coming-of-age story Archives

September 26, 2022September 16, 2022

The White Hare by Jane Johnson

If you’re looking for a novel full of folklore and dark atmosphere, The White Hare by Jane Johnson might fill the order. The author of Sea Gate, The Court of Lions, and The Sultan’s Wife brings us a new novel set in 1954 but filled with that disquieting mood that only comes from a land filled with dark, archaic memories.

The remote, gothic mansion falling into disrepair, the village that seems lost to time and advancements, the superstitions that are very much alive, and a land protected by an ancient, unsettling, and watchful presence all make The White Hare feel like it takes place hundreds of years earlier than its actual 1954 Cornwall setting. The author’s British spelling/vocabulary also adds to the feel of bygone days, at least for this American reader.

This isn’t a scary book, but Johnson maintains a sense of unease throughout the novel. Johnson refers to the Last Stand of the Cornish in the 10^th century when King Athelstan (usually regarded as the first king of England) massacred the rebellious Cornish people, their blood running red through the land to the sea. The land itself seems to hold these memories. The villagers believe the spirit of the land exists in a mystical white hare that protects the valley and those who live in it.

Here, Magda has purchased a mansion, neglected since the end of WWII. The house and tiny village are in a remote area surrounded by ancient, dark forests and sheer granite cliffs that drop to the ocean. With the help of her daughter Mila, Magda plans on bringing the house back to its former glory and make it into a Bed and Breakfast. She wants the glamor of hosting fancy parties for celebrities and the rich here. The dreary mansion’s dark secrets and villagers who aren’t welcoming to outsiders will make this a difficult task.

A selfish, overbearing mother, Madga causes family drama. She doesn’t show any love to her daughter or granddaughter. Mila does whatever her mother asks, trying to not irritate her. She came along to escape a scandal and make a better life for her young daughter Janey. When they first arrive in Cornwall, Magda drives the car off the road to avoid hitting a white hare that ran across their path. There seems to be something mystical about this hare, and after that, Janey’s stuffed rabbit seems to be more than a toy. As Mila forms relationships with some of the townsfolk, she hears their superstitious beliefs that a mystical white hare is connected with nature and the protection of the valley.

Beyond the mysteries of the mansion, Johnson adds tension through two characters: the Vicar (priest of the local parish) and a stranger. Some villagers hold contempt toward the Vicar since the church has tried to erase all traces of their ancient pagan culture. The stranger, who seems to be a transient, shows up at the mansion, and despite the mystery surrounding him, Magda hires him to help transform the house.

The White Hare by Jane Johnson is Mila’s coming-of-age story wrapped up in sorting through family drama and uncovering mysteries of the past. It is available for pre-order now and will hit bookstores on October 4, 2022.

If you’re looking for other books that fit a (light) spooky mood for the fall season, check out these other books I’ve reviewed: Spells for Forgetting, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, Gallant, The Lost Apothecary, and The Kindred Spirits Supper Club.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC of The White Hare. The opinions are my honest thoughts.

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@author.robin.shelley

June 7, 2021June 10, 2021

This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger

Hello readers!

Time to share another book worth your attention – This Tender Land. (Believe me, I read books I don’t share here because they just don’t make the cut!) Read the description below to see if this one interests you. Although I usually review books aimed at women, this historical fiction would definitely be of interest to men as well.

Living through The Great Depression is hard enough. Throw in four orphans involved in a crime and on the run from an abusive Indian school by canoeing down the rivers of Minnesota toward the Mississippi and you have an intense coming-of-age adventure reminiscent of Huckleberry Finn.

Odie and Albert O’Banion are the only white children at the Native American school. After a crime is committed, they flee with their friend Mose, a young Sioux at the school who is mute. At the last minute they include another friend, Emmy. As the four journey down the river, they rely on their instincts and the kindness of other people struggling through the depression. As kids, they need to learn to discern who to trust, and they don’t always get it right. Loyalties and friendships are tested along the way. The journey includes displays of kindness, forgiveness, generosity, acceptance and self-discovery with a dash of mystery and a lesson in morality.

In a snapshot of The Great Depression Krueger has captured the essence of the American landscape including a traveling show with a faith healer, rail riders, and shantytowns dotting the banks of the rivers. William Kent Krueger has written This Tender Land so masterfully, I expect it will endure the test of time.

The book runs over 450 pages, but you wouldn’t want it to be any shorter. You may even find yourself wishing for more! These four children will touch your heart in a special way as you journey along with them .

If you’ve already read it, what did you think? If you haven’t, does my review tempt you to get a copy? I’d love to hear in the comments!

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June 8, 2020

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens is one of those books that has stuck with me for weeks after reading it. I recommend this coming-of-age story mixed with a murder mystery.

Kya’s family has abandoned her in their remote shack in the North Carolina swamp in the late 1960s. This ten-year-old’s struggle to survive in the harsh swamp tugs at the heart-strings, while the reader is also delighted by the marsh’s beauty as seen through Kya’s eyes. Her life is hard, but Kya values the marsh, she understands it, and living a simple life in nature suits her. Most of Kya’s experiences involving the nearby town are negative, so she remains reclusive out of self-preservation. Known as Marsh Girl, no one in town cares about the well-being of this wild child.

Kya grows into a young woman with a natural beauty that catches the eye of two boys from town. Tate Walker gradually earns her trust and friendship until he abandons her to attend college. Kya longs to connect to someone, but being immature both in social norms and in love, Kya get used by Chase Andrews. Then, when Chase ends up dead, Kya becomes the number one suspect.

Where the Crawdads Sing is both a New York Times Bestseller and a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick. Reese loved the book so much, she is going to produce the movie version along with Lauren Levy Neustadter. Fox 2000 owns the rights. It is still too early in the process to know who will be cast in the film or when it might be released, but as of fall 2019, Owens stated the screenplay’s first draft was nearly completed although she couldn’t comment on who was writing it.