Saturday, January 5, 2013


The CoveThe Cove by Ron Rash
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Cove is not a book I would normally choose--it ended up in my hands because it was rated as one of the best for 2011-12 on some review that I read. I'm not 100% certain how to describe it. The words "haunting" and "beautiful" are two words that come to mind. They don't seem like they go together do they? If you've read Cold Mountain, or seen the movie The Piano, perhaps you will understand why I choose those words.

The Cove is set in a mountain community in the southern United States during the World War. The mountain people hold on to many superstitions and the main character, Laurel, is ostracized due to their ignorance. She describes herself as feeling a "lavish of aloneness". In fact, she was so alone that sometimes when she looked in the mirror she wasn't sure she was real.

A stranger, Walter, comes on the scene, and she begins to feel she has a friend. She remarks how it feels good to have someone look her in the eyes. Eventually, Laurel discovers Walter has a secret--that secret puts them into a danger.

What's so haunting and troubling about this situation is that it really doesn't need to happen. If it wasn't for one person's foolish pride, pompousness and desire to be admired, the outcome could have been different. As is always the case with people who are full of themselves, others egg them on and escalate emotions that lead to irrevocable circumstances shaming to communities.

Life is full of both beautiful and troubling moments isn't it? The best books capture both, and for me, The Cove succeeded.

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