Bayou

I'm surprised by the lack of enthusiasm in the other reviews of this book. I found this at a local used book sale, and picked it up, because I like historical fiction and hadn't read about this particular region before. I'm glad I did. What started off as a pretty traditional historical fiction story in the style of a James Michener or John Jakes is unique in that it centers around women...which is hardly ever the case. Women are usually side characters in many of these stories -- victims, mostly, often left home while their men go off to war. I thought this story did a good job with the interplay between women, of the choices they are forced to make to survive a harsh time period and landscape and the everyday realities of women's lives. The story seemed well-researched and did a good job at the love-hate relationship between the "big city" and the bayou. The settings and situations were well-illustrated and easy to imagine. I will likely be keeping my eye our for Jekel's other novels. If you come across this book, I would definitely recommend it. I'm not going to keep it on my treasured bookshelf or anything forever..I'll be passing it on. But it was definitely worth the read.

I read this book several years ago and have been looking to buy it again after my original copy was lost. I love this book, I was swept into these women's lives and felt their love, their sorrow, and their pain. I think it is well written and would recommend to anyone.