Scan barcode
kleonard's review
4.0
This is an interesting work--there's little drama or narrative tension, just the day-to-day lives of characters whose inner lives are shown in fleeting glimpses. I enjoyed reading it, and wanted to know what happens next after a young man kills a Klansman, what happens next when a bored young woman elopes, what happens next with a smart businesswoman. But while the author does tell us what happens next, there are very little hints as to why such things happen, and as readers we have to seek out hidden meanings and, sometimes, simply deal with not knowing why a character acts the way they do, makes the decisions they do. In this way it's an enigmatic novel, teasing and denying. The novel's description--that David Walker reappears and the past is never too far from the present--isn't what happens at all, save for a brief episode near the end of the novel; nonetheless, it's an interesting read, ideal for book clubs and close readings.
hugbandit7's review
5.0
I was tootling along in this book and then, BAM, my heart was sucked out of my body, and the range of emotions I felt drained my soul...in a good way of course.
This book spans a century and what a story it tells. The story begins in 1913 with David's story of accidentally killing a Klansman who was giving him a hard time just because of the color of his skin. As we know from history, had David been caught he wouldn't have lived long to tell his tale. He was rather ingenious in his steps to cover up the crime for someone that was that young. But the burden that he carried knowing he took someone's life couldn't have been easy. I never understood why he didn't feel like he could go home to his family, but perhaps it was shame or the fear of bringing his family into a situation that he created. David does manage to survive and is taken in by a kind family that teaches him things he never would have learned in his old life. But he brings them his own type of wisdom and knowledge. The impact that they make on each other spans a lifetime.
The story then jumps forward to 1927 and we meet Cargie and Mae. I really liked Cargie. She was a smart and determined woman that was not going to let race hold her back. She knew for many years that she wanted to be a bookkeeper and she lands a job with Bill Cole who owns a dry cleaning business. I loved how Cargie came in and basically started organizing his receipts and books without being formally hired. I had to chuckle because I work for a CPA and we know how messy some accounting records can be for businesses. Bill Cole doesn't seem to mind and he and Cargie become quite a formidable duo when it comes to his business. She does teach him a few things about keeping his book straight. At the same time, he reaches Cargie in a way he doesn't even realize through his journal that he wrote during the war. Something about his words draws her into his experiences and touches her soul.
Cargie is married to Thomas and they have three children over the span of the novel. We learn a bit about Thomas, but there was probably so much more to him than he was given credit. But there is a reason for that and you discover that reason in the last 20% of the story. Thomas was a renaissance man and could seem to do anything he set his mind to doing. He was supportive of Cargie and her career and you could say he was something of a house husband. I enjoyed seeing his love for Cargie and his family, even his mother-in-law that he called "Pretty Mama."
Mae was from a small town in Texas and wanted nothing more than to attend college at Centenary College in Shreveport. This was the late 20s when women usually ended up married with children, but she wanted so much more than that. She found it but it wasn't an easy road when certain truths are revealed. I didn't want to like Mae, but by the end, she had convinced me otherwise. There were several men in her life that taught her various things and helped move her along in life and discover her dreams and desires.
Because this novel spans a century, there are losses that are felt by many characters. I think my heart broke a little each time someone died or learning of their situations knowing the end was near. I don't want to spoil any of the journies that the characters take, but it is humbling for some of them. I just wanted to reach out and hug each and every one of them and let them know that it would all be ok.
While the end of the book brings us back to the beginning, I did think that this could have been three different books and expanded even more on their individual lives. However, considering how the novel ends, I'm not sure that could be accomplished without leaving cliffhangers or spoiling the next book.
This is a book I didn't expect to touch me as it did and the journey of the characters, the rich southern traditions, and the evolution of civil rights make this a novel worth reading.
We give this book 5 paws up.
This book spans a century and what a story it tells. The story begins in 1913 with David's story of accidentally killing a Klansman who was giving him a hard time just because of the color of his skin. As we know from history, had David been caught he wouldn't have lived long to tell his tale. He was rather ingenious in his steps to cover up the crime for someone that was that young. But the burden that he carried knowing he took someone's life couldn't have been easy. I never understood why he didn't feel like he could go home to his family, but perhaps it was shame or the fear of bringing his family into a situation that he created. David does manage to survive and is taken in by a kind family that teaches him things he never would have learned in his old life. But he brings them his own type of wisdom and knowledge. The impact that they make on each other spans a lifetime.
The story then jumps forward to 1927 and we meet Cargie and Mae. I really liked Cargie. She was a smart and determined woman that was not going to let race hold her back. She knew for many years that she wanted to be a bookkeeper and she lands a job with Bill Cole who owns a dry cleaning business. I loved how Cargie came in and basically started organizing his receipts and books without being formally hired. I had to chuckle because I work for a CPA and we know how messy some accounting records can be for businesses. Bill Cole doesn't seem to mind and he and Cargie become quite a formidable duo when it comes to his business. She does teach him a few things about keeping his book straight. At the same time, he reaches Cargie in a way he doesn't even realize through his journal that he wrote during the war. Something about his words draws her into his experiences and touches her soul.
Cargie is married to Thomas and they have three children over the span of the novel. We learn a bit about Thomas, but there was probably so much more to him than he was given credit. But there is a reason for that and you discover that reason in the last 20% of the story. Thomas was a renaissance man and could seem to do anything he set his mind to doing. He was supportive of Cargie and her career and you could say he was something of a house husband. I enjoyed seeing his love for Cargie and his family, even his mother-in-law that he called "Pretty Mama."
Mae was from a small town in Texas and wanted nothing more than to attend college at Centenary College in Shreveport. This was the late 20s when women usually ended up married with children, but she wanted so much more than that. She found it but it wasn't an easy road when certain truths are revealed. I didn't want to like Mae, but by the end, she had convinced me otherwise. There were several men in her life that taught her various things and helped move her along in life and discover her dreams and desires.
Because this novel spans a century, there are losses that are felt by many characters. I think my heart broke a little each time someone died or learning of their situations knowing the end was near. I don't want to spoil any of the journies that the characters take, but it is humbling for some of them. I just wanted to reach out and hug each and every one of them and let them know that it would all be ok.
While the end of the book brings us back to the beginning, I did think that this could have been three different books and expanded even more on their individual lives. However, considering how the novel ends, I'm not sure that could be accomplished without leaving cliffhangers or spoiling the next book.
This is a book I didn't expect to touch me as it did and the journey of the characters, the rich southern traditions, and the evolution of civil rights make this a novel worth reading.
We give this book 5 paws up.
kittietta's review
5.0
Such a touching, beautifully written story. Full of wonderful, rich characters.
Takes place over decades, starting in the early 1900's to present time, covering the intertwined lives of people in a small town.
It all starts out when 17 year old David is confronted by a Klansman, while out hunting, and David accidentally kills him. Scared for himself and his family, and ashamed, David leaves his family and strikes out on his own to face adulthood. As the story evolves, we learn of young David's fate.
I loved this story and was engaged in each and every page!
5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and the Author and publisher for an ARC copy of this book.The opinions expressed are my own.
Takes place over decades, starting in the early 1900's to present time, covering the intertwined lives of people in a small town.
It all starts out when 17 year old David is confronted by a Klansman, while out hunting, and David accidentally kills him. Scared for himself and his family, and ashamed, David leaves his family and strikes out on his own to face adulthood. As the story evolves, we learn of young David's fate.
I loved this story and was engaged in each and every page!
5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and the Author and publisher for an ARC copy of this book.The opinions expressed are my own.
ephant08's review
4.0
This ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is an expectational novel. A young boy accidently kills a Klansmen, unbeknownst to him at the time. The child confesses his transgressions to his family-he can not live with the guilt. This type of story sticks with you and has you thinking about it long after the story is over. Just being in the wrong place at the wrong time changed this characters life forever.
This is an expectational novel. A young boy accidently kills a Klansmen, unbeknownst to him at the time. The child confesses his transgressions to his family-he can not live with the guilt. This type of story sticks with you and has you thinking about it long after the story is over. Just being in the wrong place at the wrong time changed this characters life forever.
travelerswife4life's review
4.0
Stork Bite by L.K. Simonds was one of the most deeply layered books I have ever had the privilege of reading before, and it emphasized how the small choices we make in life can have huge ripple effects that last generations.
This book is divided into two separate, yet connected stories. In the first “book” L.K. Simonds immediately immerses you into deep south life Louisiana. With vivid descriptions of local wildlife, scenery, and murder (really vivid). It was a great hook, and I could not put it down to see what happened next. L.K. Simonds did a great job making me feel like I was right there with David exploring all the options available to me. The people David meets on his journey were interesting and showed a real glimpse of life at that time, and the hardships that many people went through. I LOVED how David emphasized the need for education as being a founding block for a better life, and his selfless actions were remarkable. This “book” was my favorite as it really engaged me, and I enjoyed the ebb and flow of the author’s voice.
The second “book” introduces a completely new cast of characters, and as you will find out when you read the book, all the characters are interconnected in a remarkable way that is not obvious upon first reading the second “book”. While David seems to disappear from the story altogether, we meet Cargie and Mae two women from very different walks of life and who make very different life choices. I was fascinated by L.K. Simonds look into the 1920-1930s era of mobs, bootlegging, and the choices of people. It made for an interesting storyline. What really helped make this story interesting for me was not just the story itself, but the way L.K. Simonds rounded out the seemingly not connected stories into one overarching story.
Overall, I think that L.K. Simonds did a great job layering her characters, giving a good mystery that left you scratching your head for a while, and showing how one man’s choice can affect a multitude of people. One thing I wish was done differently, would have been the first book characters remaining as background characters in the second “book” so that I was not completely at a loss on how the two stories fit together until the last 50 or so pages. But Stork Bite did have a good conclusion that wrapped everything up nicely and gave me the pieces I needed to feel like David’s story ended. I give it 4 out of 5 stars for the accurate historical details, the stretched-out mystery, and for being able to layer so many characters and have the story come out richer because of it.
*I will advise that this story does include some mild swearing
**I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
This book is divided into two separate, yet connected stories. In the first “book” L.K. Simonds immediately immerses you into deep south life Louisiana. With vivid descriptions of local wildlife, scenery, and murder (really vivid). It was a great hook, and I could not put it down to see what happened next. L.K. Simonds did a great job making me feel like I was right there with David exploring all the options available to me. The people David meets on his journey were interesting and showed a real glimpse of life at that time, and the hardships that many people went through. I LOVED how David emphasized the need for education as being a founding block for a better life, and his selfless actions were remarkable. This “book” was my favorite as it really engaged me, and I enjoyed the ebb and flow of the author’s voice.
The second “book” introduces a completely new cast of characters, and as you will find out when you read the book, all the characters are interconnected in a remarkable way that is not obvious upon first reading the second “book”. While David seems to disappear from the story altogether, we meet Cargie and Mae two women from very different walks of life and who make very different life choices. I was fascinated by L.K. Simonds look into the 1920-1930s era of mobs, bootlegging, and the choices of people. It made for an interesting storyline. What really helped make this story interesting for me was not just the story itself, but the way L.K. Simonds rounded out the seemingly not connected stories into one overarching story.
Overall, I think that L.K. Simonds did a great job layering her characters, giving a good mystery that left you scratching your head for a while, and showing how one man’s choice can affect a multitude of people. One thing I wish was done differently, would have been the first book characters remaining as background characters in the second “book” so that I was not completely at a loss on how the two stories fit together until the last 50 or so pages. But Stork Bite did have a good conclusion that wrapped everything up nicely and gave me the pieces I needed to feel like David’s story ended. I give it 4 out of 5 stars for the accurate historical details, the stretched-out mystery, and for being able to layer so many characters and have the story come out richer because of it.
*I will advise that this story does include some mild swearing
**I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
mrsveeya's review
3.0
I really enjoyed parts of this story. The beginning really sold me on an exciting secret and how David’s story would play out. I loved reading about Cargie and her growth with Bill. Where the story fell flat for me was with Mae. The stories didn’t intertwine, and I feel like the author really lost the opportunity to build Cargie’s story by wasting it on the side story with Mae.
**this book was provided by NetGalley
**this book was provided by NetGalley
terriep's review
medium-paced
3.0
Told in 2 storylines that seem like 2 separate stories but are pulled together at very end - I didn't like the total disconnect between the stories tho each alone was mildly interesting.
kristijospud's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
gretel7's review
4.0
I received this from Netgalley.com.
"Caddo Parish, 1913. David Walker accidentally kills a man and hides the crime.
Shreveport, 1927. Cargie Barre and Mae Compton are two vastly different young women, but both are defying convention to reach for their dreams."
Well, such a great read to start my new year! The writing is wonderfully descriptive and the story flows comfortably along. At first, I was a bit perplexed trying to fit all of the pieces together and I needed to keep reading to find the truth.
The first part of the book tells David's story, then he disappears while other characters and storylines are introduced. But in the end, with doggedness determination, all questions are answered and the resolutions are perfectly lined up. Although, I find the book title weirdly obscure and referenced just once throughout the story.
4☆
"Caddo Parish, 1913. David Walker accidentally kills a man and hides the crime.
Shreveport, 1927. Cargie Barre and Mae Compton are two vastly different young women, but both are defying convention to reach for their dreams."
Well, such a great read to start my new year! The writing is wonderfully descriptive and the story flows comfortably along. At first, I was a bit perplexed trying to fit all of the pieces together and I needed to keep reading to find the truth.
The first part of the book tells David's story, then he disappears while other characters and storylines are introduced. But in the end, with doggedness determination, all questions are answered and the resolutions are perfectly lined up. Although, I find the book title weirdly obscure and referenced just once throughout the story.
4☆
More...