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A review by mycouscous
Anybody Shining by Frances O'Roark Dowell
4.0
A poignant story of trying to fulfill the deep ache for friendship in an isolated setting. Arie Mae is unable to find a true best friend within her small NC mountain community, so she decides to begin a correspondence with the cousin in Raleigh that she's never met. Despite receiving no response, she continues to write. Each letter is a new chapter that details her everyday life along with the effects of the arrival of a small band of children from Baltimore who come with their families to establish a traditional crafts school.
Author Dowell gently conveys issues of classism as she juxtaposes the different lifestyles and has Arie Mae reflect on her feelings of embarrassment and inferiority. I especially liked the treatment given to the songcatcher women who came to the mountains to preserve the ballads -- I hadn't before considered that what they were looking for was a time already passed even in the 20s.
Arie Mae is a lovely protagonist: strong willed, thoughtful, and persistent. Her vernacular and writing style easily convey the mountain accent without putting the reader off.
A sweet without being saccharine exploration of a historical period with relevance to my area's audience.
Author Dowell gently conveys issues of classism as she juxtaposes the different lifestyles and has Arie Mae reflect on her feelings of embarrassment and inferiority. I especially liked the treatment given to the songcatcher women who came to the mountains to preserve the ballads -- I hadn't before considered that what they were looking for was a time already passed even in the 20s.
Arie Mae is a lovely protagonist: strong willed, thoughtful, and persistent. Her vernacular and writing style easily convey the mountain accent without putting the reader off.
A sweet without being saccharine exploration of a historical period with relevance to my area's audience.