Leslie Manning's Reviews > Calling The Circle

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 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.