Customer Reviews

Pug Sheridan

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Pug Sheridan is author Sandra Cline's debut novel, a work in which she drew upon interviews with more than fifty elderly residents in the area in which her story is set. Set in the rural South of one hundred years ago, Pug Sheridan tells of a young tomboy girl who survives the difficult transition to womanhood, and must struggle against the evil of a resurgent Ku Klux Klan that threatens her family and cherished friends - members of a secret sorority that dares to transcend racial taboos. Yet the darkness in the world around her will force her to put her courage, resourcefulness, and even her willingness to enact violence to the test. A dramatic, soul-searching story of growing up, coming of age, and daring to take a stand.

I enjoyed Pug Sheridan more than anything I've read in a long time. The author uses a fresh approach to many ageless issues such as racism and spirituality. Set in the deep south early in the 20th century, the reader follows the life of an extraordinary girl facing daunting situations. The characters are well-crafted and believeable, and the author has obviously done loads of research on the customs and the culture prevalent in the south during that era. It is a coming-of-age novel carefully mixed with life lessons, and served up with good old-fashioned humor. I can't wait for Sandra Cline's next book.

With Sandra Cline's background of growing up in Alabama, her research and her interviews with people who lived there in years gone by, she has been able to write an engaging story about life there 100 years ago. Her descriptive language lets you get a feel of the times, and lets you immerse yourself along with the characters in the book. You become one with Pug in her dealings with the group of Seven Sisters, through the joys and through the sorrows, and with their dealings with the Ku Klux Klan and racial tensions. The story pulls you along from beginning to end.

I believe PUG SHERIDAN should be in every US home. One of the most important reasons to read this book is its elegant prose. Its plot and characterizations will resonate with anyone searching for truth, love and the need for compassion in our world. PUG SHERIDAN evokes the simple, yet profound, beauty of storytelling found in TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD--one of the best pieces of US literature ever.
Give yourself--and those you love--the gift of a fine read.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this first novel from Ms. Cline.
I loved Pug and was touched by her loyalty and spunky character.
Pug is someone you want in your corner, a true friend.
Sandy Cline is a wonderful story teller. She's descriptive,
poetic and engaging to read.
Looking forward to more novels from this gifted writer.

I was completely engulfed, couldn't let go, couldn't put it down. The characters, especially Pug, instantly had my love. This read is unlike others in that it comes alive, through the reader, and the energy of the courageous young woman is tangible. Rarely have I enjoyed a journey so thoroughly. My thanks to the author, she takes you on an adventure you'll not soon forget. You'll love this book and you'll want to share. Where has this author been hiding? A Masterpiece!

As an avid book club member, I read a l o t of books. Some accompany me everywhere, some are easy to leave at home, some even get lost. Pug Sheridan was one of the books that came with me everywhere, in fact I actually didn't want to go anywhere once I'd started reading, I just wanted to stay at home and keep reading, I absolutely had to know what happened to Pug. Sandy Cline does a wonderful job of drawing the reader in - cold chills went up and down my spine, my heart quickened, shivers...the full kinesthetic experience. What a marvelous book. I thoroughly recommend it (however many other "Southern" or "coming-of-age" books you've read, this is different).

This book delved into so much within its pages that it is difficult to create a decent summary that would do the entire book justice and cover everything. The story begins very slowly at first, creeping at a pace that aggravated me. However, when I finally realized the author's intent, I was amazed at the wonderful story that emerged. Cline took her time to craft a unique cast of characters that laid the framework for a magnificent tale. I realized that the girls and the boys represented two different factions in the book.

From the Seven Sisters we learn about the struggle for women's rights, how to treat all people as racial equals and how to give complete loving acceptance despite the person creed, race, or circumstance. The young men, on the other hand, taught separateness by race and gender, prejudice against all that were different from them and a deep hatred that could destroy all of them. As the dogma of the two factions clashed in this novel, each of the young women came into her own. Each of their stories, though hard to bear at times, was fascinating. Girl power is indeed a beautiful thing. Sandra Cline is a very gifted storyteller and I am looking to more from this author.

Reviewed by Brenda M. Lisbon
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Did Cynthia Snowden and I read the same book? I cannot begin to understand her harsh and unfair criticism of this perfectly delightful novel! I am the facilitator of several literature classes in San Jose and Sunnyvale, California. This book is on the MUST READ list for each class. It was recommended to me by one of the enrollees as a possible selection. I read it and immediately agreed with her assessment. Charming, haunting, truthful, imaginative, witty and honest. A gifted storyteller telling a wonderful story. "Chick lit" this is NOT!

I came across this novel quite by accident. I found the work in a small library and was immediately entranced by it. Pug's character came completely alive for me and I grew to love her more with each passing page. What an insight Mrs. Cline has given us into the life of the rural south. As a student of political science, the novel gave me a deep insight to the racist psychology of the turn of the century south.