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Beloved Mother
A story of the lives of three women, tightly woven together and surviving the harsh societal environment of an Appalachian mining town in the early to mid-1900s. Two religions contrast with each other—the Cherokee spirits of the native people and the Old Testament God of the white settlers—as each woman struggles to find her place. Love and hate, marriage and adultery, childbirth and abortion, all have their parts to play. Beloved Mother accurately portrays the evilness in humanity, in which the wicked corrupt the innocent to create a vicious cycle of abuse, until one person—with a heart of understanding and forgiveness—has the courage to end it.
“A haunting, slow-burn intergenerational family saga.” – Kirkus Reviews
“Hunter’s unforgettable historical novel focuses on the circumstances that warp some personalities and strengthen others.” – Foreword Clarion Reviews - 5 out of 5 Stars
“Beloved Mother is a compelling journey.” – BlueInk Review
"Laura Hunter has poured her heart and soul into the pages of Beloved Mother. Her talent and her passion are present in every scene, every chapter, every image, every line. There’s magic in this book!"
— Michael Knight, author of Eveningland (2017 Okra Pick)
"Beloved Mother is an adventure story about three generations of daring women. Hunter tells us that “women have within them so much love and so much hate they sometime confuse the two,” one of the many mysteries about this fast-paced novel that will keep you wondering."
— Denton Loving, author of Crimes Against Birds
"Language and scene set the stage for a journey through time with three women . . . connected through blood and passion, each bound to follow her own path toward self-discovery. Though Beloved Mother spans nearly forty years, the story is interwoven tightly. The characters are compelling in their struggles to find love and a meaningful place in the world, and the action never flails. . . . Hunter has created a believable world inhabited by authentic characters, a world the reader willingly enters and leaves reluctantly only when the last page is read. "
— Connie Jordan Green, author of The War at Home
"Beloved Mother is the kind of rich story that brands itself in memory. I can still see the mining camps, smell the scents of the woods and mountains, and recall the unique people, entwined with the land, their histories, and each other."
— T. K. Thorne, author of Noah’s 5500 BCE (Winner of “Book of the Year” for Historical Fiction)
"Looking for riveting characters, an evocative setting, and a plot so filled with twists and turns that you’ll want to hang on for dear life? Look no further than Laura Hunter’s Beloved Mother."
— Jennie Ivey, author of Tennessee Tales the Textbooks Don’t Tell
"Beloved Mother, Laura Hunter’s debut novel, is both inventive and lyrical. This mythic tale unfolding at the crossroads of what is real and might be real will surprise time and again. "
— Darnell Arnoult, author of Galaxie Wagon (Winner of the 2017 Chaffin Award for Appalachian Writing)
“A haunting, slow-burn intergenerational family saga.” – Kirkus Reviews
“Hunter’s unforgettable historical novel focuses on the circumstances that warp some personalities and strengthen others.” – Foreword Clarion Reviews - 5 out of 5 Stars
“Beloved Mother is a compelling journey.” – BlueInk Review
"Laura Hunter has poured her heart and soul into the pages of Beloved Mother. Her talent and her passion are present in every scene, every chapter, every image, every line. There’s magic in this book!"
— Michael Knight, author of Eveningland (2017 Okra Pick)
"Beloved Mother is an adventure story about three generations of daring women. Hunter tells us that “women have within them so much love and so much hate they sometime confuse the two,” one of the many mysteries about this fast-paced novel that will keep you wondering."
— Denton Loving, author of Crimes Against Birds
"Language and scene set the stage for a journey through time with three women . . . connected through blood and passion, each bound to follow her own path toward self-discovery. Though Beloved Mother spans nearly forty years, the story is interwoven tightly. The characters are compelling in their struggles to find love and a meaningful place in the world, and the action never flails. . . . Hunter has created a believable world inhabited by authentic characters, a world the reader willingly enters and leaves reluctantly only when the last page is read. "
— Connie Jordan Green, author of The War at Home
"Beloved Mother is the kind of rich story that brands itself in memory. I can still see the mining camps, smell the scents of the woods and mountains, and recall the unique people, entwined with the land, their histories, and each other."
— T. K. Thorne, author of Noah’s 5500 BCE (Winner of “Book of the Year” for Historical Fiction)
"Looking for riveting characters, an evocative setting, and a plot so filled with twists and turns that you’ll want to hang on for dear life? Look no further than Laura Hunter’s Beloved Mother."
— Jennie Ivey, author of Tennessee Tales the Textbooks Don’t Tell
"Beloved Mother, Laura Hunter’s debut novel, is both inventive and lyrical. This mythic tale unfolding at the crossroads of what is real and might be real will surprise time and again. "
— Darnell Arnoult, author of Galaxie Wagon (Winner of the 2017 Chaffin Award for Appalachian Writing)
253 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 1, 2019
743 people are currently reading
318 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
March 6, 2019
'Beloved Mother' written by author Laura Hunter is a complex book with myriad layers. From the outset, this novel surprised me because the cover art and title seem to belie the harsh plot lines found inside. The book takes place within the grueling realities of an Appalachian coal mining environment. It follows the lives of two sisters and one daughter. The difficulties they face, however, are mitigated by the author's superb imagery and her obvious very strong connection to the beauties and wonders of nature. Indeed, for nature lovers, this book is a true sensory feast. Also intriguing are the Cherokee ways and folklore, which at times give the book an almost Wiccan feel. To this end, the author has three characters, the Great Spirit, Sister Sun and Brother Moon, who add a sense of order and well-being. Although I personally would have preferred that Great Spirit not get involved in politics and history outside of the story at hand, overall they are a delight. This is an extremely well-crafted tale of deep family secrets, the potential evils of unbridled ego, loss, grief, strength, love, and ultimately, of hope.
July 5, 2019
When I first heard the title of Laura Hunter’s recently published first novel, Beloved Mother, I wondered whether this was a sentimental Southern novel, one replete with tales of a mother adored for her unwavering, unqualified love and devotion. Well, in a word, was I ever more wrong!?! Fortunately, I heard the author speak about the book before I read it, and I learned it had won two 2019 international INDIE book awards, for books published by independent book publishers—one for best first novel, the other for best novel, if I recall correctly—so I adjusted my expectations and plunged in. I am so glad I did.
Beloved Mother is a fascinating, complicated, often “dark” novel I continue to think about in the days since I finished reading it, which I consider a high compliment. It deals with difficult human issues, is not always straightforward in the conclusions it suggests, and is not easily forgettable. There is much betrayal and death in the book. A special delight is the author’s language, which is simply beautiful. Copious and subtle details enrich descriptions of everything from the forests, water, and rocks of Turtleback Mountain to the creatures, human and otherwise, that inhabit it and the nearby small towns. Dialog is believable and rich with words and idioms of late 19th - early 20th century. Commentary by Great Spirit, Sister Sun, and Brother Moon provide context, their observations encompassing cosmic and concrete matters. The pacing of the book is also remarkable; the author is able to convey the depth of history and slow passage of time as well as the emergence of new times and new generations without ever allowing the plot to lag. A study of several generations who live in and around the coal-mining region of southern Appalachia, the book portrays remnants of Cherokee, coal-mining, and mountain cultures that live on, into the mid-20th century, as mainstream America moves in very different directions.
The story line follows three women, the first of whom, Mona, aspires to become a Beloved Mother (a Cherokee-inspired figure revered for her healing powers and knowledge) after being rescued from an abusive abductor and marrying into a Cherokee family, in which she was mentored by a Beloved Mother, her mother-in-law. Mona adopted her Cherokee name of Two Tears and comes to represent herself as Beloved Mother, but I still don’t know what I think about that. She was not a uni-dimensional figure of goodness, although she was indispensable to poor families who could not otherwise afford medical care and to women with special needs. She encounters a younger woman, Anna, who is a tragic and depressed figure, if there ever was one, and with whom, Mona eventually discovers, she shares a special relationship. Anna’s daughter, Lily, the final central female figure in the book, becomes Two Tears’ protégé, learning Cherokee teachings and healing practices. Readers interested in native plants, natural medicine, and/or Native American culture are sure to enjoy reading about her study of medicinal herbs and other plants growing on Turtleback as well as other ingredients, incantations, and dances that comprised the natural healing Two Tears taught her. Men figure in the Beloved Mother in important, often dramatic and out-sized ways, but they are not of primary interest interpersonally and intrapsychically--although they do introduce complicated twists of psyche as well as action, and, ultimately, help shape Lily’s reckoning with her life on Turtleback Mountain and decisions about her future.
I won’t say more, for fear of giving away too much of the story. I will note that I look forward to learning more about author Laura Hunter’s research for the novel; its scope is large, embracing history, geography, geology, mining technology, nature study, and more, all woven seamlessly together in the telling of an original, complex set of tales.
Beloved Mother is a fascinating, complicated, often “dark” novel I continue to think about in the days since I finished reading it, which I consider a high compliment. It deals with difficult human issues, is not always straightforward in the conclusions it suggests, and is not easily forgettable. There is much betrayal and death in the book. A special delight is the author’s language, which is simply beautiful. Copious and subtle details enrich descriptions of everything from the forests, water, and rocks of Turtleback Mountain to the creatures, human and otherwise, that inhabit it and the nearby small towns. Dialog is believable and rich with words and idioms of late 19th - early 20th century. Commentary by Great Spirit, Sister Sun, and Brother Moon provide context, their observations encompassing cosmic and concrete matters. The pacing of the book is also remarkable; the author is able to convey the depth of history and slow passage of time as well as the emergence of new times and new generations without ever allowing the plot to lag. A study of several generations who live in and around the coal-mining region of southern Appalachia, the book portrays remnants of Cherokee, coal-mining, and mountain cultures that live on, into the mid-20th century, as mainstream America moves in very different directions.
The story line follows three women, the first of whom, Mona, aspires to become a Beloved Mother (a Cherokee-inspired figure revered for her healing powers and knowledge) after being rescued from an abusive abductor and marrying into a Cherokee family, in which she was mentored by a Beloved Mother, her mother-in-law. Mona adopted her Cherokee name of Two Tears and comes to represent herself as Beloved Mother, but I still don’t know what I think about that. She was not a uni-dimensional figure of goodness, although she was indispensable to poor families who could not otherwise afford medical care and to women with special needs. She encounters a younger woman, Anna, who is a tragic and depressed figure, if there ever was one, and with whom, Mona eventually discovers, she shares a special relationship. Anna’s daughter, Lily, the final central female figure in the book, becomes Two Tears’ protégé, learning Cherokee teachings and healing practices. Readers interested in native plants, natural medicine, and/or Native American culture are sure to enjoy reading about her study of medicinal herbs and other plants growing on Turtleback as well as other ingredients, incantations, and dances that comprised the natural healing Two Tears taught her. Men figure in the Beloved Mother in important, often dramatic and out-sized ways, but they are not of primary interest interpersonally and intrapsychically--although they do introduce complicated twists of psyche as well as action, and, ultimately, help shape Lily’s reckoning with her life on Turtleback Mountain and decisions about her future.
I won’t say more, for fear of giving away too much of the story. I will note that I look forward to learning more about author Laura Hunter’s research for the novel; its scope is large, embracing history, geography, geology, mining technology, nature study, and more, all woven seamlessly together in the telling of an original, complex set of tales.
January 12, 2019
Beloved Mother by Laura Hunter is one of those stories that span generations. The novel mostly follows three women. First, there is Mona. She is a wild spirit and is always wandering in nature until one day she comes across Jackson Slocomb who rapes and abuses her. She becomes pregnant at 13 and they come across a Native American man named, Tall Corn and his farm. He protects Mona, who becomes Two Tears. He also raises her son as his own. During this time she learns wisdom and medicine from Beloved Mother. However, Tall Corn dies in a farming accident and she returns home where she is turned away. Then there is Anna, Mona’s younger sister, who leaves home with a man named Clint in hopes of a better living. However, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Last, is Lily, Anna’s daughter. All three lives are connected and all are surrounded by Cherokee spirits.
First of all, I absolutely love the cover, I think it is just beautiful! It really captures the incredible imagery that is throughout the book. Actually, the description and imagery are one of my favorite aspects of the book. I also loved the little details about the Cherokee spirits that are watching over everyone. It really adds beautiful detail about the culture and a bit of mysticism and legend.
Although, the book follows three different women I felt it was three stories in one and it did tend to jump around. The pacing is also a bit slow but that is because of the detail to the land, time period and culture. While this story is heartbreaking, it did shine a light on how women were a commodity. Every single man in this story views these women as their property. Tall Corn is the only man who does not use or abuse Mona. Overall, I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars. I really recommend this book for those who love historical fiction.
Thank you, Laura Hunter, for a copy of the book to review!
First of all, I absolutely love the cover, I think it is just beautiful! It really captures the incredible imagery that is throughout the book. Actually, the description and imagery are one of my favorite aspects of the book. I also loved the little details about the Cherokee spirits that are watching over everyone. It really adds beautiful detail about the culture and a bit of mysticism and legend.
Although, the book follows three different women I felt it was three stories in one and it did tend to jump around. The pacing is also a bit slow but that is because of the detail to the land, time period and culture. While this story is heartbreaking, it did shine a light on how women were a commodity. Every single man in this story views these women as their property. Tall Corn is the only man who does not use or abuse Mona. Overall, I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars. I really recommend this book for those who love historical fiction.
Thank you, Laura Hunter, for a copy of the book to review!
October 26, 2019
Book club read #26, 10/26/19
Strange, depressing, hard to follow, full of mysticism... Just not for me.
Strange, depressing, hard to follow, full of mysticism... Just not for me.
August 5, 2019
Received a copy of this book through NetGalley.So would like to thank the publisher and author for a copy.
Personally found the book difficult to follow,seemed to jump from one character to another leaving nothing finished for example Two tears was ordered to leave by Beloved Mother,without any explanation,then her moving around,leaving his son to his own devices,why he killed her in the end the reader did not know,nothing was explained the dialogue between Brother Moon and Sister Sun I found confusing,did not add to the plot a lot of unexplained events which only left the reader confused.Found the book very hard going,but was very disappointed in the end.
Personally found the book difficult to follow,seemed to jump from one character to another leaving nothing finished for example Two tears was ordered to leave by Beloved Mother,without any explanation,then her moving around,leaving his son to his own devices,why he killed her in the end the reader did not know,nothing was explained the dialogue between Brother Moon and Sister Sun I found confusing,did not add to the plot a lot of unexplained events which only left the reader confused.Found the book very hard going,but was very disappointed in the end.
February 3, 2022
“Beloved Mother” is a tale that makes one question their own lives. We begin to think about what is important and how our past has shaped us while reading this unique tale. In this, her debut novel, author Laura Hunter has given us a work that touches upon all of life’s questions seen through the eyes of three different women.
Mona Parsons is just a girl when she runs away from home and marries a much older man, only to face abuse and tragedies that fate provides. Her new home is located in the woods of Turtleback Mountain, where she’s spotted one day by a Cherokee man named Tall Corn. He agrees to save Mona, marry her, and take care of the child in her belly. In just a few years, however, Tall Corn dies in a farming accident and Mona is left to her own devices raising her young son, Briar.
Anna Parsons is Mona’s sister, and she believes it is time for her to marry and move to Bristol. She succeeds in luring Clint Goodman from the arms of her younger sister, making him her significant other. What Anna thought would be her impressive life in the big city of Bristol soon transforms into being a coalminer’s wife in Breakline Camp. Anna is unhappy; she makes a mistake with Winston Rafe, Clint is killed, and Anna leaves Breakline to raise her daughter, Lily, on Turtleback Mountain.
Mona has become the mountain granny; the beloved person young women come to when they are in trouble. Not only a caring mother, she also helps wives in the coal camp with medicinal herbs. Mona uses the knowledge she learned from Tall Corn and his mother to help others. Anna and her daughter slowly become close with Mona, who Lily calls “Kee Granny.” Granny helps Lily as she grows, teaching her lessons about what the land gives them, and the beliefs of the Cherokee nation that saved Mona long ago.
The relationship between these three women is beautiful yet complicated. What is amazing is that Kee Granny doesn’t judge who they are or where they came from. She is on that mountain to help people. She has accepted her future and come to grips with her past mistakes. Anna lives her life in a state of melancholy. She loves her daughter but can’t get away from the hold that her past still has on her. Lily is the innocent one; she doesn’t learn all the truths about her life, but she does learn that it is her life to live.
I loved this story because I live in the remnants of a coal camp in West Virginia. When I moved here, I could not understand the grip these mountains held on the people. When Anna first gets to the camp, she says, “But Clint, it’s so dirty.” She stares down the mountainside and adds, “So dingy.” I remember thinking the exact same thoughts. When Clint passionately explains to her why he is a miner, he ends their conversation by saying that his life would never be any different. The way Clint thought about his life is the way people still think today in areas such as these. Coal mining is, quite simply, in their blood.
What I treasure about this book is the way Hunter portrays the relationship between the people and the land. Those mountains produced black gold for families to survive while making mining companies rich. Everything the people knew and did relied on the rich, black land they lived upon. Those feelings haven’t changed much; the people in my part of the mountains still believe that survival is tied to coal. We don’t have grannies, but we have mountain mamas. We still believe in the healing power of the earth. We are also strong and resilient, just like Mona, Anna, and Lily.
I give “Beloved Mother” five stars for being well-crafted and a reminder of the power that lies in the ‘whispers’ of the black land. The author’s editing was spotless, which I am also eternally grateful for, and her story was easy to navigate. Thank you, Laura Hunter, for portraying the Appalachian people for who they are, and reminding the world how strong a mountain woman can be.
Mona Parsons is just a girl when she runs away from home and marries a much older man, only to face abuse and tragedies that fate provides. Her new home is located in the woods of Turtleback Mountain, where she’s spotted one day by a Cherokee man named Tall Corn. He agrees to save Mona, marry her, and take care of the child in her belly. In just a few years, however, Tall Corn dies in a farming accident and Mona is left to her own devices raising her young son, Briar.
Anna Parsons is Mona’s sister, and she believes it is time for her to marry and move to Bristol. She succeeds in luring Clint Goodman from the arms of her younger sister, making him her significant other. What Anna thought would be her impressive life in the big city of Bristol soon transforms into being a coalminer’s wife in Breakline Camp. Anna is unhappy; she makes a mistake with Winston Rafe, Clint is killed, and Anna leaves Breakline to raise her daughter, Lily, on Turtleback Mountain.
Mona has become the mountain granny; the beloved person young women come to when they are in trouble. Not only a caring mother, she also helps wives in the coal camp with medicinal herbs. Mona uses the knowledge she learned from Tall Corn and his mother to help others. Anna and her daughter slowly become close with Mona, who Lily calls “Kee Granny.” Granny helps Lily as she grows, teaching her lessons about what the land gives them, and the beliefs of the Cherokee nation that saved Mona long ago.
The relationship between these three women is beautiful yet complicated. What is amazing is that Kee Granny doesn’t judge who they are or where they came from. She is on that mountain to help people. She has accepted her future and come to grips with her past mistakes. Anna lives her life in a state of melancholy. She loves her daughter but can’t get away from the hold that her past still has on her. Lily is the innocent one; she doesn’t learn all the truths about her life, but she does learn that it is her life to live.
I loved this story because I live in the remnants of a coal camp in West Virginia. When I moved here, I could not understand the grip these mountains held on the people. When Anna first gets to the camp, she says, “But Clint, it’s so dirty.” She stares down the mountainside and adds, “So dingy.” I remember thinking the exact same thoughts. When Clint passionately explains to her why he is a miner, he ends their conversation by saying that his life would never be any different. The way Clint thought about his life is the way people still think today in areas such as these. Coal mining is, quite simply, in their blood.
What I treasure about this book is the way Hunter portrays the relationship between the people and the land. Those mountains produced black gold for families to survive while making mining companies rich. Everything the people knew and did relied on the rich, black land they lived upon. Those feelings haven’t changed much; the people in my part of the mountains still believe that survival is tied to coal. We don’t have grannies, but we have mountain mamas. We still believe in the healing power of the earth. We are also strong and resilient, just like Mona, Anna, and Lily.
I give “Beloved Mother” five stars for being well-crafted and a reminder of the power that lies in the ‘whispers’ of the black land. The author’s editing was spotless, which I am also eternally grateful for, and her story was easy to navigate. Thank you, Laura Hunter, for portraying the Appalachian people for who they are, and reminding the world how strong a mountain woman can be.
September 3, 2019
Depressing
The writing is very good. The descriptions of the mountains and forests are very compelling and beautiful. However, the story is very dark, bleak, mystical, and hopeless.
The writing is very good. The descriptions of the mountains and forests are very compelling and beautiful. However, the story is very dark, bleak, mystical, and hopeless.
December 13, 2018
Beloved Mother is an adventure story about three generations of daring women. Hunter tells us that "women have within them so much love and so much hate they sometime confuse the two," one of the many mysteries about this fast-paced novel that will keep you wondering.
March 8, 2020
To all you who write book reviews, bravo. I value other people’s opinions but am also quite capable of holding my own views, and if necessary, going against the grain. Beloved Mother offered a fresh experience for me. I discovered it through a recommendation. I liked its characters and especially the setting but finally quit reading it for multiple reasons, some were the influences of others.
While struggling through reading it, I found the writing and story a bit confusing with the interruptions of the spiritual world, sometimes on point and others times, not so much. Sometimes the story bogs down and doesn’t hold my attention. But I’m stubborn and loyal to a book I’ve begun. When I started reading chapter 6, I stopped, realizing I couldn’t remember how the book had begun. I assumed it was my fault, probably going senile. But I kept reading.
Then I read a few reviews, some glowing, others critical. One reviewer blurted out a crucial outcome of the story and I was shocked to know that. So far, and I’m over seventy percent through, I see no justification for that horrendous act. And, I am not criticizing the reviewer for doing that. I’m thinking they had their reason. Also, I’m wondering if that reviewer is aware you can hide reviews that tell such critical story denouements.
However, what has propelled me to quit reading Beloved Mother and write this long review is a Goodreads interview with Barbara Kingsolver that I read yesterday. She said, “I give a book 30 pages, and if I'm still remembering at that point that I'm me, reading the book, I'll put it down.”
I grew up feeling that a book begun is a book that must be read to the end, good or bad. A friend of mine has tried to disabuse me of that practice, but I have not listened. When I read Kingsolver’s unapologetic statement, I felt free. I respect her as a writer and took this opportunity to shed any guilt I might impose on myself for quitting a book.
So, Beloved Mother gets put on a shelf; but which one? Oh, I know what I’ll do, I’ll create a shelf for books I stopped reading before the end. I’ll add James Joyce’s Portrait of a Young Man to keep Beloved Mother company.
While struggling through reading it, I found the writing and story a bit confusing with the interruptions of the spiritual world, sometimes on point and others times, not so much. Sometimes the story bogs down and doesn’t hold my attention. But I’m stubborn and loyal to a book I’ve begun. When I started reading chapter 6, I stopped, realizing I couldn’t remember how the book had begun. I assumed it was my fault, probably going senile. But I kept reading.
Then I read a few reviews, some glowing, others critical. One reviewer blurted out a crucial outcome of the story and I was shocked to know that. So far, and I’m over seventy percent through, I see no justification for that horrendous act. And, I am not criticizing the reviewer for doing that. I’m thinking they had their reason. Also, I’m wondering if that reviewer is aware you can hide reviews that tell such critical story denouements.
However, what has propelled me to quit reading Beloved Mother and write this long review is a Goodreads interview with Barbara Kingsolver that I read yesterday. She said, “I give a book 30 pages, and if I'm still remembering at that point that I'm me, reading the book, I'll put it down.”
I grew up feeling that a book begun is a book that must be read to the end, good or bad. A friend of mine has tried to disabuse me of that practice, but I have not listened. When I read Kingsolver’s unapologetic statement, I felt free. I respect her as a writer and took this opportunity to shed any guilt I might impose on myself for quitting a book.
So, Beloved Mother gets put on a shelf; but which one? Oh, I know what I’ll do, I’ll create a shelf for books I stopped reading before the end. I’ll add James Joyce’s Portrait of a Young Man to keep Beloved Mother company.
August 28, 2019
This was a strange and somehow compelling book. It had some curious characters that looked like they were going somewhere and then they were not. The characters were of the same family, though they did not know it. Kee Granny was a totally strange person who got more twisted the older she got. Anna and Lily lived their lives in sort of a small corner - unwilling to go further and it was almost as though they liked being unhappy or had been unhappy for so very long, they had no idea what happiness was or could be until after it escaped their grasp. Interspersed thru the story, the sun, the moon and the great spirit had conversations that just didn't always make sense.
I hope this is Laura Hunter's first book, which would mean she will get better with time. Definitely someone with an incredible imagination to be sure. Just didn't quite get there for me. Perhaps someone else will love it. I did not.
I hope this is Laura Hunter's first book, which would mean she will get better with time. Definitely someone with an incredible imagination to be sure. Just didn't quite get there for me. Perhaps someone else will love it. I did not.
May 15, 2024
The entire concept of this book seems to be that horrible things happen in life and then you die. The story pace was glacially slow. To call the characters one-dimensional is a compliment. Irrelevant backstories abound. There are a ton of unnecessary and over-long descriptions. Most disappointingly, the story doesn't have an end. The end of the book could just as well functioned as the end of a chapter. There is no overarching theme or plot to the book which makes the whole thing feel unnecessary.
January 18, 2021
Very different from my normal reads.
I can't explain this book to do it justice. I am not good at writing reviews, either. I do know it was completely different from any book I have ever read and I sure did not want it to end. If I only went by the synopsis, I might not have read it. The author has a way with words that I have never seen before. It was a very good book. No bad language of sexual content. Just fantastic.
I can't explain this book to do it justice. I am not good at writing reviews, either. I do know it was completely different from any book I have ever read and I sure did not want it to end. If I only went by the synopsis, I might not have read it. The author has a way with words that I have never seen before. It was a very good book. No bad language of sexual content. Just fantastic.
August 27, 2019
Beloved Mother
This was such a fascinating book. It was filled with sadness and hardship, working so hard for so little and yet more than somewhere else. The Sun and the Moon speak throughout and bring the years that are passing by today's past history. I did not want to put it down
This was such a fascinating book. It was filled with sadness and hardship, working so hard for so little and yet more than somewhere else. The Sun and the Moon speak throughout and bring the years that are passing by today's past history. I did not want to put it down
August 28, 2019
Well Written
This is a story of poor Appalachia coal mining country after WW2. It is filled with the dialect and behavior of the residents. It has a Granny who is a healer using wild plants for her concoction s. It is the story of downtrodden women who do what has to be done to survive.
This is a story of poor Appalachia coal mining country after WW2. It is filled with the dialect and behavior of the residents. It has a Granny who is a healer using wild plants for her concoction s. It is the story of downtrodden women who do what has to be done to survive.
September 2, 2019
This book was wonderful! The author's description of the countryside makes you feel as thought you are there. The weaving of three women and their experiences wove a beautiful yet devastating journey. It is seldom that one can come across a book that so captures the imagination and spirit of the characters.
September 20, 2019
A slow intoxicating journey
This book takes place in an area I know and love dearly in the Appalachian mountains. I have hiked these mountains and heard their song. This book takes everything that is the mystery of the mountains and winds a story that will pull you in gently, keep your minding wondering and then let you go
The only thing I didn't like was that it had to end.
This book takes place in an area I know and love dearly in the Appalachian mountains. I have hiked these mountains and heard their song. This book takes everything that is the mystery of the mountains and winds a story that will pull you in gently, keep your minding wondering and then let you go
The only thing I didn't like was that it had to end.
August 26, 2019
Will read again
Haunting,soul-touching, this book is a tribute to the strength of women, and to human foibles. I came to care about these characters, and followed their lives as my own family.
Haunting,soul-touching, this book is a tribute to the strength of women, and to human foibles. I came to care about these characters, and followed their lives as my own family.
August 27, 2019
A very moving book.
This book kept my emotions moving. You feel the despair, the love, the hate. I hope there is another book for a series. I would so like to see what happens in the lives of the characters.
This book kept my emotions moving. You feel the despair, the love, the hate. I hope there is another book for a series. I would so like to see what happens in the lives of the characters.
August 28, 2019
Excellent READ!!
I love the Carolina's and their Smokey Mountains. This is my kinda book. Lots of nature and folklore. This book spoke to my heart. Yes, you will shed some tears but the read is worth it!!
I love the Carolina's and their Smokey Mountains. This is my kinda book. Lots of nature and folklore. This book spoke to my heart. Yes, you will shed some tears but the read is worth it!!
September 1, 2019
An Appalachian Wonder
This book was full of the angst and folklore life in the hills and mountains of the Great Smokey Mountains. It was an interesting story that tugged at my own roots in the Appalacha mountains of Tennessee and Kentucky.
This book was full of the angst and folklore life in the hills and mountains of the Great Smokey Mountains. It was an interesting story that tugged at my own roots in the Appalacha mountains of Tennessee and Kentucky.
September 2, 2019
Interesting perspective
I enjoyed identifying the characters and getting to know the plot of this story. Overcoming tragedy was themed throughout the chapters. The only disconnect was the higher powers at be.
I enjoyed identifying the characters and getting to know the plot of this story. Overcoming tragedy was themed throughout the chapters. The only disconnect was the higher powers at be.
September 4, 2019
Beloved Mother
Interesting storyline about a small community in the coal fields and their struggle to find a better life. Twisted relationships mess up several lives. I enjoyed reading this novel.
Interesting storyline about a small community in the coal fields and their struggle to find a better life. Twisted relationships mess up several lives. I enjoyed reading this novel.
September 8, 2019
Unforgettable Beautiful story
Like music played legato, like poem read as river flowing, like paintings unfold, beautifully story well written. Sister Sun, Brother Moon, Great Spirit, three generations of Virginia miners, it is a story moving your heart.
Like music played legato, like poem read as river flowing, like paintings unfold, beautifully story well written. Sister Sun, Brother Moon, Great Spirit, three generations of Virginia miners, it is a story moving your heart.
September 12, 2019
Perfect!
This is one of the most original and interesting stories I have ever read. It is meticulously crafted, thoroughly compelling and infinitely inspiring. I could not put this book down. I highly recommend this book...kudos to Laura Hunter.
This is one of the most original and interesting stories I have ever read. It is meticulously crafted, thoroughly compelling and infinitely inspiring. I could not put this book down. I highly recommend this book...kudos to Laura Hunter.
September 25, 2019
Entrancing Tale
A wondrous story about the strength and weakness of the human spirit. The tale of 3 women, inexplicably intertwined, their lives, their trials and tribulations. Well written with in depth characters.
A wondrous story about the strength and weakness of the human spirit. The tale of 3 women, inexplicably intertwined, their lives, their trials and tribulations. Well written with in depth characters.
November 6, 2019
Weird!
This book was so depressing I almost didn't finish it. I would like to have known what happened to Lily in the end. I skipped over the conversations between Brother Moon and Sister Sun. It didn't make sense to me.
This book was so depressing I almost didn't finish it. I would like to have known what happened to Lily in the end. I skipped over the conversations between Brother Moon and Sister Sun. It didn't make sense to me.
November 15, 2019
Strange
When I started reading this book, I had trouble deciding if I could stay with it. Realizing it was allegedly an award winner, I persevered. My head was just not in this book but there were redeeming parts that kept me going.
When I started reading this book, I had trouble deciding if I could stay with it. Realizing it was allegedly an award winner, I persevered. My head was just not in this book but there were redeeming parts that kept me going.
December 13, 2019
A beautiful story of perserverence.
A beautiful contrast of a dark, dingy mining town and the beauty a young girl finds in her surroundings. While some may feel it was a depressing story, I was touched by the hope and beauty these strong women found despite their surroundings.
A beautiful contrast of a dark, dingy mining town and the beauty a young girl finds in her surroundings. While some may feel it was a depressing story, I was touched by the hope and beauty these strong women found despite their surroundings.
March 18, 2020
Nature Strong
This book is full of t wists and turns regarding love, nature strength, and finding out some truths. My favorite part was the myth about the reason for stars in the sky. This is a haunting story.
gth, courage
This book is full of t wists and turns regarding love, nature strength, and finding out some truths. My favorite part was the myth about the reason for stars in the sky. This is a haunting story.
gth, courage
September 24, 2020
Sad
This book is a sad story that is hard to read because of the situations of ignorance, poverty, and insanity that the main characters experience. You want the circumstances to change, but the only changes that occur seem to make things worse for the characters.
This book is a sad story that is hard to read because of the situations of ignorance, poverty, and insanity that the main characters experience. You want the circumstances to change, but the only changes that occur seem to make things worse for the characters.
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