Hope you all had a great weekend! Today I am back with the book review from our July book,The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls
When I read this description on the amazon page, I was intrigued: A lush, sexy, evocative debut novel of family secrets and girls’-school rituals, set in the 1930s South. Here was my excuse to read a racy novel, right?
Well, let me tell you that all of the sex in this book is totally inappropriate and made me a little uncomfortable. The main character, Thea, was a young girl who was sheltered from the world, and then completely taken advantage of within her own family. I don’t fault her- she was only 15 and only knew her father, uncle, brother, and cousin when it comes to the opposite sex. However, what really bothered me was that she was then sent away as if anything that happened was her fault completely, and she honestly never in the novel acknowledges her situation for what it is…. rape. For anyone who has read my story, you can understand how this piece of the novel, which is what it all sprouts from, really bothered me. I felt so sorry for Thea- she was just totally lost.
Anyhow, her family sends her away to an all girl’s riding camp and school. The school is run by Mr. & Mrs. Holmes, and early on it becomes clear that Mrs. Holmes and Thea’s mother have some sort of history. When their history finally comes out, it’s very muddy and unresolved…. the biggest letdown of the book for me. I kept waiting for more details on their friendship but none came.
At Yonahlossee, Thea heads into yet another inappropriate sexual relationship. I won’t give anything away in case you decide to read it (though after my review you probably won’t!). Again, I just felt sorry for her- her character seems to think she’s strong and knows what she is doing, and maybe the author even felt that way; but all I saw was a lost and misguided little girl.
Check out what my book club members, Kirby and Carmel, have to say about this novel.
I’ve already started the August book, Dark Places: A Novel
