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329th out of 691 books
—
1,045 voters
Gumbeaux
by
Kimberly Vargas (Goodreads Author)
Where do you go when you disappear? For young heiress Mary Fait, the answer is New Orleans. After the death of her parents, she is placed in the care of her alcoholic uncle. For years, she assists her uncle in growing the family empire, all the while plotting his demise and / or her escape. A college scholarship gives her the opportunity to break free of her life to start...more
Paperback, 172 pages
Published
September 18th 2011
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An ode to Louisiana and a nice coming-of-age tale, "Gumbeaux" is a great story. Mary/Veronica, the main character of the tale, escapes her uncle Claude and high-pressure, privileged life in D.C. by attending college in Louisiana. She's quickly confronted with how privileged her life has been and is found the worse for wear several times due to her inexperience or ignorance. What is most compelling about her story is the total sensory and sensuality of the novel: colors, textures, tastes, and sou...more
This is a coming of age story for heiress Mary Veronica Fait. The dazzle that drew me in was the diary format and time period beginning in the 1980's. Mary plays the submissive role of hostess and quiet partner in her family’s business. She’s hardly content and longs to be free from her oppressive and abusive surroundings. She hopes she will be allowed to go away to college, but her uncle squashes that idea. Cunningly Mary sends a letter to an art college located in Louisiana under a fictitious...more
I won this book on Goodreads First reads giveaways.
A fairly simple novel about a girl needing to find herself. The setting is New Orleans, where all things magical and mysterious converge.
I have never been to New Orleans but what I like about the book is the author was able to convey southern living through her words. I was easily able to visualize Veronica's "second home".
As for the protagonist Veronica, I tried to empathize with her because of her cruel uncle but I just couldn't quite get that...more
A fairly simple novel about a girl needing to find herself. The setting is New Orleans, where all things magical and mysterious converge.
I have never been to New Orleans but what I like about the book is the author was able to convey southern living through her words. I was easily able to visualize Veronica's "second home".
As for the protagonist Veronica, I tried to empathize with her because of her cruel uncle but I just couldn't quite get that...more
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Fantastic!!! I received this book as a giveaway from the author Kimberly Vargas and I was completely immersed in the story from the first few pages. I found myself wondering what the characters were going to do next...even when I wasn't reading the book. Very quick read because it was so good. It was an uplifting story of how love prevails, growth is a necessity and we all have a path to follow. Makes me want to visit New Orleans again.
Jan 11, 2013
Paige
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
All
Recommended to Paige by:
First Reads
The book was an outstanding book that captures my attention on the very first page. It is hard to describe the events of a book when it is really good so let me just write why this book was AMAZING. Basically, a girl is trying to get a good life. She has a job in a restaurant that serves gumbo. The characters seen very original. I really liked the book due to its clarity. I really liked the format of the book, where, through a set of diary entries, we see who the main character is. I really reco...more
The beginning of this book was as bright and beautiful as New Orleans itself, then it sort of fell apart, like the end of a night on Bourbon Street. Some of the latter journal entries were not very well thought out and could have been more meaningful. For example, some had way too much detail for a journal entry and could have been cleaner. Overall, very good book and I'm glad I read it.
<3 I loved this story! <3
I was a Goodreads first reads winner. "Gumbeaux" has a little of everything and is just a really great story with characters you connect with and don't want the story to ever end. It wasn't predictable and I just had to keep reading to see what would happen to Mary, her uncle, Dr landry, and especially Braden. I also had to see what his next t-shirt would say. There are many other characters in this story that give so much extra to the story too.
The ending wasn'...more
I was a Goodreads first reads winner. "Gumbeaux" has a little of everything and is just a really great story with characters you connect with and don't want the story to ever end. It wasn't predictable and I just had to keep reading to see what would happen to Mary, her uncle, Dr landry, and especially Braden. I also had to see what his next t-shirt would say. There are many other characters in this story that give so much extra to the story too.
The ending wasn'...more
Jun 14, 2013
Leanna Buckingham
marked it as to-read
Oops, didn't mean to hit the review thing as I haven't read it, but it won't let me take back a rating, it seems. I'll read it quickly and review it for real.
This book was a book about starting over and recreating a new identity by leaving your old self behind. The book was a diary of the main character that showed her learning how to make it without using her families money. It was also part Louisana history lesson. That is what really made it unique. It felt like you were right there with Mary/Veronica learning as she was learning. I would definately recommend this book. It was a easy read and could easily be read in one sitting.
I received this book through the First Reads giveaway program on Goodreads. Review to follow!
This is a great short read. Especially if you've been to New Orleans, it reminded me of my trips there. Good story either way. It is a free e-book on Kindle, maybe Nook too...didn't check.
Good beach read. Good descriptions of New Orleans and the bayou country
Cute story, lots of Louisiana lore..
Jun 18, 2013
Kathleen Y'Barbo
added it
Great book!
I absolutely loved this book. In her debut novel, Vargas makes me feel like I'm sitting in a diner in the bayou. The characters are very real and exude N'awlins life. Written in diary form, this book is a quick read and very entertaining. I can't wait for the author's next book.
1 like · like · see review
Jun 18, 2013
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Kimberly Vargas has spent the last fifteen years developing instructional design content. She lives in San Diego county with her husband Michael and their three dogs. She is a stand up paddle boarding enthusiast and surfer in training. This is her first book.
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