The Painters of Lexieville

by Sharon Darrow

Sharon Darrow's harrowing coming-of-age tale, told from the points of view of mother, son, and daughter, is rich with metaphorical significance and - like its small-town heroine - is obstinately, everlastingly hopeful.

Lexieville, Arkansas, can hardly be called a town - it's just a handful of shotgun houses squatting at the end of a gravel road off the two-lane highway out of Sardis. For many in the Lexie clan, this is the only place they've ever been, the only home they'll ever know. Truly Lexie's dreams of a better life, if she had them once upon a time, have worn threadbare and frail as an ancient quilt. Her devoted but hapless husband, John, long ago accepted his lot in life but hasn't given up hope that their two children, Jobe and Pert, might lead the lives they've only imagined.

But Jobe has already dropped out of high school and looks to be marrying young. Only Pert still harbors a youthful and fierce determination to get out, and get out as fast as she can. She aims to wipe the detested red dust of Lexieville off her feet and put on a new life like a bright, clean, fresh coat of paint. The weight of history is hard to shrug off, however, and seems to grow heavier as Pert moves closer to independence. With little support and no role models to follow, will she have the strength to fend off generations' worth of fatalism, and the confidence to defend her dreams?

Genres: Young Adult

192 pages, Hardcover

First published September 15, 2003

About the author

Sharon Darrow is the author of THE PAINTERS OF LEXIEVILLE and THROUGH THE TEMPESTS DARK AND WILD: A STORY OF MARY SHELLEY, CREATOR OF FRANKENSTEIN, illustrated by Angela Barrett. Sharon Darrow lives in Vermont.

Reviews

[Linn Aspen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written story full of heart
The story is seen through many eyes, yet it is to be understood through the eyes of 17-year-old Petrisha “Pert” Lexie. I adored Pert as a character and more than anything wanted to give her a hug. Warmhearted, wise, yet strong willed and complex, as she often struggled with her choices. The story is rich and beautifully told with a sense of honesty that leaves you both satisfied and pondering.
Highly recommend.

[Titiana dufort · Rating 4 out of 5]

This box is amazing because it has a very good moral which is life doesn't give you what you want just by dreaming and even thothough it been hard for the family none of them is doing anything to change there life but the youngest son because he has a dream to change how the environment where he lives to help everyone to get out the dark to the light which he called a new life a fresh coat of paint and I find that really deep and I would recommend this book to everyone because there's a lot of life lesson in it.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This coming-of-age novel uses multiple points of view, all in first person, to tell the story of Pert Lexie. Her family, her violent uncle and her mother increase her struggles to break out of poverty. I enjoyed this realistic book and Darrow's portrayal of Pert and her dreams and persistence.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having come from nearly nothing and been surrounded with hardship her whole life, Pert is trying to find a way out of her dead-end existence and not go the way of her mother and sister, but breaking out isn't so easy to do without any guidance or support.

[Rad · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a sort of transference of antagonists here, or at least some haziness concerning who the real antagonist is. But hey! This book is about a girl trying to break out of her tiny town life, and that's what I love about it.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

poignant in places, kind of weird in others. interesting, though.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous prose, riveting story.