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Sweeping Up Glass
Destined to be a classic, Sweeping Up Glass is a tough and tender novel of love, race, and justice, and a ferocious, unflinching look at the power of family.
Olivia Harker Cross owns a strip of mountain in Pope County, Kentucky, a land where whites and blacks eke out a living in separate, tattered kingdoms and where silver-faced wolves howl in the night. But someone is killing the wolves of Big Foley Mountain–and Olivia is beginning to realize how much of her own bitter history she’s never understood: Her mother’s madness, building toward a fiery crescendo. Her daughter’s flight to California, leaving her to raise Will’m, her beloved grandson. And most of all, her town’s fear, for Olivia has real and dangerous enemies.
Now this proud, lonely woman will face her mother and daughter, her neighbors and the wolf hunters of Big Foley Mountain. And when she does, she’ll ignite a conflict that will embroil an entire community–and change her own life in the most astonishing of ways.
Olivia Harker Cross owns a strip of mountain in Pope County, Kentucky, a land where whites and blacks eke out a living in separate, tattered kingdoms and where silver-faced wolves howl in the night. But someone is killing the wolves of Big Foley Mountain–and Olivia is beginning to realize how much of her own bitter history she’s never understood: Her mother’s madness, building toward a fiery crescendo. Her daughter’s flight to California, leaving her to raise Will’m, her beloved grandson. And most of all, her town’s fear, for Olivia has real and dangerous enemies.
Now this proud, lonely woman will face her mother and daughter, her neighbors and the wolf hunters of Big Foley Mountain. And when she does, she’ll ignite a conflict that will embroil an entire community–and change her own life in the most astonishing of ways.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
501 people are currently reading
3071 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Wall
5 books57 followersCarolyn D. Wall is the author of the novel Sweeping Up Glass (Poisoned Pen Press; available in bookstores August, 2008). Her short stories, articles and photographs have appeared in over 100 publications. For many years she worked as Senior Staff Writer for Persimmon Hill, the award-winning publication of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, and was chief writer for the museum’s children’s magazine. For six years she served as Fiction Editor and columnist for ByLine magazine.
A full-time freelance writer and lecturer on university campuses and in conference centers around the country, Wall conducts intense workshops in Fiction, Short Story and Feature Writing, Journaling, and Writing for Children. She is perhaps best known for her six-week classes: "How To Write What You Feel", and for motivating writers everywhere.
As an Artist-in-Residence for the Oklahoma Arts Council, she has taught creative writing to 4,000 children in her home state and now runs a freelance editorial service. Through her company, The Write Page, she has established a prison-writer mentoring program, working with incarcerated men and women in Alabama, Kansas, Michigan and Texas.
In 1995, she wrote for and edited the book Braced Against The Wind, the only literary history of the bombing of Oklahoma City. In the fall of 1998, she wrote, produced and recorded The Journaling Tapes: Writing From The Heart, a six-week’ course in daily journaling. She has done voice-over work for radio and television.
The Department of the Interior and Wyoming's Bearlodge Writers presented her with a writing residency at Devils Tower, Wyoming in 1998. The recipient of regional and national honors, she is the only writer to have the distinction of receiving the regional Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc.'s coveted crème-de-la-crème award twice. She lives in Oklahoma City and has completed her second novel, The Coffin Maker, available soon, also through Poisoned Pen Press.
A full-time freelance writer and lecturer on university campuses and in conference centers around the country, Wall conducts intense workshops in Fiction, Short Story and Feature Writing, Journaling, and Writing for Children. She is perhaps best known for her six-week classes: "How To Write What You Feel", and for motivating writers everywhere.
As an Artist-in-Residence for the Oklahoma Arts Council, she has taught creative writing to 4,000 children in her home state and now runs a freelance editorial service. Through her company, The Write Page, she has established a prison-writer mentoring program, working with incarcerated men and women in Alabama, Kansas, Michigan and Texas.
In 1995, she wrote for and edited the book Braced Against The Wind, the only literary history of the bombing of Oklahoma City. In the fall of 1998, she wrote, produced and recorded The Journaling Tapes: Writing From The Heart, a six-week’ course in daily journaling. She has done voice-over work for radio and television.
The Department of the Interior and Wyoming's Bearlodge Writers presented her with a writing residency at Devils Tower, Wyoming in 1998. The recipient of regional and national honors, she is the only writer to have the distinction of receiving the regional Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc.'s coveted crème-de-la-crème award twice. She lives in Oklahoma City and has completed her second novel, The Coffin Maker, available soon, also through Poisoned Pen Press.
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April 5, 2010
This book had a lot of potential, but it fizzled early on. I found the setting and characters all very vivid and was pulled into Olivia's admiration of her father and hatred of her mother from the get go. But then Wall decided to take a sharp left turn into tragedy for no apparent reason and without any explanation. At that point, she lost me. Everything after that was out of character and out of time. I had hoped that Wall would justify all those unexplained years, but not only did she not answer all my questions, but what little answer I did get was a huge let down.
I can't really explain that statement without giving spoilers:
It's not the car accident that bothered me. I was fine with Olivia losing all that time in the hospital. She seemed to be surviving for awhile, bucking up to life with her incredible strength. We're introduced to Wing and everything is looking up, but then it just dies. She asks him if he loves her and he looks away and asks her the same thing and that's it. She walks away. Olivia lost her father. She should know how much pain Wing is in, but she decides to give up on the one person who loves her despite her scars and sleep with every guy in town instead. Even when Wing asks her to marry him, she marries someone else out of spite. I know she's stubborn, but that all seemed like the wrong reactions for the character I had been reading. I get that she's broken and doesn't understand anything about relationships, but I felt more like Wall wanted to create a tragic story and then skim over thirty years just to make it even more tragic without giving any growth or development over that span.
Initially, Wall pulled me into poor Depression-era Kentucky, but she seemed to forget the setting by the end. The big mystery she can't figure out with the Phelps is that they belong to the Klan. Really? That was it? Would a native Kentuckian in the Depression era be that surprised to find racism in her rural town? And then Olivia moves in with Wing with no intention of marrying him in this conservative, religious town with no mention of the backlash that such an act would produce. The front cover has a picture of a woman in a shirt that although a plain plaid is too trendy and detailed for a Depression-era shirt, but I think it fits the novel, as if someone were plucked from our day and dropped into the setting. For all Wall's research about product and pricing and lifestyle in the Depression, she failed to create a character that fit the time period.
The pacing of the book was off too. The opening scene with the wolves' ears being shot off intrigued me. As the flashback starts, I grew to like Tate and despise Ida and thought I had a grasp on Olivia's character. But as soon as Tate is pulled from the story, Olivia rushes back to modern day, skimming over thirty years into a self I no longer recognized. We don't ever get to know her daughter, Pauline (you'd think she'd be an important character), or delve into Ida's madness, only her viciousness. I would have liked to know more about Love Alice and Junk too. There were a lot of minor characters that I couldn't keep straight, the span between their introduction and their mention in the end too great. The bulk of the novel sticks in this few weeks without much going on, and I started to get frustrated that my questions about the Phelps and the wolves and Ida's secrets weren't being answered.
When Wall decides to explain, she dumps it all within a short period, too quickly to answer my questions. Historically did the Klan ever wear red robes? Why red? And why oh why were the Phelps shooting off the left ears of the wolves? Was it as some metaphor to Junk? That was not explained, and it was the one thing I really wanted to know. And why did the Phelps think that would threaten Olivia? And why now? Why did they think she had her father's notes? And why did they suspect Tate in the first place? There's a difference between knowing about the meetings and recording them. If he buried the info, how did Ida know about it? How much did Ida know about anything? And what exactly was her relationship with the Klan boys? Was Elizabeth part of the Klan or just threatened by her husband? Did Ida actually set herself on fire? It's not like she ever answered any of Olivia's questions, so why kill herself in that painful way instead of ignore yet another question about Tate? I also didn't get the whole sequence of which Phelps killed which and why. The info was too rushed without me understanding who was who in the first place.
I was so disappointed that the big mystery was a Klan (how very unoriginal) that I didn't care as much that my questions weren't answered. But still, I had a lot that were glazed over or brushed aside. Too bad because the writing was at times beautiful and the set up powerful.
I can't really explain that statement without giving spoilers:
It's not the car accident that bothered me. I was fine with Olivia losing all that time in the hospital. She seemed to be surviving for awhile, bucking up to life with her incredible strength. We're introduced to Wing and everything is looking up, but then it just dies. She asks him if he loves her and he looks away and asks her the same thing and that's it. She walks away. Olivia lost her father. She should know how much pain Wing is in, but she decides to give up on the one person who loves her despite her scars and sleep with every guy in town instead. Even when Wing asks her to marry him, she marries someone else out of spite. I know she's stubborn, but that all seemed like the wrong reactions for the character I had been reading. I get that she's broken and doesn't understand anything about relationships, but I felt more like Wall wanted to create a tragic story and then skim over thirty years just to make it even more tragic without giving any growth or development over that span.
Initially, Wall pulled me into poor Depression-era Kentucky, but she seemed to forget the setting by the end. The big mystery she can't figure out with the Phelps is that they belong to the Klan. Really? That was it? Would a native Kentuckian in the Depression era be that surprised to find racism in her rural town? And then Olivia moves in with Wing with no intention of marrying him in this conservative, religious town with no mention of the backlash that such an act would produce. The front cover has a picture of a woman in a shirt that although a plain plaid is too trendy and detailed for a Depression-era shirt, but I think it fits the novel, as if someone were plucked from our day and dropped into the setting. For all Wall's research about product and pricing and lifestyle in the Depression, she failed to create a character that fit the time period.
The pacing of the book was off too. The opening scene with the wolves' ears being shot off intrigued me. As the flashback starts, I grew to like Tate and despise Ida and thought I had a grasp on Olivia's character. But as soon as Tate is pulled from the story, Olivia rushes back to modern day, skimming over thirty years into a self I no longer recognized. We don't ever get to know her daughter, Pauline (you'd think she'd be an important character), or delve into Ida's madness, only her viciousness. I would have liked to know more about Love Alice and Junk too. There were a lot of minor characters that I couldn't keep straight, the span between their introduction and their mention in the end too great. The bulk of the novel sticks in this few weeks without much going on, and I started to get frustrated that my questions about the Phelps and the wolves and Ida's secrets weren't being answered.
When Wall decides to explain, she dumps it all within a short period, too quickly to answer my questions. Historically did the Klan ever wear red robes? Why red? And why oh why were the Phelps shooting off the left ears of the wolves? Was it as some metaphor to Junk? That was not explained, and it was the one thing I really wanted to know. And why did the Phelps think that would threaten Olivia? And why now? Why did they think she had her father's notes? And why did they suspect Tate in the first place? There's a difference between knowing about the meetings and recording them. If he buried the info, how did Ida know about it? How much did Ida know about anything? And what exactly was her relationship with the Klan boys? Was Elizabeth part of the Klan or just threatened by her husband? Did Ida actually set herself on fire? It's not like she ever answered any of Olivia's questions, so why kill herself in that painful way instead of ignore yet another question about Tate? I also didn't get the whole sequence of which Phelps killed which and why. The info was too rushed without me understanding who was who in the first place.
I was so disappointed that the big mystery was a Klan (how very unoriginal) that I didn't care as much that my questions weren't answered. But still, I had a lot that were glazed over or brushed aside. Too bad because the writing was at times beautiful and the set up powerful.
January 30, 2018
This has been on my shelf for years. I don't know why I didn't read it sooner, because it's fantastic. The ending takes a little suspension of disbelief, but this book definitely deserved more attention. A full review to come.
August 17, 2015
I learned long ago that when a book's blurb says that the book is like (insert name of a popular book here), they are setting you up for disappointment. Often, authors try to cash in on the success of a bestseller by pumping out a cheap knock-off of the original and they seldom succeed. Even so, when I saw 'Sweeping Up Glass' compared to To Kill a Mockingbird, one of my all-time favorite books, I couldn't resist and ordered it immediately. I'm glad that I did. Carolyn Wall is no 'wannabe'. She's a great author in her own right.
Is 'Sweeping Up Glass' a new 'Mockingbird'? No, but there are a lot of striking similarities. Both have young girls living with a kindhearted father in the South, assuming you consider the Kentucky hill country 'South'. Both address the subjects of racism and poverty. In both books, black people are helpful, kindly and hard-working and white people's behavior is often contingent on the color of a person's skin. Both books address essential deficiencies in the legal systems of the day and both books have dangerous, drunken bullies. Nevertheless, 'Sweeping Up Glass' is not a pale imitation of 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. It is an excellent novel in its own right, full of well developed characters, good and evil, and a thrilling plot full of dark secrets, senseless violence and great courage. The last 100 pages will likely keep you up well into the night to find out how it ends.
While Harper Lee wrote 'Mockingbird' from the perspective of an optimistic young girl who learns about life, Carolyn Wall's debut novel views life through the eyes of a middle aged grandmother who has spent decades being beaten down by poverty, neglect and tragedy. It has a brooding, melancholy air about it that is reminiscent of Norman Blake's poignant bluegrass ballad, 'Lonesome Jenny'. After a while the reader wonders if the sun ever shines in Aurora, Kentucky, and then realizes that the gloom is more a representation of Olivia's outlook than the weather. This is a powerful story and well worth your time.
Is 'Sweeping Up Glass' a new 'Mockingbird'? No, but there are a lot of striking similarities. Both have young girls living with a kindhearted father in the South, assuming you consider the Kentucky hill country 'South'. Both address the subjects of racism and poverty. In both books, black people are helpful, kindly and hard-working and white people's behavior is often contingent on the color of a person's skin. Both books address essential deficiencies in the legal systems of the day and both books have dangerous, drunken bullies. Nevertheless, 'Sweeping Up Glass' is not a pale imitation of 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. It is an excellent novel in its own right, full of well developed characters, good and evil, and a thrilling plot full of dark secrets, senseless violence and great courage. The last 100 pages will likely keep you up well into the night to find out how it ends.
While Harper Lee wrote 'Mockingbird' from the perspective of an optimistic young girl who learns about life, Carolyn Wall's debut novel views life through the eyes of a middle aged grandmother who has spent decades being beaten down by poverty, neglect and tragedy. It has a brooding, melancholy air about it that is reminiscent of Norman Blake's poignant bluegrass ballad, 'Lonesome Jenny'. After a while the reader wonders if the sun ever shines in Aurora, Kentucky, and then realizes that the gloom is more a representation of Olivia's outlook than the weather. This is a powerful story and well worth your time.
August 4, 2009
The blurbs used to describe Carolyn Wall’s debut, Sweeping Up Glass, compare Wall to Harper Lee, William Faulkner, Eudora Welty and Flannery O’Connor. I mean WOW, how does a novel live up to those kinds of expectations? And yet, even from the beginning, it just does. The striking similarities to To Kill a Mockingbird, one of the most beloved books ever written, are unavoidable. The innocent narrator, and explored themes particularly evoke Mockingbird, and that is a statement I’d never make lightly. Wall’s narrative voice with its colloquial speech is so entrenched in classic southern tradition that it becomes hard to believe that I wasn’t reading a much older novel.
This tale offers more than nostalgia. It is basically the life story of hard working and very poor general store owner, Olivia Harker. Olivia lives life in no uncertain terms. She idolizes her father, adores her grandson, loves her lifetime friends, is wary of her daughter, protective of the wolves that roam her property, and hates her mom. Her story is set in a very small town in Kentucky. And her town has some dark secrets yet to be unveiled. Unknown truths waiting in Olivia’s past threaten her life and everything she knows. It is hard to go into much more detail as the book is masterfully structured--even Olivia doesn’t know the tale she is telling. Just know that the plot offers mysterious surprises.
I have almost no criticisms of this book, but if I really reach, I could say that this book doesn’t feel modern. It tells of a bygone time period and past issues. Which some readers might find to be to the books credit especially after reading it. I will say this book is an old fashioned good read, and its historical feel was most likely calculated move on Wall’s part.
The strengths of the novel abound. Foremost, Olivia’s voice is forcibly engaging, and stayed with me long after the book conclusion. Every character is fully drawn and compelling. The plot is constructed with doses of mystery, literary tension, and layers of characterization. It is easily the best book I’ve read all month, and sure to be one of my favorites this year. Wall’s tale is sure to be cherished by anyone who reads it. It is deserving of all the gushing praise it has and will receive.
This tale offers more than nostalgia. It is basically the life story of hard working and very poor general store owner, Olivia Harker. Olivia lives life in no uncertain terms. She idolizes her father, adores her grandson, loves her lifetime friends, is wary of her daughter, protective of the wolves that roam her property, and hates her mom. Her story is set in a very small town in Kentucky. And her town has some dark secrets yet to be unveiled. Unknown truths waiting in Olivia’s past threaten her life and everything she knows. It is hard to go into much more detail as the book is masterfully structured--even Olivia doesn’t know the tale she is telling. Just know that the plot offers mysterious surprises.
I have almost no criticisms of this book, but if I really reach, I could say that this book doesn’t feel modern. It tells of a bygone time period and past issues. Which some readers might find to be to the books credit especially after reading it. I will say this book is an old fashioned good read, and its historical feel was most likely calculated move on Wall’s part.
The strengths of the novel abound. Foremost, Olivia’s voice is forcibly engaging, and stayed with me long after the book conclusion. Every character is fully drawn and compelling. The plot is constructed with doses of mystery, literary tension, and layers of characterization. It is easily the best book I’ve read all month, and sure to be one of my favorites this year. Wall’s tale is sure to be cherished by anyone who reads it. It is deserving of all the gushing praise it has and will receive.
August 15, 2009
Carolyn Wall’s debut novel begins:
“The long howl of a wolf rolls over me like a toothache. Higher up, shots ring out, the echoes stretching away till they’re not quite heard but more remembered.
There’s nobody on this strip of mountain now but me and Ida, and my grandson, Will’m. While I love the boy more than life, Ida’s a hole in another sock. She lives in the tar paper shack in back of our place, and in spite of this being the coldest winter recorded in Kentucky, she’s standing out there now, wrapped in a blanket, quoting scripture and swearing like a lumberjack. Her white hair’s ratted up like a wild woman’s.”
“Sweeping Up Glass” is filled with images and characters that will remain with you long after you finish reading the last page – or maybe not so long, because as soon as you’re finished you’ll be tempted to start at the beginning. The voices of the characters are reminiscent of another place, another time (and yes, of Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird.”) Olivia, Wing, Love Alice and Junk’s voices will charm you, but never so far that you are allowed to forget that not everyone in Pope County is quite so charming. It was almost impossible for me to put down “Sweeping Up Glass,” as the mysteries that kept revealing answer after answer unfolded, I was captivated.
“The long howl of a wolf rolls over me like a toothache. Higher up, shots ring out, the echoes stretching away till they’re not quite heard but more remembered.
There’s nobody on this strip of mountain now but me and Ida, and my grandson, Will’m. While I love the boy more than life, Ida’s a hole in another sock. She lives in the tar paper shack in back of our place, and in spite of this being the coldest winter recorded in Kentucky, she’s standing out there now, wrapped in a blanket, quoting scripture and swearing like a lumberjack. Her white hair’s ratted up like a wild woman’s.”
“Sweeping Up Glass” is filled with images and characters that will remain with you long after you finish reading the last page – or maybe not so long, because as soon as you’re finished you’ll be tempted to start at the beginning. The voices of the characters are reminiscent of another place, another time (and yes, of Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird.”) Olivia, Wing, Love Alice and Junk’s voices will charm you, but never so far that you are allowed to forget that not everyone in Pope County is quite so charming. It was almost impossible for me to put down “Sweeping Up Glass,” as the mysteries that kept revealing answer after answer unfolded, I was captivated.
August 2, 2009
I was not in the mood for Sweeping Up Glass when I began reading it. I had made a commitment though to read and review it. I am sure it sounded good to me when I checked the box at the BookBrowse website to be entered for a chance to review it, but once it arrived in the mail, I wondered what in the world I had been thinking. My extra-fabulous reading streak would surely be ruined now. Maybe that would be a good thing though, I told myself. People are beginning to think I not only like, but actually love just about everything I read.
Sweeping Up Glass is Carolyn Wall’s first novel. And let me just say now that it definitely did not ruin my love ‘em all reading streak. I loved it. Can I say that again, please? I loved it. So much for not being in the mood for it. Well, there you have it. End of review.
Okay, so not really. Despite my initial doubts, it was clear from the very first page that I was going to like this novel. Olivia Harker Cross has lived a lifetime in her nearly 42 years of life. It was not all bad at first. Although they were poor, which was true of most of the folk living in their Kentucky town, Olivia and her father ran the grocery store, living in the back. Olivia adored her father. He ran a little side business, mending and caring for injured animals. He did what he could for Olivia, making sure she did not do without. Olivia’s mother, Ida, during those early years was locked away in an asylum, having never been quite the same after giving birth to her daughter.
Olivia spent her days going to school and helping her father with the store, sometimes even helping him with the animals. Her best friend, Love Alice, a black girl just a few years older than herself, was married to Junk Hanley, a strong and decent man who often did work around the store for Olivia and her father. Junk’s family had taken Olivia in more than once, Junk’s mother being the mother Olivia never really had. This was during a time when the line between black and white was well drawn. Segregation was the norm: they shopped at the grocery store on different days from one another, attended different schools and churches, and the blacks had to enter through the back door rather than the front at the local restaurant. Color made no difference to Olivia, however. She knew who her friends were, and she loved them dearly.
When word came from the asylum that her mother was ready to come home, Olivia was devastated. Her mother had never taken kindly to her and Olivia knew it would not turn out well. She was right. Her mother treated her poorly, cruelly even. When Olivia got word of her father’s death, she blamed herself and her mother would not let her forget the part she played in it.
As time went on, Olivia found love and lost it, became a mother early on and struggled with raising a daughter. She did not hesitate to take in her grandson Will’m, when her daughter, Pauline left him on her doorstep. It was to that end that Olivia finds herself caring for her elderly mother, who has grown no nicer with age, and her young grandson, the only real joy in her life.
Will’m is so much like his great-grandfather, big heart and all. When the wolves on the family’s mountain are suddenly targeted by cold-blooded hunters, he begs his grandmother to try and save a litter of young pups. Olivia is angered that someone is trespassing on her land and killing off the wolves. She is determined to get to the bottom of it. What she finds is a town full of dark secrets, cover-ups and lies. And the closer she comes to the truth, the more danger she and Will’m are in.
Olivia Harker Cross’s life has made her tough and somewhat bitter. She has a softer side, which is most evident when she is around her grandson, Will’m. She is such a strong woman, so resilient, and yet still so full of doubt. Even though I may not have agreed with every choice she made, I never lost respect for her. She believes in standing up for what is right and is not afraid to speak her mind.
Olivia’s mother, Ida, is such an interesting character. She too has had a difficult life. She is much kinder to the men in her life (other than her husband) than she is to the women. She’s long been plagued with mental illness, but it is never clear what exactly that may be. One of the heart-wrenching moments in the book is when Olivia visits the state hospital her mother had spent much of Olivia's early childhood in. Even though Ida was terrible to Olivia, it was hard not to feel for her, having had to live in a place like that. For all intents and purposes, Ida seems to be a woman unhappy with her lot in life and so she takes it out on those closest to her. The relationship between Olivia and Ida is a complicated one.
Olivia has long harbored a hate in her heart for a mother she does not understand. All her life, even now, Olivia has wanted her mother to show some sign that she loves her. Her mother never has. The scars her mother has left on her run deep. They impact her relationship with her own daughter, who could not wait to escape. Olivia’s heart has been broken too many times, and love does not come easily for her. She guards her heart as those who love her know all too well.
Carolyn Wall’s novel begins in the future and quickly steps back into the past where the reader learns about Olivia’s childhood, setting the stage for the events to come. What begins as a quiet novel picks up intensity in the second half, particularly in the final 100 pages or so, as everything comes to a head (several soft expletives escaped me mouth, causing my husband to wonder if I was crazy). It almost seemed like two different novels in a way: the first half being more of a life story and the second being the suspense-filled mystery. And while I could fault another novel for this, I actually thought it worked quite well. The transition happened gradually and the story threads were interwoven from beginning to end.
The novel is set in the late 1930’s, at least in terms of the “current” story thread. The time period plays an especially important role in the novel. Life was hard all over the United States at that time and in the decades preceding it, people struggling to make ends meet. In Pope County Kentucky, where the novel is set, it was no different. Carolyn Wall captured the desperation of the times as well as the adaptability of the people. People bartered with food and services when they could not pay. Segregation was commonplace and racism ran rampant.
There is so much I want to say about this book and I haven't even come close to capturing all that I loved about it, but I’ve already said more than I probably should. This is one of those books that you have to read for yourself. Told in the voice of Olivia, the narrative is uncomplicated, her wry humor coming out now and then. The pages are filled with characters well worth getting to know, and Olivia’s story is one that will surely touch the reader’s heart. The secrets uncovered are chilling and the resolution is satisfying. The novel is as complex as Olivia Harker. Sweeping Up Glass is a love story, a mystery, and historical novel that touches on social issues that still reverberate today.
To think I had doubts about reading this book. That will show me, won’t it?
Sweeping Up Glass is Carolyn Wall’s first novel. And let me just say now that it definitely did not ruin my love ‘em all reading streak. I loved it. Can I say that again, please? I loved it. So much for not being in the mood for it. Well, there you have it. End of review.
Okay, so not really. Despite my initial doubts, it was clear from the very first page that I was going to like this novel. Olivia Harker Cross has lived a lifetime in her nearly 42 years of life. It was not all bad at first. Although they were poor, which was true of most of the folk living in their Kentucky town, Olivia and her father ran the grocery store, living in the back. Olivia adored her father. He ran a little side business, mending and caring for injured animals. He did what he could for Olivia, making sure she did not do without. Olivia’s mother, Ida, during those early years was locked away in an asylum, having never been quite the same after giving birth to her daughter.
Olivia spent her days going to school and helping her father with the store, sometimes even helping him with the animals. Her best friend, Love Alice, a black girl just a few years older than herself, was married to Junk Hanley, a strong and decent man who often did work around the store for Olivia and her father. Junk’s family had taken Olivia in more than once, Junk’s mother being the mother Olivia never really had. This was during a time when the line between black and white was well drawn. Segregation was the norm: they shopped at the grocery store on different days from one another, attended different schools and churches, and the blacks had to enter through the back door rather than the front at the local restaurant. Color made no difference to Olivia, however. She knew who her friends were, and she loved them dearly.
When word came from the asylum that her mother was ready to come home, Olivia was devastated. Her mother had never taken kindly to her and Olivia knew it would not turn out well. She was right. Her mother treated her poorly, cruelly even. When Olivia got word of her father’s death, she blamed herself and her mother would not let her forget the part she played in it.
As time went on, Olivia found love and lost it, became a mother early on and struggled with raising a daughter. She did not hesitate to take in her grandson Will’m, when her daughter, Pauline left him on her doorstep. It was to that end that Olivia finds herself caring for her elderly mother, who has grown no nicer with age, and her young grandson, the only real joy in her life.
Will’m is so much like his great-grandfather, big heart and all. When the wolves on the family’s mountain are suddenly targeted by cold-blooded hunters, he begs his grandmother to try and save a litter of young pups. Olivia is angered that someone is trespassing on her land and killing off the wolves. She is determined to get to the bottom of it. What she finds is a town full of dark secrets, cover-ups and lies. And the closer she comes to the truth, the more danger she and Will’m are in.
Olivia Harker Cross’s life has made her tough and somewhat bitter. She has a softer side, which is most evident when she is around her grandson, Will’m. She is such a strong woman, so resilient, and yet still so full of doubt. Even though I may not have agreed with every choice she made, I never lost respect for her. She believes in standing up for what is right and is not afraid to speak her mind.
Olivia’s mother, Ida, is such an interesting character. She too has had a difficult life. She is much kinder to the men in her life (other than her husband) than she is to the women. She’s long been plagued with mental illness, but it is never clear what exactly that may be. One of the heart-wrenching moments in the book is when Olivia visits the state hospital her mother had spent much of Olivia's early childhood in. Even though Ida was terrible to Olivia, it was hard not to feel for her, having had to live in a place like that. For all intents and purposes, Ida seems to be a woman unhappy with her lot in life and so she takes it out on those closest to her. The relationship between Olivia and Ida is a complicated one.
Olivia has long harbored a hate in her heart for a mother she does not understand. All her life, even now, Olivia has wanted her mother to show some sign that she loves her. Her mother never has. The scars her mother has left on her run deep. They impact her relationship with her own daughter, who could not wait to escape. Olivia’s heart has been broken too many times, and love does not come easily for her. She guards her heart as those who love her know all too well.
Carolyn Wall’s novel begins in the future and quickly steps back into the past where the reader learns about Olivia’s childhood, setting the stage for the events to come. What begins as a quiet novel picks up intensity in the second half, particularly in the final 100 pages or so, as everything comes to a head (several soft expletives escaped me mouth, causing my husband to wonder if I was crazy). It almost seemed like two different novels in a way: the first half being more of a life story and the second being the suspense-filled mystery. And while I could fault another novel for this, I actually thought it worked quite well. The transition happened gradually and the story threads were interwoven from beginning to end.
The novel is set in the late 1930’s, at least in terms of the “current” story thread. The time period plays an especially important role in the novel. Life was hard all over the United States at that time and in the decades preceding it, people struggling to make ends meet. In Pope County Kentucky, where the novel is set, it was no different. Carolyn Wall captured the desperation of the times as well as the adaptability of the people. People bartered with food and services when they could not pay. Segregation was commonplace and racism ran rampant.
There is so much I want to say about this book and I haven't even come close to capturing all that I loved about it, but I’ve already said more than I probably should. This is one of those books that you have to read for yourself. Told in the voice of Olivia, the narrative is uncomplicated, her wry humor coming out now and then. The pages are filled with characters well worth getting to know, and Olivia’s story is one that will surely touch the reader’s heart. The secrets uncovered are chilling and the resolution is satisfying. The novel is as complex as Olivia Harker. Sweeping Up Glass is a love story, a mystery, and historical novel that touches on social issues that still reverberate today.
To think I had doubts about reading this book. That will show me, won’t it?
March 8, 2010
Understanding that this was a work of fiction, I would have preferred that the author had done a bit of research about Kentucky before attempting this novel. The characters' dialect was uneven and any real sense of place was completely lacking.
The story moves quickly, but it is choppy. The first third of the book takes its time building up the story, but the rest of the book seems rushed and predictable. I never got a real feel for the relationships between the characters, other than the feeling of hatred between Olivia and Ida.
The mystery in the story was fairly far-fetched, particularly the part about one of the Phelpses (I won't say which one so as not to give away too much of the story).
If I hadn't had to read this one for book club, I wouldn't have finished it. As to the reviews that claim Wall's book is "destined to become a classic", I would have to disagree. The comparisons to Harper Lee, Flannery O'Connor and William Faulkner are off-base. This was a good idea, but the execution was poor.
The story moves quickly, but it is choppy. The first third of the book takes its time building up the story, but the rest of the book seems rushed and predictable. I never got a real feel for the relationships between the characters, other than the feeling of hatred between Olivia and Ida.
The mystery in the story was fairly far-fetched, particularly the part about one of the Phelpses (I won't say which one so as not to give away too much of the story).
If I hadn't had to read this one for book club, I wouldn't have finished it. As to the reviews that claim Wall's book is "destined to become a classic", I would have to disagree. The comparisons to Harper Lee, Flannery O'Connor and William Faulkner are off-base. This was a good idea, but the execution was poor.
August 4, 2016
What a great way to spend a day with a book. The comparisons to To Kill a Mockingbird are apt, and though I didn't fall in love with Olivia to quite that extent, she's still a dependable and engaging narrator. Race relations, poverty, mountain life, violence all come together especially as the book picks ups momentum in the second half.
January 6, 2014
Wow! This book is filled with characters that I will never forget.
March 29, 2009
This book came out of nowhere. Previously published by a small press, it has been virtually unknown (though Oprah's O Magazine did bestow its accolades). It is the little book that could; a gem of a novel in the same vein as a favorite of mine, God of Animals by Aryn Kyle and fairly reminiscent of one of the grandmothers of modern Southern fiction whose classic child heroine I compare every child narrator to... Harper Lee's Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird.
Olivia Harker Cross, Wing Harris, Love Alice Hartley, Junk Hartley, Ida, Pauline and little Will'm and other members of Pope County, Kentucky will stay with me long after others have come and gone. A bibliophile's memory can only hold so much. But this book packs it on. The charm is unbeatable, the voice clear and crisp as a wolf's howl, and the story as simple, yet moving as they come. Expect big things from this wonderful find.
Olivia Harker Cross, Wing Harris, Love Alice Hartley, Junk Hartley, Ida, Pauline and little Will'm and other members of Pope County, Kentucky will stay with me long after others have come and gone. A bibliophile's memory can only hold so much. But this book packs it on. The charm is unbeatable, the voice clear and crisp as a wolf's howl, and the story as simple, yet moving as they come. Expect big things from this wonderful find.
June 9, 2010
4.0 out of 5 stars True grit in the cold Kentucky mountains..., July 26, 2009
This review is from: Sweeping Up Glass (Paperback)
This novel was difficult to read. Not because it wasn't good - it was very good -- but because of the subject matter. I was hungry, I was cold, tired, lonely and filled with rage and frustration - I felt every feeling and thought every thought along with Olivia. I savored the prose and often stopped to reread passages - something I don't often do with the typical books I tend to pick up these days. I was looking for reading pleasure and I got that in this book in one way, but in another I was so drawn into Olivia's world that I experienced it with her and that meant I didn't find it comfortable to read too much at one sitting. It is an unflinching look at poverty, racism, buried secrets, and family bonds at a time in history when everything was HARD.
You will like this book and you should buy it if you like gritty stories of hardscrabble existence eked out in primitive conditions by a determined, plucky woman who has nothing going for her but a strong back and a sense of purpose. The setting is the Kentucky mountains, depression era, dirt poor. Olivia Harker Cross lives with her crazy mother Ida and her grandson Will'm in a shack attached to a small grocery. She stocks her shelves and feeds her family by making quilts and by working very hard. Her life revolves around staying alive, taking care of her grandson, and protecting the silver wolves that were reintroduced to the area by her grandfather. She is a friend to the blacks in a time where lynchings aren't uncommon and segregation is fierce. Even though there is a story line that involves hunters going after the wolves, the book is really a character study. Although some might not find them sympathetic and might even dislike them, they are all very real, uniquely flawed, and doing the best they can given the time, place, and circumstance.
I recommend it -- much to think about and good for a book group or class discussion. Would work perfectly as ancillary reading in an American History course re: 1930s lectures about the Great Depression and race relations.
Personal opinion: I do not agree with others who have likened the book to the classic To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Perennial Modern Classics) as the adult point of view and bitter voice of Olivia, although clear and honest, is not like the innocent child narrator Scout in that story.
This review is from: Sweeping Up Glass (Paperback)
This novel was difficult to read. Not because it wasn't good - it was very good -- but because of the subject matter. I was hungry, I was cold, tired, lonely and filled with rage and frustration - I felt every feeling and thought every thought along with Olivia. I savored the prose and often stopped to reread passages - something I don't often do with the typical books I tend to pick up these days. I was looking for reading pleasure and I got that in this book in one way, but in another I was so drawn into Olivia's world that I experienced it with her and that meant I didn't find it comfortable to read too much at one sitting. It is an unflinching look at poverty, racism, buried secrets, and family bonds at a time in history when everything was HARD.
You will like this book and you should buy it if you like gritty stories of hardscrabble existence eked out in primitive conditions by a determined, plucky woman who has nothing going for her but a strong back and a sense of purpose. The setting is the Kentucky mountains, depression era, dirt poor. Olivia Harker Cross lives with her crazy mother Ida and her grandson Will'm in a shack attached to a small grocery. She stocks her shelves and feeds her family by making quilts and by working very hard. Her life revolves around staying alive, taking care of her grandson, and protecting the silver wolves that were reintroduced to the area by her grandfather. She is a friend to the blacks in a time where lynchings aren't uncommon and segregation is fierce. Even though there is a story line that involves hunters going after the wolves, the book is really a character study. Although some might not find them sympathetic and might even dislike them, they are all very real, uniquely flawed, and doing the best they can given the time, place, and circumstance.
I recommend it -- much to think about and good for a book group or class discussion. Would work perfectly as ancillary reading in an American History course re: 1930s lectures about the Great Depression and race relations.
Personal opinion: I do not agree with others who have likened the book to the classic To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Perennial Modern Classics) as the adult point of view and bitter voice of Olivia, although clear and honest, is not like the innocent child narrator Scout in that story.
December 30, 2010
I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, it’s an engrossing story that kept me interested. I liked the voice of the narrator’s colloquial speech, which sets the mood of the book. It has the feel of sitting around a camp fire and hearing a dark story being told, complete with sound effects—shots ringing out, wolves howling—very entertaining and a real attention-getter.
On the other hand, however, I found myself often feeling that the story just didn’t ring true. As it progressed, I had lots of questions. What attracted Pap to Ida in the first place and why did he put up with her mistreatment of Olivia? I understand that Ida was crazy and a religious zealot, but at the same time she appears to have led a promiscuous and adulterous lifestyle—it really isn’t clear if the Phelps were customers or forced themselves on her. The reason Wall gives for Olivia’s and Wing’s estrangement as teenagers is because his parents die and he has to spend his time running the hotel. But is that reason enough for Olivia to start hanging out in honky tonks and becoming a prostitute? Olivia seems to neglect her own daughter Pauline in much the same way that she was neglected, and yet when she meets her little grandson Will’m, her maternal instincts kick in. Why is she suddenly in touch with her emotions, showing maturity, and yet develops no understanding of, or empathy for Ida’s illness? Why was the secret of Olivia’s father kept hidden from her? I can’t see why not knowing protected her, if anything it endangered her. I also don’t see the logic of the Phelps gang taking their vengeance out on the wolves. It just didn’t tie in with the real evil taking place, which, by the way, didn’t add up to the climatic ending I was expecting. With no young colored men left in Aurora, you’d think Olivia and the love of her life, Wing Harris, would have caught on to what was happening. Especially when considering Olivia’s close attachment to her colored neighbors and the fact that Wing was putting the ‘villains’ up in his hotel four times a year.
I’m probably being too hard on the debut novel of an author who obviously has the skill to keep me turning the pages. I just wanted to be able to look into the ‘eyes’ of the book (like Love Alice) and see the truth in it.
On the other hand, however, I found myself often feeling that the story just didn’t ring true. As it progressed, I had lots of questions. What attracted Pap to Ida in the first place and why did he put up with her mistreatment of Olivia? I understand that Ida was crazy and a religious zealot, but at the same time she appears to have led a promiscuous and adulterous lifestyle—it really isn’t clear if the Phelps were customers or forced themselves on her. The reason Wall gives for Olivia’s and Wing’s estrangement as teenagers is because his parents die and he has to spend his time running the hotel. But is that reason enough for Olivia to start hanging out in honky tonks and becoming a prostitute? Olivia seems to neglect her own daughter Pauline in much the same way that she was neglected, and yet when she meets her little grandson Will’m, her maternal instincts kick in. Why is she suddenly in touch with her emotions, showing maturity, and yet develops no understanding of, or empathy for Ida’s illness? Why was the secret of Olivia’s father kept hidden from her? I can’t see why not knowing protected her, if anything it endangered her. I also don’t see the logic of the Phelps gang taking their vengeance out on the wolves. It just didn’t tie in with the real evil taking place, which, by the way, didn’t add up to the climatic ending I was expecting. With no young colored men left in Aurora, you’d think Olivia and the love of her life, Wing Harris, would have caught on to what was happening. Especially when considering Olivia’s close attachment to her colored neighbors and the fact that Wing was putting the ‘villains’ up in his hotel four times a year.
I’m probably being too hard on the debut novel of an author who obviously has the skill to keep me turning the pages. I just wanted to be able to look into the ‘eyes’ of the book (like Love Alice) and see the truth in it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 8, 2008
SWEEPING UP GLASS (Novel/Mys-Olivia Harker-Kentucky-1930s) – Ex
Wall, Carolyn D. – 1st book
Poisoned Pen Press, 2008, US Hardcover – ISBN: 9781590585122
First Sentence: The long howl of a wolf rolls over me like a toothache.
Olivia Harker lives with her grandson in a run-down, cold-water building with a grocery out front, a small bedroom, kitchen and sleeping alcove in back and an outhouse. Her emotionally abusive mother lives an a shack separate from the house.
Someone is killing silver-faced wolves on her property. She knows who, but the why takes her back through her life’s story until it places her, her family and friends in danger for their lives.
This is quite a story. It covers 40+ years of a woman’s life. It’s a hard life filled with emotional pain, hard work and disappointment while Olivia is hardened by it, in the way steel is tempered by fire and pressure. While Olivia is the primary character, those around her are just as real and memorable.
It’s hard to say much about the story without, in some way, diminishing it. It is sometimes painful to read, buy only because Olivia is such a wonderful, fully-realized character.
Wall doesn’t just give you a sense of place. She takes you to the sights, sounds and smells of Kentucky hill country along with very real emotions that can make it an uncomfortable and painful read at times. But it’s wonderfully done; a book I shan’t soon forget and one I’m very glad to have read.
Wall, Carolyn D. – 1st book
Poisoned Pen Press, 2008, US Hardcover – ISBN: 9781590585122
First Sentence: The long howl of a wolf rolls over me like a toothache.
Olivia Harker lives with her grandson in a run-down, cold-water building with a grocery out front, a small bedroom, kitchen and sleeping alcove in back and an outhouse. Her emotionally abusive mother lives an a shack separate from the house.
Someone is killing silver-faced wolves on her property. She knows who, but the why takes her back through her life’s story until it places her, her family and friends in danger for their lives.
This is quite a story. It covers 40+ years of a woman’s life. It’s a hard life filled with emotional pain, hard work and disappointment while Olivia is hardened by it, in the way steel is tempered by fire and pressure. While Olivia is the primary character, those around her are just as real and memorable.
It’s hard to say much about the story without, in some way, diminishing it. It is sometimes painful to read, buy only because Olivia is such a wonderful, fully-realized character.
Wall doesn’t just give you a sense of place. She takes you to the sights, sounds and smells of Kentucky hill country along with very real emotions that can make it an uncomfortable and painful read at times. But it’s wonderfully done; a book I shan’t soon forget and one I’m very glad to have read.
May 30, 2015
This book is set in Kentucky during a time where racial persecution was harsh and a group like the KKK was in full power. I liked the start of this book. The author did such a great job with building the characters. They seemed vivid and I liked them from the beginning. The family dynamic was intriguing. I wanted to learn more.
Then it had moments of craziness that seemed hard to believe. It felt glossed over when more detail would have been useful just for the sake of plausiblity. I wish more time was taken to make it believable. This was probably 3 stars. But I liked the very last lines and I think that was a great way to sum up this story. So for that alone, I will raise this one star.
Then it had moments of craziness that seemed hard to believe. It felt glossed over when more detail would have been useful just for the sake of plausiblity. I wish more time was taken to make it believable. This was probably 3 stars. But I liked the very last lines and I think that was a great way to sum up this story. So for that alone, I will raise this one star.
June 22, 2009
This novel is probably the best book that i have read this year! I was a little leery about the topic of wolves however even though the wolves were significant they were not THE story but a part of the story. Olivia, the main character and narrator, is a strong and proud woman yet has a past that emotionally wears her down. Bigotry, love, hatred, madness and a mystery that needs to be solved are all included in this novel. All the characters have strong personalities and i became involved in each of their lives. I loved this novel and highly recommend it!
July 7, 2009
A really absorbing book that I enjoyed immensely.
August 1, 2016
This book is one rewrite from being fantastic.
Olivia is the responsible one. She's caring for Ida, whom she hates, and for Will'em, whom she loves with all of the intensity of a lifetime of disappointment. The store is not bringing in enough money and the house is falling down and there's not much to hope for in the future.
The first part of this book looks back at her history. The second looks squarely at the present.
Olivia is ignorant. She doesn't know why Ida, her mother, is so awful, but she knows that she hates her. She hates her because she's mean and because she came back from the state mental institution to change the life Olivia was sharing with her father. Now, she takes care of Ida because her father is no longer with them, and that's what one does for demented mothers, but she hates her so much that, even when she sees clearly how terrible Ida's life will be, she does nothing.
Olivia is an interesting character, a character of contradictions and intensities. She loves one man, marries another, breaks social norms by regarding Black people as her best friends/family, and lets her daughter make the same bad choices that she once did. She's also thoughtful and righteous.
But the plot in this book takes some surprising turns, and many of the incidents are written so hastily that it's hard to understand who did what. It's a fascinating ending, though it may not have been for this book. It explains some of Olivia ignorance, but it's a rapid sort of lurching-around ending that comes as a complete and somewhat unclear surprise.
What isn't surprising is the clear insight into the life of a very small, very isolated part of Kentucky and the dignity and generosity of those who live there.
There might also have been a metaphor about wolves.
Olivia is the responsible one. She's caring for Ida, whom she hates, and for Will'em, whom she loves with all of the intensity of a lifetime of disappointment. The store is not bringing in enough money and the house is falling down and there's not much to hope for in the future.
The first part of this book looks back at her history. The second looks squarely at the present.
Olivia is ignorant. She doesn't know why Ida, her mother, is so awful, but she knows that she hates her. She hates her because she's mean and because she came back from the state mental institution to change the life Olivia was sharing with her father. Now, she takes care of Ida because her father is no longer with them, and that's what one does for demented mothers, but she hates her so much that, even when she sees clearly how terrible Ida's life will be, she does nothing.
Olivia is an interesting character, a character of contradictions and intensities. She loves one man, marries another, breaks social norms by regarding Black people as her best friends/family, and lets her daughter make the same bad choices that she once did. She's also thoughtful and righteous.
But the plot in this book takes some surprising turns, and many of the incidents are written so hastily that it's hard to understand who did what. It's a fascinating ending, though it may not have been for this book. It explains some of Olivia ignorance, but it's a rapid sort of lurching-around ending that comes as a complete and somewhat unclear surprise.
What isn't surprising is the clear insight into the life of a very small, very isolated part of Kentucky and the dignity and generosity of those who live there.
There might also have been a metaphor about wolves.
April 4, 2017
I found this a very captivating story. Life in the deep backwoods of the south can be a bit mind boggling for city folks, like me. Perhaps that is why I like to read stories that paint a picture of a lifestyle and time in which I will never know.
This story spans the life of Miss Olivia Harker. She was born to a mother whose mind became tangled in madness and left her incapable of knowing how to be both a mother and wife. With her Mom sent to an asylum, she forges through life learning from her father who runs a small grocery store, which doubles as their home. Her father’s greatest talent in life is the gift of healing and nurturing – mainly animals. He shows Olivia the way of a good heart that is kind, friendly to everyone and compassionate to all.
Without going into too much detail and revealing the story, Olivia’s life takes many changes over the course of the next 30 years. A daughter and a grandson enter her life, a father exits and a mother re-enters. All components have a ripple effect on her life and her outlook for the future. It seems that every time Olivia catches a break, something in her or around her breaks and shatters as well, and she is left to sweep up the pieces to keep the road ahead of her free of stumbling blocks.
I struggled with some of her choices in life and the choices of some around her, but the story kept me engaged and anxious to capture that moment when all the pieces of broken glass would reconnect to produce the finished mosaic picture.
This story spans the life of Miss Olivia Harker. She was born to a mother whose mind became tangled in madness and left her incapable of knowing how to be both a mother and wife. With her Mom sent to an asylum, she forges through life learning from her father who runs a small grocery store, which doubles as their home. Her father’s greatest talent in life is the gift of healing and nurturing – mainly animals. He shows Olivia the way of a good heart that is kind, friendly to everyone and compassionate to all.
Without going into too much detail and revealing the story, Olivia’s life takes many changes over the course of the next 30 years. A daughter and a grandson enter her life, a father exits and a mother re-enters. All components have a ripple effect on her life and her outlook for the future. It seems that every time Olivia catches a break, something in her or around her breaks and shatters as well, and she is left to sweep up the pieces to keep the road ahead of her free of stumbling blocks.
I struggled with some of her choices in life and the choices of some around her, but the story kept me engaged and anxious to capture that moment when all the pieces of broken glass would reconnect to produce the finished mosaic picture.
December 30, 2010
I just can’t get enough of the generational Appalachian stories, so this was the book I read immediately after “Bloodroot.” And wow, what a book. Taking place in the rural mountains of Kentucky, this richly detailed book will allow you to feel every sensation: gnawing hunger pains, the howling wind against your face, the frigid soil beneath your feet, the sharp crack of bone under a bullet, and the utter desolation of hope in the face of survival. The backdrop is definitely depressing, painted with despair, mental illness, racism, meanness – and it never really gets any better. There are no fluffy kittens or rainbows in this book. Yet, the story has a raw realism that is gritty and fascinating.
I don’t recommend it quite as highly as “Bloodroot,” but the writing is beautiful, the storyline will take you by surprise, the end will leave you wondering if you’re still holding the same book, and you will want to drive to the mountains of Appalachia just to see the beauty of the landscape that is so richly described.
I don’t recommend it quite as highly as “Bloodroot,” but the writing is beautiful, the storyline will take you by surprise, the end will leave you wondering if you’re still holding the same book, and you will want to drive to the mountains of Appalachia just to see the beauty of the landscape that is so richly described.
July 2, 2009
I love this book! From the first page to the last, it was beautifully written, always interesting and completely filled with emotion. I loved all of the characters, except the ones that are meant to be despised.
I don't feel the need to tell what the book is about b/c the description above does a very good job of that. What I do feel the need to say is that this is an incredible book and I am so glad that I read it. I would recommend it to anyone who likes To Kill A Mockingbird or any story that is really well rounded with depth in it.
Parts of it are hard to read - I was often sad or angry for how things were turning out for Olivia, but she and her friends are strong and they always are there for each other. The last part of the book was full of action that I was not expecting, but kept me needing to turn the pages to see what was going to happen.
I HIGHLY recommend this book!
I don't feel the need to tell what the book is about b/c the description above does a very good job of that. What I do feel the need to say is that this is an incredible book and I am so glad that I read it. I would recommend it to anyone who likes To Kill A Mockingbird or any story that is really well rounded with depth in it.
Parts of it are hard to read - I was often sad or angry for how things were turning out for Olivia, but she and her friends are strong and they always are there for each other. The last part of the book was full of action that I was not expecting, but kept me needing to turn the pages to see what was going to happen.
I HIGHLY recommend this book!
Read
May 19, 2009Hi. My name is Marie, and I’m a “buzz book” addict.
It started with Cutting for Stone and now I hereby declare my love for Carolyn Wall’s Sweeping Up Glass. If you are at all a To Kill a Mockingbird fan, read this. If you found Fannie Flagg’s Fried Green Tomatoes charming, read this. If Bastard Out of Carolina is one of your favorites, read this. If you were as enamored as I was with God of Animals by newcomer Aryn Kyle, read this. If you’ve never read any of those books but have a hankering for great characters with names like Wing and Love Alice, the hauntingly clear setting of Pope County, Kentucky and a complex narrative full of family, legacy, and wolves… read this. This gem of a book is a surprising delight. You won’t be disappointed.
It started with Cutting for Stone and now I hereby declare my love for Carolyn Wall’s Sweeping Up Glass. If you are at all a To Kill a Mockingbird fan, read this. If you found Fannie Flagg’s Fried Green Tomatoes charming, read this. If Bastard Out of Carolina is one of your favorites, read this. If you were as enamored as I was with God of Animals by newcomer Aryn Kyle, read this. If you’ve never read any of those books but have a hankering for great characters with names like Wing and Love Alice, the hauntingly clear setting of Pope County, Kentucky and a complex narrative full of family, legacy, and wolves… read this. This gem of a book is a surprising delight. You won’t be disappointed.
August 8, 2010
I really enjoyed this book - it was so absorbing - and a great storyline.It was both chilling and enchanting the way it ended.
August 14, 2021
What a story. This book reveals what our history continues to deal with even today. A fast read but one that can open our eyes to hate and abuse.
June 16, 2009
WoW! I just finished reading my advanced copy of Sweeping Up Glass by Carolyn Wall. Kudos!! I read it in a day, couldn't put it down. The characters enveloped me from the very first pages and by the end, I cared very deeply for them. It was a very interesting story with a strong first person narrative reminiscent of To Kill a Mockingbird. While that icon of Americana dealt in part with racial injustice, Sweeping Up Glass went even further to illuminate just how deadly those injustices were.
Tate is a beloved father just like Atticus, with a decidedly flawed edge. Olivia is no Scout. Early on she looses her dad and has to deal with her lunatic mother, Ida. I must say, though, I loved hating her through the whole book. Ida is a great character.
Miz Hanley, Junk and Love Alice are so special, they all provided the mothering that Ida couldn't or wouldn't give to Olivia. Their presence on the page resonated pure love and family.
Everyday existence was really tough back then in that small Kentucky town. Ms. Wall does a fine job bringing that to life. Her descriptions are rich; you can smell the coffee and cinnamon toast or feel the hunger pains when they don't have enough to eat.
Thank you so much for sending this little gem of a book my way. I am so happy I won it through a goodreads giveaway. I can't wait for Carolyn Wall's next book.
Tate is a beloved father just like Atticus, with a decidedly flawed edge. Olivia is no Scout. Early on she looses her dad and has to deal with her lunatic mother, Ida. I must say, though, I loved hating her through the whole book. Ida is a great character.
Miz Hanley, Junk and Love Alice are so special, they all provided the mothering that Ida couldn't or wouldn't give to Olivia. Their presence on the page resonated pure love and family.
Everyday existence was really tough back then in that small Kentucky town. Ms. Wall does a fine job bringing that to life. Her descriptions are rich; you can smell the coffee and cinnamon toast or feel the hunger pains when they don't have enough to eat.
Thank you so much for sending this little gem of a book my way. I am so happy I won it through a goodreads giveaway. I can't wait for Carolyn Wall's next book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 12, 2011
For those of you who don't know, I picked up this book because my Mother's name is also Carolyn Wall! :)
I've had the book for months but only just finally got into enough to finish it. The opening was a little hard to follow so every other time I started it, I didn't have the patience to push through and figure out the scenes & characters. However, once I did the read was good. I found the characters interesting (even more so after reading the author's prologue, when she explained how & why each character was created).
It was easy to hate Ida and hard to like Olivia...so I'm not sure there is truly a protagonist in this story. However, in the end I feel so sorry for Olivia and how, in trying to protect her, her father actually hurt and, in some ways, put her in harms way. It took a LONG time into the story to get to the meat of the story...as a matter of fact, I didn't even realize it was a "mystery", that there was a "story" to figure out, until I was more than 2/3 way through... I guess I didn't catch the few references to the unanswered questions that lingered in the air.
All in all a good story, a good read...but not great. I would recommend for a fairly quick weekend read. Wish I could give 3 1/2 stars...
I've had the book for months but only just finally got into enough to finish it. The opening was a little hard to follow so every other time I started it, I didn't have the patience to push through and figure out the scenes & characters. However, once I did the read was good. I found the characters interesting (even more so after reading the author's prologue, when she explained how & why each character was created).
It was easy to hate Ida and hard to like Olivia...so I'm not sure there is truly a protagonist in this story. However, in the end I feel so sorry for Olivia and how, in trying to protect her, her father actually hurt and, in some ways, put her in harms way. It took a LONG time into the story to get to the meat of the story...as a matter of fact, I didn't even realize it was a "mystery", that there was a "story" to figure out, until I was more than 2/3 way through... I guess I didn't catch the few references to the unanswered questions that lingered in the air.
All in all a good story, a good read...but not great. I would recommend for a fairly quick weekend read. Wish I could give 3 1/2 stars...
October 19, 2012
SPOILER ALERT: This was kind of boring. At first I really wanted to know what it was that Olivia had that Phelps so greatly needed. Then it was revealed what the big secret was and it didn't make sense. Her dad had 2 books that listed all the people that the cott'ners (the Klan basically) had killed and where they were buried and even included sketches of specific hangings. But it read like her pap accidentally happened upon ONE meeting. How could he have had such detailed documentation? Oh and she and Junk had spent so much time digging up where she thought her dad had been buried and didn't find a thing, and then just happened to jump back in there just when all these men were coming to kill them and they FOUND the books, just all of a sudden? And the whole bus ride/race to get back home because that's where the marshals would meet them? Was that like, so slow motion? A rickety old bus outran many cars and they got to the house in time for everybody to hide in the oh-so-convenient underground tunnel as well as in time to get the books? All the while Olivia kept saying how she could see the cars and they were almost upon them. How many times did she say that? The first half of this book was good and promising and then I turned the page.
March 9, 2018
Wolf whistles for a ripping yarn
I enjoyed this - it was a book club recommendation and not a novel I would have chosen myself. I was not gripped initially but I stuck with it and soon was swept up in this strange poverty stricken isolated world. It is a tale of two halves - the childhood,then the almost Gothic horror filled adulthood. The a story was good, unexpected, well written, and gripping.
I enjoyed this - it was a book club recommendation and not a novel I would have chosen myself. I was not gripped initially but I stuck with it and soon was swept up in this strange poverty stricken isolated world. It is a tale of two halves - the childhood,then the almost Gothic horror filled adulthood. The a story was good, unexpected, well written, and gripping.
December 6, 2017
Onvan : Sweeping Up Glass - Nevisande : Carolyn Wall - ISBN : 385343035 - ISBN13 : 9780385343039 - Dar 336 Safhe - Saal e Chap : 2008
June 24, 2021
Olivia Harker Cross from the very first page is a storm. She does not rage, destroy or cause alarm, but the sheer strength of her love for her grandson, her father, for the wild animals and wolves in Pope County is enough to shake things up in Kentucky so much so that nothing stands in her way, not her mother's bitterness, secrets buried by the people she loves or the end of rifles of hunters and white men and women killing black people in her hometown.
Carolyn Wall's writing is what I'd call lyrical, there are simple phrases that bring to light the sheer force of a character or a situation.
The opening line of this book for example, The long howl of a wolf rolls over me like a toothache.
Or Olivia's take on her mom's bitterness and aggression towards her when she says “Wherever this bitterness in Ida is coming from, it's driving her clean out of her head."
Carolyn Wall's writing is what I'd call lyrical, there are simple phrases that bring to light the sheer force of a character or a situation.
The opening line of this book for example, The long howl of a wolf rolls over me like a toothache.
Or Olivia's take on her mom's bitterness and aggression towards her when she says “Wherever this bitterness in Ida is coming from, it's driving her clean out of her head."
July 14, 2023
This one is probably 2.5. The pacing felt off and made the end very rushed. And so many unanswered questions or just things presented in confusing ways.
Annalisa’s review pretty much sums it up for me
Annalisa’s review pretty much sums it up for me
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