Moon Dance
Susan K. Earl has written a very appealing book about people who lived in Texas during the Great Depression. The dialect is believable and the narrative follows the factual living conditions during the Depression.
“That day, that dreadful day began it all, yet there was nothing else to do except what my mama did, because in her eyes she had no other choice. My aunt Rachel had two small children and no job, nor any hope of one for that matter, what with the Depression going on. What else could we have done? I have asked myself this question a thousand times since that day Aunt Rachel and her girls moved in with us, but every action has a reaction, so they say.”
The story centers around two families, the Bowens and Gilleys, who have been friends for years. The two oldest children, Maggie and Joe, in the respective families, fall in love and get married. Their courtship is often interrupted by the younger siblings teasing them, but they take it good naturedly. The families support them and share their sage advice for a happy life together.
The trials of the poverty during the Depression in small town Texas are well documented by the author, but she also describes the abundant love and faith of the characters that get them through the hard times. Most of the time they don’t realize they are in a Depression.
There is another aspect to the story that deals with abuse by Maggie’s father against Maggie and her mother. The story line is no different from other abuse stories; the abuser drinks and always says he is sorry afterward, the abused person wants to believe that it won’t happen again, forgives the abuser and then it happens again. In this story, Maggie cannot forgive her father for what he did to her mother, but was able to forgive, although not forget, what he did to her. Her mother was able to forgive him and go on with her life, supporting and loving her children.
The happiness and tragedies in the two families’ lives are intertwined. They all have an abiding faith that helps them through the misfortunes and heartbreak and a love of life that makes them enjoy the happy times.
I really enjoyed the storyline and the realistic characters, but the author’s transition from Texas dialect to a normal narrative after the first chapter is a distraction that requires the reader to adjust to the change. Personally, I found the dialect more realistic.
This book is one I would recommend to young adults and older people for an enjoyable read. The most objectionable part of it is the abuse, but it is handled with tact and sensitivity.
Susan K. Earl is from East Texas. She has been an educator for 25 years and now has written a lovely book to be read and re-read. She lives in Central Texas with her husband, her cat and her dog.
“That day, that dreadful day began it all, yet there was nothing else to do except what my mama did, because in her eyes she had no other choice. My aunt Rachel had two small children and no job, nor any hope of one for that matter, what with the Depression going on. What else could we have done? I have asked myself this question a thousand times since that day Aunt Rachel and her girls moved in with us, but every action has a reaction, so they say.”
The story centers around two families, the Bowens and Gilleys, who have been friends for years. The two oldest children, Maggie and Joe, in the respective families, fall in love and get married. Their courtship is often interrupted by the younger siblings teasing them, but they take it good naturedly. The families support them and share their sage advice for a happy life together.
The trials of the poverty during the Depression in small town Texas are well documented by the author, but she also describes the abundant love and faith of the characters that get them through the hard times. Most of the time they don’t realize they are in a Depression.
There is another aspect to the story that deals with abuse by Maggie’s father against Maggie and her mother. The story line is no different from other abuse stories; the abuser drinks and always says he is sorry afterward, the abused person wants to believe that it won’t happen again, forgives the abuser and then it happens again. In this story, Maggie cannot forgive her father for what he did to her mother, but was able to forgive, although not forget, what he did to her. Her mother was able to forgive him and go on with her life, supporting and loving her children.
The happiness and tragedies in the two families’ lives are intertwined. They all have an abiding faith that helps them through the misfortunes and heartbreak and a love of life that makes them enjoy the happy times.
I really enjoyed the storyline and the realistic characters, but the author’s transition from Texas dialect to a normal narrative after the first chapter is a distraction that requires the reader to adjust to the change. Personally, I found the dialect more realistic.
This book is one I would recommend to young adults and older people for an enjoyable read. The most objectionable part of it is the abuse, but it is handled with tact and sensitivity.
Susan K. Earl is from East Texas. She has been an educator for 25 years and now has written a lovely book to be read and re-read. She lives in Central Texas with her husband, her cat and her dog.