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stacey54's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
kaymlink's review against another edition
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
jackielayla's review against another edition
5.0
Took me a while to get this book started due to life events but once I did I couldn’t put it down. A wonderfully written and descriptive coming of age story in Appalachia. It brought together themes of poverty, racial and gender inequality, strife, friendship, love, hope, family, and the secrets and ties that bind people to each other and to their land. Don’t miss the authors notes/explanation at the end of the meaning of GodPretty.
gaylelabreche's review against another edition
3.0
I felt very meh about this. Didn’t love the “twist” at the end.
judithdcollins's review against another edition
4.0
Kim Michele Richardson returns following her Southern debut of Liar’s Bench (2015) with GODPRETTY IN THE TOBACCO FIELD, another Southern charmer. A coming-of-age tale of one girl’s strong determination beyond the small town of Nameless, filled with dark secrets poverty, tobacco, injustice, and hardship—replaced with hope, family, and dreams for a better life if you believe.
Richardson visited the backwoods and rural areas of Western Kentucky in Liar’s Bench. In GodPretty she explores Appalachia-- its darkly coal-rich mountains and the hardscrabble people of Eastern Kentucky.
From the ugly tobacco fields Gunnar controls RubyLyn, with punishment. Anything to do with Gunnar and God would mean punishment. However, RubyLyn is innocent, tender, and has a heart of gold. From ugly to beautiful. A story of poverty, oppression of Appalachian women in the sixties—the consequences, fears, and their limited futures.
Beautifully written, a Southern backdrop, infused with art, history, and music--from racial strife and the limitations of the South—especially for women--a look through the innocent eyes of a beautiful young girl.
At fifteen, RubyLyn lives with her uncle Gunnar Royal, almost sixty years old, in 1969 in the South in Nameless, Kentucky. She works the tobacco field every day and continues to receive abuse, both emotional and physical by her uncle. He took her to ten years ago, and he had made it his mission and sole purpose to chase out her parents’ devils.
Her daddy, the sin chaser and snake-handling pastor of Nameless, Kentucky’s Mountain Tent Tabernacle, died when she was four, and six months later her Mama passed as well. RubyLyn wonders why there is so much ugly. She misses her mama.
Henny Stump, her best friend, is so poor that her family resorts to selling their new baby. Her other neighbors, Beau Crockett and his three boys, are trouble.
At age, forty-four Rose is her salvation. Rose drives a truck and brings back items from Woolworths, to sell to the locals. She takes special care of RubyLyn as she knows she has no other female influences. From books, sketch pads, to frilly feminine treasures. She encourages her and her talents. She creates art out of ordinary tobacco paper.
RubyLyn liked the word—"folk artists". Rose says artists need good paper, and new places to visit to be inspired. She loves to draw and create beautiful things on her fortune telling triangles. Making her feel alive and closer to her Mama. Her ticket out of this town and life.
Rainey Ford is a black field worker, and he always looks out for her. Over the past ten years, she saw he had turned into a fine young man but a softness that made her heart sing. Gunnar did not care for Rainey’s lip, any more than RubyLyn’s sass--things he called sins. Will her uncle's heart ever soften?
The time is approaching for the date of the 1969 Kentucky State Fair the following month. She has to win the prize money in order to get her a new life in Louisville. She would be sixteen in September and she knew if Rose made it there at thirteen…. she had a shot.
She kept her small hinged box. Her daddy’s stuff was long gone, replaced with memories; a tiny next of rescued threads from Mama’s clothes, along with the dried tobacco leaves and looms that Rainey had given her with his promise. They first met when he was eight and she was five—growing up together. Back then he had asked her to marry him sealed with a kiss.
Rainey is going off to Vietnam but they are in love and want to run away together, but of course, this would not be allowed. Of course, they know all too well, they will never be able to be together in this town. Black guys did not mix with white women. She knows if they can get away they could have a life together. She has read about places where they would be acceptable. They both know by staying in this town was as good as being dead.
Then there was Baby Jane she had to protect. RubyLyn knew when she left, she was never returning to the tobacco field, and unfairness of life and her mean Uncle. She has to believe in more than magic.
Kim Richardson has a warm genuine way of drawing you into the Southern world, with vivid settings and insights of a young girl. Her passion for her Kentucky roots is reflected in her writing and research of the areas.
Beyond the poverty and the hot dry tobacco field, and unfairness of life there is beauty. From dark secrets of the past, forbidden love, and of dreams. Readers will fall in love with RubyLyn!
I enjoyed the author’s notes and the phrase she created: "GodPretty, to show starkness in the brutal and beautiful land and its people and mysteries. To Gunnar, the term applied to females, pushing his strict moral codes on RubyLyn. He wanted his niece to be pretty in the eyes of God so he could protect her when he was not around—her soul would shine. Ideal choice for book clubs and further discussions.
Rich in history, character, magic, and especially land, which is an important theme of the book. Filled with music, and the sweet memories and excitement of youth and summers at the State Fair.
How poverty affects learning, habits, choices, and self-worth. As with the soil and land, our souls need nourishment and cultivating. The agricultural community is strong in the Bluegrass State–Kentucky and still leads the nation in burley tobacco production, with more miles of running water than any other state except Alaska.
For Southern fans of Julie Kibler’s- Calling Me Home, Diane Chamberlain's- Necessary Lies, Mary Marcus'-Lavina, and Laura Lane McNeal's-Dollbaby. If you have not read Richardson’s “Liar’s Bench”, highly recommend.
Be sure and pre-order [b:The Sisters of Glass Ferry|34570041|The Sisters of Glass Ferry|Kim Michele Richardson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1490364220s/34570041.jpg|55715888], coming Nov 28, 2017. 5 Stars! (Kentucky's finest storyteller).
A special thank you to Kensington and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Beautiful covers (both book and audio)
JDCMustReadBooks
Richardson visited the backwoods and rural areas of Western Kentucky in Liar’s Bench. In GodPretty she explores Appalachia-- its darkly coal-rich mountains and the hardscrabble people of Eastern Kentucky.
From the ugly tobacco fields Gunnar controls RubyLyn, with punishment. Anything to do with Gunnar and God would mean punishment. However, RubyLyn is innocent, tender, and has a heart of gold. From ugly to beautiful. A story of poverty, oppression of Appalachian women in the sixties—the consequences, fears, and their limited futures.
Beautifully written, a Southern backdrop, infused with art, history, and music--from racial strife and the limitations of the South—especially for women--a look through the innocent eyes of a beautiful young girl.
At fifteen, RubyLyn lives with her uncle Gunnar Royal, almost sixty years old, in 1969 in the South in Nameless, Kentucky. She works the tobacco field every day and continues to receive abuse, both emotional and physical by her uncle. He took her to ten years ago, and he had made it his mission and sole purpose to chase out her parents’ devils.
Her daddy, the sin chaser and snake-handling pastor of Nameless, Kentucky’s Mountain Tent Tabernacle, died when she was four, and six months later her Mama passed as well. RubyLyn wonders why there is so much ugly. She misses her mama.
Henny Stump, her best friend, is so poor that her family resorts to selling their new baby. Her other neighbors, Beau Crockett and his three boys, are trouble.
At age, forty-four Rose is her salvation. Rose drives a truck and brings back items from Woolworths, to sell to the locals. She takes special care of RubyLyn as she knows she has no other female influences. From books, sketch pads, to frilly feminine treasures. She encourages her and her talents. She creates art out of ordinary tobacco paper.
RubyLyn liked the word—"folk artists". Rose says artists need good paper, and new places to visit to be inspired. She loves to draw and create beautiful things on her fortune telling triangles. Making her feel alive and closer to her Mama. Her ticket out of this town and life.
Rainey Ford is a black field worker, and he always looks out for her. Over the past ten years, she saw he had turned into a fine young man but a softness that made her heart sing. Gunnar did not care for Rainey’s lip, any more than RubyLyn’s sass--things he called sins. Will her uncle's heart ever soften?
The time is approaching for the date of the 1969 Kentucky State Fair the following month. She has to win the prize money in order to get her a new life in Louisville. She would be sixteen in September and she knew if Rose made it there at thirteen…. she had a shot.
She kept her small hinged box. Her daddy’s stuff was long gone, replaced with memories; a tiny next of rescued threads from Mama’s clothes, along with the dried tobacco leaves and looms that Rainey had given her with his promise. They first met when he was eight and she was five—growing up together. Back then he had asked her to marry him sealed with a kiss.
Rainey is going off to Vietnam but they are in love and want to run away together, but of course, this would not be allowed. Of course, they know all too well, they will never be able to be together in this town. Black guys did not mix with white women. She knows if they can get away they could have a life together. She has read about places where they would be acceptable. They both know by staying in this town was as good as being dead.
Then there was Baby Jane she had to protect. RubyLyn knew when she left, she was never returning to the tobacco field, and unfairness of life and her mean Uncle. She has to believe in more than magic.
Kim Richardson has a warm genuine way of drawing you into the Southern world, with vivid settings and insights of a young girl. Her passion for her Kentucky roots is reflected in her writing and research of the areas.
Beyond the poverty and the hot dry tobacco field, and unfairness of life there is beauty. From dark secrets of the past, forbidden love, and of dreams. Readers will fall in love with RubyLyn!
I enjoyed the author’s notes and the phrase she created: "GodPretty, to show starkness in the brutal and beautiful land and its people and mysteries. To Gunnar, the term applied to females, pushing his strict moral codes on RubyLyn. He wanted his niece to be pretty in the eyes of God so he could protect her when he was not around—her soul would shine. Ideal choice for book clubs and further discussions.
Rich in history, character, magic, and especially land, which is an important theme of the book. Filled with music, and the sweet memories and excitement of youth and summers at the State Fair.
How poverty affects learning, habits, choices, and self-worth. As with the soil and land, our souls need nourishment and cultivating. The agricultural community is strong in the Bluegrass State–Kentucky and still leads the nation in burley tobacco production, with more miles of running water than any other state except Alaska.
For Southern fans of Julie Kibler’s- Calling Me Home, Diane Chamberlain's- Necessary Lies, Mary Marcus'-Lavina, and Laura Lane McNeal's-Dollbaby. If you have not read Richardson’s “Liar’s Bench”, highly recommend.
Be sure and pre-order [b:The Sisters of Glass Ferry|34570041|The Sisters of Glass Ferry|Kim Michele Richardson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1490364220s/34570041.jpg|55715888], coming Nov 28, 2017. 5 Stars! (Kentucky's finest storyteller).
A special thank you to Kensington and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Beautiful covers (both book and audio)
JDCMustReadBooks
jbarr5's review against another edition
4.0
Godpretty in the Tobacco Field by Kim Michele Richardson
Thought the story in this book sounded good to me. We have traveled through the tobacco fileds of KY on our way from RI, OH, to TN to visit relatives and have often seen the smoke coming out of the houses, drying the leaves.
Mother in law was going to stop and call for help thinking it was somebody's house that was on fire til the drying of the leaves was explained to her. Interesting to know what will events are in this book, for us to experience ourselves.
Enjoyed this book because I learned so much about the tobacco leaves and fields. State fair was an added bonus for me-all the sights, sounds, and I can imagine the smells of food. Was so happy to learn that knitting was also a talent that would be granted ribbons or the best work.
Ruby is able to get away to go with Rose and they each set up their booths. Terrifying neighbors and others selling babies-some things just don't sit well with me but it's the mountain life.
Many tragedies occur and so many blame certain people til they find out the truth, then all the other truths shed light. For some it's a blessing for others it's the end as they know it...
Especially liked the fortune teller notes and learning about the sketching.
I received this book from The Kennsington Books in exchange for my honest review
Thought the story in this book sounded good to me. We have traveled through the tobacco fileds of KY on our way from RI, OH, to TN to visit relatives and have often seen the smoke coming out of the houses, drying the leaves.
Mother in law was going to stop and call for help thinking it was somebody's house that was on fire til the drying of the leaves was explained to her. Interesting to know what will events are in this book, for us to experience ourselves.
Enjoyed this book because I learned so much about the tobacco leaves and fields. State fair was an added bonus for me-all the sights, sounds, and I can imagine the smells of food. Was so happy to learn that knitting was also a talent that would be granted ribbons or the best work.
Ruby is able to get away to go with Rose and they each set up their booths. Terrifying neighbors and others selling babies-some things just don't sit well with me but it's the mountain life.
Many tragedies occur and so many blame certain people til they find out the truth, then all the other truths shed light. For some it's a blessing for others it's the end as they know it...
Especially liked the fortune teller notes and learning about the sketching.
I received this book from The Kennsington Books in exchange for my honest review
hkihm's review against another edition
2.0
Coming-of-age story of a young orphan girl living in rural Kentucky in 1969.
rebeccaweger's review against another edition
challenging
dark
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Child abuse, and Violence