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socorrobaptista's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
4.5
Uma narrativa de autodescoberta e relações familiares complexas, em um momento histórico conturbado. Gostei muito da protagonista, de como ela tenta se posicionar, embora com muita dificuldade de comunicação e de aceitação. Uma excelente leitura.
thegeekybibliophile's review
5.0
Jessie Sasser was four years old when her Mama died, and she blames her Daddy, Easton, for it. The way she sees it, if her Daddy wasn't obsessed with making moonshine—just like all the Sassers that came before him—her Mama might still be alive. Instead, all she has left of her is the horrifying memory of seeing her engulfed in flames. Making moonshine is in her veins, or so Easton says, and her younger brother Merritt agrees... but they're both wrong. Jessie hates moonshine, and she's come up with a plan to destroy all of her Daddy's stills... not knowing her actions would lead to terrible consequences that would touch the lives of everyone closest to her.
That is how you hook your readers from the very first line—and I was well and truly hooked from there on out.
Readers see everything through Jessie's eyes, learning about past and present events that happen in the story through her narration. It's clear right from the start that Jessie remains profoundly affected by the loss of her mother, the pain of that loss made worse by the horrific way she died. In the earliest parts of the story, Jessie asks questions about her mother repeatedly, but is stonewalled not only by Easton, but her Uncle Virgil, as well, who insists it isn't his place to tell her anything. Denied the answers she craves and forced to help make the moonshine she despises, Jessie turns to coping methods that are as obsessive as they are dangerous.
I was immediately drawn to Jessie's character. By the time I'd finished reading the first chapter, I felt fiercely protective of her. Every time something troubling was happening that either focused directly on Jessie, or affected her deeply, I'd have to pause for a moment before moving on. Each new tribulation she faced weighed heavily on my heart, and even when she rose to the occasion and faced head on, I couldn't help but wonder just how much that poor girl could take. Jessie was the quintessential dichotomy of strength and fragility—always pushing forward and doing what she must, even when she had to fight her own weaknesses or self-doubt in order to do it.
Betrayal lies at the heart of this story. It is a recurring theme that comes from both expected and unexpected sources, and drives a large portion of the story forward. Justice and injustice were accompanying motifs, brought into sharp focus when the Sasser family was harassed by rival bootleggers. An ordinary family would be able to turn to the law for help, but how can you get justice when you, yourself, are also guilty of criminal acts? What can you do, when you must deny yourself the help you would otherwise feel safe to seek?
I came away from this story feeling as if I'd walked alongside Jessie every step of the way. Whether she tending the stills, fighting adversities, or struggling with her inner demons, I was there. I felt her anger and frustration, her worries and fears. I could have wept with pride at her triumphs, because when they came, it meant the world to me in that moment. I don't think I'll ever forget Jessie Sasser, and part of that is because of the way the book ended. I wish I could discuss that ending in this review, but of course, I can't. I'll just say that it took my breath away, without explaining why.
Everhart has once again written a deeply moving story with richly imagined characters and situations that prove to be infinitely fascinating. Having read all her previous novels, I had high hopes for The Moonshiner's Daughter, and expected it to be good, but I was absolutely blown away by how outstanding it was. I highly recommend this book for fans of southern fiction and historical fiction. You do NOT want to miss out on this one, folks.
I received an advance reading copy of this book courtesy of Kensington via Netgalley.
"The only memory I have of Mama, she was on fire."
That is how you hook your readers from the very first line—and I was well and truly hooked from there on out.
Readers see everything through Jessie's eyes, learning about past and present events that happen in the story through her narration. It's clear right from the start that Jessie remains profoundly affected by the loss of her mother, the pain of that loss made worse by the horrific way she died. In the earliest parts of the story, Jessie asks questions about her mother repeatedly, but is stonewalled not only by Easton, but her Uncle Virgil, as well, who insists it isn't his place to tell her anything. Denied the answers she craves and forced to help make the moonshine she despises, Jessie turns to coping methods that are as obsessive as they are dangerous.
I was immediately drawn to Jessie's character. By the time I'd finished reading the first chapter, I felt fiercely protective of her. Every time something troubling was happening that either focused directly on Jessie, or affected her deeply, I'd have to pause for a moment before moving on. Each new tribulation she faced weighed heavily on my heart, and even when she rose to the occasion and faced
Betrayal lies at the heart of this story. It is a recurring theme that comes from both expected and unexpected sources, and drives a large portion of the story forward. Justice and injustice were accompanying motifs, brought into sharp focus when the Sasser family was harassed by rival bootleggers. An ordinary family would be able to turn to the law for help, but how can you get justice when you, yourself, are also guilty of criminal acts? What can you do, when you must deny yourself the help you would otherwise feel safe to seek?
I came away from this story feeling as if I'd walked alongside Jessie every step of the way. Whether she tending the stills, fighting adversities, or struggling with her inner demons, I was there. I felt her anger and frustration, her worries and fears. I could have wept with pride at her triumphs, because when they came, it meant the world to me in that moment. I don't think I'll ever forget Jessie Sasser, and part of that is because of the way the book ended. I wish I could discuss that ending in this review, but of course, I can't. I'll just say that it took my breath away, without explaining why.
Everhart has once again written a deeply moving story with richly imagined characters and situations that prove to be infinitely fascinating. Having read all her previous novels, I had high hopes for The Moonshiner's Daughter, and expected it to be good, but I was absolutely blown away by how outstanding it was. I highly recommend this book for fans of southern fiction and historical fiction. You do NOT want to miss out on this one, folks.
I received an advance reading copy of this book courtesy of Kensington via Netgalley.
serendipitysbooks's review
4.0
Based on my experience with previous books by Donna Everhart books, I was not surprised that this was an excellent piece of historical fiction with a well- developed sense of place, a plot that quickly hooked me in, and a cast of memorable characters.
The place in question was the backwoods of North Carolina in 1960. Moonshining was still common but the revenues were doing their best to shut down stills. There was plenty of detail about the operation of the stills, details of delivery runs and how the liquor was concealed in cars and disputes between rival operations as well as with the authorities to create an authentic feel.
Jessie Sasser came from a family of moonshiners but she wanted no part of the family business since it was the cause of the horrific death of her mother. She went so far as to try and shut down her family’s operation which had unexpected, tragic and frightening repercussions. Apart from the many conflicts, which always makes for interesting reading, this was also a coming-of-age story, typically a genre I enjoy.
I found Jessie to be a rather sad and lonely character, isolated from the townsfolk due to her family’s business and from her family due to her dislike of that business. She was also stubborn and determined, character traits I found very relatable. Mrs Brewer the gruff but surprisingly understanding school nurse was memorable for all the right reasons; Uncle Virgil and Martin Murry on the other hand were memorable for the wrong reasons.
What I wasn’t expecting - it wasn’t mentioned in any of the reviews I saw prior to reading although I have since found some where it is discussed- was an interwoven storyline involving a sensitive topic that warrants a trigger warning. I’m not going to give specifics here since I don’t want to give away spoilers but if you want to know DM me. I will say that I think the topic was handled empathetically and sensitively. It added an extra layer of depth and complexity to the plot.
The place in question was the backwoods of North Carolina in 1960. Moonshining was still common but the revenues were doing their best to shut down stills. There was plenty of detail about the operation of the stills, details of delivery runs and how the liquor was concealed in cars and disputes between rival operations as well as with the authorities to create an authentic feel.
Jessie Sasser came from a family of moonshiners but she wanted no part of the family business since it was the cause of the horrific death of her mother. She went so far as to try and shut down her family’s operation which had unexpected, tragic and frightening repercussions. Apart from the many conflicts, which always makes for interesting reading, this was also a coming-of-age story, typically a genre I enjoy.
I found Jessie to be a rather sad and lonely character, isolated from the townsfolk due to her family’s business and from her family due to her dislike of that business. She was also stubborn and determined, character traits I found very relatable. Mrs Brewer the gruff but surprisingly understanding school nurse was memorable for all the right reasons; Uncle Virgil and Martin Murry on the other hand were memorable for the wrong reasons.
What I wasn’t expecting - it wasn’t mentioned in any of the reviews I saw prior to reading although I have since found some where it is discussed- was an interwoven storyline involving a sensitive topic that warrants a trigger warning. I’m not going to give specifics here since I don’t want to give away spoilers but if you want to know DM me. I will say that I think the topic was handled empathetically and sensitively. It added an extra layer of depth and complexity to the plot.
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