Tuesday, October 4, 2011

"...the nightlife, is no life, but it's my life." Song lyrics




In a well told tale about life in the Appalacian countryside in North Carolina somewhere around the 1950s or 1960s, the author paints a picture of the struggles of life.

Luce lives by herself in the old Lodge. She's totally self-sufficient living in the building which had been a summer home by a man made lake. Once the owner had died, Luce took it upon herself to stay on and act as caretaker.


When her sister is murdered, the state places her sister's two childern into Lucy's care. She felt that she didn't really have any choice. It was either that or have them separated and placed into adoption agencies.

This is an example of Naturalism in literature popular in the early 1900 where the character's environment and heredity predetermine what will happen to them, leaving little that they can do to change the path that is already written for them.


Luce accepts the challange of caring for these tempermental, untalking twins. It makes the reader wonder how she can do this with no parental training, no financial or educational help and no support group.


In a scene that reminded me of Charles Frazier's "Cold Mountain," Luce takes the twins to her friend's home. When her friend places the children on her pony, the twins become normal little children again and utter their first words, the horses name, "Sally."



Bud is the children's father. He's a cold hearted killer. His lack of any trace of compassion and willingness to kill others with little prevocation reminded me of the excellent character Anton Chigurth from "No Country for Old Men."

As the story continues, Bud's path begins to converge with Luce and the children. As their paths come closer and closer, suspense mounts dramatically.

Charles Frazier is a wonderful story teller and has given us a book with rich characters for whom the reader develops a great deal of empathy. It is a book that the reader can get lost in and reaffirms the author's place as one of the best literary writers working today.




http://www.amazon.com/review/R1F99BTVOE2SF3/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm

40 comments:

Tea said...

Hi Mike, I would like to be included in the giveaway. Your review is very interesting.

I tried to follow you on Shelfari,not successful.

I follow you here and on Twitter

teakettle58(at)yahoo(dot)com

I marked yes for your wonderful review on Amazon.

Linda Kish said...

This sounds like a really interesting story. Count me in, please.

I am a GFC follower

I went to Amazon review and indicated "YES" it was helpful

I am US follower

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Unknown said...

I am a follower and email subscriber. Please enter me in contest. I would love to read this book. Tore923@aol.com

heather said...

Loved, loved, loved the review. The book sounds awesome. Yes, count me in, please.
I'm now following you on Shelfari (yay) :)
chamblinh@gmail.com

skkorman said...

I would love to read this book—please enter me to win! I'm a follower and I indicated that your amazon.com review was helpful! Thanks for the opportunity to win!

Unknown said...

I loved Cold Mountain so I would love to be entered to win!
jennyerin1077(at)gmail(dot)com

Did all the necessary items to be entered :)

Thanks!

Unknown said...

Thanks for the notif. Sir Mike ^_^

you know how I like the sound of murder in books lol :)) big fan XD
awesome review!

GFC follower: kimyunalesca

kimyunalesca(at)yahoo(dot)com

In Julie's Opinion said...

This sounds like such a good book, and definitely one that I would enjoy reading! I would love to be entered to win a copy :)

GFC follower
Shelfari friend
Marked yes for your review

jwitt33 at live dot com

Unknown said...

This sounds like such a good book ... exactly the kind of book I enjoy. And ... I live in NC so I'm always looking for books about "old timey" life in this area. I'm a GFC follower and I follow you on twitter (I'm @smallftprints). I also went and marked "yes" on your review (which is very good). Thanks for this opportunity! :-)
reducefootprints at gmail dot com

latanya t said...

gfc follower

sweetums82red at gmail dot com

latanya t said...

I clicked yes on your amazon review.

sweetums82red at gmail dot com

latanya t said...

I wish to be included in this giveaway! Thank you!!

sweetums82red at gmail dot com

PiinkPoodle said...

I would like to be entered in this giveaway :)

I am a follower via GFC: PiinkPoodle
Following via Shelfari: Hien Vo
I went to Amazon review and indicated "YES" it was helpful.

swttie at gmail dot com

Thank you so much for the chance :)

Connie said...

Hi!I would love to be included in the giveaway. I am a follower here and a friend of yours on Shelfari. Thank you for having wonderful book giveaways on here. :)

aliasgirl1976@yahoo.com

Krystal Larson said...

GFC Krystal Larson edysicecreamlover18@gmailDOTcom I enjoyed the review!

Kristi said...

Yes - Please enter me in this giveaway!
I am a follower here and on Shelfari. I marked yes and commented on your amazon review.

kherbrand at comcast dot net

Michele said...

I'm a new follower
Please sign me on for the giveaway!
I marked yes for your Amazon review
thank you!
rlawrence110 at yahoo dot com

Patricia said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Patricia said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Darlene said...

Please enter me in the draw, and thanks for the giveaway!

- Following you on GFC (Darlene)
- Shelfari friend
- I left a comment on Amazon on your review and said it was helpful

darlenesbooknook at gmail dot com

Patricia said...

Mike - yes, please, I would like to be included in this Giveaway.

My email:
madley (AT) cogeco (DOT) ca

I continue to follow your blog, and have 'liked' your review on Amazon.
Plus, I REALLY like your review on Amazon!

I am Following you on Shelfari, but I am very new - no Shelf set up yet!!

Thank you for this Giveaway - I hope I win!!

Patricia

mamabunny13 said...

I would like to be included in this giveaway.

I follow via gfc - mamabunny13

clicked yes to Amazon review

mamabunny13 at gmail dot com

ann said...

I would like to enter the giveaway.

I am a GFC follower-amhengst

I put yes on Amazon review

amhengst at verizon dot net

Denise Z said...

Thank you the invite about this awesome book. I have seen it before and looked it up on amazon and it is intriguing. I checked out your review on amazon and you absolutely humble me with your gift of sharing about a story. Of course I liked your review and found it very helpful, marking it yes to indicate I did :) I appreciate the giveaway opportunity and would love to read Nightwoods. I follow you here and on twitter :)

dz59001[at]gmail[dot]com

Anonymous said...

Hi Mike I would like yo be included in the give away I am a goodreads and twitter follower!

lizorbeth77@yahoo.com

Cassie said...

Please include me in the giveaway! Thanks Mike!

cmccown629[at]gmail[dot]com

Nancy said...

I'm a follower of your blog, voted yes on the review, and would love to be included in the giveaway! Thanks!

Nancy
allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

lag123 said...

Please include me! Thank u for the giveaway!

lag110 at mchsi dot com

Charla said...

Please includ me in the giveaway!
charlawilson@me.com
I marked yes for your review on Amazon!
GFCbooktalkwithcharla
Twitter charlawilson

Harvee said...

Hi: I'm a follower.

Would love to win this book.

harvee44 (at) yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

Please enter me into the giveaway--thanks! I did all the prerequisite actions :) Rae bestobooks@gmail.com

Johanna said...

Mike, count me in.

Holly said...

I would love to be included in this giveaway.

I am a follower and indicated yes on your review.

BrittanyGale said...

Thanks for the giveaway.
I follow your blog and I found your Amazon review helpful.

quixoticdreamer(at)hotmail(dot)com

Cackleberry Homestead said...

Thanks for the giveaway - this books sounds great and I'm a sucker for anything set in NC.

I'm a GFC follower.

I clicked yes on the Amazon review :)

crystalfulcher(at)ec.rr.com

BrendaC said...

Mike your reviews are always helpful so I indicated yes at Amazon. I also follow you on Twitter, Shelfari and Goodreads. Please count me in for this giveaway, I love books set in the Appalachian mountains. kittycrochettwo at msn dot com

Anonymous said...

I wish to be included in the giveaway
marcee dot rodgers at gmail dot com.

I am a Shelfari Follower: (Marcee R.)

I am a GFC Follower (Marcee)

Went to Amazon review and indicated "YES" helpful

Tracy.H said...

I would love to be included in this one. Thanks! And yes, I said YES to your review on Amazon.

luvswdw(at)telus(dot)net

BURIED IN BOOKS said...

Oopps! I missed the giveaway! I've been at my son's school and haven't even turned on the computer. That was a great review of this book. I didn't read Cold Mountain, but this one sounds very chilling! And I enjoy books set in my area. The mountains provide a very good place for evil to lurk.

Heather

Can't believe your book is about to come out! What a great fall you must be having. Please let me know when it comes out so I can put it on my blog! I know it isn't YA, but I can still announce it!

Unknown said...

Best wishes to giveaway winners:
Johanna for "Nightwoods'
Sanity Eludes Me for "Screams and Whispers"

Please contact me with your mailing address at
dmd311@cshore.com

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