Big Cherry Holler

 This is the sequel to Big Stone Gap.  I read most of this book driving back home from Maine.  I yelled a lot and I had to explain why to Chris.  :)  This book was a lot more frustrating to read because Ave Maria seemed so self-righteous and hypocritical.  The troubles in their marriage began after their son died, but I'm still a little fuzzy on whether or not that issue was resolved between them.  The jealousy thing drove me insane and my favorite part of the book was when Ted told Ave Maria to get over herself.  I was also annoyed by how dismissive she was of Jack Mac's firing and subsequent desire to start his own business.  She just didn't seem to want to understand where he was coming from.  She just wasn't being supportive to him but always expected him to be supportive of her.  I guess it ended all right, but I wasn't inspired to read the next book.

Big Stone Gap

I haven't written on any of my blogs for a while, but I found an old journal I started before I went digital, so I'm going to transfer some of my entries.  I finished this first book, Big Stone Gap, by Adriana Trigiani, in July of 2008.

This book and its sequels were recommended to me by Marcy because she and her sister loved them.  It took me a while to start them but I brought them to Maine and read them in the tent.  :)  The writing was very good and kept me interested in what was going to happen to the characters, even though I thought the main character, Ave Maria, was seriously neurotic.  I guess I just don't identify with women like her - wishy washy and lacking in self confidence, but still opinionated and judgmental of others.

Iva Lou was a great character and I think Jack Mac deserved better.  The good thing about the character development is that you really got into the lives of the secondary characters as well.  Sometimes I wanted to skip chapters so I could follow the story line of the previous chapter.  I liked the characters enough that I started the next book right away.