Haefner describes it all beautifully with whimsical imagery poised in just the right amount in just the right places. Taking place in the remote countryside of West Virginia, this book tells the story of times seemingly long past to the outside world, of lifestyles that still survive tucked away where modern hustle and bustle cannot touch them. These women, along with several others, hold the reader captive along their incredible journey.Īnother thing that I loved about this book was its pastoral description. And Elinor, the elusive daughter of Doris and George, Mary's husband, who must forge a life overshadowed by the sins of her parents. Doris' and Mary's sister Kate, who lives by her own terms and is the justice-seeker of the family.
Like Doris, who sleeps with her sister's husband and has a child by him, a child that his wife, Mary, must eventually raise as her own.
Of all of the things that I loved about this story, the most prominent is the remarkable characters. This is an engrossing tale of three generations of strong women surviving heartache, surviving betrayal from those closest to them and-more importantly-finding forgiveness and redemption. The sample pages on Amazon also seemed pretty good so I thought I'd give it a whirl. I stumbled upon The Only Pretty Thing by chance on an indie Listopia list, and the fact that it had no reviews whatsoever intrigued me. I was pleasantly surprised by this charming book. : A warm hug a novel that reminds me of How to Make an American Quilt and also of my own home/culture. Old betrayals, heartbreak and grudges leave the women estranged until one of their own is brutally murdered. Elinor loses her lover to the Vietnam war and marries a man she barely knows. Helen lives in fear of her abusive husband and the poverty he has forced upon her.
Faye marries for convenience and now longs for the excitement and romance she believes she has missed. Young Kate falls in love just as the Korean War begins and must say goodbye to the only man who has ever noticed her. The passing years bring more wars and more sorrow for the next generation of McNeil women. Doris' immoral actions lead to a family estrangement and young Kate is left with their aging mother trying to survive on the old family farm. Devasted by loss and betrayal, widowed Mary takes control of her husband's farm and strives to become a prosperous lady farmer. How many times must sisters forgive each other? The war is over and the McNeil sisters are struggling after years of hardship, heartbreak and loss of loved ones.
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