Rain Village
A journey of self-discovery and overcoming past traumas
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Unbridled Books
Published:14th Dec '06
Currently unavailable, our supplier has not provided us a restock date
In Rain Village, Tessa's journey unfolds as she confronts her past and seeks the truth, ultimately finding love and belonging in an unexpected place.
In Rain Village, young Tessa struggles with her identity in a harsh Midwestern community that ridicules her for being too small to contribute to farm work. Her father, consumed by his crops, dismisses education for his daughter, leaving Tessa feeling like an outcast. However, her life takes a turn when a captivating librarian arrives, offering her not only stories but also the gift of reading and self-belief. This newfound knowledge opens the door to a magical world filled with possibilities, transforming Tessa's outlook on life.
As Tessa begins to flourish under the librarian's mentorship, she faces unimaginable challenges at home, including the horrifying abuse from her father. The librarian, who carries her own dark secrets, ultimately succumbs to despair, leaving Tessa to navigate her pain alone. In search of escape and a sense of belonging, Tessa joins a circus as a trapeze artist, where she finds love and a supportive family. Yet, the shadows of her past continue to haunt her, reminding her of the traumas she has endured.
When a figure from the librarian's enchanting tales appears in her life, Tessa is compelled to seek the truth behind her mentor's tragic story. Rain Village is a beautifully crafted debut that weaves together themes of resilience, love, and the struggle to overcome one’s past. It invites readers into a world where the bonds of friendship and loyalty can either bind us or set us free.
This reviewer kept turning the page, wanting to see what secrets Tessa would unravel."--The Philadelphia Inquirer "The book offers great big heapings of magical realism a la Gabriel Garcia Marquez, as well as beguiling eccentrics that bring to mind the characters of Jeffrey Eugenides. The novel centers on Tessa, a pint-sized misfit in a Midwestern farming town, who befriends a fable-spinning librarian who, in turn, spurs her to become a trapeze artist. ...a quixotic survival allegory that deftly explores the social mores of early-20th-century America...a fun read."--SF Weekly "Turgeon is the ringmaster of an epic tale of beauty and oddity in the astonishing tradition of Middlesex and Memoirs of a Geisha. Circ-lit at its most enthralling." --Jennifer Belle, author of Going Down and High Maintenance "I am always thrilled to read a book that begins with dire circumstances and transforms into something as wonder-filled as the world of Oz. Carolyn Turgeon's magical, mysterious tale will unfold before you and rise like the big tent of the greatest show on earth!" --Kathy L. Patrick, founder of the Pulpwood Queens Book Club "[V]ery accomplished...[a] beautiful dream-like tale... While Rain Village is author Carolyn Turgeon's first novel, given the beautiful, redolent imagery, the taut, propelling story line, and the myriad levels on which the novel can be read and analyzed, there's nothing to suggest Rain Village is not the work of a master...set to be a break through first novel which will be read and talked about for years to come."--The Nougat Magazine (KY) "The book highlights the power that librarians and books have to transform a life... Turgeon remembers what it's like to be a child, often bewildered and entranced by magic or even simple kindness. And she writes it beautifully. She captures libraries' ability to open up horizons, which must have been extraordinarily strong in the early 20th century, Turgeon's chosen time frame, when reading and the circus coming to town were the only magic in many people's lives... the book is satisfying and assured."--The Durango Herald
ISBN: 9781932961249
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 623g
320 pages