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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
I love the idea of this book. All of the characters are phenomenal and I am so into that small town southern feel. Everybody is up in everybody else's business and each person has his own quirks. Trigiani does such a perfect job of getting that environment to come alive on paper and her storytelling is really fun. Iva Lou is my favorite character. She is so sassy and I love that she is a librarian who loves her books and her jobs but is also a bit of a man eater. Iva Lou talking about men and sex is so refreshing, particularly compared to Ave Maria's prudishness. Otto and Worley are also awesome. I found it so charming that they go from being the people in town who pick up everyone's junk to two of Ave's best friends.
Despite all of the things I liked about this novel, Ave Maria herself drove me a little crazy. She is so self-centered! I don't mean selfish, because obviously she gives so much of herself to everybody around her, but she thinks everything revolves around her. When Jack proposes to her she is horrified and assumes he pities her without ever actually finding out how he really feels about her. Even Theodore, her best friend, is often accused of having ulterior motives when clearly he just loves her to death and wants her to be happy. I spent a lot of time thinking "Open your eyes Ave!" I will still probably pick up the next book because the Virginia town is portrayed so, so well. I really hope Ave has grown up a little more by then.
Despite all of the things I liked about this novel, Ave Maria herself drove me a little crazy. She is so self-centered! I don't mean selfish, because obviously she gives so much of herself to everybody around her, but she thinks everything revolves around her. When Jack proposes to her she is horrified and assumes he pities her without ever actually finding out how he really feels about her. Even Theodore, her best friend, is often accused of having ulterior motives when clearly he just loves her to death and wants her to be happy. I spent a lot of time thinking "Open your eyes Ave!" I will still probably pick up the next book because the Virginia town is portrayed so, so well. I really hope Ave has grown up a little more by then.
Like a good movie... kind of predictable, but delightful just the same.
Adriana has quickly become one of my favorite authors. I loved the quirky characters and the portrait of small town southern life.
This was such a treat! I loved reading a novel set in the Blue Ridge -- I could just hear my grandmother's accent in the voices of the characters. A story of family lost and found again, Ave Maria's life and friendships in Big Stone Gap are a delight.
I liked this one more than I thought I would. It's actually just right for this time of year. Unusual characters, good pace, not too heavy, not too light (am I making this sound like a beer commercial?). Anyway, I was moved to read the next in the series as well.
Listened to this one and loved the author reading this. Very fun, charming, sweet, and a little sad. Perfect easy listening. Already picked up the second one.
I think my problem here was that the characters weren't particularly three-dimensional. Ave Maria's friends are nice; her aunt is nasty. Events were sometimes improbable, but most of all: a lot of the plot revolved around misunderstandings and miscommunication, which I have learned to dread from historical romances. Stop stomping around! Just talk to each other! Jeez!
DNF. I never DNF books. I power through to the bitter end so I can expel my rage at the end. But, Ave Maria went from 0 to 100% irritating very quickly and I knew I couldn't continue on reading her banal thoughts and pretending to care. She snipes at the 'pretty' girls more than once and that was the first warning sign for me. Characters who do this are eyeroll worthy and they usually are teenagers. This is a grown woman doing it so it's even more insufferable. Then, she gets kissed by her best friend and she's suddenly in love with him. What?? We get no indication of this when the best friend was introduced. None at all. I hate first person typically and I know I couldn't continue on in Ave Maria's patronizing head.
Sorry, was I supposed to like Ave Maria? What a dick. Jack Mac—and Theodore, for that matter—deserve better.