Search This Blog








2022 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama (1)
- Alaska (1)
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California (2)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho
- Illinois (1)
- Indiana (1)
- Iowa (1)
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine (1)
- Maryland (2)
- Massachusetts (4)
- Michigan (2)
- Minnesota (1)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York (5)
- North Carolina (2)
- North Dakota
- Ohio (1)
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania (2)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (2)
- Utah (1)
- Vermont (2)
- Virginia (1)
- Washington (3)
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming
- Washington, D.C.* (1)
International:
Antarctica (1)
Australia (2)
Egypt (2)
England (8)
Italy (1)
Nepal (1)
Romania (1)
Scotland (3)
Sweden (1)








The 52 Book Club's Reading Challenge 2022

2022 Build Your Library Reading Challenge

Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Magic of Setting Doesn't Carry Over to Plot in New Southern Women's Novel
2:47 PM
Since the excessive heat here in Arizona seems to have zapped any ability I may have had to write a decent plot summary, I'm going to cheat. Want to know what Safe Within by Jean Reynolds Page is all about? Here's the back cover copy:
Elaine and Carson Forsythe have returned to the tree house—Elaine's childhood home, a cabin nestled high in the branches of two oaks beside a North Carolina lake—where forty-nine-year-old Carson has chosen to spend the waning days of his life. As Elaine prepares for a future without her beloved husband, their solace is interrupted. Carson's mother, Greta, has set loose a neighbor's herd of alpaca and landed herself in police custody. While Carson, remarkably, sees humor in the situation, Elaine can only question what her obligations are—and will be—to a woman who hasn't spoken to her in more than twenty years.Even with only the plot summary to go on, you can tell that Safe Within is one of those novels where the setting is as vividly portrayed as any of the characters. Page's small, Southern town feels true-to-life, as do her story people. Not all of them are pleasant to be around—in fact, some of them are downright depressing—but they definitely come alive for the reader. My problem with the book has more to do with the plot, which seems to meander this way and that, without really going anywhere. The subplots aren't any better; some feel tacked on (the whole racism thing), others (like the truth about Elaine and Wallace) are just kind of unimpressive. Overall, Safe Within left me feeling ambivalent and a little disappointed. I loved the novel's setting and really wanted the rest of the story to match it in originality and magic. Bummer that it didn't.
In the wake of Carson's death, Elaine and their grown son, Mick, are thrust into the maelstrom of Greta, the mother-in-law and grandmother who never accepted either of them. Just as they are trying to figure out their new roles in the family, Mick uncovers unexpected questions of his own. A long-ago teenage relationship with a local girl may have left him with more than just memories, and he must get to the bottom of Greta's surprising accusations that he's not Carson's son at all.
(Readalikes: Reminded me of books by Dorothea Benton Frank and Anne Rivers Siddons)
Grade: C
If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for language and sexual content
To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of Safe Within from the generous folks at Harper Collins via those at TLC Book Tours. Thank you!
3 comments:
Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.
P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(Atom)




Reading
Farm to Trouble by Amanda Flower

Listening
The Lost and Found Bookshop by Susan Wiggs



Followin' with Bloglovin'



-
-
-
Adult Assembly Required [Book Review]2 hours ago
-
61. Rivals (American Royals #3)3 hours ago
-
Sunday Post #45310 hours ago
-
FO Friday: Goth Kitty Socks13 hours ago
-
-
-
Book Quotes of the Week19 hours ago
-
-
-
-
-
The 20 Books of Summer challenge1 day ago
-
-
-
-
-
Audiobook: Call Me Chef, Dammit!2 days ago
-
-
-
-
Top Ten Tuesday #183 days ago
-
-
-
-
The Brass Queen by Elizabeth Chatsworth4 days ago
-
-
-
-
-
An Honest Lie by Tarryn Fisher3 weeks ago
-
Chirp Audiobooks - A Review4 weeks ago
-
-
-
Left Neglected by Lisa Genova1 month ago
-
-
-
-
Cybils Awards 2021: The End3 months ago
-
2022 Reading Log3 months ago
-
Back to the Classics 20224 months ago
-
-
-

Grab my Button!



Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ► 2014 (133)
I can handle a meandering plot line...but only once in a while.
ReplyDeleteThanks for being on the tour.
ReplyDeleteI love when the settings are as vividly portrayed as you say it is in this book!
ReplyDeleteThanks for being on the tour!