This novel started out a little slow for me but quickly became very entertaining. Basically the novel is about the families in Poety, a little town in Missouri that gets hit by a huge tornado and is pretty much wiped out along with many of the neighboring towns. The protagonist in the novel is 21 year old Jenilee Lane whose mother passed away and so has had to live with an abusive father all her life,and who also had to nurture her younger brother and has resented an older brother who left them all to build a life on his own.The story is not depressing, however. You get to meet the close neighbors who lost their homes,and a story is woven around each of their lives. In the beginning Jenilee saved an old woman, Eudora, and her grandchild lacy who were trapped in the wreckage of their home. The story is mainly focued on their relationship and how it changes and grows. There are a lot of feel good moments and a few tears as you see how people rally around when they are needed. There are several main characters in the story who you get to know and love, including her older brother who comes back home. It shows how people can change, love one another, and grow in so many ways. It is not a sappy story, nor boring nor patronizing. It is about the human spirit, about friendship, love and overcoming trials. It is a clean read.
This was the Readers Choice 2004 winner. It is heart warming book about a community who is struck by a tornado causing them to not only rebuild their town, but also rebuild and re-evaluate themselves. A G rated story. Easy read. I like stories of new beginnings, repentance, forgiveness, and unconditional service. It's characters are very predictable for a small town; mean old lady, town drunk, white trash family, town gossip, helpful mentor, but hey life is pretty much that way anyway. I was grateful Jennilee Lane developed into a strong woman willing to leave her dysfunctional circumstances. I also loved the moth/butterfly metaphor. We've all heard that one before; Moths and butterflies must struggle to get out of their cocoons in order to build develop strength for flight- just like we must struggle through life to develop strong skills and become better people. I am just grateful I do not live in tornado alley. I can not bare the thought of all my junk flying around for others to see- YIKES.
Do You like book Good Hope Road (2005)?
This book was very timely as the premise of tornadoes hitting towns throughout Missouri and watching the real life being played out on the news. It really put this book in prospective. I absolutely loved Tending Roses, Lisa Wingates first novel and so I was excited to read another of hers. I felt it didn't live up to that one. It was a nice little feel good. The whole novel takes place in a 3 day period which changes the course of the 3 main characters lives. A "whitetrash" Jenilee Lane saves the old bitty Mrs. Gibson next door and their new friendship evolves to change a town. The theme of abuse and negative stereotyping is a main theme. Wingate always has her "pearls" of wisdom that make you introspect your own life and she does that really well in this book. It was a great discussion book.
—Janel
Until I get around to reviewing each individually......General review of Lisa Wingate:Although I have liked some more than others, I have never read a Wingate book I didn't like. Her books are easy reads, but do have substance to them. Often romance is involved, but no ridiculous or smutty story lines. Her writing is funny and light. Each series has books that are interconnected, but minimally. For me, it is nice to not read about the same characters over and over. Finally, I adore than most of her books are set in Texas. As a Texan, I can easily visualize the backdrop of her stories which makes me appreciate them even more.
—Kelly
A sweet story about what can happen to a community when they band together during and following a crisis. In this case a devastating tornado. I enjoyed the book and I liked the theme, the idea that people can change and improve their lives (and sometimes it takes a tragedy to push them to it). The reason I only gave it two stars (I'd have given it 2 1/2 if that was an option) was because I felt like everything was too neatly gift-wrapped and packaged to tie everything up for the ending. The author says in her notes that she likes happy endings. So do I, but I thought everything went just a little bit too perfectly in this one.
—Catharine
