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Roseflower Creek
by
Jackie Lee Miles (Goodreads Author)
"A powerful book. The characters haunt the reader long after the last page is turned."
Earl Hamner, creator of "The Waltons"
Earl Hamner, creator of "The Waltons"
"The morning I died it rained. Poured down so hard it washed the blood off my face."
Thus begins the story of Lori Jean, whose short life and early death are woven into this worldly-wise novel set in the rural South of
...morePaperback, 232 pages
Published
July 15th 2003
by Cumberland House Publishing
(first published 2001)
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From My Blog...[return][return]There are certain novels that stay with the reader long after the story is completed and Roseflower Creek by Jackie Lee Miles is such a book. The book is narrated by 10-year-old Lori Jean, who from the beginning, is deceased. Lori Jean takes the reader through her young life, specifically her last two years on Earth before reaching the end of her story. Lori Jean’s life is filled with tragedy, hardship, and cruelty no child should witness; yet in her sweet narrativ...more
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I finished this book several days ago but could not for the life of me figure out how to rate it. There was much to dislike (in terms of subject matter, not author's skill) and yet I couldn't bring myself to wholly dislike it. This raw but engaging novel dives into subjects and situations many people refuse to acknowledge and, though hard to read some scenes, the graphic descriptions are needed to set the frame of the story and remind us that things like this sometimes really do happen. It is...more
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With a book that begins with the words: "The morning I died it rained. Poured down so hard it washed the blood off my face." It immediately pulled me in and I wanted to see what had brought on this horrific outcome.
You very quickly learn that you are reading a first person tale, told by an innocent 10 year old little girl with broken speech and a thick southern accent. As she tells her story you laugh, you cry, you shake your head, you feel sorry for her and her family...bu...more
You very quickly learn that you are reading a first person tale, told by an innocent 10 year old little girl with broken speech and a thick southern accent. As she tells her story you laugh, you cry, you shake your head, you feel sorry for her and her family...bu...more
Roseflower Creek by Jackie Lee Miles was offered for free for the Kindle on Amazon, so I decided to give it a try. The story involves the life, murder, and afterlife of a 10-year-old girl named Lori Jean, written from the point of view of the little girl. (Note: This is not a spoiler as it tells you that in the very first paragraph.) It is set in the 1950's in a very poor part of Georgia.
Even though the story itself deals with a tough subject matter, it is very engaging. It is writte...more
Even though the story itself deals with a tough subject matter, it is very engaging. It is writte...more
Roseflower Creek by Jackie Lee Miles is a wonderful novel told from the point of view of a 10 year old girl. She lives in a family deprived of money and with an abusive, drunken step-father. Tragedy seems to fall upon this family like apples falling from a tree. It's one thing after another but this child has such a good heart and holds hope for their family to one day become a happy family. I'm going to leave it at that so as to not spoil the read. This author has a terrific writing style that...more
I downloaded this book onto my iPhone not really knowing what to expect. It is written from the view of a child but done in such a way that I couldn't put it down. I read this book in one day. Not the norm for a busy Mom of 3! I would caution readers because the content is so tragic it's difficult to take in... understandably so after reading the very first sentence of the novel. It must be noted however, that there is not a lot of description and detail into the trauma, but as a Mom, I still cr...more
I don't know where to begin. I really, really enjoyed this book. Taking place in Alabama in the 1950's we are introduced to a family who is so terrible poor and troubled. A step-father that is extremly abusive--a mother who is often wrapped up in her own problems--and a young girl who finds herself dead on a day that it rained. Glimpsing back at her life, this 10 year old shares her discovery of tragic circumstances in the lives of those she is a part of. There is a lot of love and hope mixe...more
This story is told from the point of view of 10 year old Lori Jean, a little girl growing up in poverty in rural Georgia during the 50's. Lori Jean survives the abandonment of her biological father, and the deaths of her grandmother and best friend. Despite these tragedies, Lori Jean clings to faith and hope. When she discovers that her abusive and alcoholic stepfather was a victim of abuse himself, she struggles to forgive him, and to "fix" his problem, but his problems run too deep f...more
I'll admit that this book hooked me from the first sentence. A sentence, as it turns out, that the author borrowed from a real life event. It's too sad to think about that these kind of things happen in real life.
As engaging as it was, I only gave it three stars because the whole story left me with a sick feeling. Too much bad and not enough good. I was also very annoyed at the way the abuser's actions were excused by his violent past. I don't think this was intentional. I believe th...more
As engaging as it was, I only gave it three stars because the whole story left me with a sick feeling. Too much bad and not enough good. I was also very annoyed at the way the abuser's actions were excused by his violent past. I don't think this was intentional. I believe th...more
This was a difficult book to rate, let alone, read. It was dark, disturbing, and yet, poignant. The story begins with the death of the main character. Miles took some poetic license, as she uses flashback liberally and even allows the dead character to resume the story. The main character is Lori Jean, a 9 year old poor, white girl growing up in the South during the 1950's. She dreams like all children, but her biggest dream is simply to have a normal family life, but tragedy is abundant. The po...more
This is the most touching and heartbreaking novel I have ever read. From the moment Lori Jean begins her story, with "The morning I died it rained. Poured down so hard it washed the blood off my face”, I was emotionally attached and couldn’t stop reading. The story is told from the point of view of a recently deceased 10 year old girl who had been beaten to death by her alcoholic step father. Lori Jean takes you on a journey of her life, her love, her losses and ultimately her sad untimely ...more
This was a wonderful and heartbreaking read set in Georgia in the 1950's about ten year old, Lori Jean, who narrates the story of her short life. When a novel begins "The day I died it rained" you know you're in for a bittersweet one. This book deals with child abuse and the devastating ripples it makes in the lives around it. The copy I have states that the author wrote the novel after hearing of the beating death of a a little boy. Roseflower Creek is a must read because of the authe...more
Definitely one of the darkest books I've ever read--but it carries with it a thread of bright light that I couldn't ignore. The innocence of the protagonist and her belief in all things good made an otherwise heavily (and perhaps overly) dramatic story the kind I had a hard time putting down. Maybe a little too Pollyanna for some...especially given the absolute horrors that take place. It's well written, especially for a first book (as I understand it. Having the story narrated by the child, wit...more
(FROM JACKET)"The morning I died it rained. Poured down so hard ti washed the blood off my face".
Thus begins the story of Lori Jean, whose short life and death are woven into this poignant, heart-wrenching novel set in the rural South of the 1950s. Told from the point of view of ten-year-old Lori Jean, a sensitive dreamer of a child who longs for a "normal" family, "Roseflower Creek" is raw with the emotions of a child burdened by the harshness of her l...more
Thus begins the story of Lori Jean, whose short life and death are woven into this poignant, heart-wrenching novel set in the rural South of the 1950s. Told from the point of view of ten-year-old Lori Jean, a sensitive dreamer of a child who longs for a "normal" family, "Roseflower Creek" is raw with the emotions of a child burdened by the harshness of her l...more
"The morning I died it rained. Poured down so hard it washed the blood off my face."
Thus begins the story of ten-year-old Lori Jean, whose short life and early death are woven into this affecting novel set in the 1950s rural South. Abandoned by her father when she was just five years old, Lori Jean's world consists of a weak-willed mother and an alcoholic stepfather who can't keep a steady job. Yet Lori Jean is filled with the curiosity and hope common to all children.
...more
Thus begins the story of ten-year-old Lori Jean, whose short life and early death are woven into this affecting novel set in the 1950s rural South. Abandoned by her father when she was just five years old, Lori Jean's world consists of a weak-willed mother and an alcoholic stepfather who can't keep a steady job. Yet Lori Jean is filled with the curiosity and hope common to all children.
...more
The story is one of Lori Jean, a little girl who dies in the beginning and recounts from heaven her life and events that led to her untimely and very brutal death. Lori Jean’s life wasn’t a so called bed of roses and she went through more hardship in her 10 years than many people do go through their whole life. Her father left when she was 5 and her mother had never been the same since. The only reasonable person in Lori Jean’s life was her grandmother but then she died and the girl’s life...more
A story told by a ten year old girl that had been physically abused so badly by her step father that she died. He did feel remorse for killing her but not enough to take any responsibility as her threw her body in Roseflower Creek. This was a difficult book to read as it is full of violence and abuse. Whilst Lori Jean's life is filled with fear and heartache her life was also touched by people who showed kindness, compassion and love. These where tough times in the 1950's where the world was a v...more
This was at times a difficult book to read. Told from the point of view of a 10 year old murdered child I think you can understand why. I had a range of emotions reading this book, (sadness, anger, hope and laughter). I feel the writer did a very good job writing the speech pattern for Lori Jean and the things that would interest a 10 year old. I found it to be a very human story. In the real world murder happens, abuse happens. It is never pretty and too often overlooked. It is indeed a powerfu...more
I gave this book 5 stars because it definitely deserved more than 4...but I would actually give it a 4.75. I liked the author's second book, Cold Rock River, a tiny bit better. But with that said, this book was excellent and I really did love it. The book is narrated by a 10 year old girl and the narration is so sweet and innocent and at times downright comical. Her narration helps lighten the dark theme of abuse that runs through the book. I can't wait to read more from this author. Too bad...more
"The morning I died it rained. Poured down so hard it washed the blood off my face."
This is the opening line to one of the saddest books I've read all year. it's told from the point of view of a ten-year-old girl in Georgia, in the 1950's. it shows the hopelessness of her situation with a weak mother and a drunk stepfather and no money, and no jobs and ultimately what happens to her after her stepfather steals some money. heartbreaking novel, but a very good read.
This is the opening line to one of the saddest books I've read all year. it's told from the point of view of a ten-year-old girl in Georgia, in the 1950's. it shows the hopelessness of her situation with a weak mother and a drunk stepfather and no money, and no jobs and ultimately what happens to her after her stepfather steals some money. heartbreaking novel, but a very good read.
Quick read...It was a good story overall. There were a lot of sad elements, it is almost unimaginable to think about one group of people surviving so much tragedy. But there is still a good mix of positive, and the since the narration is given in the voice of a 10-year old child, that also gives the story a light feel. I enjoyed the book overall, and through all the darkness I was glad that the epilogue left readers with a happy moment to hang on to instead of a haunting ending.
This book is written from the perspective of a dead year old girl reflecting back on her short life. Although the premise sounds sad, this book is one of hopes, dreams, disappointments and realities. I loved the 10 year old character, Lori Jean, and her innocent and often funny interpretations of the tragedies and hardships that surrounded her during her short life. Her insight, understanding and ability to forgive far surpassed her years.
I wanted to like this book. It is written from the voice of a 10 year old who is dead. I just could not get into the book. I understand that the characters live in the south, they are poor and probably not educated. I just do not enjoying reading books that have poor grammar and English. I comprehend it is their voice it is just not the voice for me. Aside from not enjoying the voice, I found the flow of the book to be unbelievably slow.
This story and these characters will stay with me for a long time. Although the plot involves some very difficult issues (child abuse, spousal abuse, alcoholism, death, poverty) and there are some very unlikable characters, there is also love, forgiveness, humor, hope, and joy in the lives of these very poor people. It is so well written, narrated by a deceased 10-year-old girl, and the characters are well developed. Quite a poignant book. Highly recommended.
Another book that I "bought" as a free title for my Kindle back in January. It was an easy, quick enough read and it wasn't a bad novel, really--just so basic that it reminded me of something I could have written in college (a perception that was aided by the fact that I wrote a short story for a writing class in college that had several similarities to this novel).
I did enjoy it and it was a quick read. It seemed a lot like other books I have read. Lori Jean never catches a break, she endures one thing after another. The reader nows Ray will never change even though Lori Jean keeps hoping. I love how she wanted to give the money back. After I finished it I kept thinking how would her life be different if she would only have left Ray in the house and not pulled him to safety.
It is an engaging read. The subject matter is quite difficult to imagine, but necessary to frame the storyline. It is a tragic story that is told through the eyes of a 10 yr old girl from rural Georgia. I found myself going through a series of emotions for the little girl while reading this book. I would recommend this. (I would give this better than 4 stars, but not quite 5.)
A very sad story about poverty & child abuse. It takes place in the 1950's. This book is an emotional roller coaster. It will make you laugh and make you cry. The innocents of a child is a precious thing..."Lori Jean" always has that innocents and tries to find the good in everyone...even her abuser. Any book that helps shed light on child abuse and neglect is near and dear to my heart. A great read.
An absolutely heart wrenching story told by a 10 year old girl who dies at the hands of her abusive step father. Despite all the heart ache and tragedy this child goes through she tries to maintain a positive outlook and find the good in her life. Though a very sad and dark tale there are plenty of lessons to be learned from little Lori Jean. A must read. I couldn't put it down.
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Jackie Lee Miles, a resident of Georgia for thirty years, hails from Wisconsin via South Dakota. She considers herself “a northern girl with a southern heart”. Her paternal grandfather was christened Grant Lee by her great-grandmother in honor of the many fallen soldiers on both sides of the Mason-Dixon line.
Ms. Miles is a former D.I.A.L. Systems Engineer for Baker/Audio Telecom, one ...more
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