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Eden
Rowen Hart has been raised as the pampered son and only child of a prominent family in the small community of White Rock, North Carolina. It’s the 1950s and he’s drifting through the days, following the life path his parents have planned for him and preparing to go away to college. When his father’s suicide turns his world upside down, he finds himself responsible for his mother in their suddenly reduced circumstances that leave them dependent on his uncle, his father’s business partner.
Ill prepared to take over as head of the family, Rowen doesn’t know which way to turn. Then a neighbor’s ten year old daughter comes to live with them, baffling him with her wild behavior and never ending attempts to win his approval and making his new responsibilities even more overwhelming.
As Rowen tries to find his way, he begins to question everything about his upbringing, his current circumstances and his plans for the future as they turn to dust in his hands.
Ill prepared to take over as head of the family, Rowen doesn’t know which way to turn. Then a neighbor’s ten year old daughter comes to live with them, baffling him with her wild behavior and never ending attempts to win his approval and making his new responsibilities even more overwhelming.
As Rowen tries to find his way, he begins to question everything about his upbringing, his current circumstances and his plans for the future as they turn to dust in his hands.
247 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 20, 2020
22 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
About the author
Jamie Lisa Forbes
5 books55 followersJamie Lisa Forbes was raised on a ranch on the Little Laramie River thirty miles west of Laramie, Wyoming. Like many Wyoming children of her generation, she attended a one-room schoolhouse during her early school years.
She received a degree in Philosophy and English from the University of Colorado in 1977. She spent the next year and a half of her life in Israel, where she met her husband.
In January 1979, Ms. Forbes and her husband returned to the Little Laramie Valley where, for fifteen years, they ran the family ranch and raised two children.
The Forbes family ranch was sold in 1993 and Ms. Forbes then moved to Greensboro, North Carolina. She began writing her first novel, Unbroken, while in law school.
In 2011, Unbroken won the WILLA Literary Award for best outstanding fiction about women in the West.
Her short story collection, The Widow Smalls and Other Stories, published by Pronghorn Press in 2014, won the 2015 High Plains Book Awards, short story category.
Her second novel, Eden, was published in 2020. Her third novel, Sunny Gale, A Novel was published by Pronghorn Press in 2024.
She received a degree in Philosophy and English from the University of Colorado in 1977. She spent the next year and a half of her life in Israel, where she met her husband.
In January 1979, Ms. Forbes and her husband returned to the Little Laramie Valley where, for fifteen years, they ran the family ranch and raised two children.
The Forbes family ranch was sold in 1993 and Ms. Forbes then moved to Greensboro, North Carolina. She began writing her first novel, Unbroken, while in law school.
In 2011, Unbroken won the WILLA Literary Award for best outstanding fiction about women in the West.
Her short story collection, The Widow Smalls and Other Stories, published by Pronghorn Press in 2014, won the 2015 High Plains Book Awards, short story category.
Her second novel, Eden, was published in 2020. Her third novel, Sunny Gale, A Novel was published by Pronghorn Press in 2024.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
May 1, 2020
2.5 or 3 stars. This book started out good: the story of a well-to-do teenager whose father commits suicide, leaving Rowen and his mother penniless. Rowen is naïve and had always been rather coddled, so he has a hard time dealing with his new situation--and his mother is no help as she has taken to her bed due to the shock and depression. I thought Rowen seemed pretty realistic for his time and situation. The problem for me was that he never grew up, never changed, and the story really dragged as the years went by and Rowan was still immature and indecisive and his mother was still in bed. A girl named Eden enters the story not long after the death of Rowen's father and is the only real spark to their lives and to the book itself. It's not until the end of the book that Rowen finally matures a bit and decides what kind of person he wants to be and what kind of life he wants to live.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book, for which I was not required to write a positive (or any) review.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book, for which I was not required to write a positive (or any) review.
May 2, 2020
This story was one I'd hoped to enjoy but the main character isn't likeable or sympathetic. He makes the same mistakes over and over throughout his life, without learning anything from his poor decisions. Finally at the end of the book he does something different and admirable, but by that point I didn't care enough to celebrate.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
May 27, 2020
I received a free electronic copy of this historical southern noir novel from Netgalley, Jamie Lisa Forbes, and Pronghorn Press on April 30, 2020. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read Eden of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am pleased to recommend Jamie Lisa Forbes to family and friends. Her prose rides right up there with the classic southern novelists. This is a story to savor.
We are peering into the lifestyle of White Rock, Purdie County, North Carolina in the spring of 1950, and we see this world through the eyes of spoiled high school senior Rowen Hart. Rowan was raised with the proverbial silver spoon, living in the town in a nice house, expecting college just around the corner. Then his father kills himself, heavily into debt with his brother/partner in business, leaving Rowen and his mother Rita destitute and having to move immediately to the tin-roofed shack on the old family farm and learn how to be poor. Immediately after the funeral Rita takes to her bed, and without their housekeeper Adeline, both Rowan, and Rita would have never made it in the poor world, but she sticks with them, through thick and thin, and they all muddle through. Added to the small family ruled by Adeline is Eden Whitney, a young miss just 10 years old, mentally abused by her mother Coman White Whitney, and traumatized by seeing her Uncle Franklin White murder her father Birch Whitney. Eden is called to the stand to testify in the trial of her uncle Franklin, the only physical witness of the murder. Adding greatly to her trauma, no one believes Eden's version of the crime, as Franklin is normally mild-mannered and well-liked, and he insists that Birch came after him with a pipe wrench and Eden was in the house. Franklin is found not guilty, the shooting was self-defense. Coman immediately kicks Eden out of her house with nowhere to go.
Will Rita ever get back into life? Will Rowan ever grow up, marry, have a couple of kids, manage to still spend quality time with his mother and Adeline, and with Eden and childhood friend Sammy Little?
Adeline and Rita will, of course, soldier on, taking care of one another as best they can, and along with them, we will be watching life happen in White Rock. The highs, the lows, the good luck and bad, the babies that come along and need warm mothering hands to keep them ticking along. Life, southern mid-twentieth century life as it was in a small town in North Carolina. Warts and all.
pub date May 25, 2020
Pronghorn Press
Reviewed on May 20 at Goodreads, Netgalley. Reviewed on May 27, 2020, on AmazonSmile, and Barnes&Noble. Not available for review at BookBub, Kobo or GooglePlay.
We are peering into the lifestyle of White Rock, Purdie County, North Carolina in the spring of 1950, and we see this world through the eyes of spoiled high school senior Rowen Hart. Rowan was raised with the proverbial silver spoon, living in the town in a nice house, expecting college just around the corner. Then his father kills himself, heavily into debt with his brother/partner in business, leaving Rowen and his mother Rita destitute and having to move immediately to the tin-roofed shack on the old family farm and learn how to be poor. Immediately after the funeral Rita takes to her bed, and without their housekeeper Adeline, both Rowan, and Rita would have never made it in the poor world, but she sticks with them, through thick and thin, and they all muddle through. Added to the small family ruled by Adeline is Eden Whitney, a young miss just 10 years old, mentally abused by her mother Coman White Whitney, and traumatized by seeing her Uncle Franklin White murder her father Birch Whitney. Eden is called to the stand to testify in the trial of her uncle Franklin, the only physical witness of the murder. Adding greatly to her trauma, no one believes Eden's version of the crime, as Franklin is normally mild-mannered and well-liked, and he insists that Birch came after him with a pipe wrench and Eden was in the house. Franklin is found not guilty, the shooting was self-defense. Coman immediately kicks Eden out of her house with nowhere to go.
Will Rita ever get back into life? Will Rowan ever grow up, marry, have a couple of kids, manage to still spend quality time with his mother and Adeline, and with Eden and childhood friend Sammy Little?
Adeline and Rita will, of course, soldier on, taking care of one another as best they can, and along with them, we will be watching life happen in White Rock. The highs, the lows, the good luck and bad, the babies that come along and need warm mothering hands to keep them ticking along. Life, southern mid-twentieth century life as it was in a small town in North Carolina. Warts and all.
pub date May 25, 2020
Pronghorn Press
Reviewed on May 20 at Goodreads, Netgalley. Reviewed on May 27, 2020, on AmazonSmile, and Barnes&Noble. Not available for review at BookBub, Kobo or GooglePlay.
May 17, 2020
It is 1950, as Rowen Hart is about to go off to college, his world splits apart when his father commits suicide. His mother takes to her bed and the only one left to help pick up the pieces is their housekeeper Adeline. Rowen has a summer job picking tobacco but he slacks off quite a bit. As the book opens, he has slacked off to attend a trail that 10 year old Eden is called to testify at. Her father died around the same time and Rowan’s father. She testifies that her uncle shot her father but no one believes the 10 year old, including her own mother. Eden shows up on the doorstep of Rowans and asks his mother if she can live with them.
She looks up to Rowen and takes to following him around. He goes to his Uncle, who was in business with his father to get his father’s share. His uncle said there was nothing left from his father’s share and gives him a little money for his mother. He says he will give his mother a small sum every month but Rowen will have to pay for college and also make up the balance his family will need to survive. He suspects his uncle is lying about his father’s share but just doesn’t have the backbone to argue. Against his mother’s and Adeline’s wishes, he decides not to go to college.
Rowan’s luck turns when their neighbor Claude stops by to repair the broken gate that Rowen keeps putting off fixing. Actually, he doesn’t really know how and doesn’t have the proper tools. Rowen comes out of the house to ask Claude why he is fixing their fence and then proceed to help as Claude directs them. Claude sees something in Rowen and invites him to work for him on his construction crew until the end of summer when he will leave for college. Of course he doesn’t go to college.
As the months and years go by, Rowen starts to mature. He marries and has 3 children and keeps bring money home. However, he still has a long way to go. There are many times I wanted to slap some sense into him. I wanted someone to slap some sense into him!
The characters leaped of the page and welcomed me into their dysfunctional lives. I couldn’t help joining them; I was caught like a deer in headlights. I especially loved Eden, so precocious and full of life despite her lot in life. I would love to tell you more but don’t want to risk spoilers.
I really had a hard time putting this book down and be warned, there were parts that made me cry like a baby. Jamie Lisa Forbes owes me a box of tissue! She really captured the 1950’s south, warts and all. Her take on the human condition reminds of the greats like John Steinbeck and Harper Lee! This is her third book and I also read and loved the first two. The first two won awards and I believe ‘Eden’ is just as deserving! She really captures the heart and soul of her characters. I imagine they haunt her as they will haunt me for a long time to come. I just can’t get them out of my head. I highly recommend ‘Eden’!
She looks up to Rowen and takes to following him around. He goes to his Uncle, who was in business with his father to get his father’s share. His uncle said there was nothing left from his father’s share and gives him a little money for his mother. He says he will give his mother a small sum every month but Rowen will have to pay for college and also make up the balance his family will need to survive. He suspects his uncle is lying about his father’s share but just doesn’t have the backbone to argue. Against his mother’s and Adeline’s wishes, he decides not to go to college.
Rowan’s luck turns when their neighbor Claude stops by to repair the broken gate that Rowen keeps putting off fixing. Actually, he doesn’t really know how and doesn’t have the proper tools. Rowen comes out of the house to ask Claude why he is fixing their fence and then proceed to help as Claude directs them. Claude sees something in Rowen and invites him to work for him on his construction crew until the end of summer when he will leave for college. Of course he doesn’t go to college.
As the months and years go by, Rowen starts to mature. He marries and has 3 children and keeps bring money home. However, he still has a long way to go. There are many times I wanted to slap some sense into him. I wanted someone to slap some sense into him!
The characters leaped of the page and welcomed me into their dysfunctional lives. I couldn’t help joining them; I was caught like a deer in headlights. I especially loved Eden, so precocious and full of life despite her lot in life. I would love to tell you more but don’t want to risk spoilers.
I really had a hard time putting this book down and be warned, there were parts that made me cry like a baby. Jamie Lisa Forbes owes me a box of tissue! She really captured the 1950’s south, warts and all. Her take on the human condition reminds of the greats like John Steinbeck and Harper Lee! This is her third book and I also read and loved the first two. The first two won awards and I believe ‘Eden’ is just as deserving! She really captures the heart and soul of her characters. I imagine they haunt her as they will haunt me for a long time to come. I just can’t get them out of my head. I highly recommend ‘Eden’!
April 22, 2020
The book is full of diverse characters representative of stereotypical 1950s Southern American people. The prose paints a picture of the landscape and character surroundings, and minor characters are introduced and fleshed out enough to show their merit to the story and helping the main characters along their paths. The book is a quick read with a clearly defined plot and easy reading flow. Fans of historical fiction full of miss opportunities and hope for a story's characters will enjoy this work.
I wanted to enjoy this story, but I couldn't find anything in the characters that made me care about what happened to them. Moments of failure followed by moments of failure chapter after chapter until the final pages where the main character, Rowen, finally decides to grow up (as a middle-aged man) just didn't make me love this book. That being said, I can see how and why this book would appeal to other readers that enjoy this type of literary fiction.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the darc of this work in exchange for my honest review.
I wanted to enjoy this story, but I couldn't find anything in the characters that made me care about what happened to them. Moments of failure followed by moments of failure chapter after chapter until the final pages where the main character, Rowen, finally decides to grow up (as a middle-aged man) just didn't make me love this book. That being said, I can see how and why this book would appeal to other readers that enjoy this type of literary fiction.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the darc of this work in exchange for my honest review.
December 6, 2020
Rowen Hart was raised with money but then when his father kills himself Rowen and his mother find out there is no money and they are reduced to living in poverty. Rowen has no idea that he needs to work and thinks it's fine to run off and do what he wants and show up mid morning. He is upset with his mother because she has taken to staying in her room mourning and not helping herself but I don't see Rowen as much different. He is barely working, takes advantage of Adeline, their help, and has no idea how to help himself except by whining. The bright spot in the story was Eden, a young girl who comes to live with his family for about a year. The story jumps from him graduating high school, to his marriage and then a family. Other than Eden and Adeline I didn't like any of the characters and there really wasn't much of a plot.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing this book in exchange for a review.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing this book in exchange for a review.
April 18, 2020
This book takes place in White Rock, NC, in the 50's.
This is a very good book, but a bit on the depressing side. Eden is the name of the girl in the book, who has a very rough time, from the time she is a very little girl.
This book is full of prejudice, selfish women, and even more selfish men. If you like a story that spans the saga of lives thru the generations, than this certainly is one for you.
Very emotional, but certainly not a very uplifting book, if that is what you are looking for.
We certainly have come a long way since the 50's, in some respects, but in other respects, we haven't come very far at all.
This is a very good book, but a bit on the depressing side. Eden is the name of the girl in the book, who has a very rough time, from the time she is a very little girl.
This book is full of prejudice, selfish women, and even more selfish men. If you like a story that spans the saga of lives thru the generations, than this certainly is one for you.
Very emotional, but certainly not a very uplifting book, if that is what you are looking for.
We certainly have come a long way since the 50's, in some respects, but in other respects, we haven't come very far at all.
March 18, 2024
When college-bound Rowen Hart is left reeling from his father’s suicide, he finds himself having to become the man of the house and navigate the waters of his rural, very racially divided town in 1950s North Carolina. What will his future hold now that the aftermath of his father’s death has left him and his mother in undesirable circumstances? Jamie Lisa Forbes takes readers along Rowen’s journey through manhood and adulthood and shines a light on the pivotal people he meets along the way in her newest novel Eden.
Eden begins with Rowen months after his father’s suicide, in his new home on the outskirts of town with his bedridden-from-grief Mama and devoted housekeeper Adeline. He is discouraged by his inability to hold a steady job and perform tasks that every man in White Rock, North Carolina is expected to have perfected by his age. Daddy never taught him how to fix anything or lift a finger for that matter, and so the broken gate out front remains broken and the land at Sawyer’s remains untended to. One morning, he decides to be late for work on Sawyer’s property, but not for any common excuse. There’s a murder trial taking place – Franklin White has been accused of killing his drunkard brother-in-law, Birch Whitney – and Rowen is curious and thankful for another scandal to be overshadowing his father’s untimely death.
Rowen’s interest in the case is soon piqued for another reason. Eden, the murder victim’s 10-year-old firecracker of a daughter, is called to the stand. She witnessed her uncle kill her father right before her eyes and is happy to tell anyone who will listen. Rest assured the whole town is listening, but believing her account is another story. Eden’s mother, if you can call her that, has decided she’s had enough of her daughter’s testimony and shameful presence, so what is a 10-year-old accused of lying to do? Run away to the outskirts of town and have someone else take her in.
When Eden shows up at Rowen’s home with only the clothes on her back, Adeline and Mama are pleased to take in the child. Rowen, however, is not. Eden is brash and brazen for her age, curious and ill-mannered too. Between his boss Sawyer, his co-worker Sammy, his greedy Uncle Hugh, Eden, Adeline, Mama, and his soon-to-be-wife Jewell constantly breathing down his neck, Rowen struggles to keep up with demands and expectations. An unforeseen bright spot throughout Rowen’s toils, however, is his budding friendship with Eden. As he spends more time with her, Rowen begins to see the world through her eyes, and regrets not being more of an open-minded young man. Then one day, everything changes – again. Eden’s mother has come to take her back. Rowen doesn’t know it yet, but he won’t see Eden again until she’s grown with adult struggles of her own. What will become of their reconciliation? It’s an emotional ride for readers as well as the characters in Eden.
Jamie Lisa Forbes details 1950s small-town North Carolina in a way that makes readers feel like they’re sweltering in the heat of the courtroom and shivering amidst the coldness of racial and class prejudices. To be able to communicate to the audience different relationship dynamics, whether it’s intimate relationships, friendships that break racial barriers, family ties, or the relationship an individual has with themselves, in such a heartbreaking and realistic way shows her dedication to understanding diverse backgrounds and what it meant to have grown up in the south during such emotionally charged times. This book is the perfect reminder for readers that life would be much less colorful if not for the people we meet along the way.
Quill says: Unexpected relationships can be the most rewarding, and award-winning author Jamie Lisa Forbes details them beautifully throughout Eden.
Eden begins with Rowen months after his father’s suicide, in his new home on the outskirts of town with his bedridden-from-grief Mama and devoted housekeeper Adeline. He is discouraged by his inability to hold a steady job and perform tasks that every man in White Rock, North Carolina is expected to have perfected by his age. Daddy never taught him how to fix anything or lift a finger for that matter, and so the broken gate out front remains broken and the land at Sawyer’s remains untended to. One morning, he decides to be late for work on Sawyer’s property, but not for any common excuse. There’s a murder trial taking place – Franklin White has been accused of killing his drunkard brother-in-law, Birch Whitney – and Rowen is curious and thankful for another scandal to be overshadowing his father’s untimely death.
Rowen’s interest in the case is soon piqued for another reason. Eden, the murder victim’s 10-year-old firecracker of a daughter, is called to the stand. She witnessed her uncle kill her father right before her eyes and is happy to tell anyone who will listen. Rest assured the whole town is listening, but believing her account is another story. Eden’s mother, if you can call her that, has decided she’s had enough of her daughter’s testimony and shameful presence, so what is a 10-year-old accused of lying to do? Run away to the outskirts of town and have someone else take her in.
When Eden shows up at Rowen’s home with only the clothes on her back, Adeline and Mama are pleased to take in the child. Rowen, however, is not. Eden is brash and brazen for her age, curious and ill-mannered too. Between his boss Sawyer, his co-worker Sammy, his greedy Uncle Hugh, Eden, Adeline, Mama, and his soon-to-be-wife Jewell constantly breathing down his neck, Rowen struggles to keep up with demands and expectations. An unforeseen bright spot throughout Rowen’s toils, however, is his budding friendship with Eden. As he spends more time with her, Rowen begins to see the world through her eyes, and regrets not being more of an open-minded young man. Then one day, everything changes – again. Eden’s mother has come to take her back. Rowen doesn’t know it yet, but he won’t see Eden again until she’s grown with adult struggles of her own. What will become of their reconciliation? It’s an emotional ride for readers as well as the characters in Eden.
Jamie Lisa Forbes details 1950s small-town North Carolina in a way that makes readers feel like they’re sweltering in the heat of the courtroom and shivering amidst the coldness of racial and class prejudices. To be able to communicate to the audience different relationship dynamics, whether it’s intimate relationships, friendships that break racial barriers, family ties, or the relationship an individual has with themselves, in such a heartbreaking and realistic way shows her dedication to understanding diverse backgrounds and what it meant to have grown up in the south during such emotionally charged times. This book is the perfect reminder for readers that life would be much less colorful if not for the people we meet along the way.
Quill says: Unexpected relationships can be the most rewarding, and award-winning author Jamie Lisa Forbes details them beautifully throughout Eden.
June 7, 2020
I received a complimentary digital copy of this arc book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
I have mixed emotions after reading this book. It took me in many directions with many themes. I wanted to give it 4 stars but the story felt disjointed and addressed several themes which never felt complete. There were several gaps where the story would advance several years many the book seem longer.
The setting is White Rock, NC in the 1950’s with racial segregation and affluent white entitlement prevailed. Rowan Hart was born into a prominent family in White Rock with privilege and dreams of a university education. It isn’t long before the failures of Rowan’s father are unveiled leaving him desperate and humiliated. After Rowan’s father commits suicide, he and his mother Rita are left destitute and forced to move into a shack outside of town.
Rita’s brother, Hugh, was his father’s business partner for many years and felt obliged to maintain financial support to his sister and nephew. Everyone in the story seems to have their own secrets and intentions for their behavior. Uncle Hugh isn’t as generous as he would like his family to believe. The town relishes only in the gossip which supports the best scenario above the truth.
Life changes dramatically for Rowan Hart when one day 11 year old Eden Whitney shows up with suitcase in hand at the door. The feisty child had been called to testify in court that she witnessed her Uncle Franklin shoot her father. Her mother Coman is appalled as is the rest of the town calling the child a liar by bringing such disgrace upon her family.
The Hart household is held firmly together by the determination of the long time housekeeper, Adeline. With Rita depressed and bedridden, Rowan starts working at a Mr Sawyer’s tobacco field where he meets Sammy. Rowan and Sammy develop an awkward friendship due to their racial differences. Rowan works hard over the years to regain the reputation and economic status his family once had awakening him to the prejudices that surround it.
The story becomes more complicated as it travels down the road jumping ahead to Rowan marrying Jewell and having children. The history of Eden and her future life choices as well as Sammy. In a small town it seems that history of the community are entangled which only becomes more complicated as the years go on.
I enjoyed the story but about half way through I became confused as to the direction in which the story was leading. It felt like it started to fray around the edges and lacked the structure to fully bring it back into focus. The themes were strong and relevant addressing barriers and misconceptions of racial and socioeconomic discrimination which fall on all people.
I have mixed emotions after reading this book. It took me in many directions with many themes. I wanted to give it 4 stars but the story felt disjointed and addressed several themes which never felt complete. There were several gaps where the story would advance several years many the book seem longer.
The setting is White Rock, NC in the 1950’s with racial segregation and affluent white entitlement prevailed. Rowan Hart was born into a prominent family in White Rock with privilege and dreams of a university education. It isn’t long before the failures of Rowan’s father are unveiled leaving him desperate and humiliated. After Rowan’s father commits suicide, he and his mother Rita are left destitute and forced to move into a shack outside of town.
Rita’s brother, Hugh, was his father’s business partner for many years and felt obliged to maintain financial support to his sister and nephew. Everyone in the story seems to have their own secrets and intentions for their behavior. Uncle Hugh isn’t as generous as he would like his family to believe. The town relishes only in the gossip which supports the best scenario above the truth.
Life changes dramatically for Rowan Hart when one day 11 year old Eden Whitney shows up with suitcase in hand at the door. The feisty child had been called to testify in court that she witnessed her Uncle Franklin shoot her father. Her mother Coman is appalled as is the rest of the town calling the child a liar by bringing such disgrace upon her family.
The Hart household is held firmly together by the determination of the long time housekeeper, Adeline. With Rita depressed and bedridden, Rowan starts working at a Mr Sawyer’s tobacco field where he meets Sammy. Rowan and Sammy develop an awkward friendship due to their racial differences. Rowan works hard over the years to regain the reputation and economic status his family once had awakening him to the prejudices that surround it.
The story becomes more complicated as it travels down the road jumping ahead to Rowan marrying Jewell and having children. The history of Eden and her future life choices as well as Sammy. In a small town it seems that history of the community are entangled which only becomes more complicated as the years go on.
I enjoyed the story but about half way through I became confused as to the direction in which the story was leading. It felt like it started to fray around the edges and lacked the structure to fully bring it back into focus. The themes were strong and relevant addressing barriers and misconceptions of racial and socioeconomic discrimination which fall on all people.
May 10, 2020
Eden by Jamie Lisa Forbes seems to be mistitled as this literary novel is a coming of age story about Rowen Hart. Eden herself presents a series of complications to his life early in the story and again later in life. Rowen and his mother Rita have been reduced to poverty after the suicide of his father. Rowen is only 18 during the 1950s in White Rock, North Carolina, when these circumstances make him the head of the household who must take care of his grieving mother. To make matters worse, Rita takes in Eden, a distant relative whose father was recently murdered. Rowen had been accepted to college and that was his path until all these obligations rained down on him.
Eventually, someone came along in his life who could give him direction. Claude Lowry was a neighbor who stopped to repair the gate to Rowen’s rundown home. He recognized that Rowen is a young man ill-equipped for his circumstances. He turns into a father figure who guides this naïve young man through life. Shed of Eden and now married to Juliette though his mother still lives with him, Rowen learns the construction trade under Claude’s guidance, and after his rightful inheritance comes to him, he eventually buys Claude’s business.
Rowen is still saddled with enormous responsibilities but better able now to deal with them but still, life is draining as he tries to meet everyone else’s needs. He has never forgotten about Eden, and she comes into his life again, only to cause more trouble. Her sad life leads to more complications in Rowen’s life, and he finds her and her family to be an added responsibility for him.
I enjoyed this character-driven novel and heartily felt Rowen’s frustrations as life weighed him down. This is an engaging read, quite thought provoking. Rowen and some of the choices he made will stay with me for some time.
This is my first encounter with author Jamie Lisa Forbes. It is her second novel. She was raised on a ranch on the Little Laramie River thirty miles west of Laramie, Wyoming. Currently she lives in Greensboro, North Carolina, where she is an attorney with another novel in progress.
My review will be posted on Goodreads starting May 9, 2020.
I’d like to thank Pronghorn Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.
Eventually, someone came along in his life who could give him direction. Claude Lowry was a neighbor who stopped to repair the gate to Rowen’s rundown home. He recognized that Rowen is a young man ill-equipped for his circumstances. He turns into a father figure who guides this naïve young man through life. Shed of Eden and now married to Juliette though his mother still lives with him, Rowen learns the construction trade under Claude’s guidance, and after his rightful inheritance comes to him, he eventually buys Claude’s business.
Rowen is still saddled with enormous responsibilities but better able now to deal with them but still, life is draining as he tries to meet everyone else’s needs. He has never forgotten about Eden, and she comes into his life again, only to cause more trouble. Her sad life leads to more complications in Rowen’s life, and he finds her and her family to be an added responsibility for him.
I enjoyed this character-driven novel and heartily felt Rowen’s frustrations as life weighed him down. This is an engaging read, quite thought provoking. Rowen and some of the choices he made will stay with me for some time.
This is my first encounter with author Jamie Lisa Forbes. It is her second novel. She was raised on a ranch on the Little Laramie River thirty miles west of Laramie, Wyoming. Currently she lives in Greensboro, North Carolina, where she is an attorney with another novel in progress.
My review will be posted on Goodreads starting May 9, 2020.
I’d like to thank Pronghorn Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.
May 23, 2020
"Eden", from author Jamie Lisa Forbes, is an atmospheric tale set in 1950's North Carolina. Rowen Hart, a young man ready to begin college and move forward on the road of life laid out by his parents is shaken to the core by his father's suicide. At age eighteen, suddenly Rowen must care for his mother, manage money, and make decisions that he never thought he would be making. In the aftermath of his father's death and financial fiasco, Rowen and his mother Rita lose their home in town and move to the country. Their housekeeper, Adeline, is the person whom Rowen depends upon the most. His mother, distraught over the loss of her husband and their change circumstances, has taken to her bed. Life becomes even more complex with the arrival of Eden Whitney, a ten-year old girl who is connected to both Rowen's family and to Adeline. When Eden testifies in court that she saw her mother's brother kill Eden's father, her mother forces her to flee their home. Eden finds refuge with Rowen, his mother, and Adeline. When Rowen's Uncle Hugh, his father's brother and business partner, tells Rowen that there is no money for him to go to college or to allow Adeline to keep working for them, Rowen doesn't know where to turn. A helping hand comes from a neighbor who offers Rowen a job at his roofing company. Finances improve, but personal circumstances become more complicated as Eden's unpredictable behavior escalates. As time passes, and Rowen marries and starts his own family, the past will not let go, and the present, with racial tensions and restrictions, bears its own ominous portents. A devastating tragedy, secrets brought to light, and self-realizations will not only shape the course of Rowen's life, but they will have a deep and lasting effect on those around him. As he finally comes full circle, can he build a bridge to bring together from all sides all that he holds dear? "Eden" is a compelling read, with unforgettable characters and an insightful look at our culture in a time and place where the color of one's skin tinted every aspect of life. A recommended read from a gifted storyteller.
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June 1, 2020
I give this a 3.5.
Set in rural North Carolina in the 1950s, 18-year-old Rowen Hart is forced to "grow up" real fast after his father kills himself and his mother has a nervous breakdown. The problem is, Rowen has lived a life of extreme privilege and doesn't really understand what being an adult means. In the meantime, his mother and her long-time housekeeper Adeline take in 10-year-old Eden, who has been kicked out of her house by her mother after testifying against her uncle for murdering Eden's father right in front of her.
This book opens in a courtroom where Eden is called on to testify against her uncle for killing her father. (When I started this book, I was worried that it was just another courtroom drama focused on racism in the south in the midcentury -- complete with lots of use of the n-word and good old Southern boy attorneys, but it quickly veered away from this.) The negative feelings against her from everyone in the courthouse, including the judge and her own mother, are obvious, but also obvious is Eden's extreme sense of standing up for what's right, even when she has to struggle to make sure she survives.
This is quickly juxtaposed against Rowen's character, who seems to have been living in his own little bubble his whole life, somehow oblivious to the racism and sexism in his community, and shocked that people don't respect his family the same way now that they're poor. Rowen is very self-centered, even as he sees himself as making lots of sacrifices for his family, and even turns his back on Eden over and over again, putting her in extreme danger, while never recognizing his responsibility. It seems like the author is trying to show him struggling between doing what's right and wrong, but it's clear that he will consistently do what's best for himself.
Even at the end when it appears that the author is making an attempt to redeem him, Rowen continues to hurt the people who love him while focusing so much in assuaging his own guilty conscience. Overall, while Rowen (and Eden) are both interesting characters, we seem them make bad decision after bad decision with neither of them ever learning or growing from their mistakes. Even so, while the characters frustrated me and it was a sad novel, it did seem to describe much more human characters than many books, and I still enjoyed reading this book for what its literary merit.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc of this book. It has not influenced my opinion.
Set in rural North Carolina in the 1950s, 18-year-old Rowen Hart is forced to "grow up" real fast after his father kills himself and his mother has a nervous breakdown. The problem is, Rowen has lived a life of extreme privilege and doesn't really understand what being an adult means. In the meantime, his mother and her long-time housekeeper Adeline take in 10-year-old Eden, who has been kicked out of her house by her mother after testifying against her uncle for murdering Eden's father right in front of her.
This book opens in a courtroom where Eden is called on to testify against her uncle for killing her father. (When I started this book, I was worried that it was just another courtroom drama focused on racism in the south in the midcentury -- complete with lots of use of the n-word and good old Southern boy attorneys, but it quickly veered away from this.) The negative feelings against her from everyone in the courthouse, including the judge and her own mother, are obvious, but also obvious is Eden's extreme sense of standing up for what's right, even when she has to struggle to make sure she survives.
This is quickly juxtaposed against Rowen's character, who seems to have been living in his own little bubble his whole life, somehow oblivious to the racism and sexism in his community, and shocked that people don't respect his family the same way now that they're poor. Rowen is very self-centered, even as he sees himself as making lots of sacrifices for his family, and even turns his back on Eden over and over again, putting her in extreme danger, while never recognizing his responsibility. It seems like the author is trying to show him struggling between doing what's right and wrong, but it's clear that he will consistently do what's best for himself.
Even at the end when it appears that the author is making an attempt to redeem him, Rowen continues to hurt the people who love him while focusing so much in assuaging his own guilty conscience. Overall, while Rowen (and Eden) are both interesting characters, we seem them make bad decision after bad decision with neither of them ever learning or growing from their mistakes. Even so, while the characters frustrated me and it was a sad novel, it did seem to describe much more human characters than many books, and I still enjoyed reading this book for what its literary merit.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc of this book. It has not influenced my opinion.
June 2, 2020
WHAT IS EDEN AND WHERE CAN WE FIND IT, we sometimes ask. A place of creation for some. A place of rest for others. And yet Eden is the garden that we lost because of the choices we made long ago. We were cast out, and we cannot return though we ever yearn to be there in the cool of the evening when the first stars appear.
Rowen is there at the beginning, of course, when he first meets Eden—a young girl who must testify of extraordinary and violent crimes she witnessed that rocked the small town of White Rock, North Carolina. She’s a wisp of a thing, the kind of girl you’d pay no attention to, but she becomes the focus of a rapt community when she must tell what she saw—and her words will rip the world apart, not just hers and her family, but also of the people around her. Her truth is inconvenient and troublesome, and she suffers by it. She is cast out of paradise and, like Eve, becomes homeless.
Rowen and his family take her in, and she grows up, twisting and turning, never quite the right girl for Rowen but always the one he wants. He’s challenged to do more than be a small-town boy, but he stays at home, marries an appropriate choice and carries out an appropriate life—but still it is Eden who is on his mind, in his eyes, and carried in his heart until—well, you’ll need to read the book to find out whether Rowen ever returns to Eden.
I received this book to review, with the promise I’d give my honest feedback. This book fascinated me not only with the lives of the intertwined souls of White Rock but also with the emotional depth of these characters. They ring true in their convictions even though they are shot through with flaws and misunderstandings and the things that we all carry because we don’t know how to lay them down. I felt connected to them, was saddened at how the vagaries of life could damage and wound an innocent soul or even further mar a fallen one, and I was reminded of how much we want to be filled with joy in the smallest choices of life. For it is our own selves who are found outside Eden, and we, too, would return there.
NOTE TO READERS: This book contains uses of historically contextualized language of the South in the 1950s.
Rowen is there at the beginning, of course, when he first meets Eden—a young girl who must testify of extraordinary and violent crimes she witnessed that rocked the small town of White Rock, North Carolina. She’s a wisp of a thing, the kind of girl you’d pay no attention to, but she becomes the focus of a rapt community when she must tell what she saw—and her words will rip the world apart, not just hers and her family, but also of the people around her. Her truth is inconvenient and troublesome, and she suffers by it. She is cast out of paradise and, like Eve, becomes homeless.
Rowen and his family take her in, and she grows up, twisting and turning, never quite the right girl for Rowen but always the one he wants. He’s challenged to do more than be a small-town boy, but he stays at home, marries an appropriate choice and carries out an appropriate life—but still it is Eden who is on his mind, in his eyes, and carried in his heart until—well, you’ll need to read the book to find out whether Rowen ever returns to Eden.
I received this book to review, with the promise I’d give my honest feedback. This book fascinated me not only with the lives of the intertwined souls of White Rock but also with the emotional depth of these characters. They ring true in their convictions even though they are shot through with flaws and misunderstandings and the things that we all carry because we don’t know how to lay them down. I felt connected to them, was saddened at how the vagaries of life could damage and wound an innocent soul or even further mar a fallen one, and I was reminded of how much we want to be filled with joy in the smallest choices of life. For it is our own selves who are found outside Eden, and we, too, would return there.
NOTE TO READERS: This book contains uses of historically contextualized language of the South in the 1950s.
June 9, 2020
Rowan Hart was born into a famous family in White Rock, North Carolina with hopes and dreams of getting a higher education. It was so shocking a incident when Rowan’s father committed suicide, as a result he and his mother Rita are left penniless and forced to move into a shed outside of town and live there in miserable conditions. After the death of his father, Rita’s brother Hugh, supported his sister and nephew as he was the only business partner of Rowan’s father and was responsible to maintain his business. However, that did not last. Uncle Hugh asks Rowen to come to his office and tells him that his father had no money or assets left in the business and that he will no longer support the family. He will give his sister a small monthly sum but Rowen would have to support the family. Rowan distrusts what his uncle told about his father’s share but he was unable to take a solid step as he has no proof. Dramatical changes started happening in the life of Rowan Hart when one day 10-year-old Eden Whitney stepped in with suitcase in hand at the door of his home. The aggressive child had been called to appear in court as she witnessed her Uncle Franklin shoot her father. Her mother Coman is shocked as is the rest of the town calling the child a liar by bringing such dishonor upon her family.
At the realization that he had to support Eden and his mother, his dreams of a higher education vanished. Rowan started his carrier by working at a tobacco field where he meets Sammy. Rowan and Sammy progress an uncooperative friendship due to their racial differences. One day Rowen runs into a little luck and is given a higher paying job in construction. Rowan works hard over the years to regain the reputation and economic status his family once.
The story turns out to be progressively entangled as it goes bouncing ahead to Rowan wedding Jewell and having three kids. While reading Eden, I started shedding tears from the pain which Rowan faced as a result of his father’s death and upcoming struggling life ahead, as well as for Eden. Jamie Lisa Forbes composed such a wonderful story with characters that leaped off the page and came to life.
At the realization that he had to support Eden and his mother, his dreams of a higher education vanished. Rowan started his carrier by working at a tobacco field where he meets Sammy. Rowan and Sammy progress an uncooperative friendship due to their racial differences. One day Rowen runs into a little luck and is given a higher paying job in construction. Rowan works hard over the years to regain the reputation and economic status his family once.
The story turns out to be progressively entangled as it goes bouncing ahead to Rowan wedding Jewell and having three kids. While reading Eden, I started shedding tears from the pain which Rowan faced as a result of his father’s death and upcoming struggling life ahead, as well as for Eden. Jamie Lisa Forbes composed such a wonderful story with characters that leaped off the page and came to life.
May 14, 2020
Personally I just love southern fiction books and Eden did not disappoint. For any lover of art, it is appealing to look at the cover of the book Eden by Jamie Lisa Forbes. The cover gave me the urge to read and know more about the girl on the cover. The suspense that the author creates right from the start to the end gives me the urge to read it thoroughly without skipping.
The author begins by painting a very good picture of court proceedings. I found myself glued to the book with my teary eyes as I read about Rowen’s life and what he was faced with at a very tender age. He is left to take care of his family after his father’s death which was suicidal.
Eden Whitney, the 10 year old who testified against her Uncle in court is not believed by the court or her mother, even though she saw her Uncle shoot her father dead. Her mother makes it impossible to live with her and is taken in by Rita, Rowen Hart’s mother. She is one girl who Rowen never forgets.
I could connect with this because life gives us good Samaritans. A “good Samaritan” Claude Lawry sees the burden that Rowen has to bear and guides him and gives him a job. Rowen’s life starts to change. He marries Jewel but continues to remember Eden. His marriage to his first love Jewel isn’t the best but he tries to manage the relationship. After Claude decides to retire Rowen buys his business to better support his growing family.
Reading books written by the award winning author Jamie Forbes, is such an exciting experience and most especially her latest: Eden. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes to read a book with a motivational and heart moving story. Forbes captures the 1950’s south so well that I was able to live it. It’s only after reading the book that I realize that it’s not only the cover page that is eye catching but reading the inside is the best experience.
I feel it deserved a five rating.
The author begins by painting a very good picture of court proceedings. I found myself glued to the book with my teary eyes as I read about Rowen’s life and what he was faced with at a very tender age. He is left to take care of his family after his father’s death which was suicidal.
Eden Whitney, the 10 year old who testified against her Uncle in court is not believed by the court or her mother, even though she saw her Uncle shoot her father dead. Her mother makes it impossible to live with her and is taken in by Rita, Rowen Hart’s mother. She is one girl who Rowen never forgets.
I could connect with this because life gives us good Samaritans. A “good Samaritan” Claude Lawry sees the burden that Rowen has to bear and guides him and gives him a job. Rowen’s life starts to change. He marries Jewel but continues to remember Eden. His marriage to his first love Jewel isn’t the best but he tries to manage the relationship. After Claude decides to retire Rowen buys his business to better support his growing family.
Reading books written by the award winning author Jamie Forbes, is such an exciting experience and most especially her latest: Eden. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes to read a book with a motivational and heart moving story. Forbes captures the 1950’s south so well that I was able to live it. It’s only after reading the book that I realize that it’s not only the cover page that is eye catching but reading the inside is the best experience.
I feel it deserved a five rating.
May 26, 2020
Eden is set in the 1950s, in White Rock, North Carolina, not far from the Cape Fear River. The book highlights many of the stereotypical issues of the 1950s South. Rowen Hart is a high school senior when his father kills himself and his mother has a nervous breakdown. As a young man raised in privilege he has no understanding of how the world works and has absolutely no clue how to think for himself. The only thing that he figures out in that first year is that he does not to travel the path his parents expected him to travel.
Eden Whitney is ten year old girl that has watched her uncle, her mother's brother, murder her father. She has a keen sense of right and wrong and is not afraid to speak her mind and do right by others. Soon after she testifies against her Uncle Franklin, the bank president, she runs away and is taken in by Rowen's family.
As we progress through Rowan's life from young man to married man, to adulthood, Eden is a catalyst of change in Rowen's life. She represents a side to the story that he is too afraid or blind to consider. Throughout Eden's life she makes people face that lies, the one's we tell ourselves, as well as, the one's we tell others, poison us and need to be atoned for.
The writing in the book is descriptive and the dialogue I feel moves the story along. However, the jumps from one part of Rowen's life to the other were unpredictable and abrupt. There was no time to process the scene I had just finished reading and the implications that it might have on the story as a whole, when boom the storyline had moved years down the line. This made the book feel disjointed as if a bunch of short stories with the same characters had been shoved together into a book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pronghorn for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I just reviewed Eden by Jamie Lisa Forbes. #NetGalley https://www.netgalley.com/book/188867...
Eden Whitney is ten year old girl that has watched her uncle, her mother's brother, murder her father. She has a keen sense of right and wrong and is not afraid to speak her mind and do right by others. Soon after she testifies against her Uncle Franklin, the bank president, she runs away and is taken in by Rowen's family.
As we progress through Rowan's life from young man to married man, to adulthood, Eden is a catalyst of change in Rowen's life. She represents a side to the story that he is too afraid or blind to consider. Throughout Eden's life she makes people face that lies, the one's we tell ourselves, as well as, the one's we tell others, poison us and need to be atoned for.
The writing in the book is descriptive and the dialogue I feel moves the story along. However, the jumps from one part of Rowen's life to the other were unpredictable and abrupt. There was no time to process the scene I had just finished reading and the implications that it might have on the story as a whole, when boom the storyline had moved years down the line. This made the book feel disjointed as if a bunch of short stories with the same characters had been shoved together into a book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pronghorn for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I just reviewed Eden by Jamie Lisa Forbes. #NetGalley https://www.netgalley.com/book/188867...
May 25, 2020
Eden by Jamie Lisa Forbes takes us back to North Carolina in the 1950s, to a time when it was important to do the expected, even if it meant fulfilling other peoples’ dreams. It’s a novel that reminds us when “coloreds” rode in back of the bus, when a “decent” white person wasn’t seen shaking a black person’s hand.
Rowen Hart just graduated from high school when his father’s suicide tears his dreams apart. Rowen has been accepted to college, but now, without funds or hope, he finds himself responsible for his ailing mother. Their black maid, Adeline, is really the backbone of the family, the one who holds everything together. It would never be said, of course, but she’s his mother’s best friend, the only person who really understands her. Adeline sees Rowen’s confusion and urges him to find work, to get past feeling sorry for himself.
Along comes Eden, a ten-year old, red-headed firecracker of a girl. She needs a home and Adeline can’t turn her down, much to Rowen’s dismay. Eden breaks all the rules of proper decor, all the while doing whatever she can to win Rowen’s approval.
Rowen is offered a job at a construction firm, discovers he is good at his job and takes his responsibilities seriously. He meets and eventually marries Jewell, the epitome of a proper southern girl. But just when life seems to be coming together, Rowen begins to doubt the way of life he has always known, to wonder about expectations and fairness.
I found Eden a valuable novel that reminded me how far our nation has come toward recognizing equality. The story also gives us a reminder of how difficult growing up is, of how life’s choices made in youth can affect not only self, but whomever those choices involve. Angst doesn’t just happen to youth—it can follow a person throughout life.
Rowen Hart just graduated from high school when his father’s suicide tears his dreams apart. Rowen has been accepted to college, but now, without funds or hope, he finds himself responsible for his ailing mother. Their black maid, Adeline, is really the backbone of the family, the one who holds everything together. It would never be said, of course, but she’s his mother’s best friend, the only person who really understands her. Adeline sees Rowen’s confusion and urges him to find work, to get past feeling sorry for himself.
Along comes Eden, a ten-year old, red-headed firecracker of a girl. She needs a home and Adeline can’t turn her down, much to Rowen’s dismay. Eden breaks all the rules of proper decor, all the while doing whatever she can to win Rowen’s approval.
Rowen is offered a job at a construction firm, discovers he is good at his job and takes his responsibilities seriously. He meets and eventually marries Jewell, the epitome of a proper southern girl. But just when life seems to be coming together, Rowen begins to doubt the way of life he has always known, to wonder about expectations and fairness.
I found Eden a valuable novel that reminded me how far our nation has come toward recognizing equality. The story also gives us a reminder of how difficult growing up is, of how life’s choices made in youth can affect not only self, but whomever those choices involve. Angst doesn’t just happen to youth—it can follow a person throughout life.
June 3, 2020
I think I may have read a different book from the one read by other reviewers of Eden.
Many, many other readers were disappointed in the point of view character, Rowen Hart, and his lack of purpose and social courage. To me, Rowen was a very familiar entity -- the young person (sometimes not-so-young) for whom everything just happens effortlessly. Such folks are good-natured, often good-looking, mostly without ambition, but not without success. The word entitled springs to mind.
Rowen is an 18-year-old white boy of the Deep South sometime before the Civil Rights movement made its mark. He is unprepared and ill-equipped for any misfortune -- and as the book opens, plenty of it has befallen him: financial, social and cultural.
Jamie Lisa Forbes's prose style is simple, but her story and characters are complex. The heroes of the piece (the ones with gumption and character and wisdom) are mostly women, although there are three or four worthless females in the mix.
What saved Rowen from my contempt is that he *knows* he is generally useless, and in his own way he flails about for a sense of purpose. The fact that Eden (a 10-year-old runaway when we first meet her) is the title character suggests who is Forbes's true hero.
I highly recommend this book, but not for readers who are hooked on triumph-over-adversity, feel-good endings. Eden may not be full-fledged tragedy, but any realistic book about class and race in America will have plenty of melancholy moments.
I was confused about the time period. It's supposed to be the 1950s, but 18-year-old Rowen has a memory of his father comparing their maid Adeline to Aretha Franklin. The singer would have come of age in 1960, but it was years before she became familiar to white audience and established her trademark fashion sense.
Thanks to NetGalley and Pronghorm Press for an advance readers copy.
Many, many other readers were disappointed in the point of view character, Rowen Hart, and his lack of purpose and social courage. To me, Rowen was a very familiar entity -- the young person (sometimes not-so-young) for whom everything just happens effortlessly. Such folks are good-natured, often good-looking, mostly without ambition, but not without success. The word entitled springs to mind.
Rowen is an 18-year-old white boy of the Deep South sometime before the Civil Rights movement made its mark. He is unprepared and ill-equipped for any misfortune -- and as the book opens, plenty of it has befallen him: financial, social and cultural.
Jamie Lisa Forbes's prose style is simple, but her story and characters are complex. The heroes of the piece (the ones with gumption and character and wisdom) are mostly women, although there are three or four worthless females in the mix.
What saved Rowen from my contempt is that he *knows* he is generally useless, and in his own way he flails about for a sense of purpose. The fact that Eden (a 10-year-old runaway when we first meet her) is the title character suggests who is Forbes's true hero.
I highly recommend this book, but not for readers who are hooked on triumph-over-adversity, feel-good endings. Eden may not be full-fledged tragedy, but any realistic book about class and race in America will have plenty of melancholy moments.
I was confused about the time period. It's supposed to be the 1950s, but 18-year-old Rowen has a memory of his father comparing their maid Adeline to Aretha Franklin. The singer would have come of age in 1960, but it was years before she became familiar to white audience and established her trademark fashion sense.
Thanks to NetGalley and Pronghorm Press for an advance readers copy.
June 11, 2020
I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
Rowen Hart has his young life turned upside down when his father commits suicide. A recent high school graduate, Rowen had no specific plans but had taken comfort on the predictability of his life. His father's suicide and financial upset places Rowen in unfamiliar territory where he now has responsibilities and decisions to make. The southern small town setting where color of skin and societal rules dictate everyone's life serves as the frame for this novel.
A murder trial in his hometown is a bigger scandal than his father's death so Rowen determines he must go. On the witness stand is a young girl, Eden, who describes the murder of her father at the hands of her uncle, her mother's brother. Her father was a drunken ne'er do well while her uncle runs the bank. Town opinion and the jury declare Eden has lied, setting the stage for events that follow.
Despite their sudden decrease in wealth and social stature, Rowen, his mother, and Adeline, their black maid, take Eden in when she runs away from her mother. Adeline manages the household and she epitomizes grit and forbearance. Eden is a handful but there is something mesmerizing about her. The bond forged between Rowen and Eden is bumpy and frequently dismissed but that relationship becomes the most important one for Rowen's life. Years pass, marriages and children happen, but Rowen's link to Eden remains firm even when he tries to ignore it.
There's a tremendous amount of sadness here - unfulfilled potential, outright racism, and a focus on what others might think cause characters to go against their true needs and beliefs. Often characters don't allow themselves to speak or act truly so happiness is just out of reach. Forbes sets a place and a time that reeks of pain and uncertainty. A very enjoyable read.
#NetGalley #Eden
Rowen Hart has his young life turned upside down when his father commits suicide. A recent high school graduate, Rowen had no specific plans but had taken comfort on the predictability of his life. His father's suicide and financial upset places Rowen in unfamiliar territory where he now has responsibilities and decisions to make. The southern small town setting where color of skin and societal rules dictate everyone's life serves as the frame for this novel.
A murder trial in his hometown is a bigger scandal than his father's death so Rowen determines he must go. On the witness stand is a young girl, Eden, who describes the murder of her father at the hands of her uncle, her mother's brother. Her father was a drunken ne'er do well while her uncle runs the bank. Town opinion and the jury declare Eden has lied, setting the stage for events that follow.
Despite their sudden decrease in wealth and social stature, Rowen, his mother, and Adeline, their black maid, take Eden in when she runs away from her mother. Adeline manages the household and she epitomizes grit and forbearance. Eden is a handful but there is something mesmerizing about her. The bond forged between Rowen and Eden is bumpy and frequently dismissed but that relationship becomes the most important one for Rowen's life. Years pass, marriages and children happen, but Rowen's link to Eden remains firm even when he tries to ignore it.
There's a tremendous amount of sadness here - unfulfilled potential, outright racism, and a focus on what others might think cause characters to go against their true needs and beliefs. Often characters don't allow themselves to speak or act truly so happiness is just out of reach. Forbes sets a place and a time that reeks of pain and uncertainty. A very enjoyable read.
#NetGalley #Eden
May 13, 2020
This has definitely been one of my favorite reads of the year so far! Rowen Hart is a young man who has been through a lot of upheaval. After recently losing his father, Rowen has become the head of his household with no preparation. In 1950's North Carolina, this is a serious job. Rowen's mother has been suffering from depression since his father passed, and has barely left her bedroom, leaving Rowen with only the company of their beloved housekeeper, Adeline to guide him.
At the same time, across town a young girl named Eden is going through a similarly devastating situation. After witnessing the death of her own father, Eden must testify in court against the man who killed him, her uncle. To compound this trauma, Eden's mother is neglectful of her daughter. One day, Eden shows up at Rowen's house with a suitcase asking to stay with his family. Without asking any questions, Adeline and Rowen's mother agree to let the child stay indefinitely.
In spending time taking care of Eden, Rowen matures over the course of the book and finally decides what type of man he wants to become.
Jamie Lisa Forbes has a wonderful talent for setting and atmosphere. The mid-20th century was such a transformative time for the American south, and Forbes touches on this in profound and interesting ways. Through the eyes of two young people, she tells a coming of age story the likes of which you've never read before. One with a story that twists and turns in directions that I never expected. This was an emotional read and one that I feel had an almost magical quality. When I was reading this I felt like I'd been brought into it, it was that good. This is definitely one to put on your list if you haven't yet!
At the same time, across town a young girl named Eden is going through a similarly devastating situation. After witnessing the death of her own father, Eden must testify in court against the man who killed him, her uncle. To compound this trauma, Eden's mother is neglectful of her daughter. One day, Eden shows up at Rowen's house with a suitcase asking to stay with his family. Without asking any questions, Adeline and Rowen's mother agree to let the child stay indefinitely.
In spending time taking care of Eden, Rowen matures over the course of the book and finally decides what type of man he wants to become.
Jamie Lisa Forbes has a wonderful talent for setting and atmosphere. The mid-20th century was such a transformative time for the American south, and Forbes touches on this in profound and interesting ways. Through the eyes of two young people, she tells a coming of age story the likes of which you've never read before. One with a story that twists and turns in directions that I never expected. This was an emotional read and one that I feel had an almost magical quality. When I was reading this I felt like I'd been brought into it, it was that good. This is definitely one to put on your list if you haven't yet!
May 16, 2020
Rowen Hart is exactly the kind of character that I love to read about. In the beginning of the book, he is the formerly pampered and slightly spoiled son of a wealthy family who has recently fallen on hard times. See, Rowen's father committed suicide and his mother did not take the death well, cutting herself off from society and basically cloistering herself in her bedroom where she spends her days in bed.
With only their housekeeper, Adeline to confide in, Rowen suddenly finds the burden of becoming the head of the family on his own, 18 year old shoulders. But he's not the only young person in town that is suddenly finding themselves in drastically changed circumstances. Eden Whitney, a 10 year old girl who lives in the same town, has recently witnessed the murder of her father by her uncle. After this, she comes to live with Rowen and his mother, relying on their kindness and hospitality.
This book was so well written that it transported me back through the years to the 1950's in North Carolina. Jamie Lisa Forbes really captured, not only the time period but the atmosphere of the American south in such a beautiful and fulfilling way. Reading this book was like eating a delicious dessert that just kept on giving! However, be sure to have a box of tissues ready!
I loved how Rowen eventually grew as a character over the course of the novel and how we watched Eden slowly overcome her trauma, and the streak of wildness that stems from it. Eden was basically the impetus to help Rowen mature into an adulthood that he had not been prepared for, and naming the novel after her was so fitting and perfect. This novel was like a snapshot of the 1950's south and one that I will definitely be thinking about for a long while.
With only their housekeeper, Adeline to confide in, Rowen suddenly finds the burden of becoming the head of the family on his own, 18 year old shoulders. But he's not the only young person in town that is suddenly finding themselves in drastically changed circumstances. Eden Whitney, a 10 year old girl who lives in the same town, has recently witnessed the murder of her father by her uncle. After this, she comes to live with Rowen and his mother, relying on their kindness and hospitality.
This book was so well written that it transported me back through the years to the 1950's in North Carolina. Jamie Lisa Forbes really captured, not only the time period but the atmosphere of the American south in such a beautiful and fulfilling way. Reading this book was like eating a delicious dessert that just kept on giving! However, be sure to have a box of tissues ready!
I loved how Rowen eventually grew as a character over the course of the novel and how we watched Eden slowly overcome her trauma, and the streak of wildness that stems from it. Eden was basically the impetus to help Rowen mature into an adulthood that he had not been prepared for, and naming the novel after her was so fitting and perfect. This novel was like a snapshot of the 1950's south and one that I will definitely be thinking about for a long while.
May 27, 2020
This is easily one of the best books that I have read this year. 'Eden' is both a coming-of-age story and a nostalgic period novel set in the 1950's. This story has some of the most compelling and relatable characters I've ever read about and a strong narrative that leaves you wanting more.
Rowen Hart, the main character of the story, is an 18 year-old boy who recently lost his father to suicide. Unfortunately for Rowen, this leaves him as the man of his household and leaves him to take care of his depressed and anxious mother. Further compounding the family's struggles, the death of Rowen's father knocks them several rungs down the socioeconomic ladder. Basically, they go from being reasonably well-off to living in a shack. The only good news is that they are able to retain their beloved housekeeper Adeline, who keeps both Rowen and his mother on level ground.
Of course, this is just the set up for the whole story. Although Rowen is the main character, as I said, the book is titled after perhaps the most important character in it, a little girl named Eden. Eden comes to live with Rowen and his mother after witnessing the tragic murder of her father at the hands of her uncle. After experiencing something so horrific, Eden has some personality issues and a wild streak that Rowen must contend with. But the characters do manage to bond over the loss of both of their fathers.
Jamie Lisa Forbes weaves a tale in this novel that is both heartbreaking and genuinely moving. I found myself crying and laughing in equal measure while reading which, is the sign of a truly great book. I can't wait to find out what Forbes will write next and I hope that she continues creating strong characters that I could read about for hours!
Rowen Hart, the main character of the story, is an 18 year-old boy who recently lost his father to suicide. Unfortunately for Rowen, this leaves him as the man of his household and leaves him to take care of his depressed and anxious mother. Further compounding the family's struggles, the death of Rowen's father knocks them several rungs down the socioeconomic ladder. Basically, they go from being reasonably well-off to living in a shack. The only good news is that they are able to retain their beloved housekeeper Adeline, who keeps both Rowen and his mother on level ground.
Of course, this is just the set up for the whole story. Although Rowen is the main character, as I said, the book is titled after perhaps the most important character in it, a little girl named Eden. Eden comes to live with Rowen and his mother after witnessing the tragic murder of her father at the hands of her uncle. After experiencing something so horrific, Eden has some personality issues and a wild streak that Rowen must contend with. But the characters do manage to bond over the loss of both of their fathers.
Jamie Lisa Forbes weaves a tale in this novel that is both heartbreaking and genuinely moving. I found myself crying and laughing in equal measure while reading which, is the sign of a truly great book. I can't wait to find out what Forbes will write next and I hope that she continues creating strong characters that I could read about for hours!
April 27, 2020
I usually enjoy fiction that takes place in small towns, from the South or otherwise and, when EDEN was offered for review on NetGalley, eagerly requested it.
Rowen Hart has plans to go to college when his father commits suicide. Eden Whitney's life changes when she testifies against her uncle in the death of her father. Eden soon shows up at the house where Rowen lives with his invalid mother and the black housekeeper they can no longer afford to keep.
To say Eden is a wild child is a bit of an understatement as it would be to call Rowen unambitious. At age 18, when readers are first introduced to him, Rowen comes across as unambitious, but I think that's a bit naive. He's been thrust into a role of responsibility that he's been ill-prepared to take on and so takes the path of least resistance in order to keep things going at home. And Eden's wild behavior stems from the unbelief people have shown her after her testimony against her uncle, a local banker. Basically, Rowen is a man who's been told what he should and shouldn't do by others his whole life and is comfortable in that role, and Eden needs some structure in her life as she rebels against being told what she should or shouldn't do.
It is easy to root for both Rowen and Eden as their lives change, but unfortunately the ruts they both find themselves in cause them to never really rise above a certain level of sameness as when they first met. Rowen is trapped in a marriage where any love there may have been is long gone. Eden's marriage isn't any better, and it takes her death for Rowen to make substantive changes in his life, if only at first to rescue Eden's children.
I received an eARC from Pronghorn Press through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Rowen Hart has plans to go to college when his father commits suicide. Eden Whitney's life changes when she testifies against her uncle in the death of her father. Eden soon shows up at the house where Rowen lives with his invalid mother and the black housekeeper they can no longer afford to keep.
To say Eden is a wild child is a bit of an understatement as it would be to call Rowen unambitious. At age 18, when readers are first introduced to him, Rowen comes across as unambitious, but I think that's a bit naive. He's been thrust into a role of responsibility that he's been ill-prepared to take on and so takes the path of least resistance in order to keep things going at home. And Eden's wild behavior stems from the unbelief people have shown her after her testimony against her uncle, a local banker. Basically, Rowen is a man who's been told what he should and shouldn't do by others his whole life and is comfortable in that role, and Eden needs some structure in her life as she rebels against being told what she should or shouldn't do.
It is easy to root for both Rowen and Eden as their lives change, but unfortunately the ruts they both find themselves in cause them to never really rise above a certain level of sameness as when they first met. Rowen is trapped in a marriage where any love there may have been is long gone. Eden's marriage isn't any better, and it takes her death for Rowen to make substantive changes in his life, if only at first to rescue Eden's children.
I received an eARC from Pronghorn Press through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
April 23, 2020
Tragic circumstances have put Rowan and his mother in the poor house; more specifically, a poor house in the country, far from the cushy city life they enjoyed when his father was alive.
Things get even more difficult for him when they take in Eden, the ten-year old town pariah, who has been disowned by her own family, and who refuses to adhere to societal norms.
As time creeps along, Rowan finds his life on a completely different path from the one intended for him before the death of his father, one he both accepts and resents.
This wasn’t the most exciting story ever; the pace was pretty slow and it was not incredibly heavy on plot.
Additionally, I found Rowan frustrating - a main character who is so incredibly passive and uninterested, that he seemed totally fine to watch his life derail with little to no input from himself.
Still, I gave it three stars, as it held my interest enough to wonder how life would play out for Rowan and read to the end. I hoped for a better ending than I got, but what are you gonna do?
Thanks to #netgalley for this ARC of #eden.
Merged review:
Tragic circumstances have put Rowan and his mother in the poor house; more specifically, a poor house in the country, far from the cushy city life they enjoyed when his father was alive.
Things get even more difficult for him when they take in Eden, the ten-year old town pariah, who has been disowned by her own family, and who refuses to adhere to societal norms.
As time creeps along, Rowan finds his life on a completely different path from the one intended for him before the death of his father, one he both accepts and resents.
This wasn’t the most exciting story ever; the pace was pretty slow and it was not incredibly heavy on plot.
Additionally, I found Rowan frustrating - a main character who is so incredibly passive and uninterested, that he seemed totally fine to watch his life derail with little to no input from himself.
Still, I gave it three stars, as it held my interest enough to wonder how life would play out for Rowan and read to the end. I hoped for a better ending than I got, but what are you gonna do?
Thanks to #netgalley for this ARC of #eden.
Things get even more difficult for him when they take in Eden, the ten-year old town pariah, who has been disowned by her own family, and who refuses to adhere to societal norms.
As time creeps along, Rowan finds his life on a completely different path from the one intended for him before the death of his father, one he both accepts and resents.
This wasn’t the most exciting story ever; the pace was pretty slow and it was not incredibly heavy on plot.
Additionally, I found Rowan frustrating - a main character who is so incredibly passive and uninterested, that he seemed totally fine to watch his life derail with little to no input from himself.
Still, I gave it three stars, as it held my interest enough to wonder how life would play out for Rowan and read to the end. I hoped for a better ending than I got, but what are you gonna do?
Thanks to #netgalley for this ARC of #eden.
Merged review:
Tragic circumstances have put Rowan and his mother in the poor house; more specifically, a poor house in the country, far from the cushy city life they enjoyed when his father was alive.
Things get even more difficult for him when they take in Eden, the ten-year old town pariah, who has been disowned by her own family, and who refuses to adhere to societal norms.
As time creeps along, Rowan finds his life on a completely different path from the one intended for him before the death of his father, one he both accepts and resents.
This wasn’t the most exciting story ever; the pace was pretty slow and it was not incredibly heavy on plot.
Additionally, I found Rowan frustrating - a main character who is so incredibly passive and uninterested, that he seemed totally fine to watch his life derail with little to no input from himself.
Still, I gave it three stars, as it held my interest enough to wonder how life would play out for Rowan and read to the end. I hoped for a better ending than I got, but what are you gonna do?
Thanks to #netgalley for this ARC of #eden.
April 25, 2020
First of all, thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review of this book.
I didn't love this book, nor did I hate it. It was an interesting yet frustrating story of a very flawed man - in fact, a whole town full of flawed people, as all towns everywhere are. But the protagonist Rowen started out as such a sullen, sort of whining young man at 18, I nearly stopped reading right off the bat. I'm glad I didn't because the story wouldn't let me go.
Rowen continued to be a disappointment, seldom ever actually making decisions but instead just going along with whatever was expected of him. He married Jewell, the first and only girl he ever dated. He built a house just outside of town, they settled in with his Mama and the black "maid" Adeline who was more of a family member, and had 2 daughters.
The key to the story was, of course, was the little girl Eden. She lived with the family for the year before Rowen and Jewell married, and just before the wedding Eden's mother came claim her.
The entire rest of the story is about Rowen growing, prospering and maturing into middle age; and managing his relationships, especially his relationship with Eden.
I'll just say that he disappointed me over and over. While he appeared prosperous, living a fine upper middle class life, his marriage was continually strained, as was his relationship with Eden and her life.
I will say that the author did a good job of taking so many screwed up people and screwed up relationships and screwed up situations, and weaving the whole sordid mess into a cohesive, redeeming package.
A note about my rating: beginning the book, I mentally rated it 2 stars, one of those for it being set in my home state of North Carolina. Gradually (very gradually) my estimation of it rose, finally, to 4 stars. I did enjoy reading this book and will recommend it to my friends. Thanks again for allowing me the opportunity to read this book.
I didn't love this book, nor did I hate it. It was an interesting yet frustrating story of a very flawed man - in fact, a whole town full of flawed people, as all towns everywhere are. But the protagonist Rowen started out as such a sullen, sort of whining young man at 18, I nearly stopped reading right off the bat. I'm glad I didn't because the story wouldn't let me go.
Rowen continued to be a disappointment, seldom ever actually making decisions but instead just going along with whatever was expected of him. He married Jewell, the first and only girl he ever dated. He built a house just outside of town, they settled in with his Mama and the black "maid" Adeline who was more of a family member, and had 2 daughters.
The key to the story was, of course, was the little girl Eden. She lived with the family for the year before Rowen and Jewell married, and just before the wedding Eden's mother came claim her.
The entire rest of the story is about Rowen growing, prospering and maturing into middle age; and managing his relationships, especially his relationship with Eden.
I'll just say that he disappointed me over and over. While he appeared prosperous, living a fine upper middle class life, his marriage was continually strained, as was his relationship with Eden and her life.
I will say that the author did a good job of taking so many screwed up people and screwed up relationships and screwed up situations, and weaving the whole sordid mess into a cohesive, redeeming package.
A note about my rating: beginning the book, I mentally rated it 2 stars, one of those for it being set in my home state of North Carolina. Gradually (very gradually) my estimation of it rose, finally, to 4 stars. I did enjoy reading this book and will recommend it to my friends. Thanks again for allowing me the opportunity to read this book.
April 16, 2020
In “Eden”, the two main characters both lose their fathers to violence resulting in dramatically altered circumstances for both. In the case of Rowen, an 18 year old boy from a middle class family, his father committed suicide leaving Rowen and his mother destitute. For 10 year old Eden, she claims at trial that her maternal uncle killed her father in cold blood. No one believes her, and she is banished from her home by her uncaring mother. For some unexplained reason, she comes to live with Rowen, his now reclusive mother, and their African-American housekeeper Adeline. What ensues is a depressing tale of characters being driven by fate, without any actions on their part to forestall that fate.
In particular, Rowen gets pulled along by life never really making his own decisions or charting his own course. For example, before his death, Rowen’s father had planned for Rowen to attend college, but when the father’s partner, Rowen’s maternal uncle, cheats Rowen of his inheritance, Rowen does nothing to reclaim it. As a result, Rowen abandons his college plans and he and his mother are forced to live in a shack on the outskirts of town. A stranger arrives to fix their gate post and offers Rowen a job in construction, so Rowen takes it, not out of any desire to learn construction but merely because the offer came his way.
When Eden comes to live with Rowen and his mother, there is some hope that her strength and resilience will influence Rowen, but sadly this does not seem to happen. She only lives with them for a year, then disappears from the book for several years, reappearing occasionally throughout the book. This raises the question why the book was named “Eden” instead of “Rowen.”
Overall, the book had good characterizations, and although the prose was somewhat spare it occasionally had some lyrical qualities. However, the descriptions were sketchy at best—the house Rowen and his mother live in is called a “shack” but there is no description of it. Moreover, although Rowen had come from a fairly successful middle class family and was destined for college, his speech patterns early in the book are those of an illiterate, lower class person. Generally, the book did not seem to have an overarching point. While some people may find the book appealing because of its colorful characters and emotional themes of poverty and loss, I was disappointed with the depressing story of a passive main character and an absence of any apparent point to the whole book.
In particular, Rowen gets pulled along by life never really making his own decisions or charting his own course. For example, before his death, Rowen’s father had planned for Rowen to attend college, but when the father’s partner, Rowen’s maternal uncle, cheats Rowen of his inheritance, Rowen does nothing to reclaim it. As a result, Rowen abandons his college plans and he and his mother are forced to live in a shack on the outskirts of town. A stranger arrives to fix their gate post and offers Rowen a job in construction, so Rowen takes it, not out of any desire to learn construction but merely because the offer came his way.
When Eden comes to live with Rowen and his mother, there is some hope that her strength and resilience will influence Rowen, but sadly this does not seem to happen. She only lives with them for a year, then disappears from the book for several years, reappearing occasionally throughout the book. This raises the question why the book was named “Eden” instead of “Rowen.”
Overall, the book had good characterizations, and although the prose was somewhat spare it occasionally had some lyrical qualities. However, the descriptions were sketchy at best—the house Rowen and his mother live in is called a “shack” but there is no description of it. Moreover, although Rowen had come from a fairly successful middle class family and was destined for college, his speech patterns early in the book are those of an illiterate, lower class person. Generally, the book did not seem to have an overarching point. While some people may find the book appealing because of its colorful characters and emotional themes of poverty and loss, I was disappointed with the depressing story of a passive main character and an absence of any apparent point to the whole book.
May 27, 2020
I really wish I had liked this more. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t particularly good either. Overall, I found it depressing and didn’t see the point. It followed Rowen and how Eden had changed his life, but he never really did much with himself, was a victim of circumstance, and just irritated me. He seemed to float from one circumstance to the next, never really examining his life and figuring out what he wanted. He never stood up for himself or the people he cared about. At least, I thought he cared about people, but it was hard to tell. At times, I wondered if the book was about Eden or about Adeline, but Rowan was the main character so anything the reader saw about them was filtered through the eyes of Rowan. Either of them would have made a more compelling main character. Eventually, Rowan did the right thing, but by that point, it seemed like he was just trying to make up for all of his mistakes.
The author has a talent for description, employing copious sensory details to create vivid and memorable scenes. Unfortunately, the plot followed the life of Rowan without any indication of turning points or self-revelations. I didn’t see any real growth in him, so this was not a hero’s journey in any sense of the word. It was disappointing and I’d rather not have read it because I now have clear memories of scenes but no understanding of why they matter.
The author has a talent for description, employing copious sensory details to create vivid and memorable scenes. Unfortunately, the plot followed the life of Rowan without any indication of turning points or self-revelations. I didn’t see any real growth in him, so this was not a hero’s journey in any sense of the word. It was disappointing and I’d rather not have read it because I now have clear memories of scenes but no understanding of why they matter.
September 6, 2020
A privileged life turned upside down by economics, society and time is the focus of Jamie Lisa Forbes’ novel, “Eden.” It’s a story of a boy forced to grow up too quick, and a girl who just wants to enjoy life.
It’s the 1950s in a small North Carolina town. Rowen Hart, the only child of a once wealthy businessman, finds himself, his mom and their African-American maid living in a run-down shack outside town. His dad committed suicide, and the family is left with nothing but a stingy uncle and a crooked ex-business partner.
Elsewhere in town, a young girl named Eden testifies in a murder trial that her uncle, a local banker, killed her dad, a drunk with a kind heart. No one believes the 10-year-old. When Eden runs away from home, ending up at Rowen’s home, her mom doesn’t bother to claim her.
So begins the heart-tugging story of Rowen, who gives up an education, to care for his misfit family. When life gets hard, Eden is always there as a reminder, not always a welcome one, that spirits should be free. When Eden dies as young mother, Rowen finally accepts the responsibilities that he has run from his whole life.
The author has done a wonderful job creating characters that make you care, good or bad, about their outcome. And as the cast shows, growth comes in many ways and at many ages.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for my opinion.
It’s the 1950s in a small North Carolina town. Rowen Hart, the only child of a once wealthy businessman, finds himself, his mom and their African-American maid living in a run-down shack outside town. His dad committed suicide, and the family is left with nothing but a stingy uncle and a crooked ex-business partner.
Elsewhere in town, a young girl named Eden testifies in a murder trial that her uncle, a local banker, killed her dad, a drunk with a kind heart. No one believes the 10-year-old. When Eden runs away from home, ending up at Rowen’s home, her mom doesn’t bother to claim her.
So begins the heart-tugging story of Rowen, who gives up an education, to care for his misfit family. When life gets hard, Eden is always there as a reminder, not always a welcome one, that spirits should be free. When Eden dies as young mother, Rowen finally accepts the responsibilities that he has run from his whole life.
The author has done a wonderful job creating characters that make you care, good or bad, about their outcome. And as the cast shows, growth comes in many ways and at many ages.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for my opinion.
April 29, 2020
I loved Jamie Lisa Fosters first book "Unbroken" and was really looking forward to reading Eden. The two books are similar in that they are both about the day to day struggles in a harsh environment, although "Unbroken" takes place in Wyoming and "Eden" takes place in North Carolina in the 1950s. In this book there are two main characters, Rowen and Eden. Rowen is an 18 year old boy from a middle class family and after his father kills himself, he and his mother are left without anything. Edenis a ten year old girl whose father is killed by her uncle and afterwards her mother wants nothing to do with Eden. Eden goes to live with Rowen and his mother and their African-American , Adeline.
As time passes, Rowen seems to drift through life without any direction or sense of purpose. Eden, on the other hand, seems to be strong and resilient and wants to do something with her life. The story moves along following Eden and Rowen as they encounter one challenge after another with an ending that the reader does not see coming. It is a true southern story even if the author did grow up in Wyoming.
Thank you to #NetGalley and Pronghorn Press for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
As time passes, Rowen seems to drift through life without any direction or sense of purpose. Eden, on the other hand, seems to be strong and resilient and wants to do something with her life. The story moves along following Eden and Rowen as they encounter one challenge after another with an ending that the reader does not see coming. It is a true southern story even if the author did grow up in Wyoming.
Thank you to #NetGalley and Pronghorn Press for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 29, 2020
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my review.
This book surprised me. I expected the voice, the main character, to be female. Most of the books in the women’s fiction area have a female main character. This one did not. The main character was Rowen Hart. EDEN follows Rowen as he grows up in small town North Carolina.
At first, I didn’t like Rowen. He was entitled. He didn’t know how to function as a person at all. Over time, I came to see how he had ended up being so clueless. It seemed that at heart, Rowen wanted to be a better person and do the right things, but he didn’t know how to get there.
Eden is a secondary character. We meet her as a young girl, testifying against her uncle in a murder trial. Things go badly, and Eden comes to live with Rowen and his mother, Miz Rita. She is wild and willful.
Throughout the book, Rowen makes strange decisions. He wants to please his momma. He wants to “be a man” but doesn’t really seem to know what that looks like. He keeps plugging away, often making himself and those around him miserable.
Overall a good book. Rowen was a complex character. I enjoyed the enduring friendship between Rita and Adeline, their housekeeper. Eden remained a mystery to me.
This book surprised me. I expected the voice, the main character, to be female. Most of the books in the women’s fiction area have a female main character. This one did not. The main character was Rowen Hart. EDEN follows Rowen as he grows up in small town North Carolina.
At first, I didn’t like Rowen. He was entitled. He didn’t know how to function as a person at all. Over time, I came to see how he had ended up being so clueless. It seemed that at heart, Rowen wanted to be a better person and do the right things, but he didn’t know how to get there.
Eden is a secondary character. We meet her as a young girl, testifying against her uncle in a murder trial. Things go badly, and Eden comes to live with Rowen and his mother, Miz Rita. She is wild and willful.
Throughout the book, Rowen makes strange decisions. He wants to please his momma. He wants to “be a man” but doesn’t really seem to know what that looks like. He keeps plugging away, often making himself and those around him miserable.
Overall a good book. Rowen was a complex character. I enjoyed the enduring friendship between Rita and Adeline, their housekeeper. Eden remained a mystery to me.
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