Saving Grace

the book, "saving grace" by lee smith, was in good condition, as promised. it arrived in less than a week, much earlier than promised, which was very important, as it was ordered for a monthly book club discussion. the cover of the book i received was different from the one pictured, which did not matter at all to me. i would purchase items from this seller again.

Saving Grace by Lee Smith is the tale of Grace Shepherd, a woman whose life is largely defined by two Southern primitive Christian ministers--Virgil Shepherd, her egomaniacal, sociopath philandering father and Travis Word, her pious, inflexible, straight-laced, repressed husband. Brought up in abject poverty by her neglectful father Grace has no life outside her immediate family and the charismatic, serpent handling congregation of her fathers in rural North Carolina. Her life is her father and his religion--though Grace does not truly or successfully fit into either world. As her life's journey her fathers abuse and negligence will cause most of her siblings to abandon the family and her beloved mother to commit suicide. Eventually her father will totally abandon her and she will turn to--and marry--her rescuer, Travis Word. A noble man in many ways, Travi's considerable advantage in years and near total sexual repression will lead Grace to stray--to disastrous effect. In spite of all this, Grace manages to find some bearings, raise two successful daughters and develop enough courage to go back "home" and confront her roots and personal demons. This is a riveting book in many ways. Grace's personal story is as captivating as it is unsettling. The insights into the strange Southern primitive Christian world are mesmerizing. The cast of characters--and it is quite a cast of characters--that populate the novel are enormously engaging. The writing is exquisite. Some of the other reviews alluded to this being among Lee's less successful novels. If this is here bad stuff--an assessment I find ludicrous--I can hardly wait to get to the good stuff. A really great novel on many levels.

A brilliant and refreshingly unusual read... Much darker than her other works with characters that are well-developed and believable. Some sections so accurately described (the Randy years) that you would swear Ms. Smith has lived another life. Very accurate with regard to fundmentalist Christianity in the 40's and 50's. Great read for a long weekend!

Smith is becoming the Faulkner of the Appalachian region and her books just keep getting better. The details of the snake-handling community are fabulous. You live the experience with Florida Grace and cannot go away unaffected.

Saving Grace is easily one of the best novels you'll ever read. The subtle, clever writing style of Lee Smith draws you into the life of Grace as she battles poverty, religious fanaticism, and searches for her lost identity. Smith's perceptions about the life, feelings, and untapped potential of her character leave the reader with a stronger understanding of the hard lives these Appalachian women live. She brings into light a forgotten group of people and through Grace, increases the reader's own personal awareness.