Okay, I knew this was supposed to be a good book...I had just conveniently never gotten around to reading it, until this past week. (And I'm actually a big fan of some of her other works). I think it may take another reading to actually get all the family relations down (which get a bit confusing) but the stories are heartbreakingly powerful. The real reason I'm bothering to put it on the recommendation list, however, is that it's an excellent read for anyone struggling with multiple POV issues and wondering how such shifts can be effectively handled. The book has no less than nine different narrators, and switches often between first person and third person limited, yet is never really jarring or confusing. (The only time it's a bit uncomfortable is in the very beginning, when we switch from the opening third person chapter to Albertine Johnson's first person narration, but after that, I quickly got used to the pattern.
The stories are haunting and just absolutely beautiful. I can see why many of these were published separately as stand-alone stories, even before the novel itself saw print.
The stories are haunting and just absolutely beautiful. I can see why many of these were published separately as stand-alone stories, even before the novel itself saw print.