Rated of 5
by Viqui G. (State College, PA) A Land More Kind Than Home
This fine novel is a real page turner. The well written prose just flows so easily that it is easy to read and hard to put down. Wiley Cash has created unforgettable characters that are multidimensional. The 3 main characters tell a story that is horrendously tragic yet believable. But along with the main plot, we also learn about the past lives of these characters. Through them we also learn of the background stories of some of the other residents of Marshall, North Carolina. This helps to explain why the tragic outcome of the novel was inevitable. I particularly liked that the novel is written in first person narrative. In this way the reader really gets to know the characters intimately. This would be a grand novel for a book club, there is a lot to discuss! I will certainly be recommending it to my book club.
Rated of 5
by Margaret M. (Troy, NY) A Land More Kind Than Home
I loved this book and it is one of the best I have read this year. It is literary and a page turning thriller at the same time. This powerful novel is about is about love, tragedy, betrayal, redemption and healing. I would recommend this book to my book group and to anyone who appreciates good books.
Rated of 5
by Bette C. (Taunton, MA) Beautifully written but hard to follow.
The language of this book is evocative and the setting and characterizations felt authentic but I found the character development slow and the narrative difficult to follow. Dividing the story telling between different narrators is not an unusual literary tool, but in this instance the transitions derailed the progress of the story and made it difficult for me to follow the narrative and develope any affinity for the characters. I really wanted to like this book but in the end I could not get past the mechanics of the telling to just enjoy the story.
Rated of 5
by Teresa R. (Evansville, IN) Wow!
Loved this book- loved the author's writing style, loved the haunting story. I could barely put it down - just had to see what would happen next. Would highly recommend this for lovers of Southern fiction - it is deep, dark, and haunting.
Rated of 5
by Carrie W. (Arcanum, OH) Snakes
I rather enjoyed this book. The depth of the characters was revealed as the book continued on. The book appealed to me because I grew up in a very small town where everyone knew everyone. And everyone's business!
Rated of 5
by Joyce K. (Conway, Arkansas) A Land More Kind Than Home
For those familiar with Thomas Wolfe's writings will recognize this title as part of the lines from iYou Can't Go Home Again/i. As I read this novel, I kept wondering why anyone would want to go home to what young Jess Hall must face. His older brother is autistic, his parents are estranged, his mother is under the influence of a dubious faith healer, and his mountain home community seems to be lost in time. The story of Jess's brother "Stump" and his misfortune is revealed through the voices of several lead characters in the novel, each giving you a perspective of their take on life in a remote North Carolina town and the events that unfold. It is a book about family, their secrets, their failures and ultimately how hope might come from tragedy. I also think it aptly reveals small rural Appalachian town life and the social influence of religion on every aspect of life. The only time I felt some of the story was extraneous was when too much time was spent describing the life of minor characters in the book. I enjoyed the book and would read more from this author since this is a favorite genre of mine.
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