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Cecil and Pearle and The Merry-G0-Round
In this very small, agricultural town of Spring Grove, located in California's central valley and populated primarily with first-generation survivors (commonly called by the pejorative, “Okie”) of the tragic Midwest dust bowl of the 1930s, no one anticipated that mentally challenged Pearle Blinky could wash dishes at The Merry-Go-Round restaurant, let alone learn to read. No one in that same small town anticipated the return of juvenile delinquent Cecil Roach, now a severally injured and decorated WWll veteran. No one anticipated that as they worked together in the kitchen of The Merry-Go-Round restaurant a relationship might develop as small minds and gossips fed on assumptions and the "what ifs."
Jim and Morty Bannister didn't anticipate Cecil's return as they waited for the day they could avenge the beating he gave them with a pool cue in the bar attached to The Merry-Go-Round.
Cecil's and Pearle's unlikely relationship came about slowly and warmly, day by day, week by week.
And then Jim walked into The Marry-Go-Round's kitchen.
An unexpected love story alive with unforeseen events that leave the reader wondering at how the unexpected can change a life..
Jim and Morty Bannister didn't anticipate Cecil's return as they waited for the day they could avenge the beating he gave them with a pool cue in the bar attached to The Merry-Go-Round.
Cecil's and Pearle's unlikely relationship came about slowly and warmly, day by day, week by week.
And then Jim walked into The Marry-Go-Round's kitchen.
An unexpected love story alive with unforeseen events that leave the reader wondering at how the unexpected can change a life..
225 pages, Paperback
Published May 26, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 10, 2023
You may have guessed from the title that Cecil and Pearle are the hero and heroine of Robert C. Lee's story. You probably didn't guess that The Merry-Go-Round isn't an amusement park ride. It's a local cafe--something we might once have called a Greasy Spoon--that is the center of our story, and the center of activity in the small California farm town of Spring Grove. The location is in California's San Joaquin Valley, nestled next to the Sierra Nevada foothills, and its residents are farm workers, Dust Bowl migrants, and their families.
Lee begins his tale when Cecil is a small boy abandoned by his widowed father to the care of the uncaring parents of his deceased wife. To call Cecil a troubled child doesn't do his problems justice, as he drops out of high school, and then gets fired from one job after another.
By Cecil's young adulthood it's the early 1940s, and he's in trouble with the law for severely beating two brothers who had been mocking a young, slow-witted girl. After being given the chance to join the army instead of ten years in jail, Cecil finds himself in the thick of WWII.
The real story is about what happens to Cecil and the people in his life after he comes home from the war. You may not like everything that happens to them, but you most assuredly will not lose interest.
This is the first Robert C. Lee novel I've read, so I didn't know quite what to expect. What I found was a deep understanding of human nature, a finely crafted and unique storyline, and the ability to hold my attention. It's almost a cliché to say I couldn't put it down, but I couldn't, as I read it in one sitting.
This is a terrific story, extremely well told. Lee's use of dialog to help create and re-enforce character is spot on. His characters are real, and I cared what happened to them. I wanted the good guys to win, and the bad guys to fail. The town could have been real, too, although it probably had a different name. I've been there.
Every novel is a balancing act between moving the plot toward its culmination, and painting the backgrounds of the places, characters, their motivations and emotions. Lee strikes just the right balance, which keeps us deeply involved in his story. The balance between description and dialog is excellent as well, especially his use of dialect and idiom.
It's easy to click on Five Stars, but "Cecil and Pearle and the Merry-Go-Round" earned it. This is good stuff.
Lee begins his tale when Cecil is a small boy abandoned by his widowed father to the care of the uncaring parents of his deceased wife. To call Cecil a troubled child doesn't do his problems justice, as he drops out of high school, and then gets fired from one job after another.
By Cecil's young adulthood it's the early 1940s, and he's in trouble with the law for severely beating two brothers who had been mocking a young, slow-witted girl. After being given the chance to join the army instead of ten years in jail, Cecil finds himself in the thick of WWII.
The real story is about what happens to Cecil and the people in his life after he comes home from the war. You may not like everything that happens to them, but you most assuredly will not lose interest.
This is the first Robert C. Lee novel I've read, so I didn't know quite what to expect. What I found was a deep understanding of human nature, a finely crafted and unique storyline, and the ability to hold my attention. It's almost a cliché to say I couldn't put it down, but I couldn't, as I read it in one sitting.
This is a terrific story, extremely well told. Lee's use of dialog to help create and re-enforce character is spot on. His characters are real, and I cared what happened to them. I wanted the good guys to win, and the bad guys to fail. The town could have been real, too, although it probably had a different name. I've been there.
Every novel is a balancing act between moving the plot toward its culmination, and painting the backgrounds of the places, characters, their motivations and emotions. Lee strikes just the right balance, which keeps us deeply involved in his story. The balance between description and dialog is excellent as well, especially his use of dialect and idiom.
It's easy to click on Five Stars, but "Cecil and Pearle and the Merry-Go-Round" earned it. This is good stuff.
December 4, 2023
Hello, Book Lovers. I have a fantastic recommendation for you today!
You may have heard of Robert C Lee, the author of the Susan Trilogy, which consists of 'The Fall of Jack Edgerton,' 'Anything But A Whore,' and 'Doors Only Close.' These books are remarkable for their character development, plot twists, and satisfying conclusion. But his latest book 'Cecil and Pearl and the Merry-Go-Round' is even more impressive. It tells the story of Cecil, a troubled young man who transforms after serving in the military. He returns to his hometown and becomes a mentor and friend to Pearl, a sweet but slow-witted girl.
This book touched my heart deeply. It shows how much we can make a difference in someone's life if we show them kindness and compassion. Cecil and Pearl's journey is inspiring and rewarding, but you have to read it for yourself to find out why. Pick up your copy of 'Cecil and Pearl and the Merry-Go-Round' and share your thoughts with me!
• ASIN: B0C71JCWNP
• Publication Date: 6/2/2023
• File Size: 8399 KB
• Print Length: 233 pages
• Genre: Women's Literary Fiction, Contemporary Literary Fiction, Romance Literary Fiction
You may have heard of Robert C Lee, the author of the Susan Trilogy, which consists of 'The Fall of Jack Edgerton,' 'Anything But A Whore,' and 'Doors Only Close.' These books are remarkable for their character development, plot twists, and satisfying conclusion. But his latest book 'Cecil and Pearl and the Merry-Go-Round' is even more impressive. It tells the story of Cecil, a troubled young man who transforms after serving in the military. He returns to his hometown and becomes a mentor and friend to Pearl, a sweet but slow-witted girl.
This book touched my heart deeply. It shows how much we can make a difference in someone's life if we show them kindness and compassion. Cecil and Pearl's journey is inspiring and rewarding, but you have to read it for yourself to find out why. Pick up your copy of 'Cecil and Pearl and the Merry-Go-Round' and share your thoughts with me!
• ASIN: B0C71JCWNP
• Publication Date: 6/2/2023
• File Size: 8399 KB
• Print Length: 233 pages
• Genre: Women's Literary Fiction, Contemporary Literary Fiction, Romance Literary Fiction
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews