of Morgan Hill”, I would suggest reading the earlier book first as an introduction to some of the characters and their story.
“The Good Dream” (2012) is set in 1950 Morgan Hill, Tennessee, so I was looking forward to reading about some of the beloved characters from the earlier book. Also, I’ve found that I get emotionally attached to Donna VanLiere’s characters more than any other author and expected that to happen again. I was not disappointed in either case in this new book. I do admit that I didn’t think I would like this book about halfway through it. It’s heart-rending to read about child abuse, and there was a romance that was a little boring to me, but I stuck with it and was rewarded with a very satisfying full story. Ivorie Walker is a 30-year old single woman that has the courage to do what’s right by facing pure evil when she learns about the boy raiding her vegetable garden. It’s an old superstition that bottles tied to the branches of a tree are supposed to catch evil spirits that live in the tree and capture them inside the bottles. Ivorie hopes to perform a similar function and dispel evil spirits torturing an innocent soul. A story that shouldn’t be missed!
Although “The Good Dream” can definitely be read without reading “The Angels of Morgan Hill”, I would suggest reading the earlier book first as an introduction to some of the characters and their story.
January 4, 2013
I was drawn into this book from the very first page and I literally could not put it down. As an adoptee, adoptive parent, and former foster parent, this book spoke to my heart on many levels. Although I have never personally worked with a child that has been through as much trauma as the boy in this story, I found myself identifying with Ivorie as she dealt with the small mindedness and prejudices of her community. I cried throughout the entire book. I cried from heartbreak, I cried from joy. The Good Dream really touched my heart. This is a beautifully written story. I was taken aback at the ignorance and cruelty of some of the characters, but they were realistically portrayed. While the innocence and terror the child endures brought me to tears, Ivorie's fierce determination to help the child was inspiring. This story is a beautiful illustration of the healing power of love. The characters stayed on my mind long after I finished reading.
Read this book if...
*you love southern fiction
*you love "small town" novels
*you love stories set in Appalachia
*you love stories of inspiration
*you love stories about the healing power of love
Read this review on my blog at:
http://freespiritbooks.blogspot.com
Read this book if...
*you love southern fiction
*you love "small town" novels
*you love stories set in Appalachia
*you love stories of inspiration
*you love stories about the healing power of love
Read this review on my blog at:
http://freespiritbooks.blogspot.com
November 26, 2014
The Good Dream seems like another story about a small town in the south of many decades ago, but the author tackles the heavy subject of childhood abuse. The spinster in the town is the heroine of the story. She's outspoken, fearless without being overly brash, smart and funny. She knows how to stand up for herself. She's one of those rare human beings who will take action in the face of great injustice. Many in this town give lip service to being Christian (as many do even today), but when they can show compassion to child much in need of it, they don't, but she does.
The ending left me conflicted. I felt the biological father needed much more of a comeuppance. He got off way too easily. He isn't even public outed for what he did. He's even told he has to only ask for forgiveness once. What? Given the enormous injustice experienced by two characters thanks to his actions, there needed to be much more done by him to show remorse. I hadn't realized this was Christian fiction or I wouldn't have picked it up. It's predictable and the drumbeat of forgiveness is too heavy handed.
The ending left me conflicted. I felt the biological father needed much more of a comeuppance. He got off way too easily. He isn't even public outed for what he did. He's even told he has to only ask for forgiveness once. What? Given the enormous injustice experienced by two characters thanks to his actions, there needed to be much more done by him to show remorse. I hadn't realized this was Christian fiction or I wouldn't have picked it up. It's predictable and the drumbeat of forgiveness is too heavy handed.
January 10, 2014
I thoroughly enjoyed this book from the 1st page. Ivorie, the main character, is a compassionate, lonely woman, who finds a young, feral boy from the hills stealing from her garden. She rescues him from an abusive home, and takes him In as her own. The author writes so descriptively, I can almost smell the food she cooks,and see her garden. This was a simple tale, but a moving story of a woman's love for a boy who needed her. I just love this book, and highly recommend if you're looking for a feel good read! I will look for more from this author.
July 10, 2017
Thanks to my GR friend Carole for recommending this book to me. I loved every minute of this sweet and sometimes heartbreaking story.
March 5, 2017
Needless to say, The Good Dream will not go down as my favorite book of all time. I chose this novel because of its inspirational premise. It is the story of a single 30 year old woman who saves a little boy from a lifetime of abuse. I could not imagine the adversity she must have faced as the story took place in a small town in Tennessee in 1950.
Ivorie Walker has spurned the attentions of any bachelor within miles, and as a result is considered an "old maid" at the age of thirty. Despite this label she is perfectly content with her life. This changes after the death of her parents when she is overwhelmed with a loneliness that she could never have anticipated. One day she discovers a starving boy in her vegetable patch. She feels an strong maternal need to help him, and by digging into his past she sets off a chain of events that will test her determination to save him from a lifetime of abuse.
There were a few things that I liked about The Good Dream. I enjoyed reading about life in a small rural community in Tennessee in the 50's. VanLiere chose to use alternate POVs, which in this case were those of Ivorie, The Boy, and occasionally Ivorie's older brother Henry. Alternate POVs are always a plus for me. I liked the fact that she did not flinch from describing the brutality of life in "the hills". . Ivorie's character had a lot of things going for it. She was independent and did not let other people's negative opinions get under her skin or affect her choices. She had good business sense which made her capable of looking after The Boy's costly surgeries.
Now for the bad part. The author let the reader know that Ivorie had limited experience in the romantic department. .
After finishing the novel I discovered that VanLiere is the author of The Christmas Shoes which was made into a TV movie. I could see The Good Dream being made into a TV movie as well. It was an ispirational read, but I also need my inspirational reads to be realistic. Despite what I feel, the novel is loved by many fans who gave it 4 and 5 star ratings. It just wasn't for me.
Ivorie Walker has spurned the attentions of any bachelor within miles, and as a result is considered an "old maid" at the age of thirty. Despite this label she is perfectly content with her life. This changes after the death of her parents when she is overwhelmed with a loneliness that she could never have anticipated. One day she discovers a starving boy in her vegetable patch. She feels an strong maternal need to help him, and by digging into his past she sets off a chain of events that will test her determination to save him from a lifetime of abuse.
There were a few things that I liked about The Good Dream. I enjoyed reading about life in a small rural community in Tennessee in the 50's. VanLiere chose to use alternate POVs, which in this case were those of Ivorie, The Boy, and occasionally Ivorie's older brother Henry. Alternate POVs are always a plus for me. I liked the fact that she did not flinch from describing the brutality of life in "the hills". . Ivorie's character had a lot of things going for it. She was independent and did not let other people's negative opinions get under her skin or affect her choices. She had good business sense which made her capable of looking after The Boy's costly surgeries.
Now for the bad part. The author let the reader know that Ivorie had limited experience in the romantic department. .
After finishing the novel I discovered that VanLiere is the author of The Christmas Shoes which was made into a TV movie. I could see The Good Dream being made into a TV movie as well. It was an ispirational read, but I also need my inspirational reads to be realistic. Despite what I feel, the novel is loved by many fans who gave it 4 and 5 star ratings. It just wasn't for me.
July 16, 2016
4 ½ stars. It’s a wonderful story about a single woman and an abused boy, but the ending was unresolved on the bad guys.
If you’re deciding between audiobook and physical book, choose audiobook. The narration takes it to a higher level.
GENRE:
This is womens fiction, but I want to call it heartwarming fiction. It’s very feel good. I was surprised to hear this labeled Christian/Inspirational Fiction. I wouldn’t call it that. My view of Christian/Inspirational Fiction has talking to God, talking to Jesus, praying, and preaching to the reader. That is not going on here. The only religious things were good values. Ivorie used to go to church on Sundays but she stopped going after her mother died. Later she and the boy start going to church. They say grace at dinner. Ivorie reads the David and Goliath story to the boy. That’s it as far as religious talk, so I do not consider this Christian/Inspirational.
AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR AND REVIEWER’S OPINION:
I loved the narrator who is also the author. She has a charming and engaging way of speaking. I was amazed and delighted throughout the whole book. I didn’t want to stop reading. I love the way Ivorie thinks and talks. And the writing is good. I liked the metaphors and similes. It is full of charming and witty ideas. There are humorous lines like “I’m as nervous as a long tail cat in a room full of rockers.”
At first I was reluctant to read this when I heard a child was abused. What was done was referred to after the fact. We do not see the man hitting and yelling. We do not see what the boy does or feels while he is being hurt. Instead the woman sees wounds on the boy the next day, and we see her reactions. I prefer this style of writing about the bad parts. It’s still bad, but it’s not as bad.
THE ENDING:
I have mixed feelings. During the first day after reading the book I felt wonderful - thinking about Ivorie and the boy. But on the second day the thoughts that kept coming to me were about the biological father. I was disgusted with him. He had knowledge of the horrible situation for the mother and boy. He could have changed things but he did not. I think the author should have done a lot more with the bad guys at the end. It would help me if they were publicly humiliated and punished in the worst ways. As it stands, I have some lingering depressed feelings.
POINTS OF VIEW:
I am glad the author used three points of view. Each chapter is titled with whose POV it is. Ivorie the heroine and Henry her brother are done in first person. Most of the boy’s chapters are done in 3rd person. Using these different POVs was well done. It made the story richer.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 1st and 3rd person. Unabridged audiobook length: 9 hrs and 8 mins. Swearing language: s*** used once or twice. Sexual content: none. Setting: 1950 Tennessee. Book copyright: 2012. Genre: womens fiction.
If you’re deciding between audiobook and physical book, choose audiobook. The narration takes it to a higher level.
GENRE:
This is womens fiction, but I want to call it heartwarming fiction. It’s very feel good. I was surprised to hear this labeled Christian/Inspirational Fiction. I wouldn’t call it that. My view of Christian/Inspirational Fiction has talking to God, talking to Jesus, praying, and preaching to the reader. That is not going on here. The only religious things were good values. Ivorie used to go to church on Sundays but she stopped going after her mother died. Later she and the boy start going to church. They say grace at dinner. Ivorie reads the David and Goliath story to the boy. That’s it as far as religious talk, so I do not consider this Christian/Inspirational.
AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR AND REVIEWER’S OPINION:
I loved the narrator who is also the author. She has a charming and engaging way of speaking. I was amazed and delighted throughout the whole book. I didn’t want to stop reading. I love the way Ivorie thinks and talks. And the writing is good. I liked the metaphors and similes. It is full of charming and witty ideas. There are humorous lines like “I’m as nervous as a long tail cat in a room full of rockers.”
At first I was reluctant to read this when I heard a child was abused. What was done was referred to after the fact. We do not see the man hitting and yelling. We do not see what the boy does or feels while he is being hurt. Instead the woman sees wounds on the boy the next day, and we see her reactions. I prefer this style of writing about the bad parts. It’s still bad, but it’s not as bad.
THE ENDING:
I have mixed feelings. During the first day after reading the book I felt wonderful - thinking about Ivorie and the boy. But on the second day the thoughts that kept coming to me were about the biological father. I was disgusted with him. He had knowledge of the horrible situation for the mother and boy. He could have changed things but he did not. I think the author should have done a lot more with the bad guys at the end. It would help me if they were publicly humiliated and punished in the worst ways. As it stands, I have some lingering depressed feelings.
POINTS OF VIEW:
I am glad the author used three points of view. Each chapter is titled with whose POV it is. Ivorie the heroine and Henry her brother are done in first person. Most of the boy’s chapters are done in 3rd person. Using these different POVs was well done. It made the story richer.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 1st and 3rd person. Unabridged audiobook length: 9 hrs and 8 mins. Swearing language: s*** used once or twice. Sexual content: none. Setting: 1950 Tennessee. Book copyright: 2012. Genre: womens fiction.
May 21, 2012
“The difficulty of literature is not to write, but to write what you mean; not to affect your reader, but to affect him precisely as you wish.” --Robert Louis Stevenson
Donna VanLiere is an artist with words. I have to admit I don't read fiction all that often, mostly because it's hard for me to suspend disbelief and stay inside the world the author created. That's why I was surprised (and my wife was astonished) that I entered Donna VanLiere's world in The Good Dream on page 1 and didn't leave until her final word.
I was on a wonderful cruise to Belize when I opened the book. Needless to say, I missed a full day of the cruise since I became so captured by the book that I didn't stop until I was finished all 320 pages.
While I probably should have been filling up plates of food at the buffet, I was walking the blistering hot dusty roads of Tennessee in the 1950's, right where VanLiere planned for me to walk...and right beside the characters she planned for me to walk with. (That's much better than a plate of cruise food. Particularly after the mouth-watering references to Ivorie's freshly made apple pies.)
(Dang. That makes me hungry all over again.)
To paraphrase Stevenson, she not only affected me, she affected me precisely as she wished.
VanLiere's dedication to authentic characters and their authentic conversations makes the story's suspenseful "twisty" plot a huge bonus because I could have spent hours just being a "fly on the wall" and "listening in" on the normal conversations of Ivorie and her friends (and foes.)
My only advice is to get the book on a rainy day from which you want to escape, not on a sun-filled cruise from which you paid to escape to!
Donna VanLiere is an artist with words. I have to admit I don't read fiction all that often, mostly because it's hard for me to suspend disbelief and stay inside the world the author created. That's why I was surprised (and my wife was astonished) that I entered Donna VanLiere's world in The Good Dream on page 1 and didn't leave until her final word.
I was on a wonderful cruise to Belize when I opened the book. Needless to say, I missed a full day of the cruise since I became so captured by the book that I didn't stop until I was finished all 320 pages.
While I probably should have been filling up plates of food at the buffet, I was walking the blistering hot dusty roads of Tennessee in the 1950's, right where VanLiere planned for me to walk...and right beside the characters she planned for me to walk with. (That's much better than a plate of cruise food. Particularly after the mouth-watering references to Ivorie's freshly made apple pies.)
(Dang. That makes me hungry all over again.)
To paraphrase Stevenson, she not only affected me, she affected me precisely as she wished.
VanLiere's dedication to authentic characters and their authentic conversations makes the story's suspenseful "twisty" plot a huge bonus because I could have spent hours just being a "fly on the wall" and "listening in" on the normal conversations of Ivorie and her friends (and foes.)
My only advice is to get the book on a rainy day from which you want to escape, not on a sun-filled cruise from which you paid to escape to!
December 7, 2017
This book was truly enjoyable. She had me drawn in to the story of Ivorie from the very first page, and I was pleasantly surprised how it turned in to one of those - "I have to keep reading to find out what happens" - kind of book.
Realistically, I don't' think a boy living 8 years with the kind of background he did would be able to do so well, so quickly, but the eternal optimist in me loves the fact that this woman didn't give up. This boy finds a happy ending and someone to love him unconditionally. I loved the line "If there was ever beauty from ashes-he's it." I like to hope that people won't give up on loving children no matter what their problems and set backs are. I admire this woman's sacrifice.
This book was a sad story with a happy ending-my favorite type of ending.
One thing I thought could be improved, was with the chapters marked "The Boy." It seemed it was more narrative about the boy, instead of really taking on the dialogue and thoughts of the boy himself, as you saw in the chapters about Ivorie. Overall, however, this book was worth the read for a heartwarming story.
Realistically, I don't' think a boy living 8 years with the kind of background he did would be able to do so well, so quickly, but the eternal optimist in me loves the fact that this woman didn't give up. This boy finds a happy ending and someone to love him unconditionally. I loved the line "If there was ever beauty from ashes-he's it." I like to hope that people won't give up on loving children no matter what their problems and set backs are. I admire this woman's sacrifice.
This book was a sad story with a happy ending-my favorite type of ending.
One thing I thought could be improved, was with the chapters marked "The Boy." It seemed it was more narrative about the boy, instead of really taking on the dialogue and thoughts of the boy himself, as you saw in the chapters about Ivorie. Overall, however, this book was worth the read for a heartwarming story.
September 7, 2012
I just don't get the appeal of this book. I thought it was sappy and boring and so very predictable. How many conversations can you read talking about how great the blueberries are and how you will take them and make jam and let's eat some more biscuits and chicken and then talk about the blackberries and trade them with our neighbors at the store... this is what the book was like for me.
The boy comes down and plays with the dog and the dog barks at the kids and runs around.
I guess Ivory was okay, she was sweet and simple. You can guess right out of the gate what will happen with the boy... I skipped from the 4th chapter to the middle of the book and felt like I hadn't missed a page. And then I skimmed the rest to get to the end and thought "Meh..."
I am truly puzzled by what makes this book so highly reviewed...
The boy comes down and plays with the dog and the dog barks at the kids and runs around.
I guess Ivory was okay, she was sweet and simple. You can guess right out of the gate what will happen with the boy... I skipped from the 4th chapter to the middle of the book and felt like I hadn't missed a page. And then I skimmed the rest to get to the end and thought "Meh..."
I am truly puzzled by what makes this book so highly reviewed...
June 27, 2013
This well-written story will draw you in from the first page. It's set in 1950's rural Tennessee. Ivorie Walker is in her early thirties and considered an old maid. Having nursed both her parents she's now alone and wondering what will become of her. When a wild boy from the nearby hills steals from her garden she doesn't realize the next thing he'll steal is her heart. At the same time she's been wooed for the first time in years and tempted by the chance for a life she'd almost given up on. Her decision to take the boy into her home stirs up old secrets and will force her to make difficult choices. It draws a picture of a long gone time and a woman who doesn't realize how strong she is until she's tested.
March 3, 2021
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For me, this was escapism literature. Escape to a bygone era (1950 rural eastern Tennessee) and a way of life that probably doesn’t exist anymore. Ivorie was an old maid as she has passed the age of thirty and hadn’t found anyone to “settle down” with when the novel opens. She was the only daughter amongst six older brothers; her mother had passed away less than a year ago, preceded in death by her dad some years before that. She was running the farm by herself and terribly lonely. It took the appearance of a garden thief to change the entire direction of her life. Some serious social issues on display in this book, but ultimately chic-lit full of hope and a good look at post WWII Appalachia. I thoroughly enjoyed this audio read by the author.
For me, this was escapism literature. Escape to a bygone era (1950 rural eastern Tennessee) and a way of life that probably doesn’t exist anymore. Ivorie was an old maid as she has passed the age of thirty and hadn’t found anyone to “settle down” with when the novel opens. She was the only daughter amongst six older brothers; her mother had passed away less than a year ago, preceded in death by her dad some years before that. She was running the farm by herself and terribly lonely. It took the appearance of a garden thief to change the entire direction of her life. Some serious social issues on display in this book, but ultimately chic-lit full of hope and a good look at post WWII Appalachia. I thoroughly enjoyed this audio read by the author.
October 17, 2012
The Good Dream follows Ivorie Walker, a thirty something singleton, living her life alone in the mid 50s. Her neighbors and town all see her as the old maid of the town (which I had a hard time with). She notices that someone is stealing from her garden, and realizes it is a small dirty boy that doesn't speak. He comes from the hills, and he brings secrets with him that Ivorie eventually uncovers.
Cute, light read, which was just what I needed. The author could've taken things a little deeper, but overall I enjoyed it.
Cute, light read, which was just what I needed. The author could've taken things a little deeper, but overall I enjoyed it.
December 20, 2016
If everyone was mothered or parented the way Ivorie mothers this previously unknown boy, the world would be a truly wonderful place. It was wonderful and inspiring to read about this extraordinary love.
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