Restless with the familiarity of her Alabama home, Ellie Fields accepts a teaching job in a tiny Louisiana town deep in bayou country. Though rightfully suspicious of outsiders, who have threatened both their language and their culture, most of the people in tiny Bernadette, Louisiana, come to appreciate the young and idealistic schoolteacher as a boon to the town. She's soon teaching just about everyone--and coming up against opposition from both the school board and a politician with ulterior motives.
Acclimating to a whole new world, Ellie meets a lonely but intriguing Cajun fisherman named Raphe who introduces her to the legendary white alligator that haunts these waters. Raphe and Ellie have barely found their way to each other when a huge bounty is offered for the elusive gator, bringing about a shocking turn of events that will test their love and their will to right a terrible wrong.
A master of the Southern novel, Valerie Fraser Luesse invites you to enter the sultry swamps of Louisiana in a story that illuminates the struggle for the heart and soul of the bayou.
My rating:
When I saw that this book takes place on the Louisiana bayou, seeing as how someone very close to me is from LA, I of course had to request to review it.
Oh. My. Goodness. Gracious.
It took me a couple of weeks to get into the story; A young woman (Ellie) on her way to a new job in the middle of nowhere stops at a diner and gets sage advice from a wiser lady, higher in years, that works behind the counter of a diner befitting the era of the story. Yippee.
And then, enter stage right: Heywood Thornberry. I adore Heywood. Like...y'all. Heywood needs his own novel, please and thank you. On the surface, Heywood is a happy-go-luck ladies' man, a good ol' boy that everyone wants as their friend. But the way he took care of Ellie...just...yes. Oh my goodness, I adore Heywood.
So then, things started looking up. You learn a bit more about Ellie herself, and she...was an outstanding character. The deep compassion she had for everyone, her logical approach to everything...I really, really loved her. The way she was determined to help the children—and those around her—greatly inspired me. Plus, I just found her generally relatable.
And then we meet Raphe: quiet. Calm. Easygoing, yet intense. I adored the way he looked after Remy like his own son, the way he gently handled Ellie when she needed it most. His compassion for those around him, and the way he always helped out wherever needed. And his friendship with Heywood? LET ME TELL YOU. That trio—Raphe, Ellie, Heywood—was specTACULAR. The fact that if one of them got bored (*cough* mainly Heywood *cough*) they just went and bugged one of the others? Talk about a friend squad.
The spiritual aspect was more cultural than an actual theme in the book, but somehow, it fit. The majority of the cast of characters was catholic, but while I'm not catholic, I also didn't read a lot of catholic doctrine, either...like I said, it was more of a culture thing than an actual message. The message in the book wasn't a spelled-out obvious spiritual truth; it was the subtle theme of close-knit community.
Set a few years after WWII, the governor of Louisiana is trying to stamp out the creole culture, banning the French language from the state. But with ulterior motives comes the realization that when you try to pit neighbors against each other, it'll backfire on you. The people of Bernadette are some of the most loving people you'll ever meet, and the most stubborn.
No wonder Ellie fell in love with the place.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher for promotional purposes. All thoughts are my own.
What was the last book that wrapped you in a hug and made you never want to leave?
Loved reading this review!
ReplyDeleteThanks, girlie!
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