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The Roots of the Olive Tree
by Courtney Miller Santo (Goodreads Author)
by Courtney Miller Santo (Goodreads Author)
5 (6) generations of females living on olive farm in California … present day setting. Early pages, but good read.
Liked it. Wanted to love it, but just didn't feel it.
5 generations of first born females in one olive 'plantation'. Other than their inclusive past and present, there wasn't a great deal there. Anna is the oldest and wants to be the oldest living person. Her daughter Bets story deals mostly with her husband Frank who has dementia or something along those lines and is in a home and has a male lover. Their daughter Callie was a flight attendant and was in a horrible plane crash and suffered a damaged leg that is constantly in pain, so she takes pills. Oh and their daughter Deb murdered the father of her daughter Erin. She was in prison for most of Erin's life, is finally released but finds life with family difficult and runs away. Callie falls for a doctor who studies the ladies trying to find out why they live so very long. I wonder too. They don't seem to have much of a life, but they want to live a really, really long time. No friends. No outside interest other than olives. Callie seems to like the men folk. Erin sings opera. But mostly they hang around the olive farm and discuss family. I'm thinking I missed something.
Liked it. Wanted to love it, but just didn't feel it.
5 generations of first born females in one olive 'plantation'. Other than their inclusive past and present, there wasn't a great deal there. Anna is the oldest and wants to be the oldest living person. Her daughter Bets story deals mostly with her husband Frank who has dementia or something along those lines and is in a home and has a male lover. Their daughter Callie was a flight attendant and was in a horrible plane crash and suffered a damaged leg that is constantly in pain, so she takes pills. Oh and their daughter Deb murdered the father of her daughter Erin. She was in prison for most of Erin's life, is finally released but finds life with family difficult and runs away. Callie falls for a doctor who studies the ladies trying to find out why they live so very long. I wonder too. They don't seem to have much of a life, but they want to live a really, really long time. No friends. No outside interest other than olives. Callie seems to like the men folk. Erin sings opera. But mostly they hang around the olive farm and discuss family. I'm thinking I missed something.
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Reading Progress
| 06/14/2012 | page 141 |
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44.0% | |
| 06/14/2012 | page 141 |
|
44.0% | "A little less than half way. Enjoying it so far. But it's interesting that the story focuses so inclusively on the women in the family and not much mention of friends. I think great friendships are key to quality of life and longevity/" |
Comments (showing 1-6 of 6) (6 new)
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Janel
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rated it 2 stars
Jul 12, 2012 12:25pm
I too wanted to love this story, but found the people really dull as all they did was talk about themselves, how old they are and how long they hoped to live.
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Oh Janel, thank you for posting that. I was beginning to think I was the only person in the universe not loving the olive tree bunch.
Hey, Ruth. Just saw your review, after posting my own 2-star. You summed up my feelings perfectly about the characters. They just seemed like a cranky inward-facing bunch to me.
Indeed. Glad it's not just me. I won this book and wanted to like it and give it a good review but, alas, I'm just not feeling it.
Have to agree with you. Felt there were too many gaps, no closure, hated the ending. Not my favorite - so surprised at how many postive reviews it received.
