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Rain Village
Young Tessa is a diminutive girl, far too small for farm work and the object of ridicule by both her own family and the other children in their isolated Midwestern community. Her father seems to believe in nothing beyond his crops, certainly not education for his misfit daughter. When a mysterious, entrancing librarian comes to town, full of fabulous stories, earthy wisdom and potions for the lovelorn, she takes Tessa under her wing, teaching her to read and to believe in herself —and a whole new magical world of possibilities opens up. But even as she blooms, Tessa’s father begins sexually abusing her. And her mentor carries a dark secret of her own. Tessa runs off, following Mary’s footsteps, to join the circus as a trapeze artist, where she marries a loving man and finds a fulfilling life for herself amidst her new circus family.
But she remains haunted by her past. And when a stranger from one of Mary'’s fabulist tales shows up, Tessa risks everything to follow him to Rain Village, where she might finally discover her mentor’'s tragic secret.
A brilliantly evocative debut set in the early part of the 20th century, steeped in emotional turbulence and down-to-earth wisdom, where a young woman must reconcile the inner traumas from her past and learn to live in the present in order to avoid becoming prisoner to her future. Rain Village casts a fabulous spell, pulling us into a world of mystery and possibility where love, friendship and loyalty might either destroy or set one free.
But she remains haunted by her past. And when a stranger from one of Mary'’s fabulist tales shows up, Tessa risks everything to follow him to Rain Village, where she might finally discover her mentor’'s tragic secret.
A brilliantly evocative debut set in the early part of the 20th century, steeped in emotional turbulence and down-to-earth wisdom, where a young woman must reconcile the inner traumas from her past and learn to live in the present in order to avoid becoming prisoner to her future. Rain Village casts a fabulous spell, pulling us into a world of mystery and possibility where love, friendship and loyalty might either destroy or set one free.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2006
7 people are currently reading
1154 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Turgeon
57 books632 followersCarolyn Turgeon is the author of five novels—Rain Village, Godmother, Mermaid, The Fairest of Them All, and The Next Full Moon, most of them based on old-time fairy tales, dark and glimmering—as well as The Faerie Handbook, The Mermaid Handbook, and The Unicorn Handbook.
She's also the editor-in-chief and co-owner of Enchanted Living (formerly Faerie Magazine), a quarterly print publication that the NY Times called “what would happen if Spenser’s The Faerie Queene and Martha Stewart Living had a magazine baby.”
She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her punk rock rescue dog Iggy.
Visit Carolyn's website at carolynturgeon.com and Enchanted Living at enchantedlivingmag.com.
She's also the editor-in-chief and co-owner of Enchanted Living (formerly Faerie Magazine), a quarterly print publication that the NY Times called “what would happen if Spenser’s The Faerie Queene and Martha Stewart Living had a magazine baby.”
She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her punk rock rescue dog Iggy.
Visit Carolyn's website at carolynturgeon.com and Enchanted Living at enchantedlivingmag.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
December 6, 2017
Onvan : Rain Village - Nevisande : Carolyn Turgeon - ISBN : 1932961240 - ISBN13 : 9781932961249 - Dar 320 Safhe - Saal e Chap : 2006
May 6, 2011
Little Tessa Riley is a tiny, diminutive twelve-year-old girl who barely stands four feet tall. She was born with hands the size of small plums and fingers like star fish. She is far too small to help on the family farm harvesting corn and potatoes. Tessa can’t even hold one large potato with both hands. Her mother, father, sister, and two brothers, all think she is a freak. They call her mean and hurtful names like: munchkin, tramp, and black-haired Jezebel. Her mother forces her to hang from a curtain rod for hours on end hoping it will stretch her little body so she’ll be less of a freak.
Her father is a loud, gigantic man who likes to Lord his power over those who are weaker than he is. Her meek mother runs around clutching rosary beads but isn’t even Catholic, and is bent over the table reading her Bible every night.
Tessa had heard there was a new librarian in town who seemed to have a strange affect on the men, her own father included. After lunch one day, Tessa decided to get down from her “stretching rod” and run her way to town in hopes of seeing this woman without getting caught by her father.
Sitting on the front steps of the Oakley, Kansas City library, Tessa was trying to decide whether she should go inside or not. She looked up and there was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen and the woman was looking right at her! The woman had striking blue eyes, brown freckled skin and long, wavy, shiny black hair. Mary Finn, the librarian, turned her cat like eyes on Tessa and invited her into the library with her. Tessa was thrilled. Once inside, Tessa thought Mary smelled of: “...the spices my mother baked oranges in.” Her wrists were adorned with jingly bracelets and she wore a long flowing skirt.
Mary chatted with Tessa for a bit and Tessa was so endeared to her that she ended up spilling her guts about her terrible home life and body stretching to Mary. Mary felt so sad for little Tessa and made her a special blend of her tea and promised to teach her to read and write. Before she left that day, Mary had taught Tessa how to spell her name. Tessa watched various women from town come in disguised to talk to Mary secretly about their problems, they believed she was a witch with magic powers. Mary would read Tarot cards and send them home with a small cloth bag filled with special herbs and spices to help with their particular problems. When Tessa left that day to return home, Mary was worried what Tessa’s father would do if he knew where his daughter had been.
The following day, Mary told Tessa that she used to be part of a circus which made Tessa’s eyes go wide. She was part of the “Velasquez Circus” from Mexico, and they were famous. This new news only endeared Tessa even more to Mary, especially when she learned that Mary flew on the trapeze!
That evening in bed Tessa was bursting at the seams just dying to share this new knowledge with someone. As she lay in her bed she decided to confide in her sister, Geraldine, after making her promise that she wouldn’t tell anyone. Geraldine was totally excited as she knew who the Velasqueze Circus was because they had come to Kansas City the previous year. Geraldine told Tessa that she thought Mary looked like a princess. Tessa replied that she did too, and wanted to be just like her! Geraldine began a cruel laugh, a horrible guffaw, telling Tessa that she could never look like Mary Finn because she was far too ugly and a freak. Feelings of shame enveloped little Tessa and she hid under her bed covers for the rest of the night listening to Geraldine still snorting in laughter.
Mary and Tessa became fast friends well into Tessa’s teen years. Mary finally hired Tessa to work in the library with her. They shared joys, sorrows, and secrets until a terrible tragedy occurred changing the course of Tessa’s life forever as she runs off to join the circus!
You won’t believe what happens to little Tessa from Oakley, Kansas once she finds the circus. This story is simply a masterpiece.
Her father is a loud, gigantic man who likes to Lord his power over those who are weaker than he is. Her meek mother runs around clutching rosary beads but isn’t even Catholic, and is bent over the table reading her Bible every night.
Tessa had heard there was a new librarian in town who seemed to have a strange affect on the men, her own father included. After lunch one day, Tessa decided to get down from her “stretching rod” and run her way to town in hopes of seeing this woman without getting caught by her father.
Sitting on the front steps of the Oakley, Kansas City library, Tessa was trying to decide whether she should go inside or not. She looked up and there was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen and the woman was looking right at her! The woman had striking blue eyes, brown freckled skin and long, wavy, shiny black hair. Mary Finn, the librarian, turned her cat like eyes on Tessa and invited her into the library with her. Tessa was thrilled. Once inside, Tessa thought Mary smelled of: “...the spices my mother baked oranges in.” Her wrists were adorned with jingly bracelets and she wore a long flowing skirt.
Mary chatted with Tessa for a bit and Tessa was so endeared to her that she ended up spilling her guts about her terrible home life and body stretching to Mary. Mary felt so sad for little Tessa and made her a special blend of her tea and promised to teach her to read and write. Before she left that day, Mary had taught Tessa how to spell her name. Tessa watched various women from town come in disguised to talk to Mary secretly about their problems, they believed she was a witch with magic powers. Mary would read Tarot cards and send them home with a small cloth bag filled with special herbs and spices to help with their particular problems. When Tessa left that day to return home, Mary was worried what Tessa’s father would do if he knew where his daughter had been.
The following day, Mary told Tessa that she used to be part of a circus which made Tessa’s eyes go wide. She was part of the “Velasquez Circus” from Mexico, and they were famous. This new news only endeared Tessa even more to Mary, especially when she learned that Mary flew on the trapeze!
That evening in bed Tessa was bursting at the seams just dying to share this new knowledge with someone. As she lay in her bed she decided to confide in her sister, Geraldine, after making her promise that she wouldn’t tell anyone. Geraldine was totally excited as she knew who the Velasqueze Circus was because they had come to Kansas City the previous year. Geraldine told Tessa that she thought Mary looked like a princess. Tessa replied that she did too, and wanted to be just like her! Geraldine began a cruel laugh, a horrible guffaw, telling Tessa that she could never look like Mary Finn because she was far too ugly and a freak. Feelings of shame enveloped little Tessa and she hid under her bed covers for the rest of the night listening to Geraldine still snorting in laughter.
Mary and Tessa became fast friends well into Tessa’s teen years. Mary finally hired Tessa to work in the library with her. They shared joys, sorrows, and secrets until a terrible tragedy occurred changing the course of Tessa’s life forever as she runs off to join the circus!
You won’t believe what happens to little Tessa from Oakley, Kansas once she finds the circus. This story is simply a masterpiece.
December 30, 2020
Carolyn Turgeon is one of my favorite authors. Her stories aren't always stellar, but are never short on fun and whimsy. After finding out Rain Village was the only one I hadn't read, and then finding out that it was her first novel, I couldn't wait to read it. Yet, I am left disappointed... very. So much so that I have to create a numbered list:
1.) I couldn't visualize a single character in this book. Mary's looks changed so much with every description. Dark brown skin, sun-kissed skin, freckles. Wild hair, perfect ringlets, frizzy and untamed. Then there was Tessa. Is she a little person? Is she just short? How is she proportioned? Besides the starfish hands, that we are consistently reminded of, I have no idea.
2.) Mary says she sees her fate ending in Oakley. For weeks she continues to get sick, and then kills herself in the river. What was all the talk of sickness about?
3.) Tessa's abilities were way overdone. 250 spins? I mean this must be record-breaking even in today's world. It was all just so far-fetched.
4.) Tessa leaves her family, if only temporarily, and keeps having fantasies about Costas. Not only did the story not really go anywhere, it upset me that Tessa was even considering infidelity.
5.) When Tessa meets Isobel, Isobel makes a comment that none of what Mary told Tessa was true. But then, we never find out what the truth is. All of this for nothing! We never find out any answers to all these unanswered questions, we never find out why Mary killed herself, or what happened to William, or what Mary's entire life was based on. Tessa feels like she needs to go on this journey of discovery, and suddenly it no longer matters to her and she heads home?
Unfulfilling and disappointing. This entire book was unfulfilling, even during it's better moments, and I am just so frustrated altogether with it.
1.) I couldn't visualize a single character in this book. Mary's looks changed so much with every description. Dark brown skin, sun-kissed skin, freckles. Wild hair, perfect ringlets, frizzy and untamed. Then there was Tessa. Is she a little person? Is she just short? How is she proportioned? Besides the starfish hands, that we are consistently reminded of, I have no idea.
2.) Mary says she sees her fate ending in Oakley. For weeks she continues to get sick, and then kills herself in the river. What was all the talk of sickness about?
3.) Tessa's abilities were way overdone. 250 spins? I mean this must be record-breaking even in today's world. It was all just so far-fetched.
4.) Tessa leaves her family, if only temporarily, and keeps having fantasies about Costas. Not only did the story not really go anywhere, it upset me that Tessa was even considering infidelity.
5.) When Tessa meets Isobel, Isobel makes a comment that none of what Mary told Tessa was true. But then, we never find out what the truth is. All of this for nothing! We never find out any answers to all these unanswered questions, we never find out why Mary killed herself, or what happened to William, or what Mary's entire life was based on. Tessa feels like she needs to go on this journey of discovery, and suddenly it no longer matters to her and she heads home?
Unfulfilling and disappointing. This entire book was unfulfilling, even during it's better moments, and I am just so frustrated altogether with it.
August 13, 2009
Tessa Riley is a young girl growing up on her family's farm in Oakley, Kansas. She has a brother, sister, and parents. But she's no ordinary girl. She's only four feet tall. She is relentlessly teased by the community because of her height. Her family are very straight laced farmers who's sole concern is maintaining the farm...to the extent that the children are discouraged from learning (they can't even read) to work on the farm. Tessa is too small for most farm work so she is told to hang from a curtain rod to try and stretch herself so she gets bigger. Her mom is distant and unloving and her father is abusive.
Enter the glamorous new town librarian, Mary. (First time I've hear that in a book.) Mary takes Tessa under her wing, teaches her to read, lets her work in the library, tells her wonderful stories, and opens the world up for Tessa. Mary also used to be a star in the circus before she left under mysterious circumstances. So when tragedy strikes, Tessa takes off to find the circus, become a star herself, and start a new life.
I loved it. It's one of those books where the characters really stick with you. Tiny Tessa is just an interesting character. She's such a small person with huge dreams. And Mary is this glamorous lovable character. I also loved that the story is pretty timeless. It could have happened anytime between the turn of the 20th Century and now. I'm assuming it takes place sometime during the 1920s-1930s. It's one of those great bittersweet stories.
I do see how Carolyn is evolving as a writer though. While great writing the beginning and end could be a tad bit shorter. If you aren't feeling the story, keep with it until she leaves to join the circus. I just loved watching her character evolve and grow.
Enter the glamorous new town librarian, Mary. (First time I've hear that in a book.) Mary takes Tessa under her wing, teaches her to read, lets her work in the library, tells her wonderful stories, and opens the world up for Tessa. Mary also used to be a star in the circus before she left under mysterious circumstances. So when tragedy strikes, Tessa takes off to find the circus, become a star herself, and start a new life.
I loved it. It's one of those books where the characters really stick with you. Tiny Tessa is just an interesting character. She's such a small person with huge dreams. And Mary is this glamorous lovable character. I also loved that the story is pretty timeless. It could have happened anytime between the turn of the 20th Century and now. I'm assuming it takes place sometime during the 1920s-1930s. It's one of those great bittersweet stories.
I do see how Carolyn is evolving as a writer though. While great writing the beginning and end could be a tad bit shorter. If you aren't feeling the story, keep with it until she leaves to join the circus. I just loved watching her character evolve and grow.
July 28, 2013
Have been trying to read this for several months, as in started it in December, and it became a mission for me to finish. Enjoyed the circus life descriptions and found the plot intriguing. Appreciated that main character Tessa was naive, but just couldn't like her. Writing was mostly trite and very redundant - same sentences over and over again without advancing the story. Story dragged but then ended with a lot of pieces unexplained (motivation; unfinished characters) a bit confusing since so much (too much?) detail used in previous story points. Really wanted to like this more than I did.
June 20, 2011
I found this to be a book with a great start, then it just dragged on and on. The last 40 pages I skimmed through the dialogue just to get the book over with. I just couldn't like the main character after about half way through the book. If you want a book that describes everything down to the last grain of sand, this is your book. It was just too much detail. I felt like the author was trying to drag out the number of pages in the book. The idea was there, but not a good follow through over all.
June 27, 2009
Having enjoyed Godmother, I wanted to give this one a try. Tessa is tiny and unhappy until she meets the bewitching librarian, Mary. With Mary as her employer, teacher, and friend things do improve a bit, especially when she is introduced to the trapeze and the idea of life in the circus. The story does ramble...
August 12, 2019
I enjoyed this book but it would have gotten a higher rating if not for the ending. I love a good coming of age story. I enjoy beautiful descriptive writing. At the tales end though, ultimately, I felt the protagonist found pretty much nothing in Rain Village. I got that she was supposed to have 'found herself' or whatever but to leave with some dude you just met and have an anti-climactic ending was really sort of a big yawn to me. I also felt that I was made to feel as a reader that there was something in the village that was effecting outsiders but that was either a red herring to nowhere or I read into it more than the author intended. I expected SOMETHING more than what was presented and it made me a little annoyed. I'm picky about endings though and sometimes when I feel that the author didn't know how to end it it gets a little paint by the numbers trope-y. The beginning and middle of the story is great, I felt like I could have skipped the last few chapters and been fine.
November 14, 2019
I really tried to like this book. It starts out great with a looked over little girl named Tessa and an exotic woman who comes into her dusty little farming community named Mary. Mary opens Tessa's eyes to the world and herself and what her life can be.
Unfortunately Mary's demons get the best of her and Tessa travels to find the circus where Mary came from. She becomes very popular as part of the acrobatic team. She's always nagged in her head about Mary's home called Rain Village. So she goes to visit looking for answers after all these years.
Once Mary dies I kept asking myself, "why do I care?" Tessa is unremarkable and rather dull. The story drags put from the circus to her journey to Rain Village where NONE of the questions that have been repeated a painful amount if time are answered and I was left feeling like the Village Idiot for taking that time to finish this book.
Started off strong and then I just couldn't care about the rest of Tessa's story. Boo.
Unfortunately Mary's demons get the best of her and Tessa travels to find the circus where Mary came from. She becomes very popular as part of the acrobatic team. She's always nagged in her head about Mary's home called Rain Village. So she goes to visit looking for answers after all these years.
Once Mary dies I kept asking myself, "why do I care?" Tessa is unremarkable and rather dull. The story drags put from the circus to her journey to Rain Village where NONE of the questions that have been repeated a painful amount if time are answered and I was left feeling like the Village Idiot for taking that time to finish this book.
Started off strong and then I just couldn't care about the rest of Tessa's story. Boo.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2017
The story/fairytale was beautiful and the characters equally so. There was satisfying growth in Tessa, the main character... And a grounding touch of realism through the glossy haze of fairytale drama...Plus I always love a circus story. I searched this book out because I read work by C Turgeon in a magazine, which I love...But it was dragging in places and the writing wasn’t as magical as I’d hoped for, though lovely and sweet and got the point across...I guess I was just hoping for more sophisticated writing, and I give it grace as it was only her first novel. I’ll definitely read her more recent work...Maybe there’ll be growth there, too. Either way, keeping fairytales alive is important, and I commend her for that. I think this would be a good YA book, depending on the young adult — there are definitely some painful sexual violence issues explored here.
October 26, 2019
I started out liking Rain Village but the more I continued reading it got to be a drag as the author went on and on about details over and over. I skimmed quite a bit. I don't know why she related her own life to Mary's and need to go to Rain Village to discover "herself"! I guess I missed the part how William truly died! Did Mary murder him or did he drown? Did he have another woman? I have read other reviews and agree with most of them!
January 19, 2021
Love books in a circus setting for the most part and this was good though the pacing needed a lot more thought put in. The first 2/3 of the book have to do with buildup, then the actual mystery you're waiting to solve never really gets solved. I'm almost wondering if my kindle copy was missing pages or something because how this ends didn't really make sense to me. Or maybe I need a nap. Who knows.
November 26, 2018
More of a 2.5. The novel started out strong but became repetitive as it went along. Some passages seemed to be copied and pasted from earlier parts of the book to later parts. I’m not sure I understand what the point of Tessa’s journey was, especially since the novel ends on such an unfinished note.
October 12, 2021
Carolyn Turgeon once again wove a mystical, dark tale that kept me quite enthralled. The first half of this novel was dark and bittersweet, but misted with this wistful sense of hope. The development of main character Tessa as she discovered the witch of the town—Mary—was intriguing and relatable, in the sense where she treasured and romanticized Mary in an inhuman way.
I unfortunately found the second half to not be as thoughtful as the first half, in the sense that most of it felt like filler to Tessa’s growth. Which again, was beautifully done and felt very authentic. It began to just feel drawn out.
I unfortunately found the second half to not be as thoughtful as the first half, in the sense that most of it felt like filler to Tessa’s growth. Which again, was beautifully done and felt very authentic. It began to just feel drawn out.
June 18, 2025
An interesting story about a woman who's struggling to find her way in the world after a rough upbringing. I liked what she grew up to do as a job, every kid's dream job! :D Rain village sounds pretty awful after the wet spring and summer I've just lived through, but makes for a fascinating village in the story.
August 3, 2025
Emotional tale of finding yourself and pausing homage to those that helped you do it. I did NOT like that Tessa left to visit Rain Village but was so relieved that she realized home was the life she made herself and returned to her husband.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2017
As far as circus books go, I liked the Phryne Fisher one much more. Tessa didn't really speak to me.
March 28, 2025
Hard to get in to even though the writing dog isn’t bad. Couldn’t hold my attention. I just didn’t care.
August 10, 2015
I loved this book. It manages to be grounded in reality and fantasy all at once and the entire story is shrouded in mystery and dreaminess. Tessa takes readers on a journey from Oakley, Kansas and its magical library to the glittering circus and Mexico City and finally to the legendary, titular Rain Village, all in her quest to find herself, heal from the trauma of her past, and make peace with what happened to her mentor, librarian Mary Finn, so many years ago.
The plot is rather simple for the length of the book and I would argue that at times, the story drags and is a little too repetitive. But that's ultimately forgivable because Tessa's travels are so entrancing and Carolyn Turgeon's language and world are so magical. This is a character-driven story, and that's the kind of story I liked best. Tessa goes through a horrific childhood, but finds a way to blossom under Mary's guidance, and despite losing the woman who mattered most to her, finds a way to take her life into her own hands and chase her dreams. Tessa's road to recovery is inspiring and a beautiful message to readers regarding abuse and overcoming your past.
Turgeon also gives us a very in-depth look at grief and what it means to lose somebody who meant the world to you. Despite Mary only being in the first portion of the book, her presence is palpable in every page because Tessa carries her memory with her at all times. Though the "Rain Village" portion of the novel (where Tessa goes to Mary's hometown to understand her childhood and what made her the way she was) is a little tiresome with the constant repetitions of "I need to know why", the final pages are incredibly powerful regarding letting go and accepting how much we'll never really know about a person and how they'll live on in our memory regardless. Turgeon blew me away with her treatment of Tessa and Mary's relationship and its legacy in Tessa's memory--every moment and realization is quiet, but undeniably wise and emotionally affecting.
You will be swept away by this book and its characters and its rich, fantastical world. I'm sad that I've finally read all of Carolyn Turgeon's books now--her stories, characters, and settings are so vivid and unforgettable. I would recommend Rain Village to anybody who wants a different kind of story, is unafraid of emotional trauma and pain, and wants a nice blend of fantasy, realism, and mystery. 4 stars.
(And I don't normally care much about covers, but I have to give a shout-out to this one. It's gorgeous.)
The plot is rather simple for the length of the book and I would argue that at times, the story drags and is a little too repetitive. But that's ultimately forgivable because Tessa's travels are so entrancing and Carolyn Turgeon's language and world are so magical. This is a character-driven story, and that's the kind of story I liked best. Tessa goes through a horrific childhood, but finds a way to blossom under Mary's guidance, and despite losing the woman who mattered most to her, finds a way to take her life into her own hands and chase her dreams. Tessa's road to recovery is inspiring and a beautiful message to readers regarding abuse and overcoming your past.
Turgeon also gives us a very in-depth look at grief and what it means to lose somebody who meant the world to you. Despite Mary only being in the first portion of the book, her presence is palpable in every page because Tessa carries her memory with her at all times. Though the "Rain Village" portion of the novel (where Tessa goes to Mary's hometown to understand her childhood and what made her the way she was) is a little tiresome with the constant repetitions of "I need to know why", the final pages are incredibly powerful regarding letting go and accepting how much we'll never really know about a person and how they'll live on in our memory regardless. Turgeon blew me away with her treatment of Tessa and Mary's relationship and its legacy in Tessa's memory--every moment and realization is quiet, but undeniably wise and emotionally affecting.
You will be swept away by this book and its characters and its rich, fantastical world. I'm sad that I've finally read all of Carolyn Turgeon's books now--her stories, characters, and settings are so vivid and unforgettable. I would recommend Rain Village to anybody who wants a different kind of story, is unafraid of emotional trauma and pain, and wants a nice blend of fantasy, realism, and mystery. 4 stars.
(And I don't normally care much about covers, but I have to give a shout-out to this one. It's gorgeous.)
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November 28, 2013There is a hazy quality to Rain Village that disguises the harsher aspects of Tessa’s world. Everything from her familial relationships to her time at the circus is impressionistic. Readers get the idea of what happens without having to deal with exacting details. It is very much a coping mechanism for Tessa that spills over into the rest of the novel, one that causes the novel to be more picturesque than it really should be given everything that happens to her over the course of her childhood. Still, the dream-like quality of the narrative works well given the larger-than-life personality of Mary and the fantastic aspects of the circus. There is poetry to the prose that beautifies the imagery and events, making this coming-of-age story even more special.
Tessa is an amazing girl. While the psychological damage done to her by the verbal and physical abuse heaped on her by her family is great indeed and an obvious aspect of her character, she does not understand what it means to give in to despair. She risks her body and her life not only to escape the pain of her childhood but also to prove to herself that she is more than her outward appearance. It is both admirable and painful to watch her tear herself to pieces, literally and figuratively, in order to heal.
The psychology behind Rain Village is intriguing. Not only does Tessa harbor scars from her past, Mary does as well. The mystery behind Mary’s scars is what fuels Tessa and yet prevents her from moving on with her life. In many ways, Mary’s presence in her life is just as damaging to Tessa’s psyche as her father’s physical and mother’s verbal abuse for the simple fact that Tessa cannot let Mary rest in peace. She cannot move forward with her life as a wife and star performer because she is still stuck in the past with Mary – the one person who is most responsible for her rescue. It is an unexpected twist in what appears to be a fairly straightforward story.
Rain Village at its heart is a very simple story about a girl who overcomes adversity through her own tenacity and the guidance of an amazing and eclectic woman. Underneath its surface though lies a morass of psychological and spiritual complications that drive Tessa’s determination and yet cause her growth to halt. It is fascinating take on the nature versus nurture debate of child-rearing, but most importantly, it is a beautiful story about the power of love.
Tessa is an amazing girl. While the psychological damage done to her by the verbal and physical abuse heaped on her by her family is great indeed and an obvious aspect of her character, she does not understand what it means to give in to despair. She risks her body and her life not only to escape the pain of her childhood but also to prove to herself that she is more than her outward appearance. It is both admirable and painful to watch her tear herself to pieces, literally and figuratively, in order to heal.
The psychology behind Rain Village is intriguing. Not only does Tessa harbor scars from her past, Mary does as well. The mystery behind Mary’s scars is what fuels Tessa and yet prevents her from moving on with her life. In many ways, Mary’s presence in her life is just as damaging to Tessa’s psyche as her father’s physical and mother’s verbal abuse for the simple fact that Tessa cannot let Mary rest in peace. She cannot move forward with her life as a wife and star performer because she is still stuck in the past with Mary – the one person who is most responsible for her rescue. It is an unexpected twist in what appears to be a fairly straightforward story.
Rain Village at its heart is a very simple story about a girl who overcomes adversity through her own tenacity and the guidance of an amazing and eclectic woman. Underneath its surface though lies a morass of psychological and spiritual complications that drive Tessa’s determination and yet cause her growth to halt. It is fascinating take on the nature versus nurture debate of child-rearing, but most importantly, it is a beautiful story about the power of love.
August 26, 2014
I adore Carolyn Turgeon's work. I remembered the first time I picked up Mermaid at Barnes and Nobles. It was as if it had been waiting for me to walk home with it. I knew I had to read Rain Village someday and I finally snagged a copy of it online!
This book is... hmm... peculiar. The plot is shrouded in mystery and even till the end you don't know what truly happened to Mary when she was in Rain Village, and why she took her own life in Oakley. The narration is simple to read but often heavy to absorb. The main character, Tessa seems to be floating through life's challenges and is somewhat obsessive over her mentor, to the point where she leaves her happy life in the circus in search of answers. This book made me think a lot of how a person's life can be ruined by abuse and death of a loved one. I feel horrible for Tessa to have to endure such hardships. Reading page after page was like being imprisoned by her repetitive, obsessive, depressing thoughts.
My favourite part was the time she spent proving her worth in the Velasquez Circus where she met the famous Lollie and her glamorous brothers. My least favourite has got to be from the point where she left for Rain Village with Costas, leaving Mauro behind. I was thinking, this trip better be worth it, but it wasn't.... not to me at least. In my opinion, the whole Costas and Isabel part didn't add any value to the plot. The positive ending seemed a tad rushed. After spending years wanting to find out Mary's history, it didn't seem like Tessa to find closure just by visiting Isabel and the pond where William had died. I was also hoping for more background of the elusive William and Mary.
This is a dreamy, melancholic tale studded with Carolyn's lilting and contemplative language. A beautiful book. I'm looking forward to read Fairest Of Them All.
This book is... hmm... peculiar. The plot is shrouded in mystery and even till the end you don't know what truly happened to Mary when she was in Rain Village, and why she took her own life in Oakley. The narration is simple to read but often heavy to absorb. The main character, Tessa seems to be floating through life's challenges and is somewhat obsessive over her mentor, to the point where she leaves her happy life in the circus in search of answers. This book made me think a lot of how a person's life can be ruined by abuse and death of a loved one. I feel horrible for Tessa to have to endure such hardships. Reading page after page was like being imprisoned by her repetitive, obsessive, depressing thoughts.
My favourite part was the time she spent proving her worth in the Velasquez Circus where she met the famous Lollie and her glamorous brothers. My least favourite has got to be from the point where she left for Rain Village with Costas, leaving Mauro behind. I was thinking, this trip better be worth it, but it wasn't.... not to me at least. In my opinion, the whole Costas and Isabel part didn't add any value to the plot. The positive ending seemed a tad rushed. After spending years wanting to find out Mary's history, it didn't seem like Tessa to find closure just by visiting Isabel and the pond where William had died. I was also hoping for more background of the elusive William and Mary.
This is a dreamy, melancholic tale studded with Carolyn's lilting and contemplative language. A beautiful book. I'm looking forward to read Fairest Of Them All.
February 13, 2019
The first part of this book was sweet and enchanting. A girl feels worthless and out of place, and a mysterious, exotic ex-circus performer-turned-librarian takes the girl under her wing and teaches her her worth. But once the girl leaves her hometown and joins the circus, the magic is gone. The main strength of this book was the relationship between the girl and the librarian, and once the librarian is no longer in the story, I lost interest.
Want to read
April 16, 2010Book Summary
Young Tessa is a diminutive girl, far too small for farm work and the object of ridicule by both her own family and the other children in their isolated Midwestern community. Her father seems to believe in nothing beyond his crops, certainly not education for his misfit daughter. When a mysterious, entrancing librarian comes to town, full of fabulous stories, earthy wisdom and potions for the lovelorn, she takes Tessa under her wing, teaching her to read and to believe in herself—and a whole new magical world of possibilities opens up. But even as she blooms, Tessa’s father begins sexually abusing her. And her mentor carries a dark secret of her own that finally causes her to drown herself. Tessa runs off, following Mary’s footsteps, to join the circus as a trapeze artist, where she marries a loving man and finds a fulfilling life for herself amidst her new circus family. But she remains haunted by her past. And when a stranger from one of Mary’s fabulist tales shows up, Tessa risks everything to follow him to Rain Village, where she might finally discover her mentor’s tragic secret.
A brilliantly evocative debut set in the early part of the 20th century, steeped in emotional turbulence and down-to-earth wisdom, where a young woman must reconcile the inner traumas from her past and learn to live in the present in order to avoid becoming prisoner to her future. Rain Village casts a fabulous spell, pulling us into a world of mystery and possibility where love, friendship and loyalty might either destroy or set one free.
Young Tessa is a diminutive girl, far too small for farm work and the object of ridicule by both her own family and the other children in their isolated Midwestern community. Her father seems to believe in nothing beyond his crops, certainly not education for his misfit daughter. When a mysterious, entrancing librarian comes to town, full of fabulous stories, earthy wisdom and potions for the lovelorn, she takes Tessa under her wing, teaching her to read and to believe in herself—and a whole new magical world of possibilities opens up. But even as she blooms, Tessa’s father begins sexually abusing her. And her mentor carries a dark secret of her own that finally causes her to drown herself. Tessa runs off, following Mary’s footsteps, to join the circus as a trapeze artist, where she marries a loving man and finds a fulfilling life for herself amidst her new circus family. But she remains haunted by her past. And when a stranger from one of Mary’s fabulist tales shows up, Tessa risks everything to follow him to Rain Village, where she might finally discover her mentor’s tragic secret.
A brilliantly evocative debut set in the early part of the 20th century, steeped in emotional turbulence and down-to-earth wisdom, where a young woman must reconcile the inner traumas from her past and learn to live in the present in order to avoid becoming prisoner to her future. Rain Village casts a fabulous spell, pulling us into a world of mystery and possibility where love, friendship and loyalty might either destroy or set one free.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 7, 2016
I love Carolyn Turgeon's books, and this one was no exception. I loved the book and fell asleep twice last night trying to finish it! I started this book right before the school year started and had almost no time to read, so it took me forever to get through it, but I tried to read it every chance I got. I think my only problems with this book are:
1) It drags for awhile. Yes, the book was interesting and I thoroughly enjoyed it all the way through, but the big thing about the mysterious man coming and taking her to Rain Village to uncover Mary's secrets didn't happen until the last three chapters. It was made out to be kind of a big deal in the description, but is very short and at the very end.
2) What EXACTLY happened between Mary and William at the river that day? What about the opal ring? Was Mary the peasant girl? Is that why she killed William? Was being bound to him forever the reason why she ended up drowning too? I might just be slow at catching on to this, although I'm not normally, but it doesn't seem to be explained. It's still pretty vague. Is that the point? So many questions left unanswered.
Other than those two things, I absolutely loved the book! My next Carolyn Turgeon book to read is Godmother: The Secret Cinderella Story, and I can't wait!
1) It drags for awhile. Yes, the book was interesting and I thoroughly enjoyed it all the way through, but the big thing about the mysterious man coming and taking her to Rain Village to uncover Mary's secrets didn't happen until the last three chapters. It was made out to be kind of a big deal in the description, but is very short and at the very end.
2) What EXACTLY happened between Mary and William at the river that day? What about the opal ring? Was Mary the peasant girl? Is that why she killed William? Was being bound to him forever the reason why she ended up drowning too? I might just be slow at catching on to this, although I'm not normally, but it doesn't seem to be explained. It's still pretty vague. Is that the point? So many questions left unanswered.
Other than those two things, I absolutely loved the book! My next Carolyn Turgeon book to read is Godmother: The Secret Cinderella Story, and I can't wait!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2014
I give this book 4.5 stars only for being a bit repetitive. Other than that this was a beautifully written story.
Tessa Riley is a 12 year old farm girl when the book starts out. She is from Oakley, Kansas and is a little person.
This is the first book I have ever read that had a little person as its protagonist. Tessa stands 4 feet tall has starfish shaped hands that are the size of plums.
Tessa dreams of being important. To the world, to her family...to anyone. Her mother continuously calls her a freak and her family mostly ignores her.
One day, an exotic bird flutters into her small town. A woman the town women call a witch. Mary Finn brings her insatiable love for books to the towns library and encourages all the men to read.
This is where Tessa meets Mary. Mary is everything to Tessa. She teaches her to read, to believe in herself, she is Tessa's one and only friend in the world. Mary brings the world to Tessa through her endless stories. She makes her believe in what is beyond the town, her family, her father. Tragedy strikes when Tessa is 16. This is when Tessa is set free. Free to be anything she wants to be.
The inside flap tells so much of this book, but I went into it not knowing anything. I like that.
This book was simply amazing. Magical, heart-breaking, wonderful and sad.
Tessa Riley is a 12 year old farm girl when the book starts out. She is from Oakley, Kansas and is a little person.
This is the first book I have ever read that had a little person as its protagonist. Tessa stands 4 feet tall has starfish shaped hands that are the size of plums.
Tessa dreams of being important. To the world, to her family...to anyone. Her mother continuously calls her a freak and her family mostly ignores her.
One day, an exotic bird flutters into her small town. A woman the town women call a witch. Mary Finn brings her insatiable love for books to the towns library and encourages all the men to read.
This is where Tessa meets Mary. Mary is everything to Tessa. She teaches her to read, to believe in herself, she is Tessa's one and only friend in the world. Mary brings the world to Tessa through her endless stories. She makes her believe in what is beyond the town, her family, her father. Tragedy strikes when Tessa is 16. This is when Tessa is set free. Free to be anything she wants to be.
The inside flap tells so much of this book, but I went into it not knowing anything. I like that.
This book was simply amazing. Magical, heart-breaking, wonderful and sad.
December 9, 2016
Another book Franki recommended and I loved!
March 5, 2013
This book started for me in the same vein as a Joanna Harris book (who I adore) and I quickly took to it turning each page and soaking up the imagery however I feel the later half of the book let it down somewhat with a rather weak ending (without giving anything away).
Set in the rural midwestern farm community Tessa is a small girl for her age and lives her life feeling invisible unless being tormented by her family and peers. She meets a mysterious woman who runs the local library who is full of wonderful tales of far away places and her life as a trapeze artist in a circus. Full of secrets, saddness and touch of magic.
I really enjoyed where the circus is described and the tales of the wonderful Rain Village - this captured me as like any little girl/boy I always dreamed of magical places and running away with the circus.
I would recommend this book for the first and middle parts.
Set in the rural midwestern farm community Tessa is a small girl for her age and lives her life feeling invisible unless being tormented by her family and peers. She meets a mysterious woman who runs the local library who is full of wonderful tales of far away places and her life as a trapeze artist in a circus. Full of secrets, saddness and touch of magic.
I really enjoyed where the circus is described and the tales of the wonderful Rain Village - this captured me as like any little girl/boy I always dreamed of magical places and running away with the circus.
I would recommend this book for the first and middle parts.
October 8, 2012
I did like how she tryed to make something for her self and how she was forever thankful to her Mary( even tho at point it seems she was more obsessed with her than anything else) Tessa tho seemed fickle. she married the first man she ever known really. and then after years of being so happy a stranger shows up and she just leaves with him? even when he told her that he left his wife and child for the journey to Rain Village? and did my nook loose the last chapter or did the book really end with her on the train going back to the circus hoping they will take her back? I was left confussed.
I felt the storyline was great. I loved a small girl with idenity problems from a farm town meets a librarian who turns out to be a famous circus star. Learns from her loves her and after her death finaly can begin her life.
I felt the storyline was great. I loved a small girl with idenity problems from a farm town meets a librarian who turns out to be a famous circus star. Learns from her loves her and after her death finaly can begin her life.
September 20, 2010
Absolutely LOVED this! A young girl in the rural midwest (early part of the century) is small in size and somewhat rejected by her farm family. She is left to hang from a bar for hours on end with the idea that this will help stretch her bones to grow. When a strange and charming woman comes to town to run the library everyone is a bit enamored, or intimidated. Tessa is intrigued and befriends her, gets herself a job (which her family approves of) and spends time learning about Mary's former life in the circus. Tessa is born to fly and learns trapeze and eventually sets out to find the circus for herself. A fabulous and rich story told so well I felt that I could see and feel everything in it!! It was the kind of book I was dreaming about when I wasn't actually reading!
April 1, 2016
The writing style was a little to get used to, not bad but just a touch more fanciful then I'm used to.
It's about a little girl who feels at odds with her farming family because she's very small and can't really do any of the physical labor. She ends up befriending a taboo lady in town and well the book is about her journey and coming to terms with herself and her identity and feelings about those she loves and has been influenced by.
It's very much like a fairy tale but isn't. The adventures are fun and I really liked how the interpersonal relationships were handled. It felt real and not trite and typical.
It's about a little girl who feels at odds with her farming family because she's very small and can't really do any of the physical labor. She ends up befriending a taboo lady in town and well the book is about her journey and coming to terms with herself and her identity and feelings about those she loves and has been influenced by.
It's very much like a fairy tale but isn't. The adventures are fun and I really liked how the interpersonal relationships were handled. It felt real and not trite and typical.
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