G236 Book Review of Our Love Could Light the World by Anne Leigh Parrish
Author: Anne Leigh Parrish
ISBN: 978-1-938314-44-5
Publisher: She writes press
Type of book: Interconnected stories, New York, growing up, various issues, being happy with self, family
Year it was published: 2013
Summary:
You know the Dugans. They're that scrappy family that lives down the street. Their yard is overgrown, they don't pick up after their dog, their five children run free - leaving chaos in their wake - and the father hasn't earned a cent in years. The wife holds them together on her income alone. You wouldn't want them for neighbors - but from a distance, their quite entertaining.
Of course, alcohol is an issue. You can tell from the empty bottles lying under the bush out front. You can hardly blame the wife for leaving one day. Without her at the helm, the rest carry on the best they can.
Their strong sense of family keeps them going. They help each other, and in some cases, rescue each other. They struggle for a better life. While they never follow the rules, or completely conquer adversity, they stare it down, meet their challenges, and earn some much needed respect. They might even make you proud.
Set in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York, the twelve linked stories in Our Love Could Light The World depict a dysfunctional family that's messy and rude, cruel and kind, and loyal to the end.
Characters:
There are a lot of characters in the book, although the main ones would be the parents, Potter and Lavinia as well as Angie, and Aunt Patty. Each is a unique character that changes throughout the story and becomes more than possible. In beginning Angie is a teenager who is described as overweight and she also happens to be some sort of rebel if I'm not mistaken. Lavinia is someone who isn't happy with herself nor with her life, while Potter is ineffectual and an alcoholic. Aunt Patty is a strong woman who is independent minded and is fearless. There are other siblings, but the ones I mentioned dominate the book.
Theme:
Things you're not aware of can affect someone
Plot:
Its written in third person narrative, one point of view for one chapter. In the first story the eldest child and daughter Angie tells a tale, followed by Aunt Patty, and so forth. Each time a new story begins there is physical growth as well as mental; decisions made, and personalities formed. The book is divided into twelve chapters, and I admit that I loved chapter headings. All the characters and then some participate in the stories. Personally I might use the structure to try to write some stories of my own when I can.
Author Information:
(From TLC)
Anne Leigh Parrish’s debut novel, What is Found, What is Lost, is forthcoming in late 2014 from She Writes Press. Her first story collection, All The Roads That Lead From Home, (Press 53, 2011) won a silver medal in the 2012 Independent Publisher Book Awards. To learn more, visit her at www.anneleighparrish.com
Opinion:One way I can describe the book is something that's at one time relaxing, mellow and life-learning. There is something unique in the author's concise and terse descriptions when it comes to describing the Duggan family that's difficult to pin down. The book begins with a simple decision made by the mother that is destined to cause ripples among the children, pets and their father. The time passes, the children grow and they learn lessons about life and about themselves through these twelve vignettes. While we meet the children, we also meet other family members such as their aunt and her live-in boyfriend or some friends or how they see one another. Almost all children have a voice in the book.
Anne Leigh Parrish’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:
Monday, January 6th: Bibliophiliac
Tuesday, January 7th: Knowing the Difference
Wednesday, January 8th: girlichef
Thursday, January 9th: Lavish Bookshelf
Friday, January 10th: Svetlana’s Reads and Views
Monday, January 13th: Good Girl Gone Redneck
Tuesday, January 14th: 5 Minutes for Books
Wednesday, January 15th: Cerebral Girl in a Redneck World
Thursday, January 16th: My Bookshelf
Friday, January 17th: Too Fond
Tuesday, January 21st: You Can Read Me Anything
January 22nd: Cheryl’s Book Blog
Thursday, January 23rd: Kahakai Kitchen
Monday, January 27th: Booksie’s Blog
Wednesday, January 29th: Broken Teepee
Monday, February 3rd: A Lovely Bookshelf on the Wall
Monday, February 10th: The Lost Entwife.
This is for TLC Book Tour4 out of 5
(0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)
Thanks for being on the tour!
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