Sunday, December 26, 2021

Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns

 Told from the perspective of fourteen-year-old Will Tweedy, readers find themselves captived by southern small-town life. When his grandfather marries Love Simpson, a young Yankee, only three weeks after his wife's death, the town and his family is appalled. Gossip abounds. Will also navigates growing up amidst this excitement. 

I loved this story! Will was a likeable narrator. The author, Ms. Burns, develops each of the characters well and brings southern life in 1906 to life. 

To consider: Will lusts after Ms. Simpson at points (but distracts himself by making a camping list!), he observes heavy kissing and his grandfather lying with Ms. Simpson, one of the main characters shares that she was raped as a twelve-year-old by her father, Will makes up a story about his aunt nursing a pig to stimulate her milk production, Will seems to like lady's chests and mentions how he tries to see them when they are nursing their babies, a couple of deaths, a suicide, blacks are treated less (which is accurate for that time period)



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