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19th out of 33 books
—
6 voters
Blood Clay
by
Valerie Nieman (Goodreads Author)
Blood Clay tells the story of Tracey Gaines, who has moved to rural Saul County, North Carolina, to escape the wreckage of a divorce and becomes a teacher at an alternative school. She devotes herself to renovating an old farmhouse but finds she can't as easily build connections in this new place. When the community splits, she finds an ally in Dave Fordham, a native son w...more
Paperback, 206 pages
Published
March 15th 2011
by Press 53
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This is a very well written thoughtful novel that I limit to four stars partly because the author's own four-star self review indicates to me that she expects to follow this excellent work with something even better, which I will eagerly await. The novel may be considered Southern fiction and shares the theme of troubled protagonists and an atmosphere of melancholy which characterize many Southern novels, but it is far from a genre piece. The protagonists are flawed, but they are not self-destru...more
As a participant in a recent book festival, I had the pleasure of swapping one of my own books for a copy of Valerie Nieman's Blood Clay. To say I was pleased with my end of the bargain would be an understatement. Classified as Southern Fiction, Blood Clay is an examination of two characters, each involved in personal turmoil, who are drawn together by an unfortunate tragedy that occurs within the community. Both Dave and Tracey (two of the most three dimensional characters you'll ever meet) are...more
Jul 23, 2012
Ogun
added it
Wonderland Book Club February selection. She must be a visual learner - vivid descriptions make you see every detail.
If you like southern fiction, this is for you. Very descriptive sentences and totally nails the details, idiosyncrasies and unspoken customs of slow-paced, small-town life in the South.
The author has a impressive grasp on her subject matter. I got a little distracted in a few chapters where the story bogged down a little but overall. it's a thought-provoking slow ride into how lives can unravel in the blink of an eye that forces us to examine how we might react in a similar situation.
It's not t...more
The author has a impressive grasp on her subject matter. I got a little distracted in a few chapters where the story bogged down a little but overall. it's a thought-provoking slow ride into how lives can unravel in the blink of an eye that forces us to examine how we might react in a similar situation.
It's not t...more
The language of Blood Clay is lyrical without being pretentious or self-conscious. It pulls the reader in immediately and does not let go. This novel is a page turner. Tracey Gaines, is starting over in Saul County, NC as a teacher at the A.O. Miller Alternative School after her divorce. In her spare time she works on restoring the old house she bought impulsively. Her new life suddenly turns ominous and dangerous when a child is violently killed. And that is just the beginning…
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The best thing about this book for me is that I finished it and I know that my BookClub is going to have a good discussion because there's so many things that were disconnects for a couple of us...and somebody got some 'plaining to do lol.
Nov 20, 2012
Jendi
is currently reading it
Jul 22, 2012
Samuel Snoek-Brown
marked it as to-read
Jul 18, 2012
Bonnie Vesely
marked it as to-read
Jun 10, 2012
Elizabeth M.
marked it as to-read
Jun 03, 2012
Kelly Davenport
marked it as to-read
Mar 06, 2012
Joseph Mills
marked it as to-read
Jan 28, 2012
Jerry Landry
marked it as to-read
Oct 24, 2011
Uranie
marked it as did-not-finish
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOOKMARKS : Blood Clay | 2 | 3 | Aug 28, 2011 01:58pm |
Blood Clay, my third novel, is being published in March 2011 by Press 53.
I'm also the author of a poetry collection, Wake Wake Wake, was published in September 2006, with work earlier appearing in journals such as Poetry, New Letters, REDiViDER, and West Branch, and in numerous anthologies.
My first collection of short fiction, Fidelities, explores the rough terrain of the human heart, where fai...more
More about Valerie Nieman...
I'm also the author of a poetry collection, Wake Wake Wake, was published in September 2006, with work earlier appearing in journals such as Poetry, New Letters, REDiViDER, and West Branch, and in numerous anthologies.
My first collection of short fiction, Fidelities, explores the rough terrain of the human heart, where fai...more
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