Member Reviews
This was really hard to get into for me. It was slow moving and there were a lot of unnecessary details that distracted me from the relevant story line.
Love in difficult times ....
Beautifully written book! Will definetly be one of the Historical Fiction books of 2022!
I was intrigued with this book since I got a glimpse of the first few chapters of it last year .... this one will stay on my mind for quite awhile.
I just wish it was longer.
I want to thank Tantor Audio, NetGalley and Donna Everhart for this Advanced copy of this AudioBook, for an exchange of an honest review.
#TheSaintsOfSwallowHill #DonnaEverhart #NetGalley #Goodreads
I really liked this book. It has everything I love in historical fiction including introducing the reader to events not well known, while telling a memorable story based on well researched facts. Just when it feels stories of the Great Depression have been thoroughly explored, the author gives an account of what could be a really dull subject and weaves it into a great American success story of loss, cruelty, perseverance and love. The vivid descriptions are transporting to time and place. Very few books have the ability to have me literally on the edge of my seat. The characters are so well developed, with just enough inner dialogue and back story to keep the pace of the book quick.
I was lucky enough to listen to the audio version. The narrator is excellent. I have not read any other books by this author, but I am definitely listening to more, especially after finding out this narrator has done other performances for this author.
The publisher describes this as "Where the Crawdads Sing" meets "The Four Winds", so I was really excited to get an early copy of this audiobook. Thanks @netgalley, @kensingtonbooks, and @tantoraudio!
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Synopsis: In the 1930s, Rae Lynn Cobb and her husband work a small turpentine farm until an accident prevents Warren from working further. After a desperate act of mercy, she flees to a farm in Georgia, dressing as a man to be able to get work and hide from the consequences of her choice. At the same farm is Del Reese, who's come to the farm for his own form of redemption and Cornelia Riddle, who is just struggling to survive her abusive husband.
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I loved the writing, and found the story completely fascinating. I've read books about the Depression before, but this was a new aspect to it that I didn't know much about, turpentine farming and the horrible conditions the workers faced, how impossible it was for them to ever work off their debts.
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Rae Lynn and Del were both such great characters (Cornelia wasn't as developed until later), and I loved their backgrounds and how they each managed their lot on the turpentine farm.
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What I didn't like was how about halfway or so through the book, it all of a sudden turned into a romance, and it happened suddenly and almost unbelievably. Also without saying too much, there are other big changes in the plot, and I honestly wished it had stayed more focused on how the first half was.
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I still very much enjoyed the writing, and would definitely recommend. Especially the audiobook as I felt like the narration really brought a lot to the story!
Lyrical prose, lovable, relatable characters and an outstanding, well-spoken narrator make this a must-listen for 2022. The unique setting in which tar is made is fascinating. Both evil and good (and everything in between) characters populate this rural, southern setting, causing suspense and intrigue. And the ending was immensely satisfying, making this an all-round winner.
This is akin to The Nightingale in terms of depth. It's beautifully tragic but not dauntingly hopeless. My favorite character had to be Des. His character development throughout was so apparent and realistic. The way his priorities and attitude shifted due to his experiences were so satisfying and heartwarming to listen to.
I'm also glad i had requested for the audiobook. With it being a historical fiction, I thought it would be difficult to follow. But it wasn't at all- partly due to the narration and partly because of it wasn't an info dump. This also doesn't have a robotic narration which a definitely a plus. The performance by Bentley is spectacular. She has a bit of a southern drawl and is exactly how I imagined Rae to sound like. She also captured the tone and atmosphere of the story so well.
I was drawn to this one because the synopsis said it was like where the crawdads sing. I disagree. While the writing is sound, the characters are interesting, the audiobook narrator does a good job, and the historical information about turpentine production is fascinating, all of this is overshadowed by the tired gimmicks of dual points of view and each chapter ending in a cliffhanger. Add in more crudeness than necessary and a sensationalism fairly often, and we are left with a big disappointment.
Thank you to Donna Everhart, Kensington books, and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Rae Lynn and her husband Everett run a small turpentine farm in North Carolina. The works is hard, but after a grueling childhood in an orphanage, Rae Lynn isn’t afraid of hard work. When Everett is killed, Rae Lynn dresses herself as a man, calls herself, Ray, and gets a job at a turpentine camp in Swallow Hill, Georgia. Rae comes to know the members of the camp, brutal commissary owner, Otis and his abused wife, Cornelia, Crow, the overseer who carefully watches every move she makes and Det, a man trying to outrun his past. Together, these complex and diverse characters come to life under Everhart’s pen, creating a world so real, you can almost smell the pine sap