I might have given this 3 stars if I based it solely on the story which is slow moving and where nothing seems to really happen . Then I thought about how much the writing conveyed and decided 3 stars wouldn't be fair . There's no need for me to give a synopsis of the book ; you can read that yourself . I can only tell you that I could see the drought on this tobacco farm probably somewhere in Kentucky. I could feel Aloma's emptiness , her desire for a happier life , her need to fill the void in her life that has been wanting of family and love . I could feel Orren's grief and his burden of responsibility to save the family farm.I can say that the ending was not what I would have hoped for early on or even in the middle of the book, but was satisfied that this was howit should be . 4 stars. Beautifully written "coming of age" novel set in rural Kentucky. Two young people are both looking for the missing pieces of loss and love. The believable characters are living out the best they can the voids they are trying to fill. I imagine the closest town is Berea, Ky. although the author gives it another name in the book. I have never met this author but she attended undergraduate at Berea College. What a gifted writer. I hope there are more books to come.
A difficult book...a feeling of deep sadness and things going wrong. Even the resolution felt wrong.
—benjamin
This book never got any better. A marriage that is a farce. Skip this one.
—Aboli
I think this is my favorite book of the past several years.
—fmullis
I'd like to give it 4 1/2 stars...really enjoyed it
—Emily
I am all about All the Living
—sindhu
