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mpatterson610's review
4.0
Sweet book, but I wish it had more about her relationship with her wife, even though I understand that that’s very private and personal
alyssackim's review
3.0
Let’s start with the good. It was up an enjoyable read, easy and also inspiring, the life the author described is nuanced, and enviable to some degree. I enjoyed parts of this book, it started with a thread that it followed, creating a nice patchwork of stories that blended well. Further on the quilt became more eclectic, and not in a good way. It felt unfocused and some of the discreet parts were not as polished, writing-wise, as others. It also got more spiritual as it progressed, not bad, but not my cup of tea.
She seems to have some blind spots and poor logic exhibited throughout the book that employs throwaway lines and lends broad strokes to things that should be given more time. A specifically uncomfortable example of this was her comparison of different types of pain at the very end. She lists these unimaginable traumas (rape, child death, self-harm) against mundane pains of life, not bad in and of itself, but a brittle, and left a bad taste in my mouth. That being said, it is a book that is sub-300 pages, and is meant to be a memoir (not a book on crafting a sustainable life, as the cover suggests.)
Overall I enjoyed my read, but would not read again.
She seems to have some blind spots and poor logic exhibited throughout the book that employs throwaway lines and lends broad strokes to things that should be given more time. A specifically uncomfortable example of this was her comparison of different types of pain at the very end. She lists these unimaginable traumas (rape, child death, self-harm) against mundane pains of life, not bad in and of itself, but a brittle, and left a bad taste in my mouth. That being said, it is a book that is sub-300 pages, and is meant to be a memoir (not a book on crafting a sustainable life, as the cover suggests.)
Overall I enjoyed my read, but would not read again.
amandatoryfun's review
5.0
Not so much a back to the land story as a brave and vulnerable retelling of Legler's perfectly imperfect life, full of mistakes, shortcomings, and healing. A great memoir that gave me a lot to personally reflect on. Poignant and a treat to read!
samiamstew's review
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Talks about this queer woman’s life in rural Maine with her partner, including the affair she was having that almost hurt their relationship, but also detailed descriptions of how to skin a raccoon, goat udder infections, and other complexities of rural life.
kb_sherman's review
I enjoyed parts about farming and rural life, but reflections on personal life reveal entitled memoirist with little thought for how her actions affect others.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity and Animal death
Moderate: Death of parent
halliesimon's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
mercourier's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
These were good essays. It was a lovely memoir but I am not sure a full picture emerged and overall I wouldn't come back to these.