Dalva

i just wanted to weigh in against the all-girl gangs of jim harrison haters. this is a lovely, funny, deeply moving novel, and, like some of the other women reviewers who have posted here, i find harrison's female characters (not just dalva) completely believeable and quite admirable. if you enjoy this book, i would heartily recommend your listening to the unabridged audiobook version available from recorded books, inc.

It's a few months since I read Dalva, but it has stuck with me. This story is romantic & touching with lots of sympathetic characters who grow and change during the book. The way the different timelines are woven together, and the way the core "problem" of the story is slowly & carefully revealed bespeak great skill by the author. I agree with those who say Dalva is not a realistic portrait of a woman. She is in many ways the fantasy ideal of a lot of men: strong, honest, loyal, self-assured, rich, sexually free. I suspect Harrison is in love with her, and for plenty of good reasons. Harrison is one of my favorite authors, and this is the best of his that I've read.

This is a gutsy and soulful tale, with characters (most) who have grit, dignity, and passion. If you like your entertainment light, pretty, and not too dangerous; if strong feelings about the nature of loyalty, love, and personal conviction in the face of human failings disturb you, then you may not like this book. The excellent descriptive powers of Jim Harrison's writing will appeal most to those who are students of human nature, and who tend to feel intensely about life, it's beauty, and it's heartache... Familiarity with rural living is a plus, as is an appreciation of nature.

Anyone with a soul will like this book. Those who want to climax too quickly (*snicker*) or suffer from ADD should avoid it. Multiple stories (mainstream fiction, historical fiction and even romance) are all twisted together here into a moving, witty, and complex story. Jim Harrison's novels are like a hike in a beautiful landscape - enjoy them for the journey, for the little joys along the way. Jim Harrison writes like no one else and leaves me in awe with every page. He drew a sunshine in my copy of Dalva in Seattle. The book is my prized possession.