A Parchment of Leaves

A beautifully written book by the author of CLAY'S QUILT, A PARCHMENT OF LEAVES takes us back to the early 1900's and the mountains of Appalachia. Vine, a young Cherokee girl, is rumored to have sent men to their graves by casting spells on them, for she is reputed to have special magical powers. The white men of the area fear her, especially as they pass her home on the way up the mountains to work on the construction of a mansion being built for a rich man named Tate Masters. One day, Saul Sullivan and his brother Aaron are on their way up the mountain to help with the construction, and they pass Vine's house. Saul sees Vine for the first time and is instantly smitten, but she ignores him. A while later, she hears screams and finds that Aaron has been bitten by a poisonous snake. With her knowledge of Indian medicine, she saves his life. Vine's life is changed forever. No longer does she live within the confines of the Cherokee community. The snakebite that nearly kills Aaron paves the way for Saul and Vine's courtship and soon they are married. She moves away from Redbud Camp and the Cherokee people, and moves in with her new husband and mother-in-law Esme, who live in a place called God's Creek. Although Vine and Saul love each other, she misses her family terribly. However, her mother-in-law is very supportive of them, despite the rumors that have spread about Vine and her evil spells and the fact that she is a Cherokee. The two women become close, which helps to ease Vine's homesickness. She befriends the local midwife, Serena, who Saul mentions, is "crackerjack", but Vine ignores the comment and soon the two women are the closest of friends. The people at God's Creek also accept Vine as part of their community. She learns their ways, sings their songs, dances their Irish jigs, and eats their food. She creates a loving home for her husband and new baby. But she is not completely happy. She finds that Saul is not as talkative as she would have liked, and is upset that he keeps things to himself, failing to open himself up to her. At the same time, Aaron develops an obsession for Vine, which begins to scare her. She tries to ignore what is happening, and one day she finds that he is following her, hiding behind trees as he spies on her. She keeps this from Saul, knowing that he will never believe her and will always come to the defense of his family. With Saul by her side, Vine feels protected, but one day he tells her that he has decided to temporarily move to a neighboring county to help with the war effort. It'll help bring in more money and give them the type of life they can only dream of. As soon as Saul leaves God's Creek, Aaron approaches Vine and professes his love for her, coming on so strong that she screams at him to leave. He disappears, leaving Esme and Vine to fend for themselves, only to return months later with a new wife, Aidia, who happens to physically resemble Vine. With Aaron back in their lives with a new

A Parchment of Leaves is a beautifully woven story of life in the backwoods of Kentucky at the beginning of WWI. It is a story of a young white man who falls in love with a beautiful Cherokee girl. When they decide to marry, it is inevitable that she must leave her people and that they must go and make their life among his. Silas House tells their story of love, acceptance, prejudice, secrets and betrayals in an intricate manner, told in the voices of the people themselves. The ultimate search for love and forgiveness is a poignant tale. The decisions of which secrets are revealed and which ones are locked away and the friction that results is deftly revealed. The fear and the loneliness is so striking and intense, the pure love is so vibrant and the story so well imagined that this is a novel that stays in your heart.

Following his well-received Clay's Quilt, Silas House continues to explore the meaning of family, love, home, and belonging. Unlike many popular novels today, House is never heavy-handed in his themes. A Parchment of Leaves unfolds itself as naturally to the reader as own lives unfold to us. His clear prose is welcoming and contains an undercurrent of description that reveals the simple beauties of the landscape and human relationships. The characters of Vine and Serena are so three-dimensional that you'll convince yourself they're real people. Curl up with your quilt, a cup of hot chocolate, and this book. Recommended for all readers, not just devotees of Southern literature.

The word pictures in A Parchment of Leaves drew me into the story so deeply I could barely breathe. Through the transitions of time and place I became a part of Vine, sharing her life, wanting to be with her. Redbud Camp and God's Creek became my world. I know these people through the heart of Silas House.