Eva at forth-five is
a successful advertising executive in Phoenix, Arizona. She grew up
in Oxford, Mississippi surrounded by her mother’s perennial gardens
and the history and literary background of the beautiful Southern
town.
However, not
everything was peaceful in her family. Eva’s older sister, Bitsy,
was rabidly jealous constantly accusing Eva of telling lies. Bitsy
finally drove Eva away. She stayed at home, married an account
executive, and took the position of good daughter.
It’s the parents’
fiftieth anniversary. Eva’s parents call begging her to come home
for the celebration. She’s reluctant. A major project is about to
launch, but her father is insistent to the point of buying an airline
ticket, so Eva finds herself back at home having to deal with all the
unresolved issues she left behind.
The book is filled
with lush descriptions of the Mississippi landscape and Eva’s
mother’s gardens. I loved the historical anecdotes about the area
and particularly the information about the gardens.
Eva is a character
you can sympathize with. If you’ve been bullied for your whole
childhood, you’re not anxious to go back and repeat the experience.
From her phone conversations with her sister, she knows that Bitsy
will be sniping at her again.
What I didn’t like
about the book was the attitude of the parents. They knew that Eva
was being bullied by Bitsy, but they retreated behind a wall of
wanting peace in the family and let it continue. I think this is a
bad message for parents. Eva managed to survive, but it tainted her
whole life.
The book is worth
reading if only to linger in Oxford, Mississippi for a few hours.
I received this book
from BookLook Bloggers for this review.
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