Cold Sassy Tree

Rating:
Summary: What a treat!
Review: My dear friend lent me her well-worn copy, and I know now why it's so well worn. I just bought a couple copies to share along with the sequel.

I laughed aloud as I read this book - the characters are so endearing and if you've known many southerners they are so very real.

it's a wonderful romp.

Rating:
Summary: The Roots of Cold Sassy
Review: The novel Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns depicts a very realistic image of old, country life in a small town during the1900s.The characters in the novel invest many lively emotions into the story. For example, Rucker Blakeslee and Miss Love Simpson bring much controversy and excitement to the story. The entire plot is mainly based around them. Their decision to get married despite the judgements and gossip of the nosy inhabitants of Cold Sassy, Georgia, foreshadows change that is yet to come to the tired town of Cold Sassy. For example, Rucker finally decideds to mondernize his home, Mr. Tweedy buys a car, and all of the people in the community begin to change their attitudes towards life. Mary Willis and Aunt Loma, the daughters of Rucker Blakeslee, give much drama to the plot. Their emotions and feelings of hatred towards Rucker and Miss Love's marriage symbolize many of Cold Sassy's "old timey" ways. The characters in the novel were believable, interesting, and overall, realistic.
The storyline in the book was readable, and at times exciting. The marriage of Miss Love and Rucker opens up many good and bad emotions from all of the characters in the book. The suicide of Uncle Camp adds drama and sorrow. The purchasing of cars by Mr. Tweedy and Mr. Blakeslee brings change into the novel. New thoughts and feelings emerge on every page, and the reader never knows what might happen next. The author does a fantastic job in organizing the plot. She begins the book by expressing anger and sorrow through the characters, and ends the story with much change and hope. At the end of the novel, the reader is sad due to Rucker Blakesle's death but is still hoping that the families' bonds will continue to grow stronger. The plot of the book is so enthralling that the reader cannot put it down.
The novel's narrator is Will Tweedy, only fourteen years of age. Throughout the book, Will matures rapidly. He is deeply involved with all the drama of the story, beginning with the marriage of Rucker and Miss Love to the death of his beloved grandfather. He also tends to be right in the middle of the problems that occur. During the marriage of his grandfather, Miss Love confides in him, and he learns many new ideas and situations that might be too hard for someone of his age to understand. Burns made an excellent choice by choosing him as the narrator of the story. Because the readers of this novel are mostly in the age range of twelve to sixteen, they can truly relate to Will Tweedy's point of view. Will also gives the novel a sense of immaturity, being that, like Will, the town of Cold Sassy, Georgia is just now experiencing new changes.
The novel Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns strongly deserves to be preserved over time. It certainly entertains and enlightens readers by taking them back to a time in history much different than today. People will definitely be enjoying this book for years to come.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful
Review: This is such an exquisite book - they just don't make them like this anymore. Olive Ann Burns' Southern dialogue never feels stilted and the writing just flows, capturing perfectly a bygone era. The reader wishes to live in the time of Will Tweedy and the Blakeslees, but the next best thing is reading this book. What a perfect read.

Rating:
Summary: Unimaginative
Review: Who can fail to love this wonderful novel, full of warmth, humor, and honesty, of life in a small, turn-of-the-century Georgia town. Told by Will Tweedy, a 14yo child whose Grandpa Rucker forms the spine of the novel. The story begins with the death of Grandpa Rucker's wife, a saintly woman beloved by all, and there's a lovely scene of Grandpa asking his grandson to cut all the roses from the garden and help him stick them into burlap sacking to make a blanket of roses under which to bury his wife.
After that touching scene, readers - not to mention family members and townsfolk and church people - are shocked to find Grandpa marrying Miss Love, the town's young and beautiful milliner less than a month later. And it's suspected that Miss Love has A Past.
A beautiful coming-of-age story unfolds as Will becomes the confidante of Miss Love and his grandfather, and he learns life-changing lessons about love, life, death, and the meaning of true reverence, and the smallness of some minds.
Wonderful, memorable characters, wonderful life lessons, wonderful set pieces. And absolutely top-notch dialogue.