I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. This book tells the story of a small mountain town in North Carolina, Baines (which means “bones” in the local dialogue) Creek. It is there that we meet this interesting cast of characters, including Sadie Blue, a young pregnant woman trying to survive the beatings inflicted on her by her husband, Roy. Also included is Kate Shaw, the new local teacher, Prudence, the preacher’s sister, Eli, the preacher, and various others. We get to hear a little from each different character’s point of view, which I thought was really interesting for the overall story. The grammar was pretty hard to get through in some parts, the author tries hard to stay true to the dialect of the region being represented in the book and they are for the most part illiterate. The book follows the different characters lives through a strange course of events.
Overall I liked this book a good amount. I liked seeing things through each different character’s point of view and I liked that each section from each different person revealed a new piece of the story. The grammar was hard to get through and also I felt like there were a lot of open pieces to the story left kind of unresolved, even with all the different points of view. I liked all the different characters, especially Sadie and Katie Shaw. There was a lot going on with so many different points of view and sometimes it was a little distracting. Other than that though I thought this was a good book and I was interested to see what would happen in the end.

A very honest look at life in Appalachia. These are desperate people with desperate lives and buried secrets who live a life of extreme poverty in isolation from the outside world until a strong and kind stranger comes to the area. This stranger is the new schoolteacher who sort of “upsets the apple cart.” This is a very well written book with well developed and true to life characters and an appropriate plot. The mood, living conditions, and language are genuine for Appalachia. I couldn’t put it down. The author lets us see all sides of life in Appalachia, the good, the bad, and the ugly. I was happy to see Sadie finally come out on top at the end. There are some very interesting characters some of which are despicable and others very likeable. This book is well worth the read and I look forward to reading more from Leah Weiss in the future.

My Review: 4/5
Great praise for this book.  This was unlike anything I’ve read.  It was a fresh break from my usual reads, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Set in the Appalachian Mountains, it tells the story of a small town and the interesting people who inhabit it.  The story is told from different points of view, about 10 in all.  We start with Sadie, a lovely girl who has already encountered hardship at a young age.  She finds herself pregnant with the town’s bad-boy and is instantly a wife and soon-to-be mother.  This sweet girl stole my heart.  I loved her optimism and longing to love life, even though she was trapped in a loveless, hopeless world.
The author did a fabulous job describing the culture of mountain-life.  The poverty level was unreal.  The language at times was difficult to understand.  Again, the author nailed this.  I felt so immersed in the story, I was right along with the citizens of the mountain.
This book was original.  I am still trying to understand how this is the author’s debut novel.  Superb job!

If the Creek Don't Rise is a terrific book. I loved the North Carolina mountain setting. The book has a good plot and believable characters. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

The story is set in Baines Creek, a small remote town in Appalachian mountains, North Carolina during the 70's. The people in this isolated town are facing huge social problems such as lack of education, poverty, and domestic violence.

This book is written in multiple perspectives which I truly loved. It adds more depth to the story and characters. Speaking of characters, this books has a lot of amazing, authentic and unforgettable ones.

We get to meet Sadie Blue, a young pregnant girl who has been married for fifteen days to his alcoholic and abusive husband Roy Tupkin; Gladys Hicks, her grandmother whose past has also been difficult; Sadie's aunt Marris Jones who is very kind and loving; Preacher Eli Perkins and her spiteful sister Prudence; Kate Shaw, a very passionate teacher/person and a newcomer from the city; Birdie Rocas, the local "witch" with a crow nest on on her head; Billy Barnhill, Roy's "shadow"; and a young boy named Tattler Swan. My personal favorites were Sadie, Marris, Kate, and Birdie. I loved the sincerity and compassion that they've shown to others.

The writing matches the story perfectly. It was unusual yet captivating. The author managed to take me to Baines Creek and introduced me to the town and its people. She made me feel their sorrow and pain. Some of the scenes were too heavy and hard to read (expecially the violent scenes) but there were also heartwarming and touching ones. I had no problem adjusting with the narration and here were also some phrases (old words) that I wasn't familiar of but it didn't stop me from enjoying the story.

My only problem was there were some interesting and important incidents that were never mentioned again towards the end. In my opinion, the story isn't only about Sadie. It's about all of the characters in the story. The ending was unexpected. I wasn't expecting that at all. It felt quite abrupt but I thought it was brilliant.

If The Creek Don't Rise is an astounding debut novel that will definitely stays with me for quite a while. Highly recommended!

if the creek don’t rise by Leah Weiss is quite the debut novel. i will 100% admit that i was interested in reading this book because i loved the cover photo. this is a gritty, emotional portrayal of the life and struggles of an apalachian community that was told with depth and sensitivity.

leah’s characters are crafted so exquisitely i felt like i was in their kitchens or on their front porches listening to them tell me about their lives.

sadie blue is the protagonist and though she is beaten down and has had a life no one would envy, i could tell she was a spitfire meant for great things. i honestly couldn’t help but get wrapped up in her story. she was at times familiar as a character. her struggles – while most of the time completely foreign to me – were at times something i think most young women could find something in common with. she is poor, poorly educated, hopeful, naive, and trusting despite her situations. leah wrote sadie in such a way that you have to root for her.

the cast of characters at her side are all supportive (save for her husband) in their own ways and in learning about their lives which happens via their own chapters which occur throughout time and simultaneously with sadie blue’s life we learn how the events that shape the resolution of this story had been put into place years prior.

i cannot recommend this book enough. it was a quick read for me and though the tension was slow to build overall, the intense bursts of drama that were placed in the story so expertly make it hard to believe this is leah’s first work!

4.5/5 stars from this girl!

What an enjoyable read! The story takes place in Appalachia in the 1970s, a time and place that felt as if it were decades earlier due to the poverty and lack of education, with no hope or opportunity for change.

The book opens when pregnant and newly married Sadie is beaten by her husband. Sadie had high hopes for her marriage but soon finds out she’s made a horrible mistake. Her hero is Loretta Lynn, who was from a hillbilly town, and escaped to find a better life. In Sadie’s words “Miss Loretta is a miracle to me”

From here, the story is narrated by a colorful cast of characters who inhabit the town. Each adds their backstory and perspective to the story, ultimately creating a complete picture of the people and the events that take place.

Some characters are noble and good, while others are despicable, but all are unforgettable. The people of this village stick together and often help one another out in unexpected ways.

One highlight of the book for me was the depiction of the female friendships that were a source of strength and support. Sadie, Gladys, and Marris were my favorite characters. Preacher Eli is one of the few good men, a man who has been “planting seeds a long time to help her (Sadie) believe in herself." The day Kate, the new teacher, arrives changes the dynamics and her guidance offers Sadie hope for a better life. But not everyone is happy with Kate’s forward liberated thinking.

Although there are many characters, this is Sadie’s story, and the book begins and ends with her. The tension slowly builds throughout the novel to the very end, and what a surprise ending it is!

This was an excellent debut and recommended for fans of character-driven, Southern “Grit Lit”, but isn’t bothered by the fact that not every character’s story is resolved and neatly tied up in a bow.

**Many thanks to Netgalley and Sourecebooks Landmark for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

What an absolutely fabulous read! If I could I would give this novel 10 stars. From the moment I started reading, I was hooked. Leah truly captured the language and the spirit of Appalachia. She was able to effortlessly shift from one person's point of view to another, keeping the story flowing smoothly. The ending was absolutely brilliant. I am really looking forward to her next novel.

So, I feel like a jerk, but I just did not care for If the Creek Don’t Rise by Leah Weiss. I recognize that it may just be where my mind is at currently, but this book, while well-written, was incredibly depressing and slow moving. Those who have been following me know that I do like my share of depressing novels, but I need a little bit of happy so my tears are worth it.

I had to force myself to keep reading because it did not capture my attention. Then, the plot and characters were so sad that I did not find many reasons to want to keep reading it.

For example, the characters live very hard, poor lives in rural Appalachia. However, they do not seem to learn from their choices and just continue living the same sad lives – getting beaten, alienating others, hurting relationships, etc.

I really wanted to like this book more since I have heard so many rave reviews and it is set in time/place and a genre I usually enjoy reading about (Southern fiction). In this case, it just did not happen for me.

However, I will say that for a character-driven novel, the author does a nice job of creating a vast array of characters. I did not like or relate to many of them, which made it difficult in a character-driven novel. But, if you like novels more focused on character than plot. And novels that are gritty, realistic, frank, and depressing, then you will most likely enjoy it.

I do believe I am the weird one here as the book is getting quite a bit of praise, but I just couldn’t wait to finish it so I could read something more enjoyable. Sorry!

If the Creek Don't Rise by Leah Weiss is a highly recommended debut novel set during the 1970's in the Appalachian community of Baines Creek, N.C.

The cast of characters tell the story from their point of view through their own chapters. Weiss have given each character their own unique voice in their chapters. Some characters are heard from once or a few times while others have multiple chapters to propel the story forward through their personal narrative. This approach creates a powerful ensemble piece with strong character development and develops a compelling sense of place in the setting.

Sadie Blue has been Roy Tupkin's wife for fifteen days and she knows that she has made a terrible mistake. He is a bully and his beatings are endangering their unborn child, as well as her own life. What she needs to do is listen to her Daddy's voice and find a smart way out. Her dour grandmother, Gladys Hicks, knows what Sadie is going through because she had to deal with her own abusive husband. Sadie's Aunt Marris Jones, a caring, optimistic neighbor to her grandmother, sees what is going on and wants to help Sadie.

Then Preacher Eli Perkins welcomes the new teacher to town, Kate Shaw. At 51 years old and over 6 feet tall, Kate is not at all what the community expects, but she is made of tougher stuff than they realize. She is also determined to make sure her students are fed during the time they are in school. Eli is attracted to her intellect, even though she is an agnostic, while his sister Prudence sets out to set others against Kate. Sadie likes Kate and Kate has promised to teach her to read. Birdie Rocas, a neighbor of Kate's and a local healer/diviner, watches Kate, protects her, and then befriends her. Everyone is concerned for Sadie's well-being.

If the Creek Don't Rise is a collection of many points of view where the characters are in each other's stories. While the synopsis makes it sound like it is solely Sadie's story, it really is a character driven novel. Telling the story through the viewpoints of different characters works extremely well in this novel with a southern Gothic feel to it. Even Roy gets a chapter. I will note that ultimately, Sadie gets the last word, so the arch of her story is told.

The writing is excellent and the characterizations are exceptionally well done. The sense of place is firmly established. I liked the ending too. This is certainly a novel worth reading, but for me, a well developed plot was a wee-bit lacking in If the Creek Don't Rise. Oh, there are anecdotes told and stories shared while confronting the immediate question of helping Sadie, but there were so many other stories and questions that were never resolved. For example, why give us the chapter from Prudence, and then not another word from that harpy? Or just drop the thread of Reverend Eli's attraction to Kate? In the end I liked If the Creek Don't Rise quite a bit, but not enough to give it my highest rating.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Sourcebooks
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2017/08/if-creek-dont-rise.html
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2105459813
https://www.facebook.com/shetreadssoftly/

Wow. What an incredible read!

As soon as I read the first page, the first line, I knew it was going to be quite an emotional story.

"I struggle to my feet, straighten my back, lift my chin, then he hits me again. This time I fall down and stay down while he counts"

Sadie Blue is picking foolish pride at first when she stands up with her chin high until her good for nothing husband, Ray hits her again. When she falls this time she decides to stay down. Ray finally stops and leaves. Slamming the trailer as he walks into the woods.

Her daddy's spirit comes to her telling her she needs to get away.

"If I could follow the bastard and kill him for you, I would, sweet girl, but it don't work like that."

She tells us her daddy treats her better in death than he did when he was alive...which is putting it mildly considering he once used a night with her in place of the five dollars he didn't have for a hand in poker. Thank God he won the hand, but she felt he would have paid up if he'd needed too (she was ten).

And now I knew this wasn't just going to be an emotional read but a heartbreaking one. But also one that I was going to have a very hard time putting down.

Her daddy wasn't the same after Momma.

"He got nothing from loving mom cept me left behind"

When Sadie tells us about the night her daddy ended up dead ....well it's heartbreaking too. Sadie Blue has had a hell of a start in life and so far the future isn't looking much better. She knows she was a fool to fall for Ray, with his sassy grin that made her heart flutter. Her Granny could see his evil...

"You knock them fake stars outta your blind eyes, Sadie Blue, or you gonna lay with the devil and live in hell."

Gladys Hicks is Sadie's grandmother. There's a good reason she's able to see evil in people like Ray Tupkin right away. Life hasn't been easy for Gladys. She's a hard woman, not prone to cuddles and warmth. She figures that Sadie didn't listen to her and now she's made her bed and needs to lay in it or find her own way out of it. But all that doesn't mean she don't worry. She doesn't like when her "ruminating" and "rememberings" take her places she don't wanna go ....or don't wanna leave.

Marris Jones is a second cousin by marriage and lives down the road. She's full of sunshine and it irritates the heck out of Gladys.

I LOVE Marris. She's full of love for everyone, including Gladys. She takes care of everyone, cooking and offering her support. And Marris knows things...things people don't realize she knows. Marris is really worried about Sadie Blue. She loves her like she's her own and hates seeing the life she's living with Roy. She wants to help Sadie but doesn't know how.

Sadie loves Loretta Lynn. She likes Loretta's life story. How she grew up in a log cabin in a Kentucky holler and now she has a wonderful life.

"Miss Loretta is rich, but she's my kinda people. She won't turn up her nose at a simple life like mine."

Now, Sadie has been married to Ray Tupkin for fifteen days.....and it's already beating number three. But she's making a plan.

"Roy Tupkin's gonna be sorry he ever messed with me and Loretta Lynn."

Everyone wants to get a look at the new teacher that has come. The previous teachers haven't lasted and no one expects this one too either. The Preacher, Eli Perkins keeps trying to get a decent teacher for the kids and really hopes this one will stay. The teacher, Kate Shaw is described by some of the other folk as a tall, big woman with short hair who wears pants.

Will Kate find her way and decide to stay? Or will the locals drive her out like they did to the other teachers. And what will happen to Sadie Blue?

So many great characters. The author did a wonderful job of bringing her characters to life. I enjoyed their individual stories, though I wanted to know even more about some of them.

As emotional and hard as it was to read at times, a lot of the writing was touching and heartwarming. The kindness and compassion that many characters showed each other. I became very invested in their lives...especially Sadie Blue. I wanted things to turn out well for her and couldn't read fast enough to find out how it would play out.

***Warning: the abuse was hard to read about. Men cold as ice with liquor, anger, and jealousy running through their veins. Full of hate, but so weak that they would take it out on someone who couldn't or wouldn't fight back.

Honest and gritty with a great plot. "If The Creek Don't Rise" is an excellent novel. The story and fantastic characters will stick with me for a very long time.


Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advanced readers copy of this book for me to read in exchange for my honest review.

Sadie Blue is pregnant and newly married to an mean, abusive moonshiner. Life is undoubtedly hard. Not only for her, but for all the people who live in the North Carolina mountain town of Baines Creek. Everyone in the town, from Sadie’s grandmother to the new schoolteacher, have secrets to keep and a past that won’t stop following them.

If you’re not familiar with the North Carolina mountains, you should be. I’ve had the privilege of visiting them over the past few years and have a profound love for them. I only wish I could call those mountains “Home."

The Appalachians are remarkably beautiful, but even I know that they have seen a sad and painful history.

There is extreme poverty in the Appalachians, even now. The lack of education runs rampant, but so does bravery and determination.

That is the case with this book: Sadie Blue is just the newest generation of mountain women who have faced horrible things, and must decide if she’ll cower, or if she’ll choose to be brave. We also learn the stories of her grandmother, aunt, new schoolteacher, and many others, all of whom have experienced the very good and the very bad.

There is a timeless quality to this story. I wasn’t able to tell what time period the book was set in for a good portion of it. There were cars mentioned, but otherwise, I couldn’t tell if the story was based in 1940, 50, and so on. The struggles of the people of the Appalachians are as ageless as the mountains themselves. I loved it.

One note I want to make is this: While this book largely follows the story of Sadie Blue, almost every chapter is narrated by a different character. These characters are almost always familiar to the reader, having been introduced by previous narrators. It’s not jarring, switching between the narrators, like it is in some books.

I sometimes wished that the book stuck with three or less narrators so that I got to know them better, but the fact that each character had their own very distinct voice made me forget that. Each character “spoke” differently. I felt I knew each person well.

And that ending, y’all…

If you have a hankering for some Southern fiction, this is absolutely the book to pick up. I am looking forward to reading books by this author in the future. This book was worth every minute.

3 out of 5 stars to If The Creek Don't Rise, an historical fiction novel set to be published in August 2017, written by Leah Weiss. I enjoyed reading the book, selecting 3 stars because it had several strong parts but also some concerns that I'll share later. Overall, I'm glad I read it.

Why This Book
I read the description of this book via NetGalley, where I search for all my ARCs, and thought it would be a great read prior to my upcoming trip to North Carolina, where I may be stopping in the same rural mountain area.

Plot, Characters & Setting
This is an ensemble book about a cast of 10 characters in the mid 20th century who live in the rural area of the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina. It covers a few events that occurred to some of the townspeople in Baines Creek, providing the view points from different sides of the story. It centers around Sadie Blue, a 17-year-old girl who marries the man who has just gotten her pregnant. From there, the book covers domestic abuse, murder, religion, family, love and friendships. At its core, the novel covers the various relationships built in the town, understanding who sits back doing nothing versus who takes action when they are passionate about the outcome and protection of life.

Approach & Style
I read the electronic version on my Kindle via an iPad over the course of five nights. The book is about 300 pages, each 20 pages long across 15 chapters. Each chapter is told from a different character's point of view, written in the first person perspective. Dialect is important given the book is recreating life during a historical time period in a very specific region where culture and society are quite different.

Strengths
The characters are very clear and distinct. Each of the major players has a voice you will recognize and understand. Sometimes you will love them and sometimes you will hate them, but each one will leave an impression.

The setting is quite strong. You will feel transported to this rural town in the mountains. From the description, to the dialect and to the way the story unfolds, it matches what you'd expect from the constructs of this type of environment. You will feel like you are in the town.

It deals with very specific personal and family issues that will resonate will a lot of people. From a social perspective, it highlights things that happened in the past that were almost condoned or allowed to happen, due to people's fears and lack of education or knowledge.

Concerns
When I read the description, I thought it would be a great plot and story. But when I read the book, it was quite different. This is not a novel where a primary plot point drives the chapters. It's a character-driven story that tells of the happenings in a small town. The plot isn't as important as the way each of the characters interpret it. I found myself skimming pages to get to the crux of the story, but it never happened. It's a preference style, and I think the book should be marketed differently and have an alternative description or cover summary. It would help find a different set of readers who enjoy this type of book. Had I known, I might have spent more time investing in the characters in the beginning rather than trying to piece together a plot that wasn't going to become any more clear. That said, it's still a well-written book and will appeal to a wide audience.

Author & Other Similar Books
Although they are not of the same caliber, it reminded me of the book Beartown by Fredrik Backman. Both books cover highly controversial social issues within a small town, telling the story of how everyone reacts to a few critical events. Where Beartown brings a focus on plot, this book is more about how people interpret society's values and actions.

It's the author's first book, but she shows a lot of promise. I would read another of her books, but I'd want to be careful to understand the plot and approach to telling the story to verify it matches with the way I like to read a book.

Final Thoughts
In my world, a 3 is a good review. It means you had good elements and a few things I didn't quite latch on to. If this had a little more action and some clarity around the plot and point of the book, I might have given it a 4. That said, it will definitely resonate with many readers given it has a strong pull to connect you to the characters and the setting. Hope you enjoy it.

About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.

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If for no other reason, it's worth reading If the Creek Don't Rise to read the very last sentence in this intense book. But there are plenty of other reasons to read it. Set in the Appalachian mountains in North Carolina in 1970, the novel is told from the alternating points of view of connected characters. Weiss portrays the harsh brutality that comes with poverty, lack of education and isolation. At the same time, there are some threads of relief from harshness through community, and shared history and stories. While each chapter focuses on a particular character, the story begins and ends with Sadie Blue, who married a brutal man far too young. As each character's story tells his or her story, we also find out a bit more about Sadie and how the community deals with her situation. I liked some parts more than others. I especially liked Sadie's grandmother and aunt. I also liked that Weiss introduced an outsider in the form of a new teacher who comes to live in the community -- her perspective adds a lot of dimension to the book as a whole. I also like that we see Sadie's husband's perspective. Overall, I thought If the Creek Don't Rise was a really strong debut novel. Weiss has created great characters, a strong sense of time and place, and a story that delivers real emotions -- right up to the last sentence. My only criticism is that there seemed to be a tension in what the novel was trying to be -- at times it felt like interconnected stories a la Olive Kitterdge and at other times it felt like a novel with a plot driving toward a dramatic end. It meant that some strings of plot were left dangling while others were closed off. This is not a reason not to read If the Creek Don't Rise. The strengths are good enough to make up for what likely due to the fact that this is a first novel. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.

If The Creek Don't Rise immediately caught my attention when I saw the cover and even more so when I learned that it had an Appalachian setting. I grew up in a small town in Eastern Kentucky so I love reading fiction set in a similar area to what I grew up in, though Baines Creek is definitely a lot rougher than the hills and hollers of my youth.

As I began reading, I fell hard for Sadie Blue, as a reader. I wanted to know more about her, learn more about her struggle and how she planned to fix the wrongs in her life. Her life was broken and sad and not uncommon for areas of living like hers. She lost her heart too quickly, got caught in the romance and flew off with the wrong sort of man but discovered way too late. Also, growing up listening to Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn, I had a fondness for Sadie's innocence and how determined she was to not let the holler end her life. She wanted to be strong and break free like Loretta and I found that to be an admirable quality.

I will admit that, through the first half of the book, I found the constant changes in point of view to be a little bit much. The amount of characters that had a story to tell was almost overwhelming but, but by the end of the book, I realized that each character had their own place and their own part to play. Each of their stories needed to be told for the sake of understanding what life was like in Baines Creek and how each person and their actions intertwined and affected one another as a whole.

I really enjoyed this glimpse into poverty-stricken Appalachia and Leah Weiss did an amazing job at creating well rounded characters with personalities and colloquialisms all their own. If The Creek Don't Rise is a beautifully haunting tale of Appalachian life.

Rating: 4 Stars

If the Creek Don’t Rise
Leah Weiss
Sourcebooks Landmark, August 2017
ISBN 978-1-4926-4745-4
Trade Paperback

From the publisher—

He’s gonna be sorry he ever messed with me and Loretta Lynn

Sadie Blue has been a wife for fifteen days. That’s long enough to know she should have never hitched herself to Roy Tupkin, even with the baby.

Sadie is desperate to make her own mark on the world, but in remote Appalachia, a ticket out of town is hard to come by, and hope often gets stomped out. When a stranger sweeps into Baines Creek and knocks things off kilter, Sadie finds herself with an unexpected lifeline…if she can just figure out how to use it.

This intimate insight into a fiercely proud, tenacious community unfolds through the voices of the forgotten folks of Baines Creek. With a colorful cast of characters that each contribute a new perspective, IF THE CREEK DON’T RISE is a debut novel bursting with heart, honesty, and homegrown grit.

There are only a few authors I’ve come across that write fiction about Appalachia with authority and with a strong sense of understanding, compassion and respect. Catherine Marshall and Sharyn McCrumb come to mind and I’ve now added Leah Weiss to my shortlist. This may be a debut but Ms. Weiss has created a story that, to me, represents the way I personally feel about the Appalachian people and their way of life.

Those of us who live in more traditional, perhaps more “sophisticated” environs get a good taste of Sadie’s insular, self-contained world and, while we think her pregnancy and marriage at such a young age are appalling enough, it’s much harder to comprehend the way of life that would lead her Granny to treat Sadie so harshly. As Sadie says, “Granny don’t do my heart any good” but Granny is what Appalachian mores and society are all about. It all makes thoughts of murder a little more forgiveable.

My heart was immediately taken by Sadie and I was energized by her hopes of escaping this crushing poverty and illiteracy but, truly, nearly all these people, Granny and the abusive Roy included, tugged at me for one reason or another. Some of my reaction is because of my own familiarity with the Appalachian world from regular family trips to the Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee areas when I was growing up and my fondness for fiction set there as well as nonfiction. Ms. Weiss is responsible for drawing me in this time and I truly hope to see more of Sadie and the people of Baines Creek. In the meantime, If the Creek Don’t Rise has a place on my list of best books read in 2017.

Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, August 2017.

Mini-Review
Genre: General Fiction (Adult)
Publisher: Sourcebook Landmark
Pub. Date: August 22, 2017

It is 1970, and we follow the story of a young Appalachian girl in North Carolina. When I accepted this ARC book I was afraid that it might be too similar to the book and movie “Bastard Out Of Carolina,” which was an okay book focusing on childhood sexual abuse. I’m happy to report that this novel is different with a masterful use of writing that I didn’t find in the former book. We meet impoverished people, living in dirt floor shacks, mostly starving, where they live and die for their moonshine. Might as well have a sign saying “Roy’s stills, enter at risk of death!” But then again most of the characters cannot read. Roy is an abusive young husband who “made the alligators look tame” (thank Elvis for the expression). In this character driven raw story the main protagonist that we follow is Sadie Blue, Roy’s teenage pregnant wife, who was abandoned as a child and raised by her unloving grandmother, with her own husband issues. Each chapter is told from a different character's perspective, and they all add new pieces to the puzzle of Roy’s dark soul as well as life in Appalachia.

In the plot, a new teacher arrives, Kate Shaw. All the other teachers have been harassed out of town. She is over 6 feet tall with cropped hair and a mannish way about her. She was dismissed from her previous post at a posh girls’ boarding school in North Carolina. No one expects her to last a week. She is brought into town by Preacher Eli Perkins. A kind soul, who usually fails, but never ceases to try to broaden his congregation’s minds and bring them a better lifestyle, he also becomes smitten with Kate. The reader is in on the joke of his naiveté. The preacher’s sister, Prudence, is a hateful woman and does all she can to sabotage the new teacher, including sending her miles out of her way to walk to the teacher’s shack. This might not sound too cruel, but the reader needs to remember that Kate has never experienced wilderness, wild animals and women smoking corn pipes before. And, they all speak in a language that barely resembles English (I had trouble following their words). We do eventually learn where Prudence’s hatred comes from. It is up to the reader to decide whether this excuses her actions. Another voice and my personal favorite character is the mystical and wonderfully eccentric Birdie. Her pet crow lives on top of her literally bird’s nest head of hair.

Sadie is a sweet and naturally intelligent girl. She longs to learn to read but is forbidden by Roy who beats her for no particular reason other than sadistic fun. "The face in the cracked mirror shows another loose tooth, a split lip, and a eye turning purple. I don't see me no more in that slice of looking glass. It's a strange feeling thinking the face in the mirror is somebody else." The townsfolk aren't blind to Sadie's struggles, and almost all like her, but feel there is nothing they can do to intervene between man and wife. She is even abandoned by her grandmother although she sees the bruised Sadie every Sunday at church.

This tale is so good that I was surprised to learn that it is a debut novel. Weiss catches and weaves together compelling voices from a part of America that many of us are not familiar. It reads like a Loretta Lynn song, who is Sadie’s idol. Roy once catches her having fun while singing along with Ms. Lynn on their radio, one of their few possessions. He immediately smashes the radio simply to destroy her only form of pleasure. But have no fear, for Birdie and Kate are keeping an eye out for Sadie. I don’t want to ruin the ending but these two women are not afraid of intervening in a marriage.

Weiss wrote deeply human characters whom I will not easily forget.
In fact, her novel has me thinking about how hatred can begin. The character’s isolation from 1970 American culture leaves them at a disadvantage on understating the rest of the country. They are a racist people simply because this is their reality. The limitation of their world traps them, reminding me of all the hate groups that are in our current headlines. How easy it can be to create a child who grows to believe that it’s a man’s right to beat his wife or hate anyone different from themselves. The author’s roots are simple and deeply southern. Weiss didn’t start writing till her mid-fifties, making her my idol. She states that this book is from her mom’s memoirs. What a haunting insightful story her daughter has created giving this reviewer an insightful education into the history of those who are from the North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains.

It took me a little while to get into a rhythm with this book. I think that’s partly due to the alternating first person narratives which give you a taste of a variety of the people in this mountain community. And the dialect threw me for a bit. Once I got into a rhythm … WOW, this book! So in my wheelhouse in every way! It’s dark and grungy yet powerful and thoughtful. The sense of place (Appalachia in NC) was where this one really shone. I was amazed at how Leah Weiss was able to make that place come alive in all my senses – the smells, the feels, the sounds! It’s one of those books that are so vivid! The characters are all so well done. They ultimately balance beautifully – the good and the bad. You will love some and hate some. You will see in them people that you care about and people that you’ve despised. They are really where this novel excels. Very gritty, very southern, very complicated. I still can’t quite believe this is a debut novel. I can’t imagine what Leah Weiss will have for us next if this is any indication. Highly recommend this one! There are characters in this book that you will not be able to forget! Such a wonderful book!

Beautifully written debut about a not beautiful situation. Weiss has used the voices of 10 people living in Baines Creek, a small town in Appalachia, to tell the tale of Sadie, a girl who just can't seem to get a break. This is a dark tale about poverty, abuse, and gosh, just a lot of bad things. This is depressing and sad but it's also full of insight into an area and people most of us aren't familiar with. Weiss is admirably consistent in her approach= it's balanced and thoughtful even with the characters you want to hate. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Honestly, I might not have picked this up were it not for the ARC but I'm so glad I read it. Recommend highly.

The book is set in the fictional Baines Creek, set in the Appalachian region. This run down town is set in the rocky mountains, and the book talks about life in this town, laying special focus on Sadie Blue. Narrated from the perspective of ten different characters, the book gives one peek into the life of Sadie Blue, and how she walks into trouble by marrying Roy Tupkin. While this is just one of the plotlines in the book, the book touches upon the lives of these simple people, the struggles that they encounter and how they all join hands at difficult times.
It also shows how an outsider is treated, how a person from the valley feels amidst these people who are oblivious to the rest of the world and how these cultural difference become a point of exploration rather than being a point of disagreement. It would be wrong to call it a thriller, and it would be more suited to be described as a book that highlights culture, relationships and a book that inspires one to trust in themselves and have faith in new beginnings.
The language is hands down the most intriguing part of the book. As it focuses on a unique group of people, people who have a heavy accent and a rather interesting dialect. It is very interesting to read this book that is written in a traditional Appalachian style.
The Author, though not of Appalachian descent has managed to narrate this book in a very authentic and rustic style. Another feature of the book are the varied characters included in it. The different voices in the book are all unique and have an interesting story to tell. The book is rich with details of the landscape, the local culture and beliefs of the people making it a very life like narrative.
The book is about Sadie Blue, well mostly. The blurb somehow gave me an impression that it is all about Sadie Blue. However, somewhere along the narrative the book seems to derails and talks about everything else other than the lead character.
I quite liked this book, though I cannot say that I loved it! However, it did give me an insight on a culture I did not know much about, and I got to read a narrative in a rather interesting style, so brownie points for that.