Fourth Grade Journey

A Fourth Grade Teacher's Journey Through the World of Books

Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Gods of Howl Mountain by Taylor Brown

How I Heard About It:  I remember seeing a Tweet or Facebook post about this book and added it to my "To Be Read" list on GoodReads.  As I was ordering books for my spring break reading, I put this in my "cart".  The title and cover alone drew me to the purchase and I was excited to read.  


What It Is About - FIVE Things You Need to Know:  

1.  *The story centers around Granny May and her grandson Rory.  Granny May is a "healer" and Rory is a Korean War Veteran.  

2.  *They reside in a cabin up in the Appalachian Mountains.  Granny Mae is shunned by the community because of her "powers" and methods for healing.  

3.  *Upon Rory's return from the war, he tries to get back to his life by finding a job.  This isn't easy because he has one wooden leg.  He ends up being a whiskey "runner" and is always trying to stay one step ahead of the law.  

4.  *When Rory meets a new women, he begins to find himself spending more and more time in the church.  Her father isn't thrilled about this.  

5.  *Granny May and Rory also have to deal with a trauma that Rory's mother suffered.  


What I Thought Of It - FIVE Observations/Reflections:

1.  *The writing was descriptive, lyrical, and detailed.  Because of this, I did get lost at times during the reading.  

2.  *As beautiful as the writing was, some descriptions would go on for several paragraphs if not pages.  I'm a reader who needs a bit more conversation and/or action.  

3.  *I was intrigued by both Granny May and Rory.  Their relationship was special and unique.

4.  *I had a hard time relating to and/or understanding some of the "magical/mythical" events that transpired throughout the story.  

5.  *To be honest, I did skim at times because the story just wasn't holding my interest.  


Who Should Read It:   This is definitely a book for the adult reader who is alright with lots of details, descriptions, and flowery language.  The plot is a bit slow moving.  I often say I'm not the reader for "true" literature and that may be the case with this story.  Happy Reading!  


Rating:   3 STARS out of 5 Stars!



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