Leaving Before It’s Over
Release date: 2010 / 334 pages
Synopsis (from the back cover): When Ray Vines married his wife, Rosalind, he traded his family and his inheritance for love — a painful choice that has blessed them with years of joy nestled in rural North Carolina with their beautiful daughters, sixteen-year-old Lola and little Janie Ray. But their happiness is threatened when Rosalind suddenly falls ill…
First Sentence: Lola heard from the other kids that if you stand in front of a mirror in a nearly dark room, close your eyes, and turn around three times, all ghosts who have cause to be near you will appear.
Review: I mostly enjoyed this gentle, page-turning Southern tale about family. The genre of ”Southern fiction” usually brings to (my) mind dark, festering secrets and painful revelations, ala Faulkner, Flannery O’Connor, or Pat Conroy. However, although Leaving includes both secrets and painful revelations, dark and festering it is not.
The premise follows twin brothers, physically identical but with disperate temperments and intentions. The “good” twin, Ray, is disowned as a young man once he leaves his marriage and hometown to raise a family with the woman he loves, who is now suffering from a blood-related disease. Her diagnosis requires money that can only come from the “evil” twin, Mont, who had remained behind to raise Luke, who everyone believes is Ray’s son, take care of the family business, and foster a political career. The only way Ray will be given the money he needs is if he takes his son with him to escape a possible scandal that would mar Mont’s political aspirations.
The heart and soul of this novel is found in Luke. I found most of the characters in this novel is be either “too good” or “too bad” – I tend to prefer a large dose of ambivalence in my characters. However, while Luke was incredibly kind-hearted and generous, his burgeoning relationship with his new-found sister Lola was lovely to witness.
I also enjoyed spending a few hours in North Carolina, steeped in Page’s lovely imagery:
“The mountain air seemed older than air in other places, gathering smells inside the valley like a light summer stew. Earth, new leaves, and evergreens, along with a faint, lingering wood smoke from cold days long past.”
So, I recommend this novel as a gentle distraction that could be a wonderful companion on a vacation. If you are interested, simply drop me a comment and I’ll choose a winner by this weekend!
For other reviews, check out the following sites:
Monday, August 23rd: Books in the City
Wednesday, August 25th: Scraps of Life
Tuesday, August 31st: Rundpinne
Thursday, September 2nd: Colloquium
Friday, September 3rd: Reading at the Beach
Tuesday, September 7th: Lisa’s Yarns
Thursday, September 9th: Shhh I’m Reading
Monday, September 13th: Café of Dreams
Tuesday, September 14th: Bookstack
Wednesday, September 15th: Book Club Classics!
Wednesday, September 22nd: Jenn’s Bookshelves
I love that you introduce me to such interesting sounding books! I would love a copy!
This sounds great, please include me, thanks!
I’d definitely be interested in this ‘gentle distraction’, I like that description. Thanks for the opportunity and review!
This sounds perfect for my book club! I’d love to win a copy… Thanks!
I’d love to be in the running for this book! Thank you…
I’d like to give it a try – please include me. Thanks!
That seems absolutely wonderful. Please include me in the drawing (if it isn’t too late).
Family is such a complicated thing and this book definitely tackles a lot of family issues! I’m glad that you were able to enjoy it – like you said, it sounds like the perfect vacation read.
Sounds like a great read to me, count me in!
I’d like to read it! Thanks for the giveaway.
Great review! I liked this one too although you make a good point about the characters being “too good” – I did feel that way about the Vines at times. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the book and found their “goodness” refreshing!