Title: Tender GracesAuthor: Kathryn Magendie
ISBN: 9780982175620
Pages: 316
Release Date: April 1, 2009
Publisher: Bell Bridge Books
Genre: Bell Bridge Books
Rating: 4 out of 5
From the publisher’s website:
The death of her troubled mother and memories of her abused grandmother lure a young woman back to the Appalachian hollow where she was born. Virginia Kate, the daughter of a beautiful mountain wild-child and a slick, Shakespeare-quoting salesman, relives her turbulent childhood and the pain of her mother’s betrayals. Haunted by ghosts and buried family secrets, Virginia struggles to reconcile three generations of her family’s lost innocence.
I’m a big fan of women’s fiction, and have slowly been introduced to the growing genre of Southern fiction, so when Tender Graces arrived at my house, I was really excited. The book looked wonderful; I’m just sorry it took me so long to get to it!
The main character of Tender Graces, Virginia Kate, is an incredibly appealing narrator. She is likeable and very trustworthy. Though the reader often sympathizes with her plight, Magendie is careful to keep those feelings from treading anywhere near pity. Instead, Virginia Kate is like a close friend who has taken the reader into her confidence.
Magendie’s ability to write characters is very impressive. We see Virginia Kate at very different stages in her life, across large spans of years. Magendie manages to keep each voice age-appropriate while still retaining the key qualities of the character. Through the book, the reader can see Virginia Kate mature. It’s very believable and extremely well-written.
Admittedly, Tender Graces begins very slowly. It takes time to see where the plot is going, for the driving force in the novel to gather sufficient momentum to propel the story forward. It’s a quiet story, for the most part, but is full of emotion.
Tender Graces is a well-written novel that is perfectly suited to any fans of Southern fiction. This is a wonderful addition to the genre, and I look forward to seeing what Kathryn Magendie does in the future!
Thank you to the publisher for sending me this book to review.
Progress: 3/6
Progress: 3/12
Progress: 1/5
Progress: 15/119
9 comments:
what interesting exposition--the appalachians--i've visited and it's quite a place. some areas are so beautiful yet the people live in abject poverty.
i enjoy books that are set in the south and look forward to adding this one to my list. thanks for the review--but what is your rating? did i miss it?
I'm a huge fan of Southern fiction and this one sounds so good.
@booklineandsinker - Went back in and added the rating - don't know how I missed that!
Thank you for this very lovely review - I appreciate the time you spent with Virginia Kate and then writing about tender graces *smiling*
I too like southern fiction, I'll have to keep this one in mind.
This sounds like a sweet book.
I'm glad you enjoyed this book. Once I got past the first chapter and understood the structure, I couldn't put it down. Magendie's a great writer.
Btw, I have a little something for you here.
--Anna
Diary of an Eccentric
I came across another review of this book and really liked what i was reading. Your review has made me want to read this book more!
I enjoy Southern fiction so I think I'd like this one. Nice review!
Post a Comment