Bitterroot Landing

Rating:
Summary: Bittersweet and Beautiful
Review: Bitter are the roots of pain that bind the existence of incest survivors. Jael, with all her oddities, emerges whole after being torn by abuse of the body and neglect of the soul. This is an amazing story that places the reader in the center of the characters struggle to liberate herself from a life of oppression. Renynolds is a master of prose and she continues to deliver literature that captivate, motivate and stimulate. I've read The Rapture of Caanan and A Gracious Plenty, both powerful in their delivery of nourishment for the soul. A definite must read.

Rating:
Summary: Sheri Reynolds is a terrific author!!!
Review: I knew this book would be good, especially after I read Sheri's Rapture of Canaan, which was excellent. Bitteroot Landing is a bittersweet type of story because it's about incest and the sad effects on a person's life. Once I started reading this book, I couldn't set it down because I loved and cried for Jael and i was so concerned about her. The situations and conditions that she lived though were horrific. The story starts when Jael is a very young girl dealing with a "loving" but vicious, mean, domineering Mammie----the word "loving" being used very, VERY loosely. She runs away for safety but life doesn't get a whole lot better. She ends up living wild; as in wild animals fending for themselves. As she grows older, she takes advice from the spirits that are around her. There is so much more to this story and I'm not that great at writing reviews, but I do know that this is a terrific story and the author wrote it with such an easy readable flow. This is one of my favorites for sure.

I feel that almost anyone would like this book and I highly recommend reading it. The story is a real eye-opener to the harshness of life in some very sad situations.

Rating:
Summary: Reality Sometimes "Hurts"
Review: People who didn't like this book obviously want to live in a safe world where they can hide from the truth. The author here is not out to make you feel good. She gives an honest, heartbreaking portrayal of a young girl dealing with MORE than incest--even dealing with things all women have experienced--plus things some of us will never dream of. But it is an uplifting story nonetheless, a story of survival. YES, there were some disturbing images, but they were also essential elements of the story. Perhaps those who found the story "disgusting" should go read some Nancy Drew books--a little more on their level. The rest of you who are trying to decide, this is a wonderful novel, so please give it a try! You won't be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: Resiliency of the Survivor
Review: Sheri Reynolds writing is elequant and poetic, even in a stroy marred by incest. Bitterrot Landing's herione, Jael, is a survivor of incest and rape. To cope with her abuse, Jael listens to the spiritual voices that come to her. It is through her conversations with the spiritual voices that she begins to address the autrocities that have been committed against her.

Initially we meet Jael and are aware of the abuse that she has endured. After being deserted and subsequently rescued, Jael finds her home in a church and among loving people. As the novel progresses, we witness Jael experience healthy relationships and begin to confront her past. The reader will anxiously be turning the pages as Jael sets out on a journey to reconcile her past and feel whole again.

Bitterroot Landing is a novel about finding yourself when you've been trapped by fear. It is about rebuilding the broken, and most importantly, it is the story of resilieny of the survivor.

A haunting novel to read. Be prepared, Bitterroot Landing will stay in your thoughts long after the last page is turned.

Rating:
Summary: Liked this book a lot
Review: Story of a girl growing up defending herself by hiding from abusive grandmother/mother figure. The girl resorts to despirit measures and accidentally kills someone defending herself. She is also a victim of incest by a "man-of-God" who is taking care of her. She gets a job doing cleaning and slowly begins to find herself. Wonderful story.

Rating:
Summary: I could not put this book down.
Review: This is one of those books that you will go to sleep with and carry to the coffemaker in the morning. Jael's story is a tale of strength and courage of the female spirit. Looking into the life of one who has been wounded is sometimes painful for the reader but that is what good writing is all about. This book made me question how in touch I am with my own spirituality. This is not a book for those looking for fairy tales and escape from reality. This is a book for those who want to know the truth and are willing to get in touch with the pain of incest and surviving. A wonderful book full of images of the wild woman that lives in all of us.

Rating:
Summary: MOVING, UPLIFTING...AND EMPOWERING
Review: This is one of those occasions where I'm sorry that I can give no more than five stars to a work. Sheri Reynolds has done a sensitive, masterful and intelligent job here -- this book is not only a fine piece of literature, it's a service to humankind that it was written. While some of the scenes and images may be a bit graphic for some readers, they are ultimately necessary to convey the events and emotions experienced by the main character.

Incest is an ugly thing, but a real thing -- it occurs in our so-called 'civilized' society, whether people want to admit it or not. And dealing with it, and its life-long effects on the victims/survivors is a struggle that can crush a weak spirit. The one who has been victimized must reach down, deep inside and find that strength of spirit and determination to fight back against its devastating effects, to reclaim and reinvent their lives. This is an incredibly moving depiction of such a struggle.

The author manages to put us INSIDE Jael's heart and soul and mind -- we journey this difficult road along with her, discovering the roots of her trauma only as she discovers them herself. The flashback scenes are particularly compelling -- their meanings become clearer and clearer with the passage of time.

When I got his book recently, I read it one day, then re-read it over the next 2-3 days -- I wanted to burn this story and these characters into my mind while the images were still fresh. I sat in the laundromat reading, completely unashamed of the tears streaming down my face -- someone I love very much has been facing this with incredible courage over the last three years, and I couldn't help but see her on almost every page.

I cannot recommend this novel highly enough -- it does more than anything I've ever read to help the reader understand and relate to the pain, struggle and courage that are involved in 'walking the path' to recovery.