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bbethcasas's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
This book was so much to take in! I feel like my heart was jumping out of my chest half the time! I couldn’t read it fast enough!
12 year old Martha “Sonny”Creech, her mother, father, and two brothers, Trent, and Ross, live happily on a farm. Their home is filled with love, even though times weren’t always easy. They all work together to make ends meet, each doing their part.
Things take a sudden turn one day when as they are chopping weeds, their Daddy is bitten by a snake, and the worst damage is done before they are able to get him medical care. Daddy dies and leaves his family ill prepared to carry on with the uncertainties of farming life. Within days of his passing, they learn that they can’t be extended a line of credit at the general store so the cotton seed that was specially ordered by Daddy for the planting season can’t be purchased. They are left with no plan of what to do, but pick up small jobs here and there to try to make the money. This plan seems to be getting them nowhere fast.
Then, Mr. Frank Fowler, their odd neighbor shows up with what he feels is a plan that could help them both. He could buy the seed to plant both their fields, they would each work their own fields and split the profits. Sonny feels very suspicious of this plan, and with good reason! Sonny and her dad had previous dealings with Mr. Fowler that had ended in less than positive feelings. But there’s no way Sonny or anyone else could be prepared for the events the future holds! She has no idea of the depths of lunacy Mr. Fowler will take them to!
12 year old Martha “Sonny”Creech, her mother, father, and two brothers, Trent, and Ross, live happily on a farm. Their home is filled with love, even though times weren’t always easy. They all work together to make ends meet, each doing their part.
Then, Mr. Frank Fowler, their odd neighbor shows up with what he feels is a plan that could help them both. He could buy the seed to plant both their fields, they would each work their own fields and split the profits. Sonny feels very suspicious of this plan, and with good reason! Sonny and her dad had previous dealings with Mr. Fowler that had ended in less than positive feelings. But there’s no way Sonny or anyone else could be prepared for the events the future holds! She has no idea of the depths of lunacy Mr. Fowler will take them to!
shirleytupperfreeman's review against another edition
Donna Everhart has written another good novel with a strong young female narrator and an evil man threatening the future of all the protagonist holds dear. After 12-year-old Sonny's father dies in a tragic event, their neighbor, Mr. Fowler, gets involved with the family. Though Sonny and her brothers and their friend sense that all is not right with Mr. Fowler, Sonny's mom sees him as a source of hope for the future. Some bad things happen, including some Klan activity, before a form of justice prevails.
socorrobaptista's review against another edition
medium-paced
5.0
Eu realmente amei este livro. Algumas cenas são muito dolorosas, com é de se esperar em sociedades racistas e preconceituosas, mas é uma bela história de superação e de resiliência, de fortalecimento das relações familiares e de lealdade entre irmãos. Muito bom!!!
mrgx0_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
mv64's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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? No
4.5
susanp's review against another edition
4.0
Well-written coming-of-age story set on a Georgia cotton farm in the 1950s, this book has good character development and a well-developed plot, but no joy.
anionce's review against another edition
4.0
Donna Everhart books are always a priority. I requested this one as soon as I saw it on Netgalley, because her other two books had been favorites of mine. And while THE FORGIVING KIND was a different experience for me, I still believe Donna Everhart is a wonderful writer and this is a great and important book.
While I loved reading the first chapter and getting to know Sonny and her father, I admit I lost some interest when he died and the family had to continue with the business. I found the first half of the book rather slow, but I kept on going because I knew it wouldn’t disappoint me. And I’m so glad I did! This is a touching story about a family, about grief, love, racism, and friendship. And the importance of loyalty and never losng hope.
From one particular event on, I found this book unputdownable, and I couldn’t stop turning the pages. This is not a thriller or a fast-paced aventure, but I was so consumed by the story that I needed to know what would happen next. My favorite storyline was the one involving Sonny’s friend, Daniel. There were some scenes that broke my heart and the ending almost made me cry… it’s not a happy story, but it remains hopeful.
This is a book that talks about many important themes and even though it’s set in the 50s, it’s still relevant today. Also, I have never heard of divining water (I’m sorry!), and I found it fascinating. I believe that, like all three books by Everhart, this novel would translate beautifully to the big screen (picture something like The Secret Life of Bees).
While I loved reading the first chapter and getting to know Sonny and her father, I admit I lost some interest when he died and the family had to continue with the business. I found the first half of the book rather slow, but I kept on going because I knew it wouldn’t disappoint me. And I’m so glad I did! This is a touching story about a family, about grief, love, racism, and friendship. And the importance of loyalty and never losng hope.
From one particular event on, I found this book unputdownable, and I couldn’t stop turning the pages. This is not a thriller or a fast-paced aventure, but I was so consumed by the story that I needed to know what would happen next. My favorite storyline was the one involving Sonny’s friend, Daniel. There were some scenes that broke my heart and the ending almost made me cry… it’s not a happy story, but it remains hopeful.
This is a book that talks about many important themes and even though it’s set in the 50s, it’s still relevant today. Also, I have never heard of divining water (I’m sorry!), and I found it fascinating. I believe that, like all three books by Everhart, this novel would translate beautifully to the big screen (picture something like The Secret Life of Bees).
bookapotamus's review against another edition
5.0
This book. It's so, so special. It's endearing and heartwarming, but also peppered with loss and a bit of magic. Sonny is the most special part about it. Equal parts heroic and vulnerable, her strength is captivating. Her wide-eyed sincere reactions to tragedy and ignorance just warms everything inside of you. I do hope everyone reads this special story. The writing is stunning and the story wraps you up in it's arms and doesn't let go til the final page.
Martha “Sonny” Creech is 12. It's 1950's North Carolina and she's so very young and cannot fathom life without her family, tending the fields, digging in the dirt with her father, picking cotton with her two older brothers. Until one day, that life becomes reality when her father is taken from them in a terrible tragedy, and the prospect of losing the farm begins to loom over them.
Her mother must decide how to save the family farm, and gets caught up in a business relationship with a boorish and surly man, who promises to help save the farm. But they may lose everything else they love because of him.
The dynamic between Sonny and her father is charming and sweet. No-one feels the loss more than Sonny as her and her father both shared the special talent of being water diviners - able to find water when it's most needed simply with instinct, a willow branch and some old fashioned magic. The kids at school call her "water witch" so she really only shares one special friend, Daniel, who also struggles with his own inner strife, which Sonny tries so desperately hard to understand.
I adored Sonny, and her family - who all react in different ways to the father's death. The dynamics between every character from start to finish range from terrible sadness to horrific bigotry, but in between - a delightful amount of charm, devotion and admiration for a sweet little girl just trying to be good in a world gone so bad.
Martha “Sonny” Creech is 12. It's 1950's North Carolina and she's so very young and cannot fathom life without her family, tending the fields, digging in the dirt with her father, picking cotton with her two older brothers. Until one day, that life becomes reality when her father is taken from them in a terrible tragedy, and the prospect of losing the farm begins to loom over them.
Her mother must decide how to save the family farm, and gets caught up in a business relationship with a boorish and surly man, who promises to help save the farm. But they may lose everything else they love because of him.
The dynamic between Sonny and her father is charming and sweet. No-one feels the loss more than Sonny as her and her father both shared the special talent of being water diviners - able to find water when it's most needed simply with instinct, a willow branch and some old fashioned magic. The kids at school call her "water witch" so she really only shares one special friend, Daniel, who also struggles with his own inner strife, which Sonny tries so desperately hard to understand.
I adored Sonny, and her family - who all react in different ways to the father's death. The dynamics between every character from start to finish range from terrible sadness to horrific bigotry, but in between - a delightful amount of charm, devotion and admiration for a sweet little girl just trying to be good in a world gone so bad.
cydneydaniel's review against another edition
3.0
I have a lot of mixed feelings for this book. It started off really strong; I was immediately pulled in and attached to the Creech family. The story was interesting. I simultaneously needed to know what happened next and dreaded to read the next page sometimes. It was an interesting anticipation that I don’t often feel with books. You’re very well aware of the villain in our story, and you hate him the whole way through. I felt angry and helpless and hopeless and all of the things. It got a little overwhelming sometimes.
I think Everhart tried to touch on some harder subjects (death, grief, abuse, rape, race?, homosexuality) through the eyes of a 12 year old, and I’m not sure I really liked the way she went about it. I wasn’t aware that abuse was going to happen in this book, and I wish I would have known before I read it. Sometimes that’s hard for me to stomach.
I think Everhart tried to touch on some harder subjects (death, grief, abuse, rape, race?, homosexuality) through the eyes of a 12 year old, and I’m not sure I really liked the way she went about it. I wasn’t aware that abuse was going to happen in this book, and I wish I would have known before I read it. Sometimes that’s hard for me to stomach.