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Liked It “My mom picked up this book while she was on a trip in Idaho because it was a local pick. I had no idea what to expect, but I really liked it. The setting was so new to me, and the love story is compelling.” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“My mom picked up this book while she was on a trip in Idaho because it was a local pick. I had no idea what to expect, but I really liked it. The setting was so new to me, and the love story is compelling.”
tarafromtennessee wrote this review Friday, May 30 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“ First, I love how the author takes the beauty of the prairie and the rural life and weaves her great prose through it. She has such a classic prose style, with a true uniqueness to her writing. I think of this writing when I think of true prose writing. I loved it. Her words seem to make the setting, and the characters come alive. My favorite character of all was her mother Anna. Her hard working Russian style and her accent were clearly communicated in this style. (we have a large Russian community in Hollywood) I thought that she was clearly the most distinctive character in all the book. Her no nonsense style of life and living came through as strong as she was. I could surely relate to the scene when Anna and Ellie were butchering chickens. This was truly a flashback to me when I used to spend many days out in the farm yard with my mother butchering and processing the chickens for freezing. Perhaps that is why I related so much to this book, in a strange way it reminded me of my mother and the hard work on the farm and many hours I would spend in the barn, doing chores, and all the field work with her. That hard work ethic and determination to make it no matter what, surely was an ethic that my own mother had in her life, and supporting and furnishing for her family! Maybe others could relate to this same type of mother? It would be an interesting question to consider to all! Working in the fields all day is another truth that Mildred Walker points out that is so very true and accurate. All that time alone in the field for long days, such as Ellen did driving the tractor is one of the best times of my life on the farm that I remember too. Long days, with nothing to do but think all day long in the field, gives you such clarity. There is nothing to disturb you, and nothing to stop your thought process. It does very good to have that type of thought process such as only doing work like this can provide. I was immediately able to relate to this in the novel, how Ellie was able to work though her loss of Gill with all the vast quiet of the prairie and the alone time she experienced both in the teacherage, and in the field work. Perhaps to this day it is the reason for my love of gardening, and nurturing the gowning bounties of the earth. It relates so much to the process of healing, and growth in our lives. Taking the time to have this in life seems to me one of the greatest gifts you can give to yourself. Below is a very good example of the type of writing of hers that I love so much! "I remember how still it was out there in the garden, and since that day I have always known how red are the veins of the beet leaves and how like soft green leather the leaves themselves" page 34 Perhaps another reason I can relate to this author and her story so much is because of Spending time in the North Dakota Prairie each year, with the great wheat harvest.(working for my uncle each season) The vastness of the prairie, the grain harvest was so much as she described in the book with the long days, the working with one goal in mind, to get that harvest in. That feeling when you are done, is so much like she described in the book, and then watching the price of grain for the best sale, or putting in the bin for later sale at a higher price. Hail was a regular occurrence, rain was always either a welcomed crop assurance during the growing season, or a possible threat during grain harvest season. I love how she left the farm to the city of Minneapolis. This again mirrors my life so much, leaving the farm, at age 18 to start college in St. Paul at the Univ. of MN. I could relate to all the feelings of being on campus, enjoying all the life there, working in the library is what I used to do as well to support myself during school. It was as if I was re-living a part of my past! Even her juxtaposition with Gil. Loving the life in the city, but wanting to share the beauty of the country and farm to someone who did not understand what it meant, and what a significance it was to her. One interesting note is a lot of smoking in this book. It just seems strange in today's day and age when people do not smoke or at least are aware of all the dangers of smoking. It is obvious that the author, Mildred Walker was just mirroring the attitude of that day and age about smoking. It was one of the parts of the book that I just had to ignore. Not many authors today would include such references to smoking in the book. It actualy made me wonder if this book had been sponsored by R.J. Reynolds Co. ? ”
lycoris wrote this review Friday, April 18 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I enjoyed this book, but felt the characters were oversimplified. However, that is part of the charm of the book. A simple life during simple times.”
Sarah D wrote this review Sunday, October 28 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
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Jensen, J wrote this review Wednesday, October 17 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
This book won best book of the year in my book group when we read it. Everyone loved it. I picked this book and it is the only time in 20+ years that my choice has won best book!”“I always like to find regional books when I am visitiing other parts of the country. While in Idaho, a clerk in the bookstore recommended this book. Set in Montana and written in 1944, this book is timeless. We see farming through the eyes of a young girl, and also learn what it is like to be "bitten" by love.”
idjyhoye wrote this review Thursday, July 26 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
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