I've never been disappointed by Patchett's writing!

I've been wanting to read Ann Patchett for some time now, and I can't imagine a better place to start!

The book begins by focusing solely on its protagonist, Rose, and spends many chapters telling her sad, if selfish, tale wherein she has left her husband and traveled halfway across the country to seek refuge and a new beginning at a home for "unwed" mothers in Kentucky. The story chronciles her pregnancy and subsequent decision to keep the child she intended to give up. It is at this point that the story truly begins. The second and third acts of the book still use Rose as its central force, but she is mostly absent in the tale. Instead, we live through the eyes of her new husband and her daughter, respectively, and in their tellings we discover that Rose may not have been such an interesting character after all.

I was surprised at how much I came to love the subsequent characters of Son (the husband) and Cecilia (the daughter) after having found a great affection for Rose. It is a credit to Patchett's talent that I wavered so completely in my affections during the reading of this novel, and I will most certainly look forward to reading other Patchett works in the future. This tale was engrossing and well worth every minute of reading.

Read my favorite passages at Nolatari's BookBlog.

RELEASE NOTES:

Releasing to cheesygiraffe, as part of the Reverse Wish List Relay #?.

Thanks Nolatari! This is definitely going close to top of mt. tbr.
******************************

Kirkus Reviews
Patchett's first novel, set in rural Kentucky in a castle-like home for unwed mothers—where a good woman finds she cannot lie her way beyond love—has a quiet summer-morning sensibility that reminds one of the early work of Anne Tyler. Within the security of everydayness, minds and hearts take grievous risks. "Maybe I was born to lie," thinks Rose, who, after a three- year marriage to nice Tom Clinton, realizes that she's misread the sign from God pointing to the wedding: she married a man she didn't love. From San Diego, then, Rose drives—"nothing behind me and nothing ahead of me"—all the way to Kentucky and St. Elizabeth's home for unwed mothers, where she plans to have the baby Tom will never know about, and to give it clean away. But in the home, once a grand hotel, Rose keeps her baby, Cecilia; marries "Son," the handyman ("God was right after all...I was supposed to live a small life with a man I didn't love"); and becomes the cook after briefly assisting that terrible cook, sage/seeress, and font of love, Sister Evangeline. The next narrative belongs to Son, a huge man originally from Tennessee—like Rose, gone forever from home—who recounts the last moments of his fianc‚e's life long ago (Sister Evangeline absolves him of responsibility) and who loves Rose. The last narrator is teenaged Cecilia, struggling to find her elusive mother within the competent Rose, who's moved into her own house away from husband and daughter. Like Rose years before, her daughter considers the benefits of not knowing "what was going on"...as the recent visitor—small, sad Tom Clinton—drives off, and Cecilia knows that Rose, who left before he came, will neverreturn. In an assured, warm, and graceful style, a moving novel that touches on the healing powers of chance sanctuaries of love and fancy in the acrid realities of living.

Reading now and then going to Morsecode as part of a swap.

I read this book fast. What a great read. At first, I liked Rose when the narrative was coming from her. Later with Son's narrative and Cecilia's too I found Rose to be shelfish. I know Rose loved everyone in her own way but she keep everything in. Son was a good man. Somehow though he loved 2 women that he would do anything for but they wouldn't do anything for him.
Cecilia is going to be a good woman when she grows up. At least, Rose done that for her. Letting others raise her better then she could have.
I do wish though that Cecilia found out that Thomas was her real father.

This book arrived safe and sound (with a friend) in Buffalo today. Thanks, cheesy!

My mom (chargoyle) is visiting for the weekend and since I have so many TBR I decided to let her borrow any that she thought were interesting. This is one of the books that she picked.

This is one of a bunch of books I got from my daughter (morsecode). The story-line was intriguing. I felt I could identify with Son and Sissy more than with Rose. I agree with cheesy about Rose being selfish -- even selfish enough to run off again!

I got this book back from my mom (via my sister) today.

I got this book back from my mom (via my sister) today.

Location, 12 Sept 2008: box K-BC-1