Una mano piena di nuvole

by Jenny Wingfield, Stefania Cherchi (Translator)

Swan ha solo undici anni, ma non ha paura di niente. Non ha paura di dire quello che pensa, non ha paura di azzuffarsi con i suoi fratelli, non ha paura delle bugie. Ma soprattutto non ha paura di fare quello che le è proibito. Anzi, lo adora. Quando una sera d'estate decide di sgusciare fuori di casa, non immagina di certo che nel bosco si nasconda l'incontro che le cambierà per sempre la vita. Lui è Blade, un bambino tutto pelle e ossa, dall'aria timida e smarrita, gli occhi neri e fieri. È il figlio di un addestratore di cavalli, uomo torvo e brutale, temuto da tutto il paese. Per Blade quella ragazzina è l'unica via di salvezza. Ha bisogno di lei per fuggire dalla violenza. Swan decide di aiutarlo e di nasconderlo. Perché, al contrario di tutti gli abitanti del paese, lei non teme il padre di Blade. L'unico posto sicuro è la grande fattoria di famiglia vicino al negozio del nonno, la drogheria che non chiude mai e vende di tutto. Ma non sarà facile. Non solo perché la famiglia è stata appena sconvolta da una tragedia, ma anche perché troppi sono gli occhi attenti e curiosi dei parenti. Ma Swan non vuole lasciare andare la piccola mano di Blade. Ed è determinata a tenere il segreto. Un segreto che sancirà un'amicizia forte e tenera ma estremamente pericolosa. Perché forse, in quell'estate in cui finalmente sono fioriti i papaveri, tutto l'amore del mondo potrebbe non essere sufficiente a fermare l'atroce vendetta di un essere animato dal male.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Book Club, Southern, Audiobook, Coming Of Age, Adult Fiction

368 pages, Hardcover

First published July 12, 2011

About the author

Jenny Wingfield grew up “pretty much all over Louisiana”. The daughter of a Methodist minister, she learned early on that being a preacher’s kid could mean moving a lot.

After high school, she attended Southern State College (now SAU), in Magnolia, Arkansas, earning her B.A. in English. Later on, she taught English and Language Arts in the Hope, Arkansas and Ashdown Arkansas public schools.

Wingfield broke into freelancing by writing celebrity articles for Scene Magazine, Music City News, and The Saturday Evening Post. Several years later, she shifted lanes, tackling screenwriting. Her film credits include The Man In The Moon (Reese Witherspoon’s debut movie), The Outsider (starring Naomi Watts), and Hallmark Hall of Fame’s A Dog Named Christmas (winner of the 2010 Genesis Award), plus a number of Disney animation projects.

Her first novel, The Homecoming of Samuel Lake, was released by Random House on July 12, 2011. The book has also sold in the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Israel, Norway, Spain and Russia.

Wingfield’s other passions are watercolor painting, animal rescue and organic gardening. She lives on a farm, surrounded by rescued dogs, cats and horses, plus a few “bought” dairy goats.

Reviews

[Shelby *trains flying monkeys* · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Lake family heads home to the Moses clan every year for the yearly reunion. Samuel Lake usually leaves his wife Willadee and three children there while he runs to see what congregation he will be assigned to preach at for the coming year. This year Willadee's father dies and they find out that Sam has no flock to preach at. So they move in at the Willadee's mom's home. That happens to be a store and all night bar.

The Lakes youngest child Swan is mostly the main character, but you come to know this whole family over the course of this book. Swan totally steals the show for me though, she is spunky and just the most perfect character.
Plus, Swan knows that her uncle Toy is going to be her new best friend. He just doesn't know it yet. Toy is one of those haunted characters, he lost a leg during service, came home found out his wife was sleeping around, murdered her lover...you know..just an average guy. Don't think badly of him though. I adored him. His wife Bernice was Sam Lake's previous fiancé before he met Willadee. She knows that she could have Sam back just like that so her planning starts.



Then you have the evil man who lives next door. Ras Ballenger, who abuses his wife, son (Blade)and animals with gleeful abandon. (Be warned that there are some scenes that aren't pretty)
You know throughout the book that some kind of evil is lurking but I wasn't sure if Bernice would bring it or that turd Ras. (Ras is that bad guy that will have you squeezing your book pages in your hands to keep from wanting to punch him in the face.)

I'm totally crapping the bed on this review trying to get my point across so I'm just going to share a couple of the quotes. I totally loved this book.

Preachers' kids are the worst kind.
Nobody ever said the worst kind of what, but the implication was that all preachers' kids had illicit adventures, and Swan could never feel close to anyone who looked down on her for things she hadn't had a chance to do yet.

The hard part about this plan was going to be coming up with a good enough lie to explain why she'd been where she'd been, but Swan had tremendous confidence in her lying ability. And if worst came to worst, she could always tell the truth.


Booksource: library


My friend Cher's review did much better than I did on getting her feelings across for this little gem of a book.

[Dem · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jenny Wingfield's debut novel The Homecoming of Samuel Lake is a real gem !

Set in rural south Arkansas in the 1950s this story is about the Moses family and when good and evil cross paths and its consequences, but above all else it is about the love courage and struggle of a family and rural live.

I loved the title of this Novel and was intrigued to see where this story was going and Jenny Winfield’s tale really flows from the opening line . ( I really love a novel with a good opening line).

“ John Moses couldn’t have chosen a worse day, or a worse way to die, if he planned it for a lifetime”

Samuel Lake is a preacher who has lost his ministry and goes to live with his wife's family in rural Arkansas with their 3 children and the story unfolds from here and we spend the summer with the Moses family and go through happy sad and some cruel times with them.

This is a character driven story and I loved watching those characters develop and come alive, I could feel their emotions throughout the read and I fell in love with Swan, I loved her courage and how she took Blade under her wing, I enjoyed the character of Willadee, such a good person and so quiet and yet so strong. I loved Toy for the way he watched out for the kids and the family and I could go on and on about all the wonderful ( and not so wonderful) characters in this book but think I will leave that for a bookclub discussion.

This is one of those books that made me exclaim out loud, there is a lot of happy times and a lot of sad times throughout this story. Some people may even find this a tough read but it is a terrific story and a real page turner. Jenny Wingfield does not spend time on long descriptive passages she has a story to tell and she just gets on and tells it and what a great story it is.
There is also wit in this Novel and I found myself underlining sentences as I was reading as they had me laughing out loud.
I loved every single thing about The Homecoming of Samuel Lake, from the sweet Southern charm to the likable and dislikeable characters to the sense of time and place.

This is certainly one for my favourites list.

[Florence (Lefty) MacIntosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s a lot of well deserved buzz about this debut novel. Circa 1950's Southern lit with terrific characters, clever dialog and a story that hooks from page one. If you’re into realistic fiction and looking for some great escapism you’ve found it. In a nutshell it’s the story of Samuel Lake, a flockless Methodist minister forced to return to his roots, the home of his wife’s family on a backwoods farm in Arkansas, a tight knit clan with a whole heap of problems of their own.
The author strikes a nice balance, a decidedly tragic story of abuse, murder & infidelity lightened by gentle humour, a mix of angst and absurdity. For instance, the farm boasts a 24 hour booze bar in the basement called “Moses Never Closes” which doesn’t stop Samuel from setting up a holy-roller Revival Tent on the property as well. What with wives dragging their husbands out of the bar over to the revival tent for a shot of religion and the faithful heading for the bar after a hard day of praying for a shot of whisky – a mutually beneficial spinoff trade is developed.
Worth reading alone for the shear pleasure of the main character, 11 year old Swan Lake. I swear she’s as spunky, sassy & full of innocent wisdom as Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird. The other characters are wonderful as well, each with their own strengths & weaknesses, their own ways of coping with whatever life throws at them, and believe me a whole lot get’s thrown at them in this novel.
Negative: The dastardly Ras Ballenger an abuser extraordinaire who pushes all your emotional buttons. Problem was he was so cookie-cutter EVIL it leaned towards manipulative. If Wingfield had written the villain with some depth, I’m thinking Norman Bates character in Psycho, this could have been brilliant instead of just great. All is forgiven though, offset by a satisfyingly realistic conclusion – I liked the ending – a lot.
Content warning Graphic descriptions of animal abuse. I’d have passed on this had I known and in the process missed out on a great book. I’m a total candy-ass when it comes to animals in pain. I handled it so likely you can too. Spousal & child abuse are also depicted – with reasonable finesse

For the blended genre's of Southern Lit with realistic fiction: 4 ½ stars rounded up to 5

“If You are love, he roared, then love ain't much to crow about.”

[Angela M · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the title you might assume this is just about Samuel Lake , the minister who loses his congregations and moves from church to church but the precocious, kind hearted , eleven year old Swan Lake and the little boy named Blade that she tries desperately to protect were for me the center of the story.

From the title you might assume that it's just about Samuel Lake but it is about so much more - good and evil , darkness and joy , love and infidelity , caring and abuse , horrific deeds , and the loss of innocence of young children who witness evil before their very eyes and suffer at the hands of it.

But yes , it is ultimately about Samuel Lake and how he discovers that he can "tend to God's business " as well as his family . It's also about a good man named Toy Moses , Samuel's brother in law , and my other favorite character in the novel whose actions reflect the true meaning of family .

You can read the description or other reviews that tell more about the story. I'll just say that is one that I'm glad I didn't miss . It's gripping, heartbreaking but yet so hopeful. Highly recommended but not for the faint of heart . Swan Lake will remain for me one those unforgettable characters .

[Canadian Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a gem of a book. Truly "a diamond in a turnip patch." This is a story of innocence ending when bad things happen to good people. A story of redemption, hope and faith. Of miracles happening when one least expects it, especially for Sam Lake, a preacher who is without a pulpit and his faith beginning to wane; and his daughter, Swan Lake, who captures the innocence and purity that only a child can have. Grab a tissue as this story will make you chuckle, cry and make your heart swell. 4.5 stars.

[Cheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Moses clan gathers annually on the old hundred acre family homestead, home now to Calla and John Moses. Annually, Samuel Lake and his wife, Willadee Moses, head from Louisiana to the family reunion in Arkansas with their three children in tow. Samuel Lake is a good and loving husband to Willadee, a loving father to his children Noble, Swan and Bienville, a passionate preacher to his congregation.

Samuel and Willadee’s daughter, eleven year old Swan (yes, Swan Lake) is a spirited little girl, not afraid of much, and with a strong sense of right and wrong. Others have compared her to Scout Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird), and while this is a lovely and charming book with similar themes of justice, set in a small southern town, this book stands on its own merits. Swan really captured me, although each of the characters gets a fairly equal part in this story that centers around Swan’s intention to save a young neighbor boy from his father’s ways.

Set in 1950’s Arkansas with a cast of characters that in other hands might end up being too trite, Jenny Wingfield keeps each character from being overly predictable. “The Homecoming of Samuel Lake” is Wingfield’s debut novel.

“I was picking them for that man,” he said softly, nodding toward the house. “That uncle.”
Calla tipped back her head and sucked air in through her nose, the way a person does when a feeling gets to be too much to handle. When was the last time anyone did anything special for Toy…”
…After a second, she said, “Did you know flowers bloom better if you pick them?”
He shook his head solemnly.
“Well, they do. It’s like you gave them a compliment, and all of a sudden they start doing everything they can to get another one.”

[Melissa Crytzer Fry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel will have you thinking about faith and miracles in a whole different light. Debut novelist Jenny Wingfield conjures a cast of characters fresh and imaginative – all set against the lush backdrop of a rural Arkansas farming landscape in the ‘50s.

“I think maybe miracles are something everybody has to find out about for themselves.” This astute knowledge comes from one of the key characters, a likable, resilient pre-teen Swan, and gets to the heart of this story that focuses on the family struggles of an out-of-work preacher.

Wingfield’s narrative style – using an observant, omniscient point of view – allows the reader to explore a number of dark topics: manipulation, abuse, dishonesty, infidelity, animal cruelty. They are, however, tempered with countless laugh-out-loud moments, including (among others) the name of the grandfather’s bar, “Moses Never Closes.” And of course, there is hope and love peppered throughout this story that follows the lives of four incredible, children, their parents, and aunts/uncles. And no story would be a good story without a villain; Wingfield delivers just that, a character named Ras, who is so despicable and abhorrent that he still gives me the shivers. (Warning: not an easy read for some).

Perhaps I was drawn also by Wingfield’s portrayal of religion; the revival scenes and even the thoughts of the preacher, Samuel, were reminiscent of the stories my mom tells of revivals in the ‘50s in her hometown of Pennsylvania. (For anyone shy of religion, this is not a book with a religious agenda. In fact, often the religion takes a back seat to other pivotal plot threads.)

Even though this story has heartbreaking, heartbreaking elements, I think Wingfield expertly wove reality and hope into the story. The ending was not a “perfect” and “wrapped in a bow,” “tidy” ending (I personally love endings that aren't perfectly wrapped). But in so many ways it was a peaceful ending – a reminder that each of us must come to peace with our circumstances, whether they are good or bad.

I’m looking forward to more of Wingfield’s work!

[Crystal Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Homecoming of Samuel Lake is just one of those books you must read. My attention was grabbed as soon as I read the first sentence.

"John Moses couldn’t have chosen a worse day, or a worse way to die if he’d planned it for a lifetime."

The story takes place in the backwoods of Arkansas. The characters, especially the children are fun. As I read, I found myself laughing out loud several times.

If I could ask Jenny Wingfield one question, it would be, why the odd character names? They didn't take away from the story, but with each new character introduced, I did a double-take; really? That's their name?

Odd names aside, this was a beautifully told story, a great first novel. I look forward to the author's future works.

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Samuel Lake is a preacher used to moving churches regularly. His eleven year old daughter Swan gets tired of being a preacher’s kid and would just like to be normal. But there is nothing normal about Swan. She is unique, full of spunk, spirited and an absolute delight. When Samuel suddenly finds himself without a church appointment and so no income coming in, he moves back with his in laws. His wife Willadee and his three children are already with the rest of the family for a family reunion which is always held without fail the first weekend in June. When John Moses dies suddenly, things change in the family. Calla mourns the wasted years with her husband, John Moses. Willadee and Toy find themselves suddenly without a father and left to get on with business. Bernice, Toy’s wife, in particular is happy to have Samuel back. She regrets letting him go before he met and married Willadee. Tensions within the family exist but mostly people get along. That is very different to the home life of young Blade Ballenger. His father rules his wife, his eldest son Blade and the horses he trains by fear and cruelty. When Swan meets Blade, she is determined to befriend him. But no-one dreamed of the impact Blade and his father would have on the lives of the Moses and Lake families.
Swan is a fantastic character. She practically leaps off the page. It is hard not to smile with her, feel for her and fear for her. But there are other characters that touch the heart. I loved Samuel and Willadee as well. I felt sorry for Toy and the situation of his marriage and his love for Bernice which is not returned. He really shows his commitment to family and strength of character as the story goes along. And my heart broke for young Blade. The cruelty towards other people and animals from Blade’s father Ras Ballenger is very hard to read at times. He is utterly despicable. There is another one who is decidedly unlikable too.
Although some if it is hard reading, there is also wit and lightness among these pages. A lot of times, but not always, this has to do with Swan. She’s an absolute cracker. Like her father though she has a heart for others. For this Aussie, some of the Southern fiction names at first seemed a little odd, but somehow they work. Every time I has to put this book down, I couldn’t wait to get back to it. Even though it deals with dark issues, it is a gem that absolutely captivated me from start to finish. A highly recommended read.

[Cathrine ☯️ · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF
I made it a third of the way. I do not want to read books that contain animal and child abuse.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
This book is just so good, touched on every emotion, I loved the Moses clan and especially the children.

[Cher 'N Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars - Incredible. I really loved it.

I blew through this one in 2 days and loved it from the first paragraph. It's southern lit set in Arkansas in the 1950's, which does not have a romance-centric plot and does not focus on the overdone racial tropes. Can we please, please get more of these??

The author delicately balances the power of hope against a realistic portrayal of the cruelty in our world. Her characters are memorable and there are some great humorous moments. There are several characters that are incredibly endearing, another that you will absolutely love to hate (cough, homewrecker, cough), and another that is so cruel he will give you the heebie jeebies.

Be forewarned that there is animal cruelty in this one, particularly towards horses and cats, but it was not so graphic that my tender heart could not stomach it. This is an easy novel to recommend, and I look forward to reading the author's next novel.

-------------------------------------------------

Favorite Quote: They’d have people out looking for her, and nothing makes grown-ups quite so mad as finding a child safe when they’d been scared silly that they might find that child dead.

First Sentence: John Moses couldn’t have chosen a worse day, or a worse way to die, if he’d planned it for a lifetime.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book started out as a 5-star read. Then the villains became overly villainous and one-dimensional, the writing was just ok, and when it wasn't predictable it stretched believability beyond belief. There are a couple of characters who are interesting, but not worth reading the book for. My advice? Don't waste your time. Oh, and if you have issues with domestic violence, child abuse and animal abuse, then you have three more reasons to skip this one.

[Bette Crosby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book...loved the story, the pacing, the language. Were it possible, this would be a six star fro me.

[Sheree · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not ready to leave, it can't be over ... this is hands down, without a doubt, my favourite read this year and I can't thank my friend Staci enough for recommending it. You know when you come across a treasure that is too good not to share, a book that you want everyone to read and love just as much as you do. This is that book. To borrow words from The Homecoming of Samuel Lake ... it's "enough to make your heart fill up and burst"

Jenny Wingfield's writing is pure bliss ... it's all warmth and honesty, it filled me with joy, tugged at my heart strings, made my face ache from smiling, it made me sigh and giggle and cry.

The Moses/Lake family; Samuel, Willadee, Calla, Toy, "Moses Never Closes" "Moses honesty" and the irrepressible, sassy, brave Swan ... they marched straight into my heart. I love these people, I don't even want to call them characters, I feel comfortable with them, like I'm home.

just some of my favourite quotes:

Her parents certainly loved God. Swan did, too, she was sure, even though she bent His rules with some degree of regularity, and prayed only When It Was Important. She'd never been one to wear God out with small talk.

Swan said, "This means we're really poor, right?"
"Not really poor. Really poor people don't have enough to eat, and can't afford to go to the doctor when they get sick. There's a difference between being poor and being prudent."
Swan sighed. "I don't suppose there's any way to know how long we'll be prudent is there? Because I'd sure hate to be prudent at Christmas."

from Toy
"It's hard to believe, but there are people in this world who are low enough" - he paused for emphasis - "sorry enough" - he paused again - "pure pig shit worthless enough to maliciously harm a child."

from Calla
"Did you know flowers bloom better if you pick them?"
He shook his head solemnly.
"Well, they do. It's like you gave them a compliment, and all of a sudden they start doing everything they can to get another."

Jenny Wingfield doesn't shy away from addressing dark, heartbreaking issues but it's tempered with humour and a charming ambiance. Family, love, faith, hope, miracles and pearls of homespun wisdom that just gladden your heart (as corny as that sounds I swear it's true.) Ok time for me to stop gushing before I give anything away, the delight in this book is experiencing it all, yourself.

The Homecoming Of Samuel Lake has earned a special place in my heart

... keeping illustrious company with the likes of The Help, Best Kept Secret, The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society, Saving CeeCeeHoneycutt & Eternal On The Water.

[Diane Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, let me thank Cher for writing such a good review that I went straight to my library and checked this one out. I hadn't come across it before and it wasn't on my book radar at all. I opened it up to page 1 and fell in.
In 1956, Samuel Lake takes his wife, Willadee, and his 3 kids to her family reunion at the old home place in Arkansas. The Moses family is big, rambunctious, noisy and loving, with a lot of history, resentment, jealousies and tragedy and joy among them, just like most families. And there's more in store as this novel takes off and sends the reader in so many different directions that it's almost impossible to put it down. The best thing about this book was that everything was so real. The characters were REAL, their conversations were REAL, the kids were REAL. There was humor mixed in with the sadness, hope mixed in with the really bad things that happened. Southern cooking was very much a part of this family, as was all the golden southern phrases that I remember from my childhood.
This author brought these people to life and told a tale that had me spellbound for two days.
Most of this book is filtered through the eyes of Swan, who gets my vote for the best 11 year old girl in the book world, outside of Scout Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird. She's sassy, honest, smart and brave, with a great big heart. No one stands a chance with her, once her mind is made up.
I hope you'll give this book a chance, it deserves a wide readership. As good as it is, it's just a first novel, so we hopefully have more to come from Jenny Wingfield.

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 The story about a preacher and his family in the 1950's in Arkansas> when Sam Lake is not given a church for the year by the Methodist congregation the Lakes return home to Arkansas. There they encounter violence, but redemption too and the wonderful power of family and love. It is the children that make the book, Swan Lake is 10 and has 2 brothers and a small boy that she needs to save from the violence of his father. Another extremely well written 1st novel.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gushing, just gushing with love for this book. Ugh I could cry again just writing about it.
It is extremely rare that a book touches me like this one just did. It is also rare for me to give anything 5 stars but when a book evokes so much emotion that you cannot control yourself when reading in public, that is a sure sign of something phenomenal.
I loved this family: sassy Swan, and teddy bear Toy, Willadee and Sam, Blade, Calla all of them! Well, except Bernice of course.
Love, love, love.

[Celia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Southern Gothic? I am not sure what that means. The Homecoming of Samuel Lake does take place in a southern state: Arkansas. In fact, Columbia County Arkansas, 1956.

A quote from Book Browse should help clarify:

With her vivid descriptions of "the old home place," a hundred-acre farm in Arkansas in the 1950s, and her knack for capturing the local dialect in her writing, Jenny Wingfield's debut novel, The Homecoming of Samuel Lake, fits comfortably into the category of "literature of the American South."

Wingfield describes two families: the Moses and the Lakes. Samuel Lake has married Willadee Moses and is now living on the Moses Family Farm. The Lakes have three children: sons Noble and Bienville, and daughter Swan (yes, Swan Lake). Samuel is a preacher and has lost his Louisiana Methodist congregation. He hopes to find a new congregation in Willadee's home town.

They come in June because of the Moses Family Reunion. John Moses dies that day, setting the stage for a summer of tragic events.

The characters spring to life in this writing. I have now completed the book, but feel that I will not forget them and their stories for a long time.

I was able to listen to the book on CD narrated beautifully by Catherine Taber. Her sweet southern drawl was etched into my head. I occasionally found myself talking with a drawl too.

Highly recommend

5 stars

[☕Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I started reading this book I thought it was going to be one thing and then, boom, it was another thing entirely. I love a book which can take me by surprise like that. Based on the first couple of chapters I was expecting an enjoyable but somewhat light-hearted quirky-characters-in-a-large-southern-family type of story. What I was not expecting were the dark themes which would later emerge: suicide, abuse, murder, incarnate evil. What is truly masterful is the way Jenny Wingfield manages to imbue her novel with a sense of hopefulness despite all of this. In the end, this book is about love, faith, and the power of family. This book is a journey, by turns sad and beautiful, horrifying and joyous, but at all times wonderful.

[☮Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book and this author. I have discovered that she wrote the screenplay for The Man in the Moon, one of my favorite coming of age movies; so no wonder I loved this! Another reason could be that it reminded me a lot of To Kill a Mockingbird and the Joe R. Lansdale books I have enjoyed. Similar setting in the rural South, similar characters -- a couple of precoscious children with gumption to spare, adults spewing wisdom, and an evil neighbor who is 50 kinds of despicable. I will never complain about my neighbors again. I recommend!

[Skip · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book reminded me of All the Ugly and Wonderful Things, which I also really enjoyed. Memorable, quirky characters, family love and tragedy, Southern charm, evocative writing.

Samuel Lake does not get a ministry to run one year and decides to stay with his wife Willadee's family and parents in southern Arkansas in the late 1950's. The story centers on their relationship, her brother Toy's marriage to a jealous Bernice, Samuel and Willadee’s children, especially 11 year-old Swan, who is larger than life: spirited, playful, engaging, adventurous, and the abused 8-year old son (Blade) of a vicious neighbor. The family pulls together in many ways in facing numerous hardships. Not for the faint-hearted, but highly recommended.

[Glenna Pritchett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an absolute stunner of a debut, and I don't know how it wasn't on my radar until 9 years after publication.

To borrow a phrase (well, a book title) from the late Lewis Grizzard, Ms. Wingfield "tore out my heart and stomped that sucker flat." Her characters are brilliant: I didn't just read about them, I knew them. I was there with them, and I felt their pain. Boy, did I ever feel their pain. But I also felt their love and their courage. What a fantastic journey the book was! I surely hope there are more books brewing in Ms. Wingfield's fertile imagination.

[Cranky Commentary (Melinda) · Rating 5 out of 5]

——It was good to read this again. My review won’t change, but I probably should have added trigger warnings. Some of it was really rough. As rough as the “lows” were, the “highs” were very much worth it. I just love this book. Trigger warnings for domestic abuse, child abuse, sexual abuse, animal cruelty. BUT if I can handle it, (I’m a pretty big wuss when it comes to this stuff) anyone can.——

This is one of “those books”. It’s a rare book that can pull you into horrible situations (and I do mean horrible), and still maintain a comforting, folksy narration. It’s about family, and all the wonderful and unspeakably awful things that happen in life.

Another author telling the same story may have made me quit reading by emphasizing the darkness, but Jenny Wingfield keeps you safely surrounded by the amazing characters she constructs. I fell in love with the Moses family, because that is what a really good author of a really good book does. If an author can make the reader connect with her characters, then the goal of becoming completely immersed in the story is unavoidable.

The adults have their share of drama. Between all the family members, there’s enough going on to keep anyone interested, but the children were the heart of this story for me.

**”Willadee asked her what on earth she was talking about, and Calla said she wasn’t sure, but at least they didn’t have to worry about whether the kids were all right. Between praying and fasting and lying and stealing, they were probably too busy to get into any real trouble”. **

Trouble does find them though, and I fretted over them as if they were my own children.

This is not a Christian book per se, but it is spiritual without being preachy. You meet the devil head-on, yet there’s no “Ten Commandments” way set out for the reader to deal with the devil. It’s a HUMAN book, by and for humans.

Reading this did my heart good! This was a debut novel, but I’m going to track down every book Jenny Wingfield writes!

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an old-fashioned novel that I SO enjoyed. It's rare to come across a debut novel that doesn't grind some politico preaching hubris, or try to shock with obscenity language contests, or in some way gross you out with any one of the top current 5 dystopian or whining dysfunction witness scenarios. And actually holds an entire cast of characters who hold GOOD INTENT in unselfish diligence for their family on top of it!

Yet there is animal and child abuse and true world reversals both economic and physical. It's the 1950's in Southern Arkansas and the language is dialect in part. But certainly all of that was absolutely not a turn off for me.

My only complaint is that I thought the first 2/3rds of the book was better than the last 1/3rd. Not that the last 1/3rd was bad in any way at all, but it held more darkness than I would have wanted if given my druthers. But of course, that's life too- and as the book itself states in the last paragraph, over time all changes.

The children in this book were absolutely nailed. Swan and Blade most of all- but every one of them. No child was just "one of the crowd." I love when that works. Calla was fab too.

I'll be looking for Jenny Wingfield's name on the bindings.

Others warn of needing a strong stomach, but I want to parse that warning just a bit. This is NOT grit-lit. And I've read some. This is rural sensibilities of the last century, mid-century. I'm tickled that some one can write such a family story without language obscenity, on top of it. It was NOT missed.

[Camie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The homecoming is that of Samuel Lake, an out of work Methodist minister, who finding himself without a flock, during the depression era, returns to his Alabama backwoods roots and his wife and children at the old Moses farm, where three generations of the family clan gather. While Grandma Calla runs a general store by day in the front of the house, Uncle Toy runs an all night bar at the back, and Samuel himself holds a nightly tent revival in a neighboring field, the three Lake children, most notably feisty eleven year old Swan, are learning what it's like to come of age as goodness and evil play tug of war around them. The evil comes mostly in the form of a neighbor who mistreats his wife, children, and animals, and who carries a grudge towards the Moses clan when they try to intervene. Parts of this book are difficult to read. This is an emotional bittersweet tale of sin, redemption, justice, dishonesty, honesty, and even miracles. The book cover states this is Southern Gothic at its best and likens its raw and powerful darkness to something written by Flannery O'Connor. The ending is especially good. 4 stars

[Lori Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great story-telling!!! Loved every lil bit!!!

[Sonja Arlow · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ½ stars

I have yet to read Southern Fiction I don’t like and this book was no exception.

Set in the 1950’s Arkansas this story has a little of everything - romance, murder, compassion, cruelty and the value of family. The characters are all lively and especially the children were a delight. We have righteous Samuel, strong-willed Willadee, scheming Bernice, lively Swan, reserved Toy and of course young Blade who will crawl into anyone’s heart.

The story has a few sub plots but for me it really revolved around Swan Lake and her new friend Blade Ballenger. Blade grows up in an abusive household, with a father that uses the same techniques for breaking horses on his son. Swan makes it her mission to keep the boy safe from his terrifying father.

The ending was what made me hesitate to give this a full 4 stars. It doesn’t spoil the book but did feel a bit out of place with the rest of the story. The majority of characters were also presented as either very good or very bad with nothing in between.

But ultimately this was a compulsively readable story that is meant to warm your heart and leave you feeling happy afterwards so go make a big pot of tea, put your feet up and enjoy.

[Trudy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only reason I gave this book even two stars is because I didn't abandon it. I came very close several times, however I didn't. This is not meant to be a complement to this book. It was a very disturbing read, full of any type of abuse imaginable. While reading this book you are exposed to horrendous child abuse, spousal abuse, and animal abuse. Don't understand how this book received such praise . Apparently it just wasn't for me.

[Mary Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful southern storytelling that made me laugh as hard as I cried. It touched me in dozens of ways. Favorite story of the year and characters least likely to ever forget.