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Author Rachel Devenish Ford presents a debut novel rich with depth and insight of emotion and need.
Molly Boscelli, a goat farmer in the hills of Humboldt County, California, is fighting an approaching forest fire with sheer force of will.
She and her husband Jack inherited their sweeping piece of land in the hills from Molly's mother, Catherine, ten years before, and the years have been a long slope of resentment for Molly, called back to a place that is teeming with reminders of her inability to live up to her mother's legend.
With the threat of fire, things begin to accelerate. The couple can't seem to get the help they need from the state fire department. Molly teeters on the brink of exhaustion and Jack is eaten by worry that her fragile mental health won't hold up under the strain. The couple's grown children, together with Catherine, rejoin them at the ranch.Catherine is old now, and drawn far into memories of her life in the hills with her settler father and Native American mother.
As Catherine digs deep into her past to find the healing both she and Molly need, Molly comes to understand the true depth of feeling she has for the ranch, gaining determination to take extreme measures to defend it.
Molly Boscelli, a goat farmer in the hills of Humboldt County, California, is fighting an approaching forest fire with sheer force of will.
She and her husband Jack inherited their sweeping piece of land in the hills from Molly's mother, Catherine, ten years before, and the years have been a long slope of resentment for Molly, called back to a place that is teeming with reminders of her inability to live up to her mother's legend.
With the threat of fire, things begin to accelerate. The couple can't seem to get the help they need from the state fire department. Molly teeters on the brink of exhaustion and Jack is eaten by worry that her fragile mental health won't hold up under the strain. The couple's grown children, together with Catherine, rejoin them at the ranch. Catherine is old now, and drawn far into memories of her life in the hills with her settler father and Native American mother.
As Catherine digs deep into her past to find the healing both she and Molly need, Molly comes to understand the true depth of feeling she has for the ranch, gaining determination to take extreme measures to defend it.
Eleanor15
Posted June 11, 2011
In this story of a family, a ranch and a fire, Rachel Devenish Ford has created a mesmerising work of art. Hers is a unique style which combines detailed realism with lyrical fantasy, creating a world so powerful that it left me feeling elated. If you've ever struggled with your role as a mother, a daughter or a wife then this novel is your soft place to fall. Most importantly, if you have struggled with (in Devenish Ford's own words) "the dark, slippery places of the mind" then I urge you to rush to read this novel. It will bring you through the fire safely, and prove to you that the wildflowers can still bloom.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.KristenKate
Posted June 12, 2011
I was so captured by this story, that I couldn't wait to find a few more minutes to keep reading.
The characters seemed so REAL to me, and the author's descriptions of the locations were detailed enough to make me believe I could see what she could.
I've always enjoyed reading the author's blog at various points in my own adventure, and her way with words in this amazing novel are just as beautiful as I expected!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted July 15, 2011
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Overview
Author Rachel ...