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em_callan's review
4.0
I feel like Glory’s story did get overshadowed by the rest of the women’s stories and I wish they talked more about the trial and made that a bigger part of the plot. Maybe I just have an issue with white people writing characters of color and trying to show their struggles? Hard to seem genuine when that happens.
marinaemoore's review against another edition
5.0
This is, sincerely, one of the most beautifully-written books I’ve ever read. Set in Odessa, Texas in the 70s, this book shows how a brutal crime impacts the women of the town.
This book is gritty, and isn’t one of those books where the author neatly wraps everything up with a bow.
This book is gritty, and isn’t one of those books where the author neatly wraps everything up with a bow.
thephdivabooks's review
5.0
Haunting and exquisite, this is the sort of book that carried a heavy stillness when I read it, where nothing else seemed to exist besides me and the story I was reading.
This book is so beautifully written, Elizabeth Wetmore is truly talented and brings a depth and authenticity to the heavy topics dealt with in this story. It is also a story that I’m particularly honored to feature on International Women’s Day, being a book filled with incredible women who make small and large actions to support other women, even at the expense of themselves.
Beginning with the tragic and evocative aftermath of a sexual assault told to us by the 14-year old victim and survivor Gloria Ramirez, Valentine is clearly marked as no ordinary book. Avoiding the graphic elements of the assault, Wetmore instead describes the aftermath through the small elements that allow this incredibly brave and vulnerable young woman to ground herself and survive the attack. The feeling of the sandy dirt, the view across the flat landscape, the sight of her own foot. These solid, objective elements let her know that she is still present, despite the disassociation that she may have experienced.
When Gloria shows up on the porch of Mary Rose’s ranch on the morning after Valentine’s Day, Mary Rose is far along in her pregnancy and has her own daughter to protect. And yet, Mary Rose is instantly one of the most captivating characters of the novel, noting that she should turn this unknown girl away to protect herself and her family—it’s what her husband would want her to do—and yet Mary Rose is no ordinary woman. She has a strength to fight back that she allowed to go dormant for so long.
As each chapter progresses, other women enter the narrative. There is Corrine, who has suffered her own hard times. And there is Debra Ann and Karla, who are young but not weak. Each woman (and girl) have their own story to tell. They all revolve around the toxic masculinity of the town they live in, and the women who stand up suffer some severe consequences. The unapologetic racism and sexism are prevalent in the town of Odessa, and I loved the way the chain of rebellion—beginning with Gloria merely surviving and then Mary Rose not allowing Goria’s attacker in the house—picked up momentum through the book. Each woman whose story intertwines with Goria’s makes the thread stronger, until there is power in the women pushing back against the much stronger patriarchy of the town of Odessa.
And yet there is the unavoidable heaviness to a story like this and sadness. This is not a fairy tale that Elizabeth Wetmore has crafted. This is a story that was so authentic feeling, that I actually forgot that it isn’t non-fiction. The descriptive language is captivating, and the narrative is woven together so delicately as if spun from glass. Beautiful, haunting, and unforgettable.
Thank you to the team at Harper Books for my copy. Opinions are my own.
This book is so beautifully written, Elizabeth Wetmore is truly talented and brings a depth and authenticity to the heavy topics dealt with in this story. It is also a story that I’m particularly honored to feature on International Women’s Day, being a book filled with incredible women who make small and large actions to support other women, even at the expense of themselves.
Beginning with the tragic and evocative aftermath of a sexual assault told to us by the 14-year old victim and survivor Gloria Ramirez, Valentine is clearly marked as no ordinary book. Avoiding the graphic elements of the assault, Wetmore instead describes the aftermath through the small elements that allow this incredibly brave and vulnerable young woman to ground herself and survive the attack. The feeling of the sandy dirt, the view across the flat landscape, the sight of her own foot. These solid, objective elements let her know that she is still present, despite the disassociation that she may have experienced.
When Gloria shows up on the porch of Mary Rose’s ranch on the morning after Valentine’s Day, Mary Rose is far along in her pregnancy and has her own daughter to protect. And yet, Mary Rose is instantly one of the most captivating characters of the novel, noting that she should turn this unknown girl away to protect herself and her family—it’s what her husband would want her to do—and yet Mary Rose is no ordinary woman. She has a strength to fight back that she allowed to go dormant for so long.
As each chapter progresses, other women enter the narrative. There is Corrine, who has suffered her own hard times. And there is Debra Ann and Karla, who are young but not weak. Each woman (and girl) have their own story to tell. They all revolve around the toxic masculinity of the town they live in, and the women who stand up suffer some severe consequences. The unapologetic racism and sexism are prevalent in the town of Odessa, and I loved the way the chain of rebellion—beginning with Gloria merely surviving and then Mary Rose not allowing Goria’s attacker in the house—picked up momentum through the book. Each woman whose story intertwines with Goria’s makes the thread stronger, until there is power in the women pushing back against the much stronger patriarchy of the town of Odessa.
And yet there is the unavoidable heaviness to a story like this and sadness. This is not a fairy tale that Elizabeth Wetmore has crafted. This is a story that was so authentic feeling, that I actually forgot that it isn’t non-fiction. The descriptive language is captivating, and the narrative is woven together so delicately as if spun from glass. Beautiful, haunting, and unforgettable.
Thank you to the team at Harper Books for my copy. Opinions are my own.
ecconway's review
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
keichler's review
4.0
It is heart wrenching. It took place in West Texas where I am from, and it felt very familiar.
baronwolfie's review
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Rape
cortney1208's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
A gruesome crime that affects the lives of a young teenage girl, a young mom, an older widow, and a young abandoned child all in different ways. I really love stories told from different povs but tied together in small ways that create huge impacts on everyone involved. All the while treating the west Texas oil fields as a character all their own.
This book was haunting and raw. Set in 1970s west Texas, where women meant nothing and the Mexican immigrants meant even less. This book will leave you a little sad, but also hopeful.
This is your war story.
This book was haunting and raw. Set in 1970s west Texas, where women meant nothing and the Mexican immigrants meant even less. This book will leave you a little sad, but also hopeful.
This is your war story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Racial slurs
taliatalksbooks's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
*TW: Sexual assault; rape; sexism; racism; misogyny; domestic violence; toxic relationships; grief; abandonment*
Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore was a deep dive into the characters of a small town in Texas. This heartbreaking read centers around the trial of a crime, and shows true to life examples of how people react to news of sexual assault and rape. This book was incredibly moving and depressing with each page turned, and reminded me a lot of a modern day To Kill A Mockingbird. I found the characters compelling, but I wish led we could have taken a deeper dive into some of the characters. Some of the women featured only got one segment, which left me wanting more of their perspectives. This story really focused on the characters, which is why I was a bit disappointed when we didn’t dive deeper into some of the narrating women. They were all interesting in unique ways, and I think that it was extremely powerful to tell this story through only female perspectives. This book read as both the past and future given our current social climate here in the U.S., and because of that I think it is especially important to read, given that we are in an election year once again.
Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore was a deep dive into the characters of a small town in Texas. This heartbreaking read centers around the trial of a crime, and shows true to life examples of how people react to news of sexual assault and rape. This book was incredibly moving and depressing with each page turned, and reminded me a lot of a modern day To Kill A Mockingbird. I found the characters compelling, but I wish led we could have taken a deeper dive into some of the characters. Some of the women featured only got one segment, which left me wanting more of their perspectives. This story really focused on the characters, which is why I was a bit disappointed when we didn’t dive deeper into some of the narrating women. They were all interesting in unique ways, and I think that it was extremely powerful to tell this story through only female perspectives. This book read as both the past and future given our current social climate here in the U.S., and because of that I think it is especially important to read, given that we are in an election year once again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Suicide, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Sexism, Abortion, Addiction, Animal death, Cursing, Abandonment, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Cancer, Deportation, Grief, Sexual assault, Self harm, Racism, Rape, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, and Mental illness
skytannathegreat's review
3.0
3.5 stars.
A tale that will have you feeling emotional at some points and letting you ease out of those emotions at others. Wetmore was able to convey the West Texas feel with her picturesque settings and small nods to the peoples everyday lives. Why only 3.5 stars? I thought that Wetmore not using quotation marks made it hard to follow what was dialogue and what was inner thoughts at times, which made it hard to keep the story flowing. She also included some points of view that were not needed for the storytelling. I feel like Ginny's chapters were not needed to push the story forward at all. Hearing what her life was like from her daughter D.A. was well enough for me.
If you want to read a story that expands on the racism and sexism that existed in the 70's--especially in West Texas--and how different types of women reacted to these, then I would recommend reading this debut novel.
A tale that will have you feeling emotional at some points and letting you ease out of those emotions at others. Wetmore was able to convey the West Texas feel with her picturesque settings and small nods to the peoples everyday lives. Why only 3.5 stars? I thought that Wetmore not using quotation marks made it hard to follow what was dialogue and what was inner thoughts at times, which made it hard to keep the story flowing. She also included some points of view that were not needed for the storytelling. I feel like Ginny's chapters were not needed to push the story forward at all. Hearing what her life was like from her daughter D.A. was well enough for me.
If you want to read a story that expands on the racism and sexism that existed in the 70's--especially in West Texas--and how different types of women reacted to these, then I would recommend reading this debut novel.