Even if you aren’t in the “book world”, you have probably heard this title. If you placed a hold at the library, you know you probably waited at least 6 months for it to come in for you.
When it finally was on the shelf with my name on it, I was afraid to pick it up. This book has had so much chatter about it. Everyone talked it up. Sometimes, when people talk up a book (movie, etc.) it can be a let down. I left it on the hold shelf for almost a week before I finally checked it out. It sat on my bedside table while I went back and forth on whether to read it or not. I wanted to avoid the possibility of a let down. That is the story of my life..
I finally picked it up, and it was slow to start. I had a lot of trouble getting into it. The language was difficult for me to understand. Young Kya didn’t have an education. She and the other characters lived in the south and had such “backwoods slang” that it was hard to make sense of.
I’m so glad that I stuck with it. It was a beautiful and heartbreaking coming of age story. My heart ached for this young girl growing into a woman on her own– abandoned by the world. I grew to love the characters and always loved Tate even when he didn’t seem as loveable.
If you pick it up, give it a chance. I was not disappointed. Book reviews are tough, because I don’t want to give away vital parts to the book. But a vague review is equally as frustrating.
This was my 18th book of the year. I used to say “I don’t have time to read”. I’m sure you say it also. But, here’s the thing. YOU DO! Instead of scrolling on your phone, pick up a book. Take it with you to the waiting room at the doctor or dentist. Read a chapter before bed– though, if you are like me this turns into reading for an hour. There is time to read if we just put our phones down!
**From a christian perspective- it was not “clean”. Not many books are, and discernment is needed. I don’t want to give away any parts of the story, so I won’t share more than that here. If you’d like more insight into it, just send me an e-mail and I’d be happy to chat.