She Flew the Coop: A Novel Concerning Life, Death, Sex and Recipes in Limoges, Louisiana

Although this book takes place in small town Limoges, Louisiana the characters could be from any location. Ms West takes you inside the the heads of several of the locals of Limoges. I found the book hard to put down; and during the course of the day when I wasn't reading it I wondered what was going to happen to Olive the girl in a coma pregnant by the local Baptist preacher, Harriet the town gossip, DeeDee the oversexed counter girl at the drugstore and her sweet child Billie, Sophie the maid and her abusive husband Burr and of course Vangie--Olive's mother, and Henry Olive's daddy the druggist. Thanks Ms West for providing me with some great entertainment---I loved Limoges!

This book centered on the womenfolk of 1952 Limoges, Louisiana, will charm the tar out of you while making you think. There is the doomed Olive Nepper, daughter of Henry and Vangie, ignobly impregnated by the ersatz Baptist preacher. And there is the blowsy DeeDee Robichaux, grasping wife of the paralyzed Renny and mother of the utterly charming and guileless Billie. We meet Edith Galliard, Vangie Nepper's widowed sister-in-law who is a transplanted New York artist, and their busybody neighbor Harriet. Little Fannie epitomizes innocence and will break your heart. Sophie Donnell works as a maid for many of the white ladies in town, most of whom love and respect her and pray nightly for the death or maiming of her brutish husband, Burr.When Vangie learns of Henry's sordid affair with DeeDee Robichaux, she moves out to the cotton plantation she inherited but which Henry never allowed her to spend a penny of her inherited money on. It is a joy to watch Vangie reborn at the age of 40, taking a stand for the first time in her life, learning to drive, modernizing her appearance, siccing her dog on Henry, and doing what has to be done all by herself. This book portrays a microcosm of small-town life with all its banality, sense of community, pettiness, goodness, gossip, and cohesiveness. It is as well a tender commentary on new love, old loves, and illicit love. There is plenty of poetic justice to go around as each woman flies her own unique coop.The evolutions of Vangie and Sophie were in my opinion the most powerful. Each of the pivotal characters reaches deep within herself in time of crisis to find her strength and courage. The feminist theme is subtle in that these women don't burn their bras and swear off men; rather, they learn to solve their own problems with a little help from God and their friends. This novel is rich and funny and irreverent, to say nothing of chock-full of comfort food recipes. I was completely captivated and didn't come up for air 'til I finished it.

Michael Lee West has written a wonderfully insightful book about life in sleepy Limoges, Louisiana. The story takes place in 1952 and opens with the attempted suicide of a pregnant local teenager. It then moves forward from the viewpoint of eight very colorful citizens and you learn all about Limoges town life, secrets and idiosyncrasies. Each narrator's story line moves the plot forward from a different direction and then Ms West ties it all together, very satisfyingly, at the end. The writing is terrific, witty and irreverent. The scenes and settings, vivid. And both really capture the tone of the deep south. And as an added bonus...recipes. For what would the south be without great cooking. All in all a terrific book, chock full of emotions, to read more than once and share with others.

This is only the second book I have read by Ms. West (first being American Pie) and I was totally enthralled. It took me a few chapters to get the ball rolling, but after that I couldn't stop reading. I loved every single second I spent in Limoges, Louisiana with Vangie, Henry, DeeDee, Harriet and the others. Some of the storylines were quite sensitive (i.e. Reverend Kirby) but I really didn't mind, it only made the book seem more real. I have her other two books, Crazy Ladies and Consuming Passions, and I can't wait to start on them. Thanks and kudos to Michael Lee West!

I am a southern woman who now lives in the Pacific Northwest, and reading this book was like a visit back to my hometown (Hattiesburg, Mississippi). I fell in love with this book and I want to recommend it to anyone who enjoys gorgeous, entertaining fiction. It is very much a companion book to Rebecca Wells' fabulous novel, DIVINE SECRETS OF THE YA-YA SISTERHOOD, and also to the works of Ellen Gilchrist (THE AGE OF MIRACLES, LIGHT CAN BE BOTH WAVE AND PARTICLE, etc). The writing of these authors is different and the plots and characters are unique; however they are mind altering if read back-to-back. These authors write books that are both delicious and different, yet of a similar genre. All of these novels are set in the Deep South, have a bevy of outrageous, hilarious heroines, lush, vivid settings, and humor that will make you laugh outloud.