Raven's Roads
Living an interesting life: the travels and musings
of motorcycling author Linda R. Moore

This book was different.

A Thousand Acres is the story of a Midwest family farm and the four generations who either live on it or who used to. Over the years, through a combination of savvy buying and taking advantage of farmers who don’t make it, the farm has been built up to a thousand acres–a magical number that is somehow supposed to denote success.

Then, suddenly, Larry Cook decides to hand the workings of the farm over to his three daughters, Ginny, Rose and Caroline. Everything goes to hell after that.

I read that this is a retelling of the story of King Lear. I have no idea about that, having no knowledge of the play. But to me, the power is in knowing, right from the beginning, that everything is going to change. The change is symbolized by the return of draft-dodger Jeff Clark, once a farm boy, after thirteen years to the farm next door. He brings fresh attitudes and even if his presence isn’t truly what stirs things up, it plays its part.

A thousand acres, and all its income, does not make you happy. Ginny is unable to carry a child to term; Rose has breast cancer and has been the victim of domestic abuse. There is violence, and insanity, and a rich, lush use of language. The language is so powerful that I was shocked by some of the revelations in the book. It’s been a long time since I, as reader, had an emotional response like this.

Fascinating, appalling, heart-rending story notwithstanding, just the language and the perfect capture of emotions and observations would make this book well worth a read. They are words that you can drink up with your eyes.

As the story continues, as repressed memories are reawoken, as fueds and factions arise, the quiet voice of Ginny narrates without resentment what happened. Each character, in his or her own way, is despicable in some fashion; the unfolding of how is what makes the tale. Of all the characters, Ginny is the only one I liked, in the end, even though she too has her dark side. The others are selfish and unpleasant to a fault–or unthinking, which is even worse.

This is a powerful book, and a gripping one. I can recommend it highly.

Here are some other posts

• Thursday Thirteen #21: 13 emotions that we’re better off without
• Thursday Thirteen #22: Better decluttering through Thursday Thirteen
• Thursday Thirteen #7: 13 Things I’d barely thought about two weeks ago
• Thursday Thirteen #23: 13 Things about the winter solstice
• Thursday Thirteen #19–13 ways to cheat outrageously at NaNoWriMo

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