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The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder
“Rebecca Wells has done it again….A new book full of Southern charm and unique characters…impossible to put down.”—Houston Chronicle
“Wells weaves that magic spell again.”—New Orleans Times-Picayune
For Ya-Ya fans everywhere, New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Wells returns with The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder. The creator of the literary sensations Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, Little Altars Everywhere, and Ya-Yas in Bloom delivers an unforgettable new stand-alone novel about the pull of first love, the power of home, and everyday magic. No matter if you already adore the Ya-Yas or haven’t yet entered the miraculous world of Rebecca Wells, you are going to love—and never forget—Calla Lily Ponder.
“Wells weaves that magic spell again.”—New Orleans Times-Picayune
For Ya-Ya fans everywhere, New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Wells returns with The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder. The creator of the literary sensations Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, Little Altars Everywhere, and Ya-Yas in Bloom delivers an unforgettable new stand-alone novel about the pull of first love, the power of home, and everyday magic. No matter if you already adore the Ya-Yas or haven’t yet entered the miraculous world of Rebecca Wells, you are going to love—and never forget—Calla Lily Ponder.
420 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2009
575 people are currently reading
5783 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Wells
29 books2,470 followersRebecca Wells was born and raised in Alexandria, Louisiana. “I grew up,” she says, “in the fertile world of story-telling, filled with flamboyance, flirting, futility, and fear.” Surrounded by Louisiana raconteurs, a large extended family, and Our Lady of Prompt Succor’s Parish, Rebecca’s imagination was stimulated at every turn. Early on, she fell in love with thinking up and acting in plays for her siblings—the beginnings of her career as an actress and writer for the stage. She recalls her early influences as being the land around her, harvest times, craw-fishing in the bayou, practicing piano after school, dancing with her mother and brothers and sister, and the close relationship to her black “mother” who cleaned for the Wells household. She counts black music and culture from Louisiana as something that will stay in her body’s memory forever.
In high school, she read Walt Whitman’s “I Sing the Body Electric,” which opened her up to the idea that everything in life is a poem, and that, as she says, “We are not born separately from one another.” She also read “Howl,” Allen Ginsberg’s indictment of the strangling consumer-driven American culture he saw around him. Acting in school and summer youth theater productions freed Rebecca to step out of the social hierarchies of high school and into the joys of walking inside another character and living in another world.
The day after she graduated from high school, Rebecca left for Yellowstone National Park, where she worked as a waitress. It was an introduction to the natural glories of the park—mountains, waterfalls, hot springs, and geysers—as well as to the art of hitchhiking.
Rebecca graduated from Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge, where she studied theater, English, and psychology. She performed in many college plays, but also stepped outside the theater department to become awakened to women’s politics. During this time she worked as a cocktail waitress--once accidentally kicking a man in the shins when he slipped a ten-dollar bill down the front of her dress—and began keeping a journal after reading Anais Nin, which she has done ever since.
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In high school, she read Walt Whitman’s “I Sing the Body Electric,” which opened her up to the idea that everything in life is a poem, and that, as she says, “We are not born separately from one another.” She also read “Howl,” Allen Ginsberg’s indictment of the strangling consumer-driven American culture he saw around him. Acting in school and summer youth theater productions freed Rebecca to step out of the social hierarchies of high school and into the joys of walking inside another character and living in another world.
The day after she graduated from high school, Rebecca left for Yellowstone National Park, where she worked as a waitress. It was an introduction to the natural glories of the park—mountains, waterfalls, hot springs, and geysers—as well as to the art of hitchhiking.
Rebecca graduated from Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge, where she studied theater, English, and psychology. She performed in many college plays, but also stepped outside the theater department to become awakened to women’s politics. During this time she worked as a cocktail waitress--once accidentally kicking a man in the shins when he slipped a ten-dollar bill down the front of her dress—and began keeping a journal after reading Anais Nin, which she has done ever since.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,547 reviews
September 5, 2009
What a disappointment!!! I truly wanted to like this book... I read The Ya Ya Sisterhood and Little Altars Everywhere a few years back, and I remember loving them, so when I saw the author's newest book at the library, I grabbed it. As I read the first few chapters, I thought the book moved pretty slowly and was kind of schmaltzy. As I got farther along, I just found that the characters were cliche, and in my mind, many of Calla Lily's and her friends' quotes seemed very "Peggy Hill". It also seemed as though the author was trying to hit on some deep themes, but the novel was sketchy and esoteric and came off like a Lifetime movie. I should have quit while I was ahead, and stopped reading it after the first few chapters, but most of the time I'm obsessive-compulsive about seeing a book through to the end. So I finished it - now I'm pissed off that I wasted my time. I find myself questioning how much I liked Wells' other books. Was I delusional at the time? Was I much less sophisticated about my reading material? Is it just me? I'm half tempted to go back and read the Ya Ya books, just to find out, but then it would be more of my time wasted - so little time, and so many good books that I haven't read.
April 15, 2011
Warning: Possible spoilers
After reading several heavier books this summer, I was ready for a light read, and this book fit that bill fairly well. It's a good story, but I think it could have been a better story without all the Moon Lady nonsense. Like another reviewer said, I was quickly hooked on the characters and had a good "four hankie cry" when M'Dear died, but a lot of the book felt like a first draft. There was a lot of repetition in the first two chapters that seemed unnecessary and perhaps accidental. The dialogue between characters was often weirdly stilted and unnatural. People just don't talk like that and it made me imagine the characters waving scarves in their hands dramatically as they spoke. I was shaken by a scene early in the book where a black child's desire to skate in the white rink leads to violence, but that incident stood alone. As the book spans more than 20 years, I expected the scene to have some later relevance that never showed up.
I had been waiting excitedly to read this book and while I found it mostly entertaining, it was disappointing to find so many things wrong with a book by a favorite author.
After reading several heavier books this summer, I was ready for a light read, and this book fit that bill fairly well. It's a good story, but I think it could have been a better story without all the Moon Lady nonsense. Like another reviewer said, I was quickly hooked on the characters and had a good "four hankie cry" when M'Dear died, but a lot of the book felt like a first draft. There was a lot of repetition in the first two chapters that seemed unnecessary and perhaps accidental. The dialogue between characters was often weirdly stilted and unnatural. People just don't talk like that and it made me imagine the characters waving scarves in their hands dramatically as they spoke. I was shaken by a scene early in the book where a black child's desire to skate in the white rink leads to violence, but that incident stood alone. As the book spans more than 20 years, I expected the scene to have some later relevance that never showed up.
I had been waiting excitedly to read this book and while I found it mostly entertaining, it was disappointing to find so many things wrong with a book by a favorite author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 24, 2009
Say what you will about schmaltz but I think Wells is a good storyteller. I don't expect her to produce haute literature. I don't expect her books to address the great problems of the age...I just want a good story and I got one.
I admit, being the jaded character I am, if a piece of writing can make me tear up, I'll give it a thumbs up. It may be a cheap shot on Wells' part to zero in on a woman's emotions, but hey, she's a woman too.
What's wrong with a good old-fashioned love tale, anyway? We don't have enough of those, having been subjected to religious thriller-relic hunting-adventure seeking novels for the past (fill in the blank) years.
Maybe I'm being a little defensive, but Calla Lilly was good, very good. Why? Because I said so...
I admit, being the jaded character I am, if a piece of writing can make me tear up, I'll give it a thumbs up. It may be a cheap shot on Wells' part to zero in on a woman's emotions, but hey, she's a woman too.
What's wrong with a good old-fashioned love tale, anyway? We don't have enough of those, having been subjected to religious thriller-relic hunting-adventure seeking novels for the past (fill in the blank) years.
Maybe I'm being a little defensive, but Calla Lilly was good, very good. Why? Because I said so...
September 28, 2009
This book is a bit too long and slow to be a pure fluff beach read, and the writing just isn't good enough for it to be a serious novel, although it tries. The characters come off as cliches and Calla Lily's small town Louisiana home is hard to buy as an actual place. The story is also thick on the melodrama and tries too hard, especially in trying to bring social issues into the story in an effort to portray her characters as progressive for their time. The high drama: Calla Lily witnesses a black boy being brutally beaten by the cops, loses her mother as a teenager, has her heart broken by her first love, moves to the big city, falls for a gay man, makes best friends with a gay man, deals with an alchoholic best friend, falls in love, struggles with infertility, loses her husband in a tragic accident, returns to her small town, and falls in love again with her now conveniently divorced first love, who, as it turns out, never left her at all but was forced to break up with her by his now-dead grandfather. Writing it all out like that, it is easy to see why the novel hit 400 pages, but a more skilled writer would not have felt the need to cram so much drama into one story.
That said, Wells' writing has its moments, and I finished the book and was even moved at times (the death of Calla's mother is particularly heart wrenching). With better editing this could have been a much better book.
That said, Wells' writing has its moments, and I finished the book and was even moved at times (the death of Calla's mother is particularly heart wrenching). With better editing this could have been a much better book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 16, 2009
I tried to like this book, but it was just so boring. The characters were one-dimensional southern stereotypes. For example, everyone in the small town of La Luna, LA simply adored the main character, Cala Lily Ponder, and when her mother, M'Dear, died, the whole town rallied to raise Cala Lily. M'dear, a hairdresser, had healed people while doing their hair and was known to dance at odd times and places. This, paired with her worship of the Moon Lady (they live in La Luna, get it?), and her spouting new-agey advice (well before the time of the new age movement)are meant to portray the mother as a free-spirit in tune with loving the whole world, but it just comes off as flighty and forced. Add to this the fact that it takes forever for anything to happen in this book. I just couldn't get through it. If the Ya-Ya books hadn't been so well received, I doubt this one would have been published.
June 22, 2010
Fans of Wells'tales of the "ya-ya sisterhood " will like this book. If it had been written by a new come-out author ,it would have been sent back to editing. In parts the writing is lyrical and in others just hurried and choppy. The story which can be moving in sections can become just downright preach-y in others. It seems that the author had a beginning point and an end point and was going to get to it in the pre-subscibed number of pages without regard to flow and therefore you never just fall into the book and ride along with it. It has potential and some wonderful moments,however for me, it just misses.
November 29, 2010
Almost everything I read in this book I had read somewhere else.
Much of it came straight from Cassandra King's "Making Waves" - about a small-town Southern girl who opens up a hair salon once run by a family member, with several scenes taking place in the Big City of New Orleans. I wasn't a huge fan of that book either, to be fair.
The dramatic twist: a family member intercepts the love letters between the young couple and never tells them! The boy and girl write each other nearly every day but never receive the other's letters! When they discover this after years of separation, they have a passionate reunion! I can only assume one of them will end up in an old folks' homes with Alzheimer's, and the other will read from the notebook of their love.
Other Same Old Same Olds:
Alcoholic friend who quickly comes around to recovery? Check. (Also, duh, she is the one who is loose with her sexuality at a young age, because girls who date several men are alcoholics.)
Female friends who practice kissing with each other and frequently get nude together in a platonic way? Check.
Friend who gets married, has a child, and is almost never heard from again? Check.
Fabulous gays who cook, do hair, and have exquisite taste in interior design? Check.
Riding horses used as a symbol for young girl's first sexual thoughts and experiences? Check.
A "Magical Negro" who provides wisdom and insight to help out the white narrator, and also serves to demonstrate how kind and tolerant the narrator is? Check.
Also, all that Moon Lady nonsense should have been cut straight out.
Much of it came straight from Cassandra King's "Making Waves" - about a small-town Southern girl who opens up a hair salon once run by a family member, with several scenes taking place in the Big City of New Orleans. I wasn't a huge fan of that book either, to be fair.
The dramatic twist: a family member intercepts the love letters between the young couple and never tells them! The boy and girl write each other nearly every day but never receive the other's letters! When they discover this after years of separation, they have a passionate reunion! I can only assume one of them will end up in an old folks' homes with Alzheimer's, and the other will read from the notebook of their love.
Other Same Old Same Olds:
Alcoholic friend who quickly comes around to recovery? Check. (Also, duh, she is the one who is loose with her sexuality at a young age, because girls who date several men are alcoholics.)
Female friends who practice kissing with each other and frequently get nude together in a platonic way? Check.
Friend who gets married, has a child, and is almost never heard from again? Check.
Fabulous gays who cook, do hair, and have exquisite taste in interior design? Check.
Riding horses used as a symbol for young girl's first sexual thoughts and experiences? Check.
A "Magical Negro" who provides wisdom and insight to help out the white narrator, and also serves to demonstrate how kind and tolerant the narrator is? Check.
Also, all that Moon Lady nonsense should have been cut straight out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2011
I love Rebecca Wells’ writing. The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood is one of a few books that I can read over and over again and still enjoy. Having never lived in Louisiana, I don’t know how accurate her depictions of the area are…but nevertheless, I was sucked in from the first page. I had high expectations for The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder having enjoyed Wells’ other books, and happily, there were traces of Wells throughout it.
But, unfortunately, I have to echo what some other reviewers have said about it which is that it’s haphazard, devoid of plot and careless with character development. The book is enjoyable, but as much as it is entertaining, it’s also equal parts frustrating and flawed. To be honest, I think the problems in this book could have been solved with a more thorough edit. It feels like a first draft in many ways—like Wells wanted to get absolutely everything down before sifting through and deciding what should stay or go. But…everything stayed. Some characters are introduced, then disappear…others come into the main character’s life and are seemingly important people to her, but never become more than a passing fancy to the reader. It’s frustrating.
This coming-of-age novel about a girl growing up in a small Louisiana town could have been so much more than it was, and there are occasional glimmers of this. To be fair, Wells’ writing doesn’t disappoint. She’s got a unique way with dialogue in particular that I’ve always enjoyed. I just wish the overall package hadn’t felt so unrefined and clunky.
But, unfortunately, I have to echo what some other reviewers have said about it which is that it’s haphazard, devoid of plot and careless with character development. The book is enjoyable, but as much as it is entertaining, it’s also equal parts frustrating and flawed. To be honest, I think the problems in this book could have been solved with a more thorough edit. It feels like a first draft in many ways—like Wells wanted to get absolutely everything down before sifting through and deciding what should stay or go. But…everything stayed. Some characters are introduced, then disappear…others come into the main character’s life and are seemingly important people to her, but never become more than a passing fancy to the reader. It’s frustrating.
This coming-of-age novel about a girl growing up in a small Louisiana town could have been so much more than it was, and there are occasional glimmers of this. To be fair, Wells’ writing doesn’t disappoint. She’s got a unique way with dialogue in particular that I’ve always enjoyed. I just wish the overall package hadn’t felt so unrefined and clunky.
May 29, 2009
Sappy, schmultzy, overly sentimental . . . just a few words to describe this novel. It's what I think of when people want a "beach read", or something akin to "chick lit". That being said, I did, in fact, read the whole thing. There was something in the descriptions of the setting, the development of at least the main character, that kept me interested. Wells' descriptions of this small, thoughtful riverside town of La Luna, Louisiana, actually made me interested in going to the south and seeing those huge plantation houses, the trees blooming with flowers and figs and pears, and just the very "Southern" ways of these people (minus the negative parts, of course). I didn't read "Ya Ya Sisterhood", but I loved the movie, and I can see this being a decent movie once you cut out the sappy, schmultzy, overly sentimental dialogue and crap.
July 21, 2009
Meh. Very disappointed in this one. I read "Little Altars Everywhere" and "The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood" years and years ago, but I remember absolutely loving them. "Ya-Yas in Bloom" was mediocre at best, but I held out hope for this one, thinking since Calla Lily was a fresh character the book might be of the quality of Wells' first two novels. Sadly, it wasn't. Wells tried to touch on deep/important themes, but it all came out as fluff. I didn't dislike the main character/narrator, but I just couldn't quite connect with her the way I did with Vivi in the Ya-Ya books. The entire book just seemed trite and contrived to me, especially the ending, and I was not sorry when it was over. I highly recommend "Divine Secrets" and "Little Altars" to all women, but don't bother with this one.
November 13, 2009
This book reminded me of a bad made-for-TV movie. Or maybe an episode of Full House, where every time there is a problem, it manages to be resolved by the end of the episode with some cheesy apology and admission of wrong-doing with violins playing in the background.
Part 1 was actually somewhat endearing and heart-breaking. A story of a simple life growing up in Louisiana with great friends, a first love, and a loving, caring family torn apart by the death of her mother followed shortly by a broken heart. And at this point in the book, the simple narration was fine, it seemed to fit the age and innocence of Calla Lily Ponder. However, by Part 2, the "simple southern girl" narration style was hackneyed and just downright annoying. An example:
"Basically what I was doing was washing her energy. When I hold a client's head in my hands, their energy comes into me and then moves up from me to the Moon Lady, where she washes it in her river of love and goodness and sends it back down through me and back into the client in all of its cleanliness."
Its like Rebecca Wells wanted to write a poetic, moving, piece of literature - but all that came out was this overly sentimental, overly simple dribble. I really didn't think I was going to make it through the last 100 pages, it was that bad.
If you want to read a truly inspirational book about the ability of hairdressing to empower women who otherwise would have no hope, read Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez.
Part 1 was actually somewhat endearing and heart-breaking. A story of a simple life growing up in Louisiana with great friends, a first love, and a loving, caring family torn apart by the death of her mother followed shortly by a broken heart. And at this point in the book, the simple narration was fine, it seemed to fit the age and innocence of Calla Lily Ponder. However, by Part 2, the "simple southern girl" narration style was hackneyed and just downright annoying. An example:
"Basically what I was doing was washing her energy. When I hold a client's head in my hands, their energy comes into me and then moves up from me to the Moon Lady, where she washes it in her river of love and goodness and sends it back down through me and back into the client in all of its cleanliness."
Its like Rebecca Wells wanted to write a poetic, moving, piece of literature - but all that came out was this overly sentimental, overly simple dribble. I really didn't think I was going to make it through the last 100 pages, it was that bad.
If you want to read a truly inspirational book about the ability of hairdressing to empower women who otherwise would have no hope, read Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez.
July 9, 2009
Kathleen said: "Rebecca Wells is back and better than ever with The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder! Fans of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood be forewarned - I think that I may actually like Calla Lily more than the Ya'Ya's. I was charmed by page 2, in tears by page 6 and totally committed to Calla, La Luna and M'Dear by page 11.
Calla and her two brothers grow up in a loving family in the tiny hamlet of La Luna, LA. But the love and protection her family and friends provide as she grows up isn't enough to protect her from the sorrow and sadness that sometimes follows us through life. But Calla is strong and, keeping in mind what M'Dear has taught her accepting and enjoying what life has to offer, Calla is able to pick up the pieces and move forward.
I read Calla Lily in one sitting and the whole time a little voice in my head kept saying "Slow down, savor it" but I just couldn't. Calla's story kept my entranced, it wove a spell around me, much like La Luna does in the book. I cried at the end of the book but more because I was saying goodbye to someone whom I had come grown to love and admire. I have been missing Rebecca Wells but after reading Calla Lily I have to say, it was worth the wait.
Calla and her two brothers grow up in a loving family in the tiny hamlet of La Luna, LA. But the love and protection her family and friends provide as she grows up isn't enough to protect her from the sorrow and sadness that sometimes follows us through life. But Calla is strong and, keeping in mind what M'Dear has taught her accepting and enjoying what life has to offer, Calla is able to pick up the pieces and move forward.
I read Calla Lily in one sitting and the whole time a little voice in my head kept saying "Slow down, savor it" but I just couldn't. Calla's story kept my entranced, it wove a spell around me, much like La Luna does in the book. I cried at the end of the book but more because I was saying goodbye to someone whom I had come grown to love and admire. I have been missing Rebecca Wells but after reading Calla Lily I have to say, it was worth the wait.
April 2, 2019
This bittersweet story captured my attention from page one and didn't let go. There were emotional twists and turns throughout the storyline that made for even stronger characters. Not only did I enjoy Calla Lily Ponder, but I came to appreciate her friends and family, too. More than anyone, I loved Calla Lily's parents. Reading the descriptive pages made me feel like I was part of her inner circle. I recommend this book!
July 9, 2011
This book could have been titled The Flowering of a Southern Belle. Calla Lily Ponder narrates her history by gathering the sprigs of her life in rural Louisiana from age eight in 1961 until she reaps a nearly improbable ending as a 31-year-old in 1984. Within her two-decade bouquet of budding and blooming into full womanhood, Calla endures parental attachment and loss, adolescent attraction and loss, and marital bliss and loss. But not to worry, no one can nip this flower in the bud.
The Moon Lady, La Luna, serves as an emcee/narrator for the prologue and epilogue to this tale. Meanwhile, many references, reprises and prayers to the moon goddess cultivate the story with a type of spiritual guidance and benevolence. This medium sometimes may suggest the naturalistic, Wicca-dance of the quartet we might have met in the Ya Ya Sisterhood. But this charming novel focuses on the La Lunettes, a trio of lifelong BFFs: Calla, Sukey, and Reneé.
“The Crowning Glory” has a Biblical roots: 1 Corinthians 11:14-15 reads: “Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering.” The verse may explain why Calla keeps her long locks into her 30s. Nevertheless, I prefer Proverbs 16:31: “Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness.” Regardless of its germination, The Crowning Glory title serves multiple ironic purposes as a beauty salon brand, tendril references to hair and morality, as well as the gathered splendor Calla’s lifelong achievements.
There are perhaps too many minutiae in cosmetology, its practices and products. Then, too, there is an awful plentitude of food descriptions and clothing details. But that’s a woman writer’s touch, I guess. Verging on the tedious, these details do coronate the rites of passage of a Southern flower who survives the peacenik ‘60s and the free-love ’70s. Colorful depictions of Louisiana life are delightfully picturesque, almost rooting the reader dockside on the La Luna River.
This was extremely pleasurable reading, although the denouement is a distracting weed. So, I think I’ll take my long white hair to the salon for a shampoo and massage from a healing-hands operator who’ll blow away the conclusion’s wrinkle.
The Moon Lady, La Luna, serves as an emcee/narrator for the prologue and epilogue to this tale. Meanwhile, many references, reprises and prayers to the moon goddess cultivate the story with a type of spiritual guidance and benevolence. This medium sometimes may suggest the naturalistic, Wicca-dance of the quartet we might have met in the Ya Ya Sisterhood. But this charming novel focuses on the La Lunettes, a trio of lifelong BFFs: Calla, Sukey, and Reneé.
“The Crowning Glory” has a Biblical roots: 1 Corinthians 11:14-15 reads: “Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering.” The verse may explain why Calla keeps her long locks into her 30s. Nevertheless, I prefer Proverbs 16:31: “Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness.” Regardless of its germination, The Crowning Glory title serves multiple ironic purposes as a beauty salon brand, tendril references to hair and morality, as well as the gathered splendor Calla’s lifelong achievements.
There are perhaps too many minutiae in cosmetology, its practices and products. Then, too, there is an awful plentitude of food descriptions and clothing details. But that’s a woman writer’s touch, I guess. Verging on the tedious, these details do coronate the rites of passage of a Southern flower who survives the peacenik ‘60s and the free-love ’70s. Colorful depictions of Louisiana life are delightfully picturesque, almost rooting the reader dockside on the La Luna River.
This was extremely pleasurable reading, although the denouement is a distracting weed. So, I think I’ll take my long white hair to the salon for a shampoo and massage from a healing-hands operator who’ll blow away the conclusion’s wrinkle.
August 2, 2009
Let me start by saying that this is the first book by Rebecca Wells that I have read. She writes beautiful, lyrical prose that meanders along like the river that is central to this tale.
When I first started this novel, I noted that it was beautifully written by slow moving. As I spent more time getting to know calla Lily Ponder, I realized that her journey moved in bits and spurts, at times meandering and other times rushing forward much like rivers do.
I loved the narratives from La Luna or the moon goddess as she looked down on her children. It added a magical, fairy tale like essence to the story.
That being said, there were still bits of the story that bothered me. For example, Calla witnesses a horrific beating of a young black boy by a large white sheriff, and while she goes home and vomits and is upset, the incident is quickly washed away.
Also, I found myself becoming annoyed by Calla Lilly Ponder at times. From the Lucille Ball-esque attempts to change a gay man to her marriage to the ending, her journey was just a bit predictable and yet not entirely logical. Then again, that pretty much sums up most people's lives so who am I to complain.
The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder is a good summer read when you are not in a hurry to rush through to get to the end. It reminded me of a large vanilla ice cream cone on a warm summer day: refreshing, possibly a bit bland but still very good, just ultimately not very filling.
When I first started this novel, I noted that it was beautifully written by slow moving. As I spent more time getting to know calla Lily Ponder, I realized that her journey moved in bits and spurts, at times meandering and other times rushing forward much like rivers do.
I loved the narratives from La Luna or the moon goddess as she looked down on her children. It added a magical, fairy tale like essence to the story.
That being said, there were still bits of the story that bothered me. For example, Calla witnesses a horrific beating of a young black boy by a large white sheriff, and while she goes home and vomits and is upset, the incident is quickly washed away.
Also, I found myself becoming annoyed by Calla Lilly Ponder at times. From the Lucille Ball-esque attempts to change a gay man to her marriage to the ending, her journey was just a bit predictable and yet not entirely logical. Then again, that pretty much sums up most people's lives so who am I to complain.
The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder is a good summer read when you are not in a hurry to rush through to get to the end. It reminded me of a large vanilla ice cream cone on a warm summer day: refreshing, possibly a bit bland but still very good, just ultimately not very filling.
July 8, 2009
Rebecca Wells is back and better than ever with The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder! Fans of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood be forewarned - I think that I may actually like Calla Lily more than the Ya'Ya's. I was charmed by page 2, in tears by page 6 and totally committed to Calla, La Luna and M'Dear by page 11.
Calla and her two brothers grow up in a loving family in the tiny hamlet of La Luna, LA. But the love and protection her family and friends provide as she grows up isn't enough to protect her from the sorrow and sadness that sometimes follows us through life. But Calla is strong and, keeping in mind what M'Dear has taught her accepting and enjoying what life has to offer, Calla is able to pick up the pieces and move forward.
I read Calla Lily in one sitting and the whole time a little voice in my head kept saying "Slow down, savor it" but I just couldn't. Calla's story kept my entranced, it wove a spell around me, much like La Luna does in the book. I cried at the end of the book but more because I was saying goodbye to someone whom I had come grown to love and admire. I have been missing Rebecca Wells but after reading Calla Lily I have to say, it was worth the wait.
Calla and her two brothers grow up in a loving family in the tiny hamlet of La Luna, LA. But the love and protection her family and friends provide as she grows up isn't enough to protect her from the sorrow and sadness that sometimes follows us through life. But Calla is strong and, keeping in mind what M'Dear has taught her accepting and enjoying what life has to offer, Calla is able to pick up the pieces and move forward.
I read Calla Lily in one sitting and the whole time a little voice in my head kept saying "Slow down, savor it" but I just couldn't. Calla's story kept my entranced, it wove a spell around me, much like La Luna does in the book. I cried at the end of the book but more because I was saying goodbye to someone whom I had come grown to love and admire. I have been missing Rebecca Wells but after reading Calla Lily I have to say, it was worth the wait.
July 22, 2009
The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder was a heart warming memorable story. It is told through Calla Lily's eyes, from childhood on to adulthood. Family love, friendship and death all brought together in an unforgetable journey through one woman's life. Excellent read.
March 4, 2023
It was a lovely read. I enjoyed all the wonderful characters.
August 13, 2023
Was SO cute and makes growing up seem a lot less daunting - this girl really went through a lot though. Still pissed off at the grandpa though
August 12, 2010
This is the story of Calla Lily Ponder who grew up in the small town of La Luna nestled along the Mississippi River in Louisiana. We meet her family and friends, but most importantly her mother, whom she calls M' Dear. Call Lily has a wonderful loving relationship with her mom. They are best friends as well as mother and daughter. Everything Calla Lila is and grows up to become, is due to her mother and their special relationship. It is because of M'Dear that Calla Lily chooses to become a beautician, and grows up to be one of the finest young ladies I have read about in quite a long time.
Calla Lily is a sweetheart! She is kind to everyone she meets, and strives to see the best in people, She tries not to be mean or judgmental towards others. Calla Lily has also inherited what M'Dear calls healing hands. This is the ability to make her salon clients feel whole again. To ease their cares and worries with the touch of her hands and sometimes the kindest of words. Calla is truly what I cal good people.
During the course of the story, Calla Lily experiences some of the toughest heartaches of her life. But she manages to pull through with the help of friends and family, and of course, the Moon Lady. Who is the Moon Lady? Well, you can read about her in the beginning of the book and then here and there throughout the story. Basically, according to M'Dear, the Moon Lady is the benevolent force who watches over Calla Lily and the residents of La Luna. I interpreted her to be like Mother Earth, except she is the Moon.
I loved this story. Wells' writing placed me firmly in the story with her descriptions of small town Southern life in Mississippi, and again when Calla moves to New Orleans. The accented dialogue, the food, the weather, everything made me feel as though I was in Louisiana. I did have one complaint, at first. Sometimes it seemed as though Calla never grew up. She was almost childish in her thinking at times. However, I realized that is exactly what I liked about her. Calla never becomes jaded or angry like adults can be. Her positive attitude and way of living are simple and uncomplicated. With so many sad and mean people in the world, it was nice to escape from that for a while. So my complaint, is really not a complaint after all!
So, if you are looking for an enjoyable read, that transports you down South in the company of good people, then this books is for you. After reading this one, I will definitely check out Wells' other books as well.
Calla Lily is a sweetheart! She is kind to everyone she meets, and strives to see the best in people, She tries not to be mean or judgmental towards others. Calla Lily has also inherited what M'Dear calls healing hands. This is the ability to make her salon clients feel whole again. To ease their cares and worries with the touch of her hands and sometimes the kindest of words. Calla is truly what I cal good people.
During the course of the story, Calla Lily experiences some of the toughest heartaches of her life. But she manages to pull through with the help of friends and family, and of course, the Moon Lady. Who is the Moon Lady? Well, you can read about her in the beginning of the book and then here and there throughout the story. Basically, according to M'Dear, the Moon Lady is the benevolent force who watches over Calla Lily and the residents of La Luna. I interpreted her to be like Mother Earth, except she is the Moon.
I loved this story. Wells' writing placed me firmly in the story with her descriptions of small town Southern life in Mississippi, and again when Calla moves to New Orleans. The accented dialogue, the food, the weather, everything made me feel as though I was in Louisiana. I did have one complaint, at first. Sometimes it seemed as though Calla never grew up. She was almost childish in her thinking at times. However, I realized that is exactly what I liked about her. Calla never becomes jaded or angry like adults can be. Her positive attitude and way of living are simple and uncomplicated. With so many sad and mean people in the world, it was nice to escape from that for a while. So my complaint, is really not a complaint after all!
So, if you are looking for an enjoyable read, that transports you down South in the company of good people, then this books is for you. After reading this one, I will definitely check out Wells' other books as well.
April 28, 2010
From My Blog...
The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder by Rebecca Wells is a beautiful tale of love and its many forms. The novel, narrated by Calla Lily Ponder, begins in La Luna, Louisiana and the reader learns about various adventures and life-changing events that transpire through Calla Lily's childhood and adolescence. After high school she moves to New Orleans and another chapter of her life begins. Calla Lily takes the reader through over two decades of her life, during the most profound moments and those that take her breath away, and always with the two constants, La Luna and M'Dear. Wells weaves together an almost lyrical tale of a young girl named after a flower, brought up by open and loving parents, who chose to follow her own path. "The Rules of Life According to M'Dear" were not only my favourite part of the novel, but also profoundly brilliant in the sheer simplicity of them. With the exception of M'Dear and Calla Lily, I did not truly feel as though I knew the characters. While referred to often, there was a certain lack of depth to the characters, as though the events themselves were the focal point and considering the powerful messages carried throughout The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder, I do believe the events are indeed the focal point. Each section Calla Lily shares with the reader holds a life lesson, culminating into a series of lessons one must learn and never forget, much like M'Dear's "Rules of Life". I would not hesitate to recommend this novel, especially to discussion groups.
The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder by Rebecca Wells is a beautiful tale of love and its many forms. The novel, narrated by Calla Lily Ponder, begins in La Luna, Louisiana and the reader learns about various adventures and life-changing events that transpire through Calla Lily's childhood and adolescence. After high school she moves to New Orleans and another chapter of her life begins. Calla Lily takes the reader through over two decades of her life, during the most profound moments and those that take her breath away, and always with the two constants, La Luna and M'Dear. Wells weaves together an almost lyrical tale of a young girl named after a flower, brought up by open and loving parents, who chose to follow her own path. "The Rules of Life According to M'Dear" were not only my favourite part of the novel, but also profoundly brilliant in the sheer simplicity of them. With the exception of M'Dear and Calla Lily, I did not truly feel as though I knew the characters. While referred to often, there was a certain lack of depth to the characters, as though the events themselves were the focal point and considering the powerful messages carried throughout The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder, I do believe the events are indeed the focal point. Each section Calla Lily shares with the reader holds a life lesson, culminating into a series of lessons one must learn and never forget, much like M'Dear's "Rules of Life". I would not hesitate to recommend this novel, especially to discussion groups.
August 21, 2009
For the most part, I agree with Cyndi Michener's review, although the Moon Lady "stuff" didn't bother me. Perhaps because I know a few people whose beliefs are very similar, so it wasn't a stretch for me. For the most part, I found "Crowning Glory of Calla Lily" to be entertaining, but disappointing. Especially in comparison to "Ya-Ya Sisterhood." It didn't have me reflecting on my childhood, it didn't have me laughing out loud or thinking of my dear friends. I did think alot places in New Orleans as they came up, and in that sense I did connect to the place, the setting, the characters. I loved the parts where she was describing working on someone's hair. All of that seemed very much one character, consistent, prosaic.
Where it lacks consistency is the section set in New Orleans. The voice of Calla Lily suddenly turns from a young woman with a mind of her own, and an adult vocabulary, to a somewhat insipid, eye-batting, giggling young girl. That voice comes and goes, but I found it distracting and, well, annoying. Fortunately, before the ending, it seems to return to more of the writing I expect of Rebecca Wells. What Rebecca Wells does have is her ability to lull you into almost believing you're right there, along for the ride in rural Louisiana, and charm you with the characters and ways of New Orleans so you'll wish you were there, once you put the book down.
Where it lacks consistency is the section set in New Orleans. The voice of Calla Lily suddenly turns from a young woman with a mind of her own, and an adult vocabulary, to a somewhat insipid, eye-batting, giggling young girl. That voice comes and goes, but I found it distracting and, well, annoying. Fortunately, before the ending, it seems to return to more of the writing I expect of Rebecca Wells. What Rebecca Wells does have is her ability to lull you into almost believing you're right there, along for the ride in rural Louisiana, and charm you with the characters and ways of New Orleans so you'll wish you were there, once you put the book down.
May 17, 2011
Wow, what a book! The novel follows the story of Calla Lilly Ponder as she grows up in small-town Louisiana and then moves to New Orleans to learn her mother's trade, becoming a beautician. Like her mother, Calla has the gift of being a healer. What really stood out for me throughout the book was this theme of healing. There's a lot of heartache here (read it when you want a good cry! oh, man...), but there's also just so much love. I don't think I've ever read anything that captures the healing power of love and friendship and kindness in such a beautiful way. There are some moments that touched me down to the soul. Though there are a few times when the writing could have been a little better (I thought of giving it only 4 stars for this reason), at others Wells just knocks it right out of the park. I may even read it again from the beginning just to let it all soak in.
July 12, 2009
I was really looking forward to this book and am a little disappointed. Oh, it was a nice enough story, nice easy summer read, and a good four hankie cry but it is not the same caliber as the earlier works of Rebecca Wells. The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder had some great potential…wondering why the editor didn’t hold off until the book was a little finer tuned. Some wonderful ideas, female friendship, love in many forms, hometown sense of place, and faith in a higher power are all here unfortunately they are either barely mentioned in passing or way over the top. This would make a great Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, but I expected more from Ms. Wells.
October 4, 2021
2.5 stars. This was my first Rebecca Wells book I've read, I'm contemplating on if I will read more from her, some books by her is still intruiging. But unfortunately I did not enjoy this as much as I had hoped. I can see that her writing has potential to work better in a story, just not this one, for me
July 15, 2021
This book was just lovely. It truly made me feel good. There’s no great mystery or twists and turns. It’s just a Louisiana story of family, love, and human connection. I will probably read it again someday.
May 27, 2019
I have to admit that I unabashedly loved this book.
April 20, 2020
A fun light read. Gave me some emotional release in a couple areas. Overall a really sweet light story
March 17, 2022
This book had you feeling every emotion. Calla went through so many highs and lows and you are right there with her the entire time.
August 25, 2023
Where the Crawdad's Sing vibe
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