'Leaving Whiskey Bend' Behind is the Best Idea:
After reading 22 of Garlock?s books, most of which are wonderful, this story is a real disappointment. Garlock is known for her characters-with-depth; here, she didn?t seem to waste much ink creating characters that were multi-dimensional and interesting.
Probably the most exciting character was Caleb Morgan. However, he was finished by the end of the Prologue. After the strong build up of this youngest son, it was a shock when he was gone. None of the other characters seemed to receive as much attention.
By the ½ way point, I realized that I didn?t really care about any of the characters in this book. The premise of the story was neither logical nor interesting. Hallie, Pearl and Mary were a strange combination; their friendship simply didn?t ring true.
On the other hand: The villains seemed meaner than the protagonists were good; it made for one strange and unbalanced story.
This author is a master at creating a mood and making place descriptions sparkle. For example, all five books in the ?Dolan Brothers? series bring small town living and the feel of the Depression years to life (with amazing clarity).
Here, the two towns where most of the action took place -- Whiskey Bend and Bison City -- seemed to be ugly spots in the road. They were places one would want to leave as quickly as possible.
It pains me to give such a negative review because I admire Dorothy Garlock?s writing and storytelling skills. She?s been one of my favorite authors since discovering her some time ago. Any writer can have a book that doesn?t ?speak to the reader? and hopefully this is just a fluke.
