All the Forgivenesses
Elizabeth Hardinger
Aug 2019 · A John Scognamiglio Book
4.7star
3 reviewsreport
Ebook
304
Pages
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About this ebook
Perfect for readers of Demon Copperhead and inspired by the author's own family lore, this exquisite novel paints an intimately rendered portrait of one resilient family's challenges and triumphs—helmed by an unforgettable heroine—in Appalachia and the Midwest during the turn of the 20th century.
Growing up on their hardscrabble farm in rural Kentucky, fifteen-year-old Albertina "Bertie" Winslow has learned a lot from her mama, Polly. She knows how to lance a boil, make a pie crust, butcher a pig, and tend to every chore that needs doing. What she doesn't know, but is forced to reckon with all too soon, is how to look after children as a mother should...
When Polly succumbs to a long illness, Bertie takes on responsibility for her four younger siblings and their dissolute, unreliable daddy. Yet no matter how hard she tries to hold the family together; the task is overwhelming. Nine-year-old Dacia, especially, is resentful and stubborn, hinting at secrets in their mama's life. Finally, Bertie makes the only choice she can—breaking up the family for its own survival, keeping the girls with her, sending the boys off to their grown brothers, long gone from home.
Ever pragmatic, Bertie marries young, grateful to find a husband willing to take on the care of her sisters, and eventually moves to the oil fields of Kansas. But marriage alone cannot resolve the grief and guilt she carries over a long-ago tragedy, or prepare her for the heartaches still to come. Only by confronting wrenching truths can she open herself to joy—and learn how to not only give, but receive, unfettered love. Inspired by stories told by the author's mother and aunts, All the Forgivenesses is as authentic as it is lyrical—a captivating novel of family loyalty, redemption, and resilience.
Growing up on their hardscrabble farm in rural Kentucky, fifteen-year-old Albertina "Bertie" Winslow has learned a lot from her mama, Polly. She knows how to lance a boil, make a pie crust, butcher a pig, and tend to every chore that needs doing. What she doesn't know, but is forced to reckon with all too soon, is how to look after children as a mother should...
When Polly succumbs to a long illness, Bertie takes on responsibility for her four younger siblings and their dissolute, unreliable daddy. Yet no matter how hard she tries to hold the family together; the task is overwhelming. Nine-year-old Dacia, especially, is resentful and stubborn, hinting at secrets in their mama's life. Finally, Bertie makes the only choice she can—breaking up the family for its own survival, keeping the girls with her, sending the boys off to their grown brothers, long gone from home.
Ever pragmatic, Bertie marries young, grateful to find a husband willing to take on the care of her sisters, and eventually moves to the oil fields of Kansas. But marriage alone cannot resolve the grief and guilt she carries over a long-ago tragedy, or prepare her for the heartaches still to come. Only by confronting wrenching truths can she open herself to joy—and learn how to not only give, but receive, unfettered love. Inspired by stories told by the author's mother and aunts, All the Forgivenesses is as authentic as it is lyrical—a captivating novel of family loyalty, redemption, and resilience.
Ratings and reviews
4.7
3 reviews
Kasey McEuen
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September 15, 2024
I loved this book. I was emotionally connected to all of it and the characters were deep and real. I hope this book gets the attention it deserves!
About the author
Elizabeth Hardinger holds a BA in English from McPherson College and an MFA from Wichita State University. She lives with her husband in Eugene, Oregon, where she occasionally copyedits technical and academic books. All the Forgivenesses, her debut novel, draws on family lore about life in a tarpaper shack during the Kansas oil boom of the 1920s. Find the author on Twitter at Elizabeth Hardinger@ElizHardinger, and visit her website at elizabethhardinger.com.
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