Bitterroot Landing [Paperback]

Sheri Reynolds (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1997

For all those who loved Bastard out of Carolina, here is a powerful new voice in women's literature--and a heroine readers will never forget. Jael is a survivor. She will survive even River Bill. The voices she hears--voices of women both real and imagined--will make her stronger every day. And one day she will understand that they were all a part of what will become her own voice.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Reynold's first novel is an original, lyrically written tale about an incest survivor's recovery. By age 21, Jael has experienced the loss of her guardian, whom she accidentally killed 10 years earlier; sexual abuse by the man who subsequently adopted her; and abandonment by another in the swampy, Southern backwoods setting. Educated by her guardian and on her own, Jael is utterly unprepared for the wider world she finally enters. A social worker, a survivor's group and the inhabitants of a local church community ease her move into society and her gradual understanding of what has happened to her. Reynolds makes minimal use of the psychological jargon of victimization; Jael, quirky and dead sure of her instincts, is a beautifully realized character. The novel's suggestion of an almost mythic female spiritual power, and the abundance of religious imagery, including the presence in the village of the Madonna, is occasionally tiresome, and the male characters are not as fleshed-out as the female ones. Still, Reynolds aims high and just about hits the bull's-eye, displaying a self-assurance and a taste for moral and social issues that make her debut a most welcome one. Literary Guild alternate. (Jan.) Mystery
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Sexual abuse has become such a familiar staple of mysteries and other fiction that its central place in this slender first novel is no surprise. What is surprising is how it becomes a spiritual catalyst for Jael, a victim whose search for peace leads her beyond the comfort of professional therapy. Opening and closing her story with the antiphonal "Gods change colors and spin themselves new garments every day," Jael communes with spirit voices, meets real people, and risks friendships to find new ways to worship what is familiar and divine. Reynolds transforms an abased and self-mutilating girl into a mystical avatar able to radiate her godly attributes. This transformation is achieved without romanticizing the gritty realness of her life. She is poor and rough, and her harsh life is accurately portrayed. Yet, in her thoughts and actions, Jael is given a lyrical and convincing expressiveness. For fiction collections needing fresh visions of contemporary themes.
Barbara Conaty, Library of Congress
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Trade; First Edition edition (April 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 042516246X
• ISBN-13: 978-0425162460
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,425,763 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reality Sometimes "Hurts", December 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Bitterroot Landing (Paperback)

People who didn't like this book obviously want to live in a safe world where they can hide from the truth. The author here is not out to make you feel good. She gives an honest, heartbreaking portrayal of a young girl dealing with MORE than incest--even dealing with things all women have experienced--plus things some of us will never dream of. But it is an uplifting story nonetheless, a story of survival. YES, there were some disturbing images, but they were also essential elements of the story. Perhaps those who found the story "disgusting" should go read some Nancy Drew books--a little more on their level. The rest of you who are trying to decide, this is a wonderful novel, so please give it a try! You won't be disappointed.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Enduring Favorite, September 21, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Bitterroot Landing (Paperback)

I randomly picked up this book at a bookstore to which I had a gift certificate. I was not dissapointed. I devoured the book and felt changed when I finished it. Reynolds' words are crafted with such thought that they create the most vivid, beautiful images. Her words pulled me into the story and I truly believed in Jaels life and pain. Jaels' triumphs over her inner conflicts left me inspired. Her bitter struggle is almost tangible and nothing seems far-fetched because of how deep I was into the story. I pick this book up and read it often and it always leaves me filled with intense emotions.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Liked this book a lot, August 31, 2001

By 

momma in Charleston, SC - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bitterroot Landing (Paperback)

Story of a girl growing up defending herself by hiding from abusive grandmother/mother figure. The girl resorts to despirit measures and accidentally kills someone defending herself. She is also a victim of incest by a "man-of-God" who is taking care of her. She gets a job doing cleaning and slowly begins to find herself. Wonderful story.