A LONG TIME GONE

Inspired by Karen’s childhood summers spent at her grandmother’s house in Mississippi, where she would sit under the kitchen table and eavesdrop as the women in her family shared “southern sister girl talk,” A LONG TIME GONE is a touching story about the complicated relationships between mothers and daughters:  Bootsie, the Walker family matriarch with the tragic past; her daughter, Carol Lynne, whose struggles with drugs and the wrong men lead her far from home; and Vivien, the granddaughter determined not to repeat troubling family patterns.

 

Vivien Walker swore she’d never return to the Mississippi Delta as generations of Walker women had.  But reeling from her recent divorce, she heads back to the family home.  When a violent storm uncovers the remains of a long-dead woman buried in the backyard, Vivien vows to uncover her family’s secrets and break the cycle of loss that has haunted the Walkers for generations.


My Review

I have read many books by this author. Karen does a good job of spinning a good tale about strong women. This is why I like reading her books. I have to say though that in the beginning, I had some trouble really getting into this book. The connection with Vivian was not a good one. I connected better with her her grandmother and mother's stories then I did the present and Vivian. However as the story moved along, I did warm up to Vivian. She grew as a person and became more interesting and thus did her story. So the middle and last half of the book was really good. The first third was alright. Again the past is what made the beginning story. The flow from past to present was smooth.