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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I LOVED Whistling Past the Graveyard and was overjoyed to find a new Susan Crandall novel. My enthusiasm was warranted. This latest novel gave me everything I love in a good read - strong, resilient, fiery female character, dysfunctional family and the South. Tallulah Mae James (can we talk about that fantastic name??) returns home to Mississippi when she sees her estranged brother's mug shot on television. Tallulah has spent years distancing herself from her family in an effort to become 'normal.'' Her childhood was far from 'normal.' The four Jones siblings were left to navigate childhood, mostly on their own. Their days were shadowed by their father's "shiny time' 'hurricane time' and 'blue streaks.' They struggled to understand a neglectful, distant mother who disappears for stretches of time and insists the children call her "Margo." They were blessed with their Grandma James as a constant but even she kept secrets about "things that must never be mentioned." The story is advanced through a back and forth narrative told from 11 year old Tallulah's perspective and present day. I found this to be very effective in moving the story forward and explaining the motivations of present day Tallulah. The author describes the setting and place beautifully. I was immediately transported - as I was in Whistling Past the Graveyard. Crandall tackles some tough subjects in this novel: racism, mental illness, PTSD. I especially appreciated the contrast of how childhood Tallulah and adult adult Tallulah viewed and understood these events in her life. I loved going on this journey with Tallulah and appreciated the author's handling of the sibling's stories. The ending isn't neat, tidy and happy ever after. It's complicated, sad, but hopeful - just like real life. Tallulah', not unlike myself, proves you can go home again....but the journey may be anything but smooth.
I LOVED Whistling Past the Graveyard and was overjoyed to find a new Susan Crandall novel. My enthusiasm was warranted. This latest novel gave me everything I love in a good read - strong, resilient, fiery female character, dysfunctional family and the South. Tallulah Mae James (can we talk about that fantastic name??) returns home to Mississippi when she sees her estranged brother's mug shot on television. Tallulah has spent years distancing herself from her family in an effort to become 'normal.'' Her childhood was far from 'normal.' The four Jones siblings were left to navigate childhood, mostly on their own. Their days were shadowed by their father's "shiny time' 'hurricane time' and 'blue streaks.' They struggled to understand a neglectful, distant mother who disappears for stretches of time and insists the children call her "Margo." They were blessed with their Grandma James as a constant but even she kept secrets about "things that must never be mentioned." The story is advanced through a back and forth narrative told from 11 year old Tallulah's perspective and present day. I found this to be very effective in moving the story forward and explaining the motivations of present day Tallulah. The author describes the setting and place beautifully. I was immediately transported - as I was in Whistling Past the Graveyard. Crandall tackles some tough subjects in this novel: racism, mental illness, PTSD. I especially appreciated the contrast of how childhood Tallulah and adult adult Tallulah viewed and understood these events in her life. I loved going on this journey with Tallulah and appreciated the author's handling of the sibling's stories. The ending isn't neat, tidy and happy ever after. It's complicated, sad, but hopeful - just like real life. Tallulah', not unlike myself, proves you can go home again....but the journey may be anything but smooth.
The first half was slow, and the second half makes up for it. This novel is a slow burn with alternating time lines, making the reader wait and wait for the details she's dying to know!
Crandall's writing is vivid and almost magical. She captures the feelings of southern summers perfectly, along with the rigid constraints of southern culture. Tallulah tries to escape her life as a teen, hitchhiking to California in the 1960's for a new life. And while she manages to stay away for 9 years, she realizes she can't ever truly escape, and perhaps she didn't want to.
This is an compelling, emotional story about one woman's coming of age within a dysfunctional family. At the core is an old question about fate versus personal choice, and how our genetics pre-determine our paths at times. It's also an interesting look at how mental health was viewed in the 1960's and '70's, and how little was understood. It's also a novel about recognizing how important we are to the people who love us, even when we view ourselves as a screwup.
Many thanks to NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
You can find my reviews and other bookish musings at RamonaMead.com!
Crandall's writing is vivid and almost magical. She captures the feelings of southern summers perfectly, along with the rigid constraints of southern culture. Tallulah tries to escape her life as a teen, hitchhiking to California in the 1960's for a new life. And while she manages to stay away for 9 years, she realizes she can't ever truly escape, and perhaps she didn't want to.
This is an compelling, emotional story about one woman's coming of age within a dysfunctional family. At the core is an old question about fate versus personal choice, and how our genetics pre-determine our paths at times. It's also an interesting look at how mental health was viewed in the 1960's and '70's, and how little was understood. It's also a novel about recognizing how important we are to the people who love us, even when we view ourselves as a screwup.
Many thanks to NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
You can find my reviews and other bookish musings at RamonaMead.com!
"The unpredictability of our family is so predictable."
Every once in awhile you find an author where you wait, with anticipation, for their next novel...hoping that it will live up to their last. After reading Whistling Past the Graveyard, I couldnt wait for Ms. Crandall's next book and she did not disappoint. This story captivated me from the first sentence and it is poignant from start to finish. You cannot help but fall in love with the audacious Lulie (Tallulah) and feel a deep sadness for her. The author gave such life to the characters and setting. A fascinating exploration of difficult subjects ... Ms. Crandall writes with compelling authority. There is warmth and heart aplenty in this delicately told story and I throughly enjoyed it.
Every once in awhile you find an author where you wait, with anticipation, for their next novel...hoping that it will live up to their last. After reading Whistling Past the Graveyard, I couldnt wait for Ms. Crandall's next book and she did not disappoint. This story captivated me from the first sentence and it is poignant from start to finish. You cannot help but fall in love with the audacious Lulie (Tallulah) and feel a deep sadness for her. The author gave such life to the characters and setting. A fascinating exploration of difficult subjects ... Ms. Crandall writes with compelling authority. There is warmth and heart aplenty in this delicately told story and I throughly enjoyed it.
I LOVED this book. Calling all Pat Conroy lovers - here is your next favorite book. This is the story of two dysfunctional parents and their four children trying to keep their heads above water despite the madness. A detached mother, a manic father and the resulting trauma that sets off waves that reverberate for a lifetime. There is a ton of tragedy in this novel - it is set in Mississippi during the Civil Rights Movement so there are multi layered story lines. The love the children share for one another and their attempt to shelter one another and make up for what parents did not provide (cue Prince of Tides) is heart wrenching. All the earmarks of a southern novel are here -- from Wisteria, to Spanish Moss, sweet tea, and a proper grandmother. I wish I could find more books just like this one.
CRANDALL DELVES INTO ONE FAMILY’S FAULTS, AGAINST 1960s SOUTH BACKDROP
Susan Crandall's "The Myth of Perpetual Summer" starts with the 25 year-old protagonist, Tallulah James, seeing her younger brother's face on the evening news for his involvement with a murder. This one page prologue sparks Tallulah's trip back home to Mississippi and introduces the heart of this story and her 1960s childhood.
Crandall writes so effortlessly. The reader doesn't realize the depth of these topics (infidelity, mental stability, neglect) at first, which is a credit to Crandall's ability to write from the perspective of a child narrator transitioning to an adult. Tallulah's childhood is set in the 1960s South. The topics of race, feminism, the Vietnam War are all orbiting around this small southern town and the prominent James family.
There was only one element I didn't enjoy: the rhythm of the narrative. It started slow at first; introducing many characters and different timelines. Once I grasped the story it was hard to put down. Toward the end of the book, there was a slight detour for Tallulah's character. While it was somewhat necessary for her growth, it made the story feel like it was starting over at the end.
"Myth" included many wonderful story elements: strong family (specifically sibling) relationships, a romance storyline that felt natural, and characters that are complex or "gray." Crandall tackles generational sins and diseases and how they effect the next generation. She clashes familial faults with the antiquated notion of propriety.
This idea of a perfect family, town, country, etc. cannot exist. It is an illusion to believe that one can ignore the noise of life and proceed unaffected. One can only hope to accept what is and build on what is true.
Susan Crandall's "The Myth of Perpetual Summer" starts with the 25 year-old protagonist, Tallulah James, seeing her younger brother's face on the evening news for his involvement with a murder. This one page prologue sparks Tallulah's trip back home to Mississippi and introduces the heart of this story and her 1960s childhood.
Crandall writes so effortlessly. The reader doesn't realize the depth of these topics (infidelity, mental stability, neglect) at first, which is a credit to Crandall's ability to write from the perspective of a child narrator transitioning to an adult. Tallulah's childhood is set in the 1960s South. The topics of race, feminism, the Vietnam War are all orbiting around this small southern town and the prominent James family.
There was only one element I didn't enjoy: the rhythm of the narrative. It started slow at first; introducing many characters and different timelines. Once I grasped the story it was hard to put down. Toward the end of the book, there was a slight detour for Tallulah's character. While it was somewhat necessary for her growth, it made the story feel like it was starting over at the end.
"Myth" included many wonderful story elements: strong family (specifically sibling) relationships, a romance storyline that felt natural, and characters that are complex or "gray." Crandall tackles generational sins and diseases and how they effect the next generation. She clashes familial faults with the antiquated notion of propriety.
This idea of a perfect family, town, country, etc. cannot exist. It is an illusion to believe that one can ignore the noise of life and proceed unaffected. One can only hope to accept what is and build on what is true.
I am a sucker for a good Southern bildungsroman. This one had lots of twists and turns and kept me hooked. I really connected with the main character. Solid listen.
This book was much better than I was expecting! I don’t think the cover does justice to the story. The prologue sets up a sense of wonder about the past of the main character and her family. The chapters alternate between her past and present, delving to her family and their secrets. You don’t get the answers you’re looking for until the end. Very well written. I would have liked a bit more on her siblings though.
While reading through the beginning, sample pages, the reader is given hints of the scandals to come. The start of the book begins a slow, well written meander through Southern landscape and lifestyle. Being from a Southern family myself, I relate to the grandmother and her attempt to hold onto the older ways (not that I do, but I have been exposed to elderly Southern ladies when I was young).
Questions begin to develop in the reader's mind early.......what could possibly cause the complete separation of an entire family? Though flawed, there does seem to be love between the family members. Due to this separation, our narrator has become a lonely, career oriented adult who has had nothing do with her family for years. She doesn't realize that there are huge holes in her life due to past occurrences and her decisions. Will her family become more unified in adulthood by the end? Will she find a bit of romance (sorely lacking in her current life) in a big, Southern mansion? I can't wait to finish reading this novel to find out.
Questions begin to develop in the reader's mind early.......what could possibly cause the complete separation of an entire family? Though flawed, there does seem to be love between the family members. Due to this separation, our narrator has become a lonely, career oriented adult who has had nothing do with her family for years. She doesn't realize that there are huge holes in her life due to past occurrences and her decisions. Will her family become more unified in adulthood by the end? Will she find a bit of romance (sorely lacking in her current life) in a big, Southern mansion? I can't wait to finish reading this novel to find out.