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Tending To Virginia (1997)

Tending to Virginia (1997)

Book Info

Author
Rating
3.75 of 5 Votes: 4
Your rating
ISBN
0449912531 (ISBN13: 9780449912539)
Language
English
Publisher
ballantine books

About book Tending To Virginia (1997)

Audiobook.Virginia is not sure her husband really loves her when he says while she's pregnant with his child that his first wife aborted their child and that he never would have left her but she was the one who wanted to end the marriage. Now she's angry and bitter with him and wants to go home. She does take off with only the clothes on her back and when she gets to her grandmother's house, she's started bleeding so she has to have bed rest. The problem is almost all the ladies in her family are nuts! Her grandmother and great aunt have Alzheimers, her cousin's counselor wanted her committed, her second cousin killed her husband and it seems only her mother is normal.The book is told by everyone's point of view, lots of flipping. And the nutty family members throw out odd statements that go into a memory. I was just bored out of my mind and have no idea why I even finished this book. The ending was stupid too. Virginia who had painted a bloody animal scene in the baby's room repainted it more soothing but this is a rented place and she and her husband are moving. She's just going to have to paint over it again! The author must have never lived in a rental.

I'd have to say this was my least favorite of all Ms. McCorkle's novels. I absolutely loved Carolina Moon and consider it to be in my top 20 novels, so perhaps my expectations were too high. The storytelling itself is genius in the build up of suspense of secrets revealed as the storm rages outside and characters are well developed. I think what didn't appeal was the almost stream-of-consciousness telling of the stories. The approach is effective in show casing the chism between reality and perception, and the varying degrees of dementia of Emily and Lena in the retelling of some of the stories. I give high marks to the crafting of the novel and I'd maybe bump my rating by half a star. For whatever reason, the story just didn't sppeal.

Do You like book Tending To Virginia (1997)?

Every time I read one of McCorkle's books I am blown away from her gorgeous prose. Through flashbacks and details down to the smallest grain of sand, she brings her characters to life in Tending to Virginia, and not just simply breathing life into these fictional people, but making the reader believe they are out there somewhere truly living. And then those characters--and not just in this book, but her others as well--continue to live in the mind of the reader long after the book is placed back on the shelf.
—Amy Kitchell-Leighty

This starts out very slow, and I almost gave up. But Jill Mccorkle is such an amazing writer, so gifted with voice and wit, that I kept on. Once you get to know the MILLION characters, it is fine. Lots of voices, lots of characters and interrelationships. Drink coffee, stay alert, and, then go on a very interesting ride backwards. It is a backwards story. All backstory, but very well done. Also, very very southern. So, be prepared for a lot of southern humor and charm, no action and backstory. That's the book. But she sure can write!
—Debbie

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