Customer Reviews

FOX'S EARTH

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

The synopsis of this book is misleading. It oversimplifies the story. This wonderful book traces three generations of women, their parents, husbands, children and servants. It plows new ground in insanity, cruelty, and child abuse. This is probably the first book Ann wrote because it is truly the great American novel. The best book Siddons has ever written!

I have to give Fox's Earth five stars as this book has been so well written. Set in the Southern state of Georgia, Siddons delves into the lives of three generations of women.

The main character is Ruth Yancey, the daughter of impoverished and demented mill worker Cater. Cater is an embarassment to his family and makes a spectacle of himself on market days as he leads them shepherd-like into town, where he cusses and carries on any person he encounters who is better off financially than he. Returning home in a drunken state he strips his wife Pearl Yancey and daughter Ruth of what little self esteem they have, with brutal beatings,horrible rapings and screams which can be heard far into the night.

It isn't any wonder then that at such an early age, Ruth Yancey is forced to embrace the adoption offered by the seniors of Fox's Earth; Alicia and Claud Fox. Pearl Yancey convinces Ruth that going there will be the answer to all her dreams and the end of her nightmares. So they wait impatiently until Cater Yancey's death, and then Ruth is driven by Alicia Fox's chauffeur
to her new life.

The story takes full swing from here with Alicia turning Ruth into the lady who should be readily accepted by society. She learns all the social graces and proper etiquette, and all the finer things of life. Soon Paul Fox, son of Fox's Earth takes her hand in marriage and she now feels more in control.

See how quickly Ruth Yancey Fox forgets where she has arrived from, as she gains power over all her contacts by evil manipulations and such unpleasant dominance she lauds over all who live at the 'big house'including her husband and eventually the coming generations of Fox's children. It almost leaves you with your mouth open to see such ruthlessnes; for Ruth Yancey Fox rules, and she rules with a very long whip. A whip which leaves indelible marks. A highly recommended saga from Siddons.

Reviewed by Heather Marshall Negahdar (SUGAR-CANE October 2nd, 2001)

This is the 3rd book I have read by Ms. Siddons, and so far the best. I am looking forward to reading every book she has written now, and intend to do so. I hope more people get a chance to experience this little-known early novel by this author. Ms. Siddons has wonderful descriptive powers and sense of location, and makes you feel as if you are right there experiencing the events along with the characters.

I found this to be one of the most fascinating and frightening books I have read. There is a person in my family similar to the main character and I have watched in horror what she has done to some of her children.Ms Siddons is able to make one feel they are living with all the characters--unable to help as the main character is so strong. I thoroughly enjoyed Foxes Earth and was sorry to see it end.

After reading "Downtown" I had almost decided never to read another of Siddons' books but since I had some in my reading supply decided to try again. Was fascinated and horrified with "Ruth". In her early years one has profound pity and sorrow for her but as she grew older was hard to believe one person could cause so much pain for others when she had lived thru so much of itherself. Thought it a bit slow at times but now, as I have only ten pages left to read, wish it could go on and on.Glad I have read it as now will continue reading more of Siddons books.

Wow! I'm astonished that everyone else liked this so much. For me, watching Ruth Yancey Fox ruthlessly destroy the lives of everyone in her family was just too depressing. I probably wouldn't have even finished this if I hadn't been on vacation. I thought Ruth should have had her comeuppance a lot earlier in the story, and then there would have been a LITTLE more joy and happiness instead of grinding misery for the whole damn book. I also thought the depiction of the black servants was a bit racist and patronizing. (The old warmhearted-but-dimwitted stereotype.)

I really enjoyed this family saga by Siddons written about a young girl who lives in poverty, and with her schizo-father, and mother who is afraid of this man as you can tell from reading the book. But Ruth Yancey has an opportunity to go live with the Fox family, and from then on in the story she becomes her own domineering person as time goes along. Ruth is a very very strong character who later calls the shots at the mansion after the death of Alicia Fox. Over the years, the family continues to grow, and many exciting events take place over the chapters. A very absorbing book!

Disappointing Siddons. A depressing story of one demented woman destroying everyone around her. No matter how well written, it is still depressing to the end. Save your money unless you like to read detailed descriptions of madness leading to grief and loss and destroyed lives.

I got 1/3 of the way through the book and I stopped reading it and never resumed. Wish I had stopped after the first chapter. I gave the book away. And I LIKE Ann Rivers Siddons books. NOT this one. Ruth is too malicious a character to want to read anymore. And I lost respect for the other characters in the book up to that point.

Siddons does have a wonderful gift of painting detailed, interesting pictures of her characters and locations, and I wanted so badly to enjoy even just that aspect of this book, but I couldn't. The book lacked even one redeeming character that you could like and/or relate to and could care about through the whole story. Even with the deceit, madness and maliciousness, if there was one character (even if it was the grand old home itself, which sadly was never more than a limited-detail backdrop) that you could root for, even through all the suffering and loss, perhaps including their own, I could have stuck with the book. I don't need happy endings, I need characters I can empathize and bond with. They weren't in this book.

But it just wasn't in the cards. Normally I love a good ol' southern novel and the thought of one with psychological trauma sounded too good to be true. (It was!) Very poorly written, and I have enjoyed Siddons before. Unbelievable, yet also boring story line, very stereotypical characters. Just not worth the time or money. Start with another Siddons: Low Country, Peachtree Road or Downtown. If you start with this one, it will be your last, I'm afraid. Pure southern crap with a dollop of boredom, topped off with a bit a racism. (So sorry, Ms. Siddons!)