This is the third book I've read by Heather Cobham. It's been really wonderful to watch her grow into her own regarding her writing; to see her develoThis is the third book I've read by Heather Cobham. It's been really wonderful to watch her grow into her own regarding her writing; to see her develop into a lyrical and trustworthy novelist. This book, Calling the Circle, is like her other two in that it deals with the stories of different women and how their lives intersect. But it stands apart because it is historical fiction, a sort of backstory to the first two, like a prequel.
I really loved visualizing the different women of the early 1900's, and especially women from different backgrounds: Indigenous, Black, White. Women who are well-off, poor, hardworking, intelligent, and on the cusp of something much bigger than themselves: the idea that women should be offered the same rights as men. I especially appreciate how these women are not stereotypes of the era. Instead, we get to know them personally. We get to know their fears, their desires, and their beliefs, even if they don't fall in line with the norm. And most of these women definitely do not conform to what society dictates! I had two grandmothers who broke through molds, so reading about other women who did the same is intriguing to me.
Cobham has done her homework here, showing the reader what it was like just prior to the passing of the 19th amendment. The historical details are spot on. But what's additionally interesting is learning about the cultural habits and lives of those who resided in downeast North Carolina. It was a different time, obviously, but it was also a different place than urban settings. Without dripping overzealous "southern charm" like so many other authors, Cobham offers a fictional story that reads like real life, while giving us a taste of what it was really like in the Southeast at the turn of the 20th century.
Hats off to a timeless portrayal of women, and a plot that keeps the reader interested all the way from the beautiful cover to the end of the story. An ending where all things come full circle....more
It is hard to believe that this novel is a debut. The author, Clarissa Harwood, certainly writes like someone who has not only done years of homework,It is hard to believe that this novel is a debut. The author, Clarissa Harwood, certainly writes like someone who has not only done years of homework, but one who writes for a living. I did see on the back cover that she holds a PhD in English Lit with a focus on Brit Lit, and so it would only stand to reason that the novel would be thick with interesting facts. The good thing is that she knows how to take those facts and wrap them up within a wonderful tale, instead of hitting us over the head with them, as many historical authors do. Every time I picked up the book to read a few chapters, I felt as though I'd stepped into a time machine and been deposited next to the characters on the English streets where they reside.
Impossible Saints, which takes place during the early 1900s, is only a fraction of time in an era of suffragettes and their advocacy for women's rights. And yet Harwood somehow manages to saturate such a short amount of time with every nuance of the era. She engages the reader with her insights of religion (not everyone is a believer of god), sex (yes, our great grandmothers enjoyed it, too), and the everyday conversations between early 20th century men and women.
In this book, the fight for freedom goes way beyond what our high school and college history classes taught us. Without spoiling the story, Lilia, the novel's independent and intelligent protagonist, paves the way for all kinds of freedoms, not just voting rights. She ends up in predicaments that we worry she may not overcome, and she falls in love with a man who at first glance is her opposite, but may turn out to be just what she needs.
If you are looking for a story with cliffhangers at the end of every chapter, and page-turning tension, this is not for you. Impossible Saints is a slow and methodical story, with characters doing their best to deal with a world that does not support their feelings, and most times, their decisions. Allow the characters to move you through their world, day by day, piece by piece. Sometimes books are meant to be tasted slowly, instead of gulped down without care. This is one of those books.
My only note is that there is an intense scene which comes later in the book regarding what prison was like for those women who were arrested for their loyalty to independence, and I wish I'd seen more of it sooner, and perhaps with even more detail. But that's just me. Other than that, this is a near-perfect book both in description of the era and ideals of another time. A time in which women had to fight for everything they had, and for everything they wanted for their futures and the futures of other women.
What amazed me most as I read Impossible Saints is the fact that so much of this story is relevant today. In a way, it is a testament to how little people's ideas have really changed, even after so many years....more
“Brooke’s voice feels authentic as she struggles to reconnect with her fractured family, and Manning’s historical research shPublishers Weekly Blurb:
“Brooke’s voice feels authentic as she struggles to reconnect with her fractured family, and Manning’s historical research shows…an entertaining novel with realistic characters readers should find it easy to invest in.”
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