We Are Gathered Here: A Novel

by Micah Perks

The story of two women caught in the rural America of the 1880s, this novel is in part inspired by Perks' own family history. In it, she invites reappraisal of our own society's attitudes toward individuality, religion, illness, sexual orientation, and, especially, friendship, as we approach the turn of a new century.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Micah Perks grew up in a log cabin on a commune in the Adirondack wilderness. She is the author of a novel, We Are Gathered Here, a memoir, Pagan Time, a long personal essay, Alone in the Woods: Cheryl Strayed, My Daughter and Me and her new novel, What Becomes Us. Her short stories and essays have won five Pushcart Prize nominations, and three of them are available separately on audible: Ghost Deer, There Once Was A Man Who Longed For A Child, and King of Chains. Excerpts of her new novel, What Becomes Us, won an NEA and The New Guard Machigonne 2014 Fiction Prize. She received her BA and MFA from Cornell University. She lives in Santa Cruz with her family where she co-directs the creative writing program at University of California, Santa Cruz. More info and work at micahperks.com

Reviews

[Hilary Zaid · Rating 5 out of 5]

This gorgeous novel about a friendship between two women of different classes after the Civil War blends the intimate historicity of Laura Ingalls Wilder (sans racism) with the unabashed passion of Isabel Miller. Gorgeous prose, fascinating scene setting and tight plotting make this 1997 novel one of the permanent favorites on my shelf. Feminist and classic.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just didn't hold my attention. Not very realistic in my opinion.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fortunate mistake: I thought I was reserving a new release book with a similar title but reserved this book instead. I enjoyed the intriguing characters (Regina, the epileptic trapped by the conformist expectations of her wealthy family; her caretaker, Olive, family loving, big hearted, and practical but willing to pursue adventure when it presents itself; and Ren, Olive’s level-headed and loyal husband).

The author draws you into the setting (Adirondacks in the 1880s) and makes an interesting choice to devote the afterword to what becomes of the town where the story was set (Hammondville) rather than what becomes of the characters, leaving you reflecting on the characters long after you finish the book.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book when searching for novels with main characters who have epilepsy. This novel set in 1880 turned into so much more. Two women from distinctly different social classes meet when Olive is hired to take care of Regina, who suffers from epilepsy (or "fits" as they call it in the book). Both women are trapped by their lack of rights and options in that time period. The novel touches on abortion, women's friendships, sexual orientation, poverty, and religion.

I was completely bawling at the end of the book. I loved the idea that it was based on an ancestor in the author's family.

[Phair · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started out very good but eventually it started to feel like the author was just filling in an outline of women's issues in the 19thc., You name an issue and it was in here. Overall I enjoyed it but I felt cheated in the end- not enough resolution for the main characters.

[David Charcape · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring. The events in the story are not interesting nor they develop the characters. Things just happen (without a good reason), and they do not help to build a single main story for the book.

[Katrina McCrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Got a little bored with the characters snd the plot.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a mixed bag for me, mostly because I had a hard time with one of the main characters, Regina. She is complicated and frenetic in her action, yet some of her character traits seem one-dimensional. I feel the author intended this difficult relationship between the reader and Regina, but that did not make for an easy read.
The plot stalled a bit toward the middle of the book, but some quick rising action in the last third pulled me back in. By the end I was fully invested in the two main characters, mostly due to the drama of their adventures.
This tight narrative, plus a ton of great, interesting historical detail about the late 1800s in Appalachia, makes this an interesting read.

[Erin Tresch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I didn’t think I would!