A Land More Kind Than Home

By: Wiley Cash

Narrated by: Nick Sullivan, Lorna Raver, Mark Bramhall

Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

A stunning debut reminiscent of the beloved novels of John Hart and Tom Franklin, A Land More Kind Than Home is a mesmerizing literary thriller about the bond between two brothers and the evil they face in a small western North Carolina town....

For a curious boy like Jess Hall, growing up in Marshall means trouble when your mother catches you spying on grown-ups. Adventurous and precocious, Jess is enormously protective of his older brother, Christopher, a mute whom everyone calls Stump. Though their mother has warned them not to snoop, Stump can't help sneaking a look at something he's not supposed to - an act that will have catastrophic repercussions, shattering both his world and Jess's.

It's a wrenching event that thrusts Jess into an adulthood for which he's not prepared. While there is much about the world that still confuses him, he now knows that a new understanding can bring not only a growing danger and evil - but also the possibility of freedom and deliverance as well.

Told by three resonant and evocative characters - Jess; Adelaide Lyle, the town midwife and moral conscience; and Clem Barefield, a sheriff with his own painful past - A Land More Kind Than Home is a haunting tale of courage in the face of cruelty and the power of love to overcome the darkness that lives in us all. These are masterful portrayals, written with assurance and truth, and they show us the extraordinary promise of this remarkable first novel.

©2012 Wiley Cash (P)2012 HarperCollinsPublishers

Nice story, but not great -- somewhat formulaic

While I enjoyed this book, it wasn't real moving for me. The plot arc was fairly conventional, even predictable. The characters somewhat typical, with none being truly lovable. The book is read by a few readers--some good, others less so.

A Sad Tale of Love and Loss

This was a beautiful story of flawed individuals who suffer horrendous losses. There were three narrators providing a triumvirate of perspectives. The evil preacher could have been more deeply explored; the glimpse into extreme religious practices was interesting.
I was moved by the story but was left with a heavy heart when it was over.

Character development

Wiley Cash created a tapestry one character at a time, and there was no way to predict what the completed picture would look like until the last chapter. An incredible writer.

Reminds me of my childhood growing up in Rural KY

I'm not sure if it was because of the rural North Carolina mountains with the tobacco fields, or the church, but this book took me home. Granted, I never went to a "snake handling" church, but I loved the setting and story here. I actually listened to this book on Audible, but would have loved it just the same. It has a rural Kentucky feel to it as well, and that's why I think I was drawn to it. Either way, I'll be buying this to keep on my shelves as well.

Don't miss this one!

I wasn't expecting much and in fact, after fist 15 minutes, almost gave up. Read a few reviews, kept listening and knew after 15 more minutes it was a winner. I was so engaged that I couldn't stop listening. It's an emotional, difficult story, but one that offers a realistic observation of the human spirit and the ability to change. Great performances by three narrators!

Rough draft of a good book

This is worth reading. But I think the book could have benefitted from some further editing. Loved the characters and most of the narration.

Amazing!

The narration of the story is superb. The story it's self is gripping. The survival of the human spirit is amazing.

Fantastic for a mother/adult daughter road trip.

A turbulent yet heartwarming read, executed masterfully! The three narrators added depth and credibility to a story built around faith challenges. Heartache and resilience. Cash gets the internal thought processes just right.

slow-moving but interesting story

Tells the story from three different perspectives. Takes place in small southern town. Plot is a bit slow-moving but interesting all the way through. Nice performance as well.

Sad Recollections of a Woeful Tale

Adelaide, the wise old town mid-wife, is the introductory voice of this atmospheric story, so smoothly performed by Lorna Raver that you want to tip a bucket over on the front porch and take a seat at Adelaide's feet while she gently rocks back and forth and envelops you into this somber and cautionary tale. From the day she witnesses a church service that ends with her friend being bitten twice by a copperhead snake -- she knows that there is an evil in Preacher Chambliss. This evil, hiding behind a mask of religion, and using *faith* as its weapon, brings a mournful piece of history colliding into the present time with tragic consequences. The story passes the narrative between Adelaide, innocent 9 yr. old Jess, and Sheriff Barefield -- each voicing the story from their point of involvement. The voice of Jess didn't work for me, seemed a bit contrived or miscast; Sheriff Barefield was perfect.

There is great promise here: A perfect setting, great cast, and a generational story, I found it entertaining and it held my interest, sometimes more than other times. This is one of those good books that had all the underpinnings to be an amazing book. The Evil Preacher Chambliss with his deadly ceremonial snakes was evil incarnate, and could have used more history; the naive Julie's unaware descenion into sin, the father's alcoholic past -- there were several incidents that I wanted to hear more about which could have added some heft to the foundation of the saga.

A terrific debut novel that I enjoyed -- it's almost like comfort food for the ears. Cash is a writer I want to hear more from and won't just be waiting to hear about...I will be anxiously watching for his next book.