What a surprise; riveting, philosophical and terrific. It’s a lot about women, religion and sex; I thought when I started it, it was perhaps a coming of age sort of thing filled as it was with female issues but by the time I finished it, (and this took no time), I realized it was a structured, fast-paced and with an intricate plot. Super. If one had to name why it is so riveting, it is that there are no gaps in the account of Natalie Basle’s becoming. While her story is propelled forward by incredible heroines like Jessie Basle and Catherine Ruckert, and equally, by bad guys like Ricicot Decoté and Kelsey Kratten, in the last analysis, it is Natalie herself who is so important; her predicament is the predicament of many caring and intelligent young women in our society. The successful Jessie Basle is a fantastically strong role-model, the perfect exemplar for the young heroine, Nat Ruckert, or for any other rational, ambitious, young woman; a learning experience for those unfamiliar with the evolution of women's choice in the Western Hemisphere. Powerhouse character Jessie Basle shows standing your ground can make and break a person, and even get them killed. Her granddaughter, Nat, the heroine of the story, is etched of human gold. Natalie Basle's, mother Catherine leaves one with the impression that being female is at long last, a quest, not just an ordinary life. Nat's becoming binds the intricate plot together. The ending, an absolute shocker. Excellent.
