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kelliexdeath 's review for:
Home to Big Stone Gap
by Adriana Trigiani
My mistake in getting Home to Big Stone Gap was that I thought I was getting Big Stone Gap, which is what I was supposed to read for my public library’s book club. The beginning of Home to Big Stone Gap, which includes an older woman’s husband having a health scare drew me in, and so I continued on because I thought I was getting a stand-alone book about an empty-nester who might lose her husband. However, after the first few chapters, the intensity faded and I read the rest of the book wondering what I was missing. So this review is based on me having read none of the other books and knowing nothing about the movie. Therefore, I’ll keep my thoughts short, because I’m sure not many people would pick this book up without having read the others.
On its own, I thought this book was anti-climactic. I grew tired of Ave Maria’s diary-like narration, and the fact that she kept pining over old boyfriends (PLURAL) while her husband could die at any minute. I thought her “fight” with her best friend was absurd and took up too much of whatever plot there was supposed to be. If there were another book following this one, I can’t think of what I would want to read more of. Does Jack die and Ave Maria marry her old Italian flame that she so easily pictured herself with? Does Big Stone Gap let the evil company tear apart their mountain? That’s about all I’d be mildly interested in. I guess I ruined any relationship I may have had with this series by reading the last one first, but no, I don’t think I’ll try my hand at starting from the beginning. I’ll give it a couple stars for having a page-turning beginning with Jack’s health scare, and there were some moments where I enjoyed the imagery of Big Stone Gap. But as the book went on, it just didn’t have any satisfying twists or turns, and ended with a silly conclusion to the oh-so-mysterious “Annie.”
On its own, I thought this book was anti-climactic. I grew tired of Ave Maria’s diary-like narration, and the fact that she kept pining over old boyfriends (PLURAL) while her husband could die at any minute. I thought her “fight” with her best friend was absurd and took up too much of whatever plot there was supposed to be. If there were another book following this one, I can’t think of what I would want to read more of. Does Jack die and Ave Maria marry her old Italian flame that she so easily pictured herself with? Does Big Stone Gap let the evil company tear apart their mountain? That’s about all I’d be mildly interested in. I guess I ruined any relationship I may have had with this series by reading the last one first, but no, I don’t think I’ll try my hand at starting from the beginning. I’ll give it a couple stars for having a page-turning beginning with Jack’s health scare, and there were some moments where I enjoyed the imagery of Big Stone Gap. But as the book went on, it just didn’t have any satisfying twists or turns, and ended with a silly conclusion to the oh-so-mysterious “Annie.”