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karenluvstoread's review against another edition
4.5
In this quiet novel, Silas House has managed to create a wonderful sense of time and place. It is very atmospheric and the author does a good job of portraying life in rural Appalachia in the early 1900s. The writing is beautiful and the story telling entrances you and draws you right in. The characters simply come alive on the page.
A Parchment of Leaves deals with some hard stuff which is alluded to in the book description above. One of the big issues faced is that of prejudice that was rampant in that area in the early 1900s. It also deals with what life was like for women at that time. One of things I loved so much about this novel is that there are strong female characters; and they exhibit that strength, as well as courage and resilience, despite the margins society tried to keep them in.
This novel….wow….it is so powerful and it brought me to tears. I checked this book out at the library to read it. But I already know this is one I will be buying so I can have it on my shelf to read again.
It is a story about relationships.
It’s about love.
It’s about strong female friendships.
It’s about strength, courage, loyalty, and resilience.
Fans of Shiner by Amy Jo Burns and The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson will likely want to read this book.
auntieg0412's review against another edition
5.0
This book spoke to me.
It spoke to me of love, in all its forms as named by the Greeks: storge, philia, agape, and eros. Of mothers who will do anything for their children, and for other women's children too. Of women who form unbreakable bonds even closer than those of sisters. Of community and the spirit of helping one another. And of the connection between a man and a woman that truly makes them one.
It spoke to me in the dialect of my family, the Appalachian way of speaking full of remnants of the Scottish and English people who settled the isolated mountains and valleys. It's almost gone now, erased by education and exposure to radio and television. At times I read out loud because I knew exactly how the dialogue should sound. And I laughed when I read colorful phrases like "flat as a flitter" and "higher than a cat's back" that I still hear from my octogenarian mother. Then I got a bit teary-eyed because her generation is the last to whom that way of speaking comes naturally.
The book comforted me. Life is hard, always has been and always will be, but we get through it with the help of all the connections we make with other people.
I loved the cover, the title (which puzzled me at first but then I found the inspiration for it near the end of the book), and Silas House's writing style. I just loved the whole book, period. It has taken a place on the small shelf of books that I will read again and again, because they filled a place in my heart.
It spoke to me of love, in all its forms as named by the Greeks: storge, philia, agape, and eros. Of mothers who will do anything for their children, and for other women's children too. Of women who form unbreakable bonds even closer than those of sisters. Of community and the spirit of helping one another. And of the connection between a man and a woman that truly makes them one.
It spoke to me in the dialect of my family, the Appalachian way of speaking full of remnants of the Scottish and English people who settled the isolated mountains and valleys. It's almost gone now, erased by education and exposure to radio and television. At times I read out loud because I knew exactly how the dialogue should sound. And I laughed when I read colorful phrases like "flat as a flitter" and "higher than a cat's back" that I still hear from my octogenarian mother. Then I got a bit teary-eyed because her generation is the last to whom that way of speaking comes naturally.
The book comforted me. Life is hard, always has been and always will be, but we get through it with the help of all the connections we make with other people.
I loved the cover, the title (which puzzled me at first but then I found the inspiration for it near the end of the book), and Silas House's writing style. I just loved the whole book, period. It has taken a place on the small shelf of books that I will read again and again, because they filled a place in my heart.
bensouthworth's review against another edition
5.0
Such an intimate and beautifully told story. That the characters each have their own shortcomings make the messages of guilt and forgiveness that much more potent. Vine's relationship with Esme was one of my favorites I've read.
dlewis's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book because it falls into the traditional, beautiful style of Silas House's writing. It is very character and setting driven, and there are relationships formed between folks that are as strong as the mountains surrounding them. I did find that this novel was a bit slower paced than other House novels I've read (Clay's Quilt and The Coal Tattoo) and didn't deliver as much tension or excitement as the others. Maybe it's just because of the time period in which this book takes place, but it took me much longer to read than the other two books. I also realized that House used Appalachian vernacular and spellings more commonly than I'd seen before. I personally enjoyed this as it assisted me in reading the dialogue as it would've truly been spoken. I'm definitely glad I read, as I find it really special to learn more about the ancestors of the characters I fell in love with in Clay's Quilt. I think House truly understands how deep, rich, and important heritage is in Appalachia, and for that, I will savor every word he writes.
epen's review against another edition
5.0
A bit slow moving at first but really beautiful and incredibly moving. I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time.
karianne791's review against another edition
5.0
The second of House’s works left me feeling at home and refreshed again. His writings feature poignant issues among my Appalachian home, that are as relevant today as they were in the historical setting in which they take place. He paints a beautiful picture of the good and evil that we all are capable of, and redeems humankind through forgiveness and love. So much love for the land I’m from, and great depictions of my small town people.
patsaintsfan's review against another edition
4.0
I'm glad I randomly picked this one up at the library.
mslaura's review
3.0
I had high expectations for this book based on how much I loved [b:Southernmost|35489155|Southernmost|Silas House|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1534520845l/35489155._SX50_.jpg|56889528] but it didn't live up to them.
Ratings:
Writing 3
Story line 3
Characters 3
Impact 3
Overall rating 3
Ratings:
Writing 3
Story line 3
Characters 3
Impact 3
Overall rating 3
margreads's review against another edition
4.0
One of the big advantages of being part of a book club is that you often find yourselves being encouraged to read books that you just normally wouldn't read. This is especially true if that particular book club has quite eclectic tastes. This year alone we have read Fifty Shades of Grey the book that shall not be named, To Kill a Mockingbird, and then this book among others.
A Parchment of Leaves is a book that I hadn't heard of before, or even the author! It is historical fiction, but it is firmly set in a particular time and place - the mountains of Kentucky during the early 1900s - one which I haven't read much about at all. Whilst the events in the larger world do have an impact on the lives of the people, they are also relatively self contained within their area. One reason why I found this era so interesting to read about it is that it seems kind of in between, especially in terms of technology. For example, whilst there were some cars and trucks, for most people this was beyond reach and so they still either walked or rode their horses and most chores around the house were still very labour intensive.
The book opens with young Saul Sullivan braving the rumours about a Cherokee girl who is so beautiful that men die when they see her and heads to her home, looking for work. He has his younger brother Aaron with him. Whilst he doesn't die as soon as he see Vine, he is slayed emotionally and he knows that she just has to be his wife. This is reiterated when his younger brother is bitten by a snake and Vine and her family save Aaron's life. Vine too is mesmerised by Saul and it isn't long before they are married, despite the opposition of their families who are concerned about their mixed marriage.
To read more of my thoughts, head to
http://www.theintrepidreader.com/2012/07/a-parchment-of-leaves-by-silas-house.html