THE GOOD DAUGHTERS by Joyce MaynardFrom the book jacket:
They were born on the same day, in the same small New Hampshire hospital, into families that could hardly have been less alike.
Ruth Plank is an artist and a romantic with a rich, passionate, imaginative life. The last of five girls born to a gentle, caring farmer and his stolid wife, she yearns to soar beyond the confines of the land that has been her family's birthright for generations.
Dana Dickerson is a scientist and realist whose faith is firmly planted in the natural world. Raised by a pair of capricious drifters who waste their lives on failed dreams, she longs for stability and rootedness.
Different in nearly every way, Ruth and Dana share a need to make sense of who they are and to find their places in a world in which neither has ever truly felt she belonged. They also share a love for Dana's wild and beautiful older brother, Ray, who will leave an indelible mark on both their hearts.
Told in alternating voices of Ruth and Dana, The Good Daughters follows these "birthday sisters" as they make their way from the 1950's to the present. Master storyteller Joyce Maynard chronicles the unlikely ways the two women's lives parallel and intersect - from childhood and adolescence to first loves, first sex, marriage, and parenthood; from the deaths of parents to divorce, the loss of home, and the loss of a beloved partner - until past secrets and forgotten memories unexpectedly come to light, forcing them to reevaluate themselves and each other.
Moving from rural New Hampshire to a remote island in British Columbia to the '70's art-school scene, The Good Daughters is an unforgettable story about the ties of home and family, the devastating force of love, the healing power of forgiveness, and the desire to know who we are.
This was an interesting book, examining the question of nature vs nurture, coming out on the side of nature. Both girls felt they didn't "belong" in their respective families. It was clear, about half-way through the book, to see where the story was headed, but interesting to read how the two daughters got there and the choices they made along the way. I did feel that the ending was a little rushed and not very realistic.
Overall, a good book, but not one I'd read again.
4 comments:
It does sound interesting and sounds like a Barbara Delinsky type book or author (I'm not familiar with Maynard). So ... your last comment begs the question - what do you do with books you won't read again? Donate them or pass them on or something else?
I just packed up 3 bags of books and took to my local library. I'm sure most will end up on the tables at their next book sale. I have another bookcase to go through, so I'll probably take more soon. I haven't given away books in over a decade, so this was a bit hard in a way! :)
Well, I rarely reread books, so that wouldn't concern me. This one sounds interesting to me.
Stacy - I just went through my bookcases and made a list of all the books. There are so many that I have read but will never read again. Those are going on another list that I would be glad to share with anyone interested. I'll send them to whomever wants them, and if there are no takers they'll be donated to Goodwill or taken to the library or maybe an assisted living home near by. I really need to weed out those bookcases!
It does sound interesting. I rarely reread a book. In fact, there's only one - The Great Gatsby. I read it every couple of years. I guess I hang on to some to maybe pass on (when I pass on, haha).
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