The Book of Polly

by Kathy Hepinstall

Willow Havens is ten years old and obsessed with the fear that her mother will die. Her mother, Polly, is a cantankerous, take-no-prisoners Southern woman who lives to shoot varmints, drink margaritas, and antagonize the neighbors and she sticks out like a sore thumb among the young modern mothers of their small conventional Texas town. She was in her late fifties when Willow was born, so Willow knows she's here by accident, a late-life afterthought. Willow's father died before she was born, her much older brother and sister are long grown and gone and failing elsewhere. It's just her and bigger-than-life Polly.

Willow is desperately hungry for clues to the family life that preceded her, and especially Polly's life pre-Willow. Why did she leave her hometown of Bethel, Louisiana, fifty years ago and vow never to return? Who is Garland Jones, her long-ago suitor who possibly killed a man? And will Polly be able to outrun the Bear, the illness that finally puts her on a collision course with her past?

Genres: Fiction, Book Club, Humor, Audiobook, Southern, Contemporary, Coming Of Age

322 pages, Hardcover

First published March 14, 2017

About the author

Kathy Hepinstall grew up in Spring, Texas, near the Louisiana border. Her most recent book is The Book of Polly. Polly is based, in part, on Kathy’s own mother, who has as wicked a tongue as her fictional counterpart. Kathy now lives in Portland, Oregon.

Reviews

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the death of her husband, Polly in her late fifties finds herself pregnant. A last, unexpected gift from her late husband, and so Willow is born. In their small Texas town, Polly is much older than the other mothers, a fact that makes Polly fearful. At the age of ten, Willow begins to fear for her mother's health, and also becomes aware that Polly has some big secrets. Why for instance hasn't Polly ever gone back to her hometown of Bethel, Louisiana? So she begins to snoop and here the story begins.

I fell in love with this author when I read her book Blue Asylum, and though this is not historical, it is Southern and full of charm, humor and yes, heartbreak. It is a jumble of all things that make a novel fun, though there is a matter of serious concern, when the bear come to visit. Polly is a fantastic character, already raises two older children and now a mother of a young daughter, she is full of spit and vinegar. Doesn't suffer fools gladly, but fiercely protective of Willow. Born again Christians, faith healers, a raft trip and a rather neurotic dog, some great supporting characters and chock full of family, caring and love. Love the ending though I did find parts of it a bit schmaltzy. well worth the read.

ARC from publisher.
Publishes March 14th from Pamela Dorman.

[Angela M · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a feeling it would be a little sentimental and It was. It was a quick, entertaining story with a mix of humor and seriousness. Polly Havens is bold, irreverent and overbearing, almost a caricature of the seemingly mean lady next door who really has a good heart. She is widowed in her late 50’s and discovers shortly after her husband dies that she is pregnant. The story is narrated by her daughter Willow, who is 10 years old when the story begins and moves us through the next five years. Willow is afraid of losing her mother and there is a pretty funny scene in the school counselor’s office when Polly is told the the things that Willow has said about her. But it becomes not so funny when we realize how real Willow’s fear is : “She didn’t speak to me for three days. But that didn’t keep me from talking about her. She was so much older than the other mothers, and I was determined to make her bigger than life so that she would never die. I couldn’t let her die without knowing her secret. What had happened before she met my father? Something that made her want to never return to her hometown in Louisiana.” It became not so funny when the “Bear” arrives.

I couldn’t help feel a part of Willow’s quest to save her mother and I wanted to know Polly’s story. The ending was a little too pat, and it’s not an earth shattering story. It was a sweet, southern story and it was what I needed after reading a very heavy and sad book. 3 + stars.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

[Dem · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love Southern novels with a sense of cham and humour and in my my mind I was sitting out on the back porch, sipping Ice tea while the fireflys kept me company on a balmy evening in June Reality was a wet Bank holiday Monday in June and the chance to sit outside would be luxury in Ireland, but through reading one can be any where any time and for this book my head was in the deep American South.

I have previously read Blue Asylum by Kathy Hepinstall and thoroughly enjoyed it and was so happy to read The Book of Pollyand it really didn't disappoint as the writting and characters just ooze that southern charm that makes me want to pack a bag and hop on a plane.

I simply adored the characters in this book and the lines were just fabulous with so much wit and humour and charm that I laughed out loud many times. I fell head over heels in love with Polly and her no nonsense attitude and Willow and the other characters were equally as interesting and charming. There is a serious side to the story when the " Bear" becomes a reality in the lives of Polly and Willow but the author has a way with words that keeps this book fresh and fun.

This isn't the sort of book that keeps you on the edge of your seat but its a beautiful story, well written and full of witty lines with tons of southern charm. Its the sort of feel good book that keeps you turning the pages because you have fallen for the characters and care about what becomes of them.

Really enjoyed this book and recommend it to readers who have enjoy southern fiction or just want a feel good summer read to transport them to someplace else.

[Vanessa S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since the day I first saw the cover of this book, I just knew I had to read it, and, boy, am I glad I did! The Book of Polly has a cast of well-developed, idiosyncratic characters that grew on me throughout the book.

We watch 10-year-old Willow Havens grow and mature alongside her mother, Polly Havens, who is a hoot of a Southern lady. Polly is a spitfire and shows her love for her daughter and the other characters/creatures in not-so-conventional ways, from showing up to Willow's school with a falcon on her shoulder to adopting and raising a baby squirrel, Elmer, in her own home (all the while putting a "squirrel zapper" in her backyard to protect her precious pecans from other squirrels).

The writing is witty and intelligent, masterly weaving together laugh-out-loud funny moments with heartbreaking, poignant ones. If you're looking for a light, funny read, you'll find it in The Book of Polly, but also be prepared for some heavy, serious bits. I really savored this book full of Southern charm and loved watching the mother-daughter relationship between Polly and Willow develop.

As the character Phoenix would say, this book is "perfectly perfect!"

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ten year old Willow Havens had never known her father as he had died while her mother was pregnant with her. And her brother Shelton and sister Lisa were much older than she was; living away and making their own lives. So it seemed like Willow was an only child, living with her mother who was quite a bit older than her friends’ mothers. Consequently, Willow’s obsession was that her mother, Polly, would die and leave her all alone – an orphan.

Polly was a woman who intimidated others – her manner was grumpy, and she was disagreeable and bad tempered the majority of the time; but she had a soft heart. And Willow loved her. Willow was also determined to discover what Polly’s life had been before Willow was born. Why she had left her home town in Louisiana when she was a young woman, and why she wouldn’t talk about her past.

When Willow was sixteen, the Bear came into their lives and she was forced into desperate action. Her discovery of Garland, a man from her mother’s past was the start of a journey which just might give Willow some answers... But was it what Polly wanted? And should her dark secret finally come to light?

The Book of Polly by Kathy Hepistall is a heartfelt story of a mother and daughter’s journey; the daughter’s search for a miracle; the wit and humour dotted throughout; and the deep love between the two main characters. Polly is a wonderful Southern woman with her quirks and mannerisms sometimes highly outrageous. I thoroughly enjoyed The Book of Polly and recommend it highly.

With thanks to Penguin Random House New York for my hardcover copy to read and review.

[Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Willow has an older mother and never knew her father. Willow is paranoid that her mother is going to die soon because of her smoking, drinking, and her age. Polly became pregnant at 50 years of age.

Willow wants to know about her mother's life before she married her father who passed away before Willow was born. Willow also wants to know the secret her mother won't reveal about something that happened in Louisiana.

Willow makes it her mission to find out the secret as she continues worrying about her mother and her longevity. Willow is a precocious, rule-following child. I really enjoyed Willow for her spunk. I enjoyed Polly because she was fearless and didn't really care what anyone thought of her.

THE BOOK OF POLLY made me laugh out loud. I loved Willow and Polly and loved their relationship even though it is a strained one because Willow is always challenging her mother and Polly is always manipulating Willow.

THE BOOK OF POLLY was a delightful read because of the funny circumstances and situations the characters got themselves in.

All of the characters were comical and lovable. You will be laughing as well as crying but mostly laughing.

If you need a break from murders and serious story lines, THE BOOK OF POLLY fits the bill.

I just loved this book. ENJOY!! 5/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.

[Virginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely story! If you need something happy and warm, with good Southern quips, then look know further than this book.

Following the story of a young girl, Willow, born to an older mother, Polly, you will fall in love with Willow's determination to keep her mother living forever. Her antics are heartwarming and endearing. Polly is an incredible woman who embodies what we love from those "fiesty Southern belles." She also drops some great one-liners that will stick with you later. With a collection of quirky characters, this story will have you laughing and (maybe) crying, but overall glad to have met this lovely family and their wacky friends.

Also, it has a happy ending!

I highly recommend this book to those who love reading family stories, mother-daughter relationships, and feel-good novels. While the setting is in the South, the story goes beyond the Mason-Dixon line. Anyone can read this book and enjoy.

[Aura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an example of southern fiction at its best. Polly is a 50 something year old who loses her husband at the same time she finds out she is pregnant. Willow, her daughter, is a wonderful character who tells tall tales but she has her reasons. This is an excellent feel-good book that had me laughing and crying throughout.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every so often I come across a book with such wonderful characters that I just don’t want the book to end. This was one of those books. I finished it this morning and have thought about it on and off all day and the more I think about it, the more I liked it.

Polly was 58 years old when her husband died and a few days after his funeral she found out she was pregnant with Willow. Against the advice of her Doctors, she goes through with the pregnancy. The story opens when Willow is 10 years old and Polly is 68 years old. Willow is terrified that her mother will die and she also is desperate to find out what horrible event happened that made Polly leave her home town 50 years ago and vow never to return.

Polly is hilarious. She’s grouchy, blunt, loud and so lovable! Willow constantly gets herself into trouble with the lies she tells when she is put on the spot. The two of them make a fantastic duo. Along with them are Willow’s middle aged siblings - Leah and Shel, Shel’s childhood friend named Phoenix and Willow’s childhood friend named Dalton. I loved every one of these characters along with some others who didn’t play a huge part in the story but the parts they played were excellent.

I highly recommend this one if you like books with memorable, quirky characters. I laughed out loud many times and was so touched my eyes filled with tears other times. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Meg - A Bookish Affair · Rating 4 out of 5]

In "The Book of Polly," Willow is a young teenager who is dying to put together the mysteries of her mother's past before she loses her mother, which she constantly fears. Polly had Willow when she was in her late fifties and became a widow soon after. Since her other two kids are grown and out of the house, it is just Polly and Willow. Can Willow figure out Polly's secrets before its too late?

Polly is the kind of character that you remember long after you close a book. She reminds me a lot of some of Fredrik Backman's characters (high praise coming from me). She's eccentric and grumpy. She scolds Willow for doing something naughty or mischievous while paying Willow a dollar for doing the very same thing that she is scolding her for. Being a southern woman, Polly has a very certain way of interacting with the world that is endearing and pretty funny at times. I felt for Willow and thought the author did a great job of showing what a teenager would be going through as the child of the larger-than-life Polly.

The secondary characters in this book are great as well. My favorite is Phoenix, the friend of Willow's brother who is absolutely entranced with Polly and would do anything for her. He causes and eggs on a lot of the madcap adventures in this book.

This is a fun book with a lot of heart and a lot of love under the surface! I really enjoyed it.

[Angie Dokos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness! Polly reminds me of my aunts, which keep me cracked up. I laughed so hard during this book. I cried some too, but that isn't the point. The story was well written. I loved the "voices" of Polly and Willow. I love how I could picture everything in my head as if it were playing on a screen. I loved the humor. I know some may not, but I sure did. This book had it all. It was very touching, and hilarious. I loved all the characters and the plot. It was just great.

[Susan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have no idea why this got such good reviews. I don't think I was the target demographic?

Anything I say is going to come off as, I suppose, snooty or snobby or not great. It felt simplistic and all of the characters were one-dimensional.

[RoseMary Achey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This fun and witty southern story has a terrific ending. A classic mother daughter coming of age tale with a bit of mystery.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Willow is one of three children belonging to the ever entertaining, southern gem, Polly. Willow was born in her mother's late fifties, her older brother and sister grown and out of the house. Willow's father died before she was born and with the older siblings gone, she only has Polly. As Polly grows older, Willow begins to worry obsessively about her mother's death along with her past secrets. Polly has avoided her past like the plague and has kept most of it a secret. She always shuts down any sort of conversation about the town of Bethel, Louisiana. But Willow is determined to find out more about her mother, her past love, and what tragedies may have happened in that small town.

As the years go by, Polly and Willow face life together, tackling one obstacle at a time, include the Bear. They soon set off on an adventure, avoiding the Bear at all cost and chasing the cure, even if it means chasing it straight back to Bethel. With the help of their family and a wide variety of friends, Polly and Willow set off on an unforgettable journey that helps them deal with the past and face the future.

This book was a bit of an emotional roller coaster. There were many laugh out loud moments and a few tear jerking moments. I wish I could meet so many of these characters, especially Polly. She is witty, fun loving and never lets anyone make her feel inferior. She is the type of mother to walk in to an elementary school with a falcon on her shoulder just prove that her daughter is not a liar. I loved the neighbors and the relationships she shared with them. I loved her family and all of their friends, including Phoenix and Gravity. I really enjoyed every page of this book. It was the perfect mixture of all the emotions, it was pleasantly smooth to read, and the ending was exactly what I needed. It deals with the happiness and sadness that comes with living life in a lovely way that makes this book an excellent read.

[MissSusie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book…I loved all the characters and wish the book hadn’t ended!

I honestly fell in love with Polly and her daughter Willow these two had me laughing and crying both are such fantastic characters and I do mean characters. When we first meet Polly she has a falcon on her shoulder during a school meeting, I loved the during this meeting there is a line that Willow says,
“I was in fact a liar, I had told some lies and even worse some truths about my mother to my classmates, in my defense she was great fodder and this was years before she killed our neighbor.”

How can anyone resist that line? I had to know more about Polly and so does Willow. Willow is a late in life child and her father died before she was born so it was pretty much Polly and Willow against the world, yes, she had older siblings but they were older and out of the house already. We do meet them and I loved her brother Shel her sister is kind of an odd duck but that is to be expected. I really enjoyed the scenes with Shel and the resolution of this storyline was very fulfilling.

Willow understands her mother is older than most of the kids but she worries most about her mother getting THE BEAR which in Polly’s world is cancer and this does make Willow a little anxious about Polly. Also Willow is really curious about Polly’s younger years all she knows is her mother has never gone back to her hometown and that something awful happened there and Willow is bound and determined to find out, just as determined as Polly is to keep her secrets.


Jenna Lamia’s narration was fabulous she was perfect as Willow and she also got to do some other fun voices like the Preacher at the end oh my that was great narration. Fabulous job.

Fans of CeeCee (Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman) Starla (Whistling Past the Graveyard by Susan Crandall) or Swan ( The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield) will love this book as much as I did. Southern fiction, funny and oh the feels.

5 Stars

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five Stars! I've gotten better about giving out stars; used to give 5 if I liked the book and 1 (or none) if I did not. Nothing in-between, just ya or nay. Realized that wasn't fair to the authors so for the last few years I've reserved 5-Stars for only books I LOVED. "The Book of Polly" is one of those rare books. Absolutely, positively loved this book. Thanks to another Goodreads reviewer for guiding me to it; without them I would not have picked it up until it became the sensation I believe it will become. Probably headed for a movie that will never be able to match this lovely book. Marvelous quirky story-line filled with eccentric humor. I laughed from page one through the entire book. Believe you will too.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

With Willow's mother, Polly, much older than other mothers, Willow is convinced her mother is going to die sooner rather than later. How does this affect not only Polly and Willow but also Willow's childhood innocence?

Polly and Willow were both such unique, quirky, eccentric characters that I couldn't help but be entertained by their antics from start to finish! Yes, there was cancer in this book but it's approached in such a manner that it feels lighter than usual. The book was told from Willow's point of view and the voice and tone of the audiobook's narrator was spot on. There is a bit of a mystery too as Willow secretly investigates her mother's past. What is her mother hiding and why?

3.5 stars

Location: Texas

Audiobook

[Margaret Selin]

I really don't know how I feel about this book and my indecision is so strong I can't even give a rating. Give me a while and maybe I'll have an idea how many stars to give but right now I feel conflicted.

At first I thought I would like the depiction of church, but it ended up leaving me with a sour taste in my mouth. I'll admit that there are LOTS of people out there who pervert the message of the Bible and spread a message of condemnation rather than the true Gospel of forgiveness it preaches. But if the picture painted by this book were to be taken seriously it would be natural to assume all Christians were self-righteous Bible-thumpers who would as soon denounce you as a harlot as show you Christian compassion. Almost every Christian was painted as a villain. I would've liked ONE character to have stated their belief that you don't go to hell for smoking and drinking. There was one scene in particular where a woman tells Willow that if you're not sure you're saved, you aren't saved. I realize not everyone believes the same as I do but it makes me WEEP to think that there are people reading this book and having their only exposure to Christianity be something so false. I can say with utmost certainty that there has never been a day in my life that I have been 'sure'. I'm riddled by doubt every moment of the day but I will NOT accept that that means I am not saved. My salvation is not a matter of my goodness or even my own certainty. It's a matter of Jesus' (and not the Jesus of this book) Grace and Mercy. CERTAINLY, there are people out there who believe in a Christianity of condemnation, and this book was full of them, but I wish this book hadn't been so one-sided on the matter.

I will say that Polly spoke about Jesus in a slightly more palatable way, but it was spoken so noncommittally it felt like an afterthought.

Other than that, I really liked Polly. She was funny and charming in all her kookiness and I felt a connection to her. I liked all her silly contraptions and reading about her tiffs with almost everyone she met made me laugh.

So yeah, I felt frustrated at a lot of the book, but I would say that it's worth a read, because I want to give the author the benefit of the doubt.

[Marika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meet Polly. Polly is a southern woman who doesn’t suffer fools lightly, quarrels with her neighbors and might or might not like her margaritas before 5 p.m. Polly was done raising kids, that is until she became pregnant at 58. A month after her husband’s funeral. The novel is told through the voice of Willow, Polly’s 10 year old daughter, who is obsessed with her mother’s death, yet continues to spar with her. What could’ve been a dark book is instead, a laugh out loud read as readers identify with Polly, and because humor can be found everywhere, even in pain.


Note: I received a free review copy of this book and was not compensated for it.

[Allie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five glorious stars!

This book. I loved it! I didn't want it to end.

Let's start with the cover. She has a falcon on her shoulder, people! And the story around that is hilarious. There was so much hilarity in this book. I laughed so much. And even though I usually steer clear of books with all the "feels", this one had a big range of feels, and I absolutely adored it. Just good fun.

As much as southern accents annoy the hell out of me (I had to stop watching True Blood because of that!), this southern accented audiobook didn't bother me. Yay!

[Kristen Cook - A Book Ninja · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could give this book 500 stars I would. I really enjoyed this audiobook more than I can say. I love Polly & Willow. I wish I had their wit. I would say my only complaint is that it felt like the book wrapped up really fast.

[Cece · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just the pick me up I needed from a reading slump and working too much lately. I happened upon this book at a second hand bookstore and actually had seen the cover before and thought wow that looks kinda kooky. But then I recognized the author’s name and realized I read The Blue Asylum and really liked it. This was a character built book if I ever read one: Polly is outrageous and made me laugh out loud so many times. Her young daughter Willow is just as darling and curious as most 10 year olds. The two of them, mother and daughter is the basis of this book. There are more outstanding characters that help the story along. Ultimately about family, their past and challenges that weave a lovely and memorable story I won’t soon forget. Story itself was 4 star, but outstanding characters bumped this one up to a 5 star easily!

[Megan C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the most recent pick for my IRL book club and it was such a fun book, both to read and to discuss. I adored the character of Polly, and after finding out the author loosely based this character on her mother, (also Polly), I loved it even more. If you love quirky characters and Southern fiction, this is a must-read. It's hilarious, but also has some incredibly poignant moments that balance out the writing and give the story some real depth.

[Stephanie *Eff your feelings* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Willow is a young daughter of an older mother (58 at the time of the baby's birth....poor thing), so she's born into a family that has 'moved on'. Her father had died before her birth and her siblings had all grown and moved away. She's haunted about the time she missed, and she has many questions about it.... questions her mom refuses to answer.

I enjoyed this book until it took a mega-religious turn, which isn't for me. It snuck up on it's religious message until near the end.....it had some religious hints here and there prior to that, but I kept going and hoping for it to stay in the background. It didn't.

Some might say I should have seen it coming with the title of 'The Book of Polly', and they would be right.

[♡ Kim ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love books by Joshilyn Jackson then this one should not disappoint.

[Kerrin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been looking for a book that could make me laugh out loud. I finally found one! The Book of Polly by Kathy Hepinstall has some dialogue and situations that were really funny to me. While there is humor, the topics in the book are of a serious nature.

Polly Havens was 56 years old with two grown children. Her husband, The Captain, dies suddenly, and then Polly finds out that she is pregnant. Polly is opinionated, quirky, and larger than life. She drinks margaritas, smokes often, and is a fanatical gardener. The narrator of the book is Willow, the daughter that was born to the widowed Polly. Willow is obsessed with two things: 1. Polly’s death and 2. Finding out Polly’s history prior to marrying the Captain, and the reasons why Polly has not returned to her hometown of Bethel, Louisiana for over 50 years.

The book looks at many topics in a poignant way, including late life parenting, parent-child dynamics, domestic abuse, religious fervor, coming of age, keeping secrets and dealing with cancer.

This could be a fun book club discussion. Please follow my reviews at www.kerrinsbookreviews.com. I love to review books and give out recipes that could be used for book club meetings. I would recommend serving Crawfish Etoufee and Frozen Margaritas. You can find my margarita recipe on the blog!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love quirky stories that are big on humor and The Book of Polly was everything a good read should be. Beautifully developed characters, loads of hilarity, and Hepinstall’s choice of words and phrasing make these characters, truly, come to life.

Polly has an unexpected surprise in her late fifties and gives birth to her daughter, Willow. Polly is not like any mother that Willow knows at school and the reader experiences her pride and shame at just how little she does fit in. One of Willow’s biggest worries is Polly dying and when she ends up being diagnosed with cancer, it is like her worst fears coming true.

Polly’s not going to exit this world quietly though and Willow decides she wants to know more about Polly’s life from her younger years which lead them on an epic road trip.

I laughed out loud through this book and kept reading passages to my husband who laughed alongside me.  Fans of Be Frank With Me and Whistling Past the Graveyard are FOR SURE going to love this hilarious read! This one will definitely be on my top ten list of the year!

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I needed a light diversion rooted in the south. This is more of a coming-of-age story for a young girl with a quirky older mother. Light but not "fluffy" and full of heart. Excellently narrated by the talented Jenna Lamia.

[Kristy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tolerable but wouldn't recommend it.

[Paria Hassouri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this backlist book up after hearing about the author’s recent passing. It was hilarious and sweet and sad and storytelling at its best.