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An Accomplished Woman
When Catherine Buckingham’s parents die, her young uncle, Thorn Wade, becomes her guardian and raises her as her mother wished, so Catherine becomes an adult who is not like the men—or women—of the world around her: she is a sexual creature we seldom encounter. With innocent joy Catherine explores her amorous feelings for the man who has raised her, while Thorn will not take any male initiative by word, look or action. They keep the memory of that summer like a promise they will someday fulfill. But Thorn must leave to fight in World War II. Catherine is told he is dead, and learns, painfully, how to be like women of the 40’s and 50’s. Yet Thorn is alive, and comes to find a Catherine who is finished, accomplished. How can she face the man who formed her for another life?
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1979
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About the author
Nancy Price
12 books31 followers“I was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and raised in Detroit, but it seems to me that I spent my childhood in books,” Nancy Price says. “At fourteen I saw a poem of mine published in the Detroit News, and there I was: a writer.”
Nancy received her B.A. in English and art from Cornell College in 1946. In 1945 she married Howard J. Thompson, who joined the faculty of the University of Northern Iowa. Their three children, Catherine, John and David, were born in the 1950s.
Nancy received her B.A. in English and art from Cornell College in 1946. In 1945 she married Howard J. Thompson, who joined the faculty of the University of Northern Iowa. Their three children, Catherine, John and David, were born in the 1950s.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 12, 2025
Ugh, I'm finally done with this book. I've put it down and finished at least three or four others while picking it up periodically to try to make progress. I've read two other Nancy Price books and was enthralled by them, so I've been digging up her others (they're pretty much all out of print). This is apparently her second novel, and it really makes me wonder what the editors were on in 1979...
There are solid parts of this that remind me of what I enjoyed about her other works, but there is SO MUCH boring, pretentious dreck mixed in that I almost completely gave up on it a number of times. Sometimes it's nearly stream of consciousness, the writing is so abstruse. Then there are pages with real situations, dialogue, and thoughts in complete sentences, and things make sense and are interesting.
I appreciate the MC growing up in an isolated situation that leaves her uncomprehending of all the social nonsense that goes along with being a female (in the 1940's, but still applies today). It was a compelling and novel take on it... for a while. But I feel like 20-30% of the book harped on that without adding anything new. I get it, you don't care about your hair or clothes and EVERYONE ELSE DOES and doesn't understand why you don't (now you've read about half the book). It was not lost on me that the last part of the book sees her spending all her inner thoughts making sure her hair/makeup/food/house are all perfect, but by then I was kind of in favor of it - JUST for a change! But that ALSO was overwritten and boring, and during what SHOULD have been great emotional suspense () had me putting the book down rolling my eyes, frustrated with boredom again! With twenty pages left in the book!
And the worst thing? Because it's old and out of print, no one else has even read it on Goodreads for me to commiserate with in their reviews. Seven star-only ratings, LOL!
There are solid parts of this that remind me of what I enjoyed about her other works, but there is SO MUCH boring, pretentious dreck mixed in that I almost completely gave up on it a number of times. Sometimes it's nearly stream of consciousness, the writing is so abstruse. Then there are pages with real situations, dialogue, and thoughts in complete sentences, and things make sense and are interesting.
I appreciate the MC growing up in an isolated situation that leaves her uncomprehending of all the social nonsense that goes along with being a female (in the 1940's, but still applies today). It was a compelling and novel take on it... for a while. But I feel like 20-30% of the book harped on that without adding anything new. I get it, you don't care about your hair or clothes and EVERYONE ELSE DOES and doesn't understand why you don't (now you've read about half the book). It was not lost on me that the last part of the book sees her spending all her inner thoughts making sure her hair/makeup/food/house are all perfect, but by then I was kind of in favor of it - JUST for a change! But that ALSO was overwritten and boring, and during what SHOULD have been great emotional suspense () had me putting the book down rolling my eyes, frustrated with boredom again! With twenty pages left in the book!
And the worst thing? Because it's old and out of print, no one else has even read it on Goodreads for me to commiserate with in their reviews. Seven star-only ratings, LOL!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews