Molly

I absolutely love Fraizer's style of writing and Patton's narration. I found myself rewinding to hear passages over again because I was totally charmed. Listening to this book, I recall long gone relatives, who had a winking way of saying things that bespoke an intelligence that might not have been immediately apparent to outsiders, until they let go with a quip that summed up a person or situation perfectly. Fraizer deftly captures that dry humor and eloquence in the characters that populate this story, and Patton's delivery is flawless. Yes, It's a little dark but never gratuitously gruesome or especially difficult. In fact, I like the way that certain unpleasant things were implied and not dished out in detail. Also, part of why I love this book (and Fraizer's other books), is that the NC mountains are dear to me, and I can't get enough of his descriptions of the the mystery and beauty of the place, and the ways of the people, that have all but vanished.

I bought this book for my tween child and decided to preview it for violence and sexual content. It was violent, for sure, but not in an overly gruesome way. The characters were quite chaste and the moral messages were strong.
I didn't expect it to hold my interest, but I really couldn't put it down. If this book was being marketed to adults, I might not give it such high marks, because I found it a tad predictable. However, for younger people, it's perfect.

I found myself repeating chapters because I love the way she tells her story. This book is honest and witty. The author reads the book herself which is sometimes a mistake, but not in this case. She has perfect timing and a gift for mimicry. Loved every minute of it!