Yvette - Bookworlder

Julie Cantrell has created a 9 year old narrator in Millie Reynolds that has me feeling for her now very nearly the same as I remember feeling for Scout in To Kill A Mockingbird when I first read it over 30 years ago.

Millie as a nine year old is charming, and a gateway into a childhood that is filled with the wonder of hearing trees sing and helping an older neighbor, Sloth (whose nickname slowly grew on me and greatly formed how I imagine him) care for his chickens.  

As the story moves forward, we leap to Millie as a sixteen year old experiencing her first romance as well as further tragedies.  

This is an intense story, filled with raw emotion.  The poverty, violence and utter desolation that Millie endures makes the conclusion all the sweeter.  Instead of pitying her for her circumstances, I found much to admire in her continued refusal to be a victim and ability to find her faith after all that occurs. 

Highly recommended for those who enjoy a strong heroine, first person narrative, and raw but wonderful stories set during the 1930's and early 1940's.  I'm looking forward to reading more of Millie's story in book 2, When Mountains Move.

(Full review published at http://wp.me/p5Tcfi-1v6)