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nationofkim's review against another edition
3.0
a lovely little coming of age historical fiction novel. a quick light read, it also explores some deeper moral questions as well. louisiana, flooding, levees...you get the idea.
pattydsf's review against another edition
4.0
“I am a man far removed from his origins — by miles, by years, and by more intangible measures. Every piece of wood, no matter how refined and sanded, is marked by the conditions where the tree was grown. The mix of nutrients in the soil and air, the shifts in temperature and humidity, high winds and lightning, the damage from insects and wood-boring birds, and cultivation — the human history of the land — leave their evidence. Who I am remains intimately gnarled with where I came from. And where I came from is the place making the news, the place in the line of fire, soon to be the eye of the storm. Though I’ve pruned from my speech all traces of accent, I’m from south of south. I am from Cypress Parish, Louisiana.”
It has been more than a month since I read this book. I picked it up today to see what I remembered, and the atmosphere of this interesting book came right back to me. I have never lived in Louisiana, but I have lived in small towns. They can be wonderful, but also a bit confining. Blackwell’s prologue is a wonderful introduction to Louis’ life story.
Blackwell’s novel was published two years after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. Last week, Hurricane Ida came through to wallop Louisiana again. Yes, it has been sixteen years, but every inch of too much rain leaves a mark. Effects of Katrina were still apparent in Louisiana. This story is about the Great Flood of 1927, and how the communities of Louisiana dealt with more than 100 days of the Mississippi being at flood level.
Blackwell knows her history, but she also knows people and their behavior. This novel shows us how the Mississippi River and the people around it influences each other. I found Louis and his family fascinating and appreciate the coming of age story that is wrapped up in this historical novel.
It has been more than a month since I read this book. I picked it up today to see what I remembered, and the atmosphere of this interesting book came right back to me. I have never lived in Louisiana, but I have lived in small towns. They can be wonderful, but also a bit confining. Blackwell’s prologue is a wonderful introduction to Louis’ life story.
Blackwell’s novel was published two years after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. Last week, Hurricane Ida came through to wallop Louisiana again. Yes, it has been sixteen years, but every inch of too much rain leaves a mark. Effects of Katrina were still apparent in Louisiana. This story is about the Great Flood of 1927, and how the communities of Louisiana dealt with more than 100 days of the Mississippi being at flood level.
Blackwell knows her history, but she also knows people and their behavior. This novel shows us how the Mississippi River and the people around it influences each other. I found Louis and his family fascinating and appreciate the coming of age story that is wrapped up in this historical novel.
jodylynnw's review against another edition
3.0
Usually, I cannot read books that meander all over the place or open too many plot holes, but I stuck with this book because I loved the physical descriptions of Cypress Parish as well as the science behind the Mississippi River. I am not normally a reader that likes descriptions, but Elise Blackwell wrote such lush lines that I felt the heat and weight of the Mississippi delta. I just wish her story would have been as well crafted as her descriptions.