| Product: |
Big Stone Gap - Adriana Trigiani |
| Date: |
17/07/02 (1425 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Nice simple and enjoyable plot, Characters you actually care about
Disadvantages: If you like action packed books then this may be a little gentle for you!
When the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker and Whoopi Goldberg are quoted on the front a book it certainly makes you take notice. I was in my local Waterstones browsing (as I often do) and I happened to pick up “Big Stone Gap” by Adriana Trigiani. There on the front cover was a quote from Sarah Jessica Parker (Sex and the City) describing the book as , “Hilarious, romantic. I couldn’t put it down – a real page turner” and then just as I wanted to read more and find out what exactly the novel was about. Whoopi Goldberg was quoted on the back as saying it was one of her favourite novels. I am not so naïve as to think everything endorsed by a celebrity is guaranteed to be great. However, I felt this was worth a go, as the story seemed interesting.
~~~The Author~~~
I’ll admit I had never heard of Adriana Trigani before and thus I was quite surprised when I read her biography in the book. Originally from the Big Stone Gap, Virginia, she now lives in new York with her husband. She has to date written many plays and screenplays ans has written and produced many award winning films and television programmes, including “The Cosby Show”. A film version of “ Big Stone Gap” is currently being made and the sequel is to be released in 2003.
~~~Big Stone Gap; the plot & happenings~~~
Big Stone Gap, Virginia is one of those American towns where people are born and die without ever really going much further afield. You go to school there, marry someone else who you have probably known all your life and are buried there. Very few people find a way out of Big Stone Gap and it’s way of life. There is a great deal of poverty and the majority of people are not wealthy. However, this is not to say that it is a bad place to live. There is a real sense of community and people do genuinely care about each other (as well as gossip considerably about each other as well :O)
Ave M
arie Mulligan is one of the residents of Big Stone Gap. Raised here all her life she now runs the local pharmacy that her father started many many years ago. Ave Marie is a bit of an oddity though, as whereas most of her peers were married at 18 and now have a whole heap of kids, as well as a second marriage in some cases, she remains unmarried and independent. Running the local pharmacy means that Ave knows everyone and their secrets, as many choose to turn to her. She has been keeping many of their secrets for years. After her mothers death a secret from her own past is revealed and this has many consequences on Ave Marie and what she chooses to do in the future. On top of this, within a matter of days she is dealing with two marriage proposals, a bitter family feud and a whole host of relatives that she never knew she had.
The novel starts off showing you how life is in Big Stone Gap. You meet the people who play a key role in Ave Marie’s life and get to see the workings of the small community. We are introduced to Theodore. Iva Lou, the mobile library attendant who has been loaning books to Ave and acting as her confident for many years. Fleeta Mullins, Ave’s only employee of many years, who is really quite a character. Then there is Jack Mac, another one of Ave Marie’s friends from school who continues to be there for her, even though he is marrying the most popular girl in the school year.
“Big Stone Gap” is a truly wonderful book. I smiled the whole way through. There was no real violence or swearing and no overtly sexual behaviour. It was a genuinely nice book that was a pleasure to read and one that left me feeling all nice and warm inside. This is a definite book for those who want an enjoyable easy read. By far it’s greatest appeal is the characterisation. You get to see real insight in to a selection of local towns folk. Even though there is a lot of gossiping and some bitching, when it comes to
the crunch, and when someone has a crisis, they all rally round and help. I felt at the end that I really understood the characters and all that they had been through and so the prospect of a sequel continuing their lives made me feel very happy indeed.
It was good to read a book in which it didn’t need to be set in some big city in order to be exciting. These people were leading a pretty normal existence in a little town. The key events included a local amateur dramatics performance and the arrival of some new people, but these still kept me 100% interested and made it a lovely story. I can completely understand why this will translate well into a film.
The book also makes you aware of the Chinese art of face reading, which was very interesting for me. Ave Marie is very much into face reading and in the beginning she tells you briefly what it is all about. Then throughout the rest of the book she comments on peoples faces and what she thinks they mean. This is a really simple, but effective aspect to the novel, which I enjoyed. Now, as my mother warned me, I will never trust someone with eyes too close together!!!
~~To conclude~~
If you enjoy genuinely nice well written books then this is definitely for you. A Similar writer which you may have heard of and enjoyed is Anne Shreve. It just goes to show a book doesn’t have to contain violence, sex and destruction to make a great read. Whoopi and Sarah Jessica Parker were not wrong .
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