The Wilde Women

After reading just the first paragraph, I wasnt quite sure this book would turn out not to be a trashy romance novel. After continuing, I came to find that I just couldn't put it down! It kept me guessing, and gave a new point of view of the depression in the south!

When I read the first chapter in the book store, I knew I'd buy the book. But, I didn't know if the author could keep up her salacious, witty pace. I'm happy to say that she did - and it got so, much, better. This is one talented woman - just google her interviews. She knows sexy women, the South, and storytelling. A must have, especially for saucy Southern women.

When Paula Wall published her first novel, The Rock Garden, I read it and loved it and felt it was by far one of the best novels of that year. I was quite fearful that Ms. Wall was one of those one novel wonders and thought "what a shame." Fortunately my fears were for naught! With this second offering I truly feel the author out did even her first work, which I have said, is one of the best. This is good stuff here folks! At first glance, the author could quite well be classified as a regional author as her novels take place in a specific geographical area. But, like Ferrol Sams (Run with the Horsemen, the first of his wonderful trilogy), Ms. Wall transcends geography and produces a work that most people, if not all people, can relate to. She is simply an excellent, gifted writer and a true master story teller. If, after reading the first five pages, your sides are not hurting from laughter, then something has to be wrong with your sense of humor. This lady is funny. Her one liners are beyond a doubt some of the best I've read in years. This is a novel of the depression south. It is not a "romance" novel, a "bodice ripper" nor is it a "historical romance." It is the story of a small town in the south during the depression years. Yes, there is an element of romance woven into the story, fear not, but this simply in not what this work is about. The author hangs her story on two sisters, which are great characters, but are only a small part of the novel as a whole. We meet page after page of vivid characters. The author has a skill which allows her to, in one paragraph, convince the reader that they have known a character all of their life. The twists and turns of this story are absolutely amazing and complicated, yet not so complicated that it does not all make perfect sense as you read on. Even though the story and plot are wonderful, they are almost over shadowed by the author's keen sense of character development. In this work we have probably at least a dozen story lines going and they are all wonderfully interlinked as are the quirky characters sprinkled here and there. The ending of this work...well, you just have to read that yourself, but trust me, it is great. Like another reviewer here, I recommend you go ahead and buy this one as you will no doubt want to give it a reread. I cannot wait for her next work to come out! Recommend this one highly.

The old South is alive and well and kickin' in Paula Wall's books. I wouldn't call her books historical romances....(that sounds so dry and boring) more like hilarious, witty novels of the South. When Pearl catches her little sister, Kat, with her legs up in the air and her fiance on board for the ride in the well house, she skips town and vows revenge, no matter the cost. Thus begins this witty, fascinating, fun novel. It's one of my favorite reads from my Summer reading list. Pearl and Kat come from a long line of Wilde women who tend to be fiercely independent, beautiful, hard-headed and hot-blooded. Even though this book sounds like an old-fashioned `bodice-ripper' romance, it's not. Paula Wall is the undisputed queen of the one-liner and had me holding my sides from laughing so hard at the quips her characters uttered. I've never seen so many bitter, old hags who learned valuable life lessons from a creative, enterprising whore. I loved the surprise ending which wrapped the story up perfectly. And when the old broad who tried so blatantly and creatively to kill her husband (being a widow was much preferred over being a wife for many women) got her comeuppance, I laughed so hard I had tears running down my face. The chicken house scenes are worth the price of the book, for sure! I borrowed this book from the library, but plan to buy my own copy as soon as it comes out in paper. This is a fabulous Summer read with characters who you won't soon forget.

Ms. Wall, You have done it again. I didn't know if this one would be as good as The Rock Orchard, but it was & maybe even better. I love the time period. The town & its most colorful and sometimes insane( Joy! )characters made this a really fun read. I read it almost in one sitting because I just couldn't bear to put it down. Please hurry & write another!