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Bittersweet: A Tender Historical Romance About Two Women Whose Devotion is Challenged in Nineteenth Century America
A heart-wrenching, yet tender tale of two women whose boundless devotion to each other is continually challenged in nineteenth century America.
362 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1984
132 people are currently reading
1641 people want to read
About the author
Nevada Barr
66 books2,302 followersNevada Barr is a mystery fiction author, known for her "Anna Pigeon" series of mysteries, set in National Parks in the United States. Barr has won an Agatha Award for best first novel for Track of the Cat.
Barr was named after the state of her birth. She grew up in Johnstonville, California. She finished college at the University of California, Irvine. Originally, Barr started to pursue a career in theatre, but decided to be a park ranger. In 1984 she published her first novel, Bittersweet, a bleak lesbian historical novel set in the days of the Western frontier.
While working in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Barr created the Anna Pigeon series. Pigeon is a law enforcement officer with the United States National Park Service. Each book in the series takes place in a different National Park, where Pigeon solves a murder mystery, often related to natural resource issues. She is a satirical, witty woman whose icy exterior is broken down in each book by a hunky male to whom she is attracted (such as Rogelio).
Currently, Ms. Barr lives in New Orleans, LA.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/nevada...
Barr was named after the state of her birth. She grew up in Johnstonville, California. She finished college at the University of California, Irvine. Originally, Barr started to pursue a career in theatre, but decided to be a park ranger. In 1984 she published her first novel, Bittersweet, a bleak lesbian historical novel set in the days of the Western frontier.
While working in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Barr created the Anna Pigeon series. Pigeon is a law enforcement officer with the United States National Park Service. Each book in the series takes place in a different National Park, where Pigeon solves a murder mystery, often related to natural resource issues. She is a satirical, witty woman whose icy exterior is broken down in each book by a hunky male to whom she is attracted (such as Rogelio).
Currently, Ms. Barr lives in New Orleans, LA.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/nevada...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 212 reviews
January 6, 2018
Ok read!
December 31, 2010
I keep trying to like this book, but it is so heavy on the "lesbians will be hunted to the ends of the earth by horrible small men who kick puppies" -- which isn't historically inaccurate -- that it is tedious. The sex is pussyfooted around, all pun intended, unless it is a graphic description of marital rape. I'm trying to find the joy or even historical interest in this book, and I'm coming up short. I begged my girlfriend to just tell me the last 100 pages of plot, but she was as heartless as the pitiless towns these otherwomen have to keep fleeing.
Okay, so now I know the whole story. Life is hard. Blech.
Okay, so now I know the whole story. Life is hard. Blech.
December 31, 2012
I have always liked Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon books, and I supposed I would like this one. I was surprised to find it was not in that series, but gave it a whirl anyway. I'm glad I did. Just because you are not in a certain culture doesn't mean you can't understand that the people of that culture have human feelings just like you do, and Nevada paints a beautiful picture of this relationship. I found myself wishing it was a series of books, and that the characters went on and on.... But they didn't, and maybe that was the point--to help us to see and feel the humanity and beauty of love in it's many forms. How would you feel if your husband, daughter, wife, brother, were treated badly just because they were gray-haired, black, Chinese, or riding a motorcycle? No attention to whether they were good or bad, just of a different group. This is a powerful book and a well-written book, and deserves to be read. I don't know what kind of press it has gotten, but it deserves a ticker-tape parade. I heartily recommend this book to anyone willing to open their eyes.
August 5, 2024
“I love you. You needn’t earn it or even deserve it, it’s just there. No matter what you do, it won’t change. If I never saw you for a hundred years. It just is.”
2.75 stars, but closer to a 3, I guess. Oh boy. This was one of those reading experiences where you really had to keep in mind the time in which the book was written (1984) and the time period that the author is writing about (late 1800s). And let's just say there are certain conventions of early sapphic fiction that I was very much prepared for. I just knew it was likely to be a factor. But... how to put it. Even though the author and the narrative are sympathetic towards these queer women, there was something about the vibe of this book that made me feel like I was reading a morality play about immoral women getting punished for their sins. That's not what it was, but it was the impression I got. The title and the description let you know that this isn't really going to be a feel-good story, but my god, it was downright bleak at times, and started to suck out the enjoyment I was getting from the writing and the characters.
Imogene is a new schoolteacher in town; Sarah is one of her students with a huge crush on her that she doesn't understand. After a few years, an adult Sarah and Imogene end up fleeing west, with trouble following them and a lot of trouble and hardship ahead. I guess this is one of those things about the time it was written, but the 15-year age gap between them isn't really mentioned? Or well, it is, but not as something that's significant. Imogene's only other relationship was also with a former student. I mean, if I count right, nothing really happens between them until Sarah is past 18 and not her student, but it's something that readers would want to be aware of. It didn't end up feeling icky to me; whatever power imbalance there might have been eventually evens out. What I did hate is how the book portrayed intimacy and explicitness. I know that it's a product of the time that it was written in, but it was extremely upsetting, some of the things that were shown on page, and what wasn't. There are several beatings and m/f sexual assault scenes in here, written about in pretty graphic detail. The attempted rape especially was more explicit than it needed to be. In contrast, the consensual loving relationship between the two women was written about so vaguely, it was maddening. We didn't even see them kiss on page more than a handful of times. Again, I'm not surprised, given that this was written in 1984. Maybe the author didn't feel like she could include that kind of intimacy, or maybe she wasn't allowed to. But it just felt like a kick in the face, having all that violence prominently on page, while the loving was only alluded to.
It also sometimes really felt like the characters were being punished for their decisions and misdeeds, and even though I was aware that the book was 'on their side' so to speak, it often felt like it wasn't. Like, I was never under the impression that they would have a nice easy life, but the constant beatings they took from every side... it just felt awful, and at a certain point, vindictive.
“Your love is a net under me. I still fall but now I can never hit bottom.”
Not that there wasn't anything to enjoy. Like most romances that I end up liking, this moved slow, necessarily slow. Sarah doesn't recognise her feelings for what they are until a significant amount of time has passed. Imogene's devotion starts almost immediately, before it turned romantic. It's a portrait of unflinching love that's easy to be swept away by, and there were so many great romantic lines and emotions. Imogene saves Sarah in a lot of ways, and it takes a while, but Sarah saves her right back. Their relationship did have a certain air of desperation and codependency, and well, I'm into that. There's a universe where there's a better version of this novel, a universe where it's still historical fiction that follows mostly the same beats, but was written in a way that centres Imogene and Sarah more. I still really enjoyed the history and writing that I got out of this, all the details about travel and work and building a home in different cities. But then other bits leave a bad taste in my mouth. (Besides everything I've already mentioned, there also the use of slurs. Even when it came out of a black person's mouth. Ugh.)
Listened to the audiobook as read by Linda Stephens, which I did really enjoy. She has one of those old-fashioned, classic sounding voices that I really adore, and did a great job with all the voices. I'm overall glad that I gave this a try, even though I didn't quite get everything I wanted out of it. There was still enough good in it for me to count it as a win.
“But I love Imogene too. Maybe more than’s good. Maybe more than God.”
August 14, 2018
The authors main character, Sarah, never confronts or solves any of her conflicts so how are we as readers to believe she has discovered a well spring of strength. Highly detailed, rape, domestic abuse and dog murder scenes but any sexuality between consenting adults just hand hold and longing looks.
April 15, 2023
I found this book in my audible audiobook catalogue and couldn’t download it fast enough. I read BITTERSWEET years ago, before I began the Anna Pigeon series, and was awed by it. It’s harrowing, heart-wrenching, and yet uplifting, all wrapped into one amazing experience. Everyone should read it and I assure you, you’ll wonder how far we’ve come and how far we’ve yet to go. Accolades, Nevada Barr. And such a pity it’s not available as an ebook at this time.
October 20, 2012
Every once in a while I will pick up a book that I know nothing about, and these books have the chance to surprise me or cause me to stop reading halfway through. To be honest, this book was something completely different from what I usually read. I think the thing that forced my hand was the title, and that it was the only lesbian book my e-library had. So without knowing much more than that, I picked it up (figuratively of course).
The main plot of Bittersweet is the struggles of two very different American women in the 19th century. It shows the struggles they and all other women faced at this time when the West was a new frontier. The story starts in Philadelphia and slowly works its way out west, past Reno, Nevada. Ultimately the two women struggle to find a place they can live in peace. Imogene is the older, giant of a woman, who is a school teacher. She is being forced out of town because her relationship with one of her female students was discovered. With the help of her old school master, she finds a placement further out west in a mining town. As quietly as possible, she tries to settle in and keep to herself, and hide out from the brother of her former lover who will take any opportunity to ruin her life.
In the new town is a young girl, Sarah, who is immediately drawn to Imogene. But Sarah has obligations to her family. Soon after Sarah graduates, she finds that instead of furthering her education, she is to marry a friend of the family (a man who does not believe women have any need to be educated). While the marriage is not happy, and causes a stronger bond between the two women, Sarah is thrilled to have a son. However, the happiness cannot last (remember the title of the book?).
The brother from Imogene’s former lover sends a letter informing the town why she had to leave her previous post. Just when people start to believe Imogene’s side of the story, an angry former pupil lies and claims that Sarah and Imogene had committed the same acts. Knowing there will be no way to salvage the situation, Imogene packs the despondent Sarah up and they flee out west. The story continues to follow them as Sarah slowly recovers and starts to become aware of her own feelings. Imogene must continue to look out for the woman she loves. They find brief periods of happiness, but must always be aware that one slip up means that they will have to flee even further.
Overall, I would say that I enjoyed the book. In fact, I did find it hard to put down. However, it is not a book with one climax, but instead the plot rises and falls with each new challenge the women face. It almost becomes a bit repetitive, and I did find myself getting a little angry with the characters for making the same mistakes over and over. But ultimately, I was cheering for them, especially Imogene. I feel that even though I did not like the times when they were being forced to flee, this made the brief moments of peace even more beautiful. At times I was very much reminded of The Children’s Hour (the play/movie), where even lies can ruin lives, especially if there is kernel of truth buried in them. Even in the happiest moments of the book, there is a tension because they are always so close to losing everything. But the quiet moments that the women are able to spend together show the readers why it is worth fighting for.
That being said, there are several drawbacks to this novel. One would be the overall predictability of the story. But I think Barr does a good job keeping things interesting. However, parts of the dialogue feel a bit anachronistic or mixed. Overall, the characters try speaking in a more old fashioned way, but certain phrases seem to break that image, and it almost feels as if it would have been better to just stick to modern language. There are also several glaring editing slips, ones that one would not expect in a published book.
Overall, I am glad that I read the novel. Unless you are a fan of historical dramas or looking for a bittersweet lesbian story, however, I would not recommend it to you. So this is a middle of the road novel.
Final Verdict: Smooth Sailing - only read if it fits one of your interest areas, but don’t expect to be blown away.
The main plot of Bittersweet is the struggles of two very different American women in the 19th century. It shows the struggles they and all other women faced at this time when the West was a new frontier. The story starts in Philadelphia and slowly works its way out west, past Reno, Nevada. Ultimately the two women struggle to find a place they can live in peace. Imogene is the older, giant of a woman, who is a school teacher. She is being forced out of town because her relationship with one of her female students was discovered. With the help of her old school master, she finds a placement further out west in a mining town. As quietly as possible, she tries to settle in and keep to herself, and hide out from the brother of her former lover who will take any opportunity to ruin her life.
In the new town is a young girl, Sarah, who is immediately drawn to Imogene. But Sarah has obligations to her family. Soon after Sarah graduates, she finds that instead of furthering her education, she is to marry a friend of the family (a man who does not believe women have any need to be educated). While the marriage is not happy, and causes a stronger bond between the two women, Sarah is thrilled to have a son. However, the happiness cannot last (remember the title of the book?).
The brother from Imogene’s former lover sends a letter informing the town why she had to leave her previous post. Just when people start to believe Imogene’s side of the story, an angry former pupil lies and claims that Sarah and Imogene had committed the same acts. Knowing there will be no way to salvage the situation, Imogene packs the despondent Sarah up and they flee out west. The story continues to follow them as Sarah slowly recovers and starts to become aware of her own feelings. Imogene must continue to look out for the woman she loves. They find brief periods of happiness, but must always be aware that one slip up means that they will have to flee even further.
Overall, I would say that I enjoyed the book. In fact, I did find it hard to put down. However, it is not a book with one climax, but instead the plot rises and falls with each new challenge the women face. It almost becomes a bit repetitive, and I did find myself getting a little angry with the characters for making the same mistakes over and over. But ultimately, I was cheering for them, especially Imogene. I feel that even though I did not like the times when they were being forced to flee, this made the brief moments of peace even more beautiful. At times I was very much reminded of The Children’s Hour (the play/movie), where even lies can ruin lives, especially if there is kernel of truth buried in them. Even in the happiest moments of the book, there is a tension because they are always so close to losing everything. But the quiet moments that the women are able to spend together show the readers why it is worth fighting for.
That being said, there are several drawbacks to this novel. One would be the overall predictability of the story. But I think Barr does a good job keeping things interesting. However, parts of the dialogue feel a bit anachronistic or mixed. Overall, the characters try speaking in a more old fashioned way, but certain phrases seem to break that image, and it almost feels as if it would have been better to just stick to modern language. There are also several glaring editing slips, ones that one would not expect in a published book.
Overall, I am glad that I read the novel. Unless you are a fan of historical dramas or looking for a bittersweet lesbian story, however, I would not recommend it to you. So this is a middle of the road novel.
Final Verdict: Smooth Sailing - only read if it fits one of your interest areas, but don’t expect to be blown away.
July 17, 2012
Whew.
I can’t say I enjoyed this novel, exactly. Although I don’t regret reading it either. But I do feel as if I've been put through the ringer a bit.
Mystery writer Nevada Barr’s foray into historical fiction is so convincing in its depiction of the hardships of the Old West, I could practically feel my skin leathering in the relentless desert sun and taste the dust rising off the stagecoach trail. It tells the story of Imogene Grelznik, a "spinster" schoolteacher forced by a scandal [involving a female student] to leave her lifelong home in Philadelphia and move to the untamed West in order to start over anonymously. Like many contemporary LGBT novelists, Barr has a bit of an axe to grind with modern society and the weakest aspect of the story is when she attempts to force Twentieth Century stereotypes onto people of the Nineteenth Century. For example, the autocratic father who insists on keeping a thoroughbred horse that costs the family money they don’t have, even though he hardly ever rides it. The passage is a thinly veiled version of the modern day redneck with his beloved vintage muscle car. Or the promiscuous best friend of Sarah, Imogene’s star pupil, gloating while her bohunk boyfriend gets to second base on a very public hayride. These episodes, among others, simply don't ring true and detract from the authentic atmosphere the author has otherwise successfully conjured.
But that all comes to an abrupt halt in the third and final section of the story. When yet another scandal forces Imogene and young Sarah to move to a remote stage coach stop in the Nevada desert, the book really comes to life. Every aspect of the hardscrabble life they live - from the parched, silty landscape and sulphuric taste of the drinking water to the subterfuge necessary for two women running a business without a man, is brought startingly to life. Barr spares the reader nothing. And if you think two lesbians had it bad in the Old West, wait until you see what the animals had to endure.
I’ll grant, this book is only for the stout of heart. If you’re looking for a classic love story with a neat little happy ending, give this one a wide berth. Each time the reader thinks Imogene has settled into a comfortable, workaday existence, something catastrophic happens forcing her to remake her life from scratch. This character is nothing if not resourceful. So, for any open-mind readers with an interest in the Old West, fans of historical LGBT fiction or maybe even folks who enjoyed "Albert Nobbs," this might be the one for you.
Three and half stars.
I can’t say I enjoyed this novel, exactly. Although I don’t regret reading it either. But I do feel as if I've been put through the ringer a bit.
Mystery writer Nevada Barr’s foray into historical fiction is so convincing in its depiction of the hardships of the Old West, I could practically feel my skin leathering in the relentless desert sun and taste the dust rising off the stagecoach trail. It tells the story of Imogene Grelznik, a "spinster" schoolteacher forced by a scandal [involving a female student] to leave her lifelong home in Philadelphia and move to the untamed West in order to start over anonymously. Like many contemporary LGBT novelists, Barr has a bit of an axe to grind with modern society and the weakest aspect of the story is when she attempts to force Twentieth Century stereotypes onto people of the Nineteenth Century. For example, the autocratic father who insists on keeping a thoroughbred horse that costs the family money they don’t have, even though he hardly ever rides it. The passage is a thinly veiled version of the modern day redneck with his beloved vintage muscle car. Or the promiscuous best friend of Sarah, Imogene’s star pupil, gloating while her bohunk boyfriend gets to second base on a very public hayride. These episodes, among others, simply don't ring true and detract from the authentic atmosphere the author has otherwise successfully conjured.
But that all comes to an abrupt halt in the third and final section of the story. When yet another scandal forces Imogene and young Sarah to move to a remote stage coach stop in the Nevada desert, the book really comes to life. Every aspect of the hardscrabble life they live - from the parched, silty landscape and sulphuric taste of the drinking water to the subterfuge necessary for two women running a business without a man, is brought startingly to life. Barr spares the reader nothing. And if you think two lesbians had it bad in the Old West, wait until you see what the animals had to endure.
I’ll grant, this book is only for the stout of heart. If you’re looking for a classic love story with a neat little happy ending, give this one a wide berth. Each time the reader thinks Imogene has settled into a comfortable, workaday existence, something catastrophic happens forcing her to remake her life from scratch. This character is nothing if not resourceful. So, for any open-mind readers with an interest in the Old West, fans of historical LGBT fiction or maybe even folks who enjoyed "Albert Nobbs," this might be the one for you.
Three and half stars.
November 28, 2016
This one just wasn't for me. Probably my fault for not heeding the title. I love gay historical fiction in the vein of Sarah Waters, but I wasn't up to the hammer of one tragedy after another descending on this couple. The events became so oppressive I regret to say it began to border on comical--if anybody kind showed up, I knew I could expect them to die horribly or take a turn for the homophobic within a chapter or two. I assume the point was to portray how oppressive society must've felt to someone queer back then, and in that way I suppose the goal was met, just rather too effectively for my reading tastes. I do appreciate, at least, that I can afford to be a bit picky about how happy my queer content is.
I admit I was skimming by the end, by as far as I could tell there were two graphically described heterosexual scenes with little-to-no consent involved, but no graphic scenes between the main couple. Just struck me as odd, unless they were supposed to be asexual, which didn't seem to be the intent. Perhaps a lesbian scene would've hurt publishing chances in the 80s?
I admit I was skimming by the end, by as far as I could tell there were two graphically described heterosexual scenes with little-to-no consent involved, but no graphic scenes between the main couple. Just struck me as odd, unless they were supposed to be asexual, which didn't seem to be the intent. Perhaps a lesbian scene would've hurt publishing chances in the 80s?
August 23, 2014
This book so surprised me. It is historical fiction that deals beautifully with a lesbian relationship. I learned from the historical setting and times described in the writing but I ended up admiring the love between these two women. I came away thinking, "Heck, love is love!" and I am a straight female. For sure, the plot is believable. Another bonus is it totally surprises the reader in some spots.
July 30, 2023
Devastating and beautiful story of two women in love, against all odds, in the 19th century American West.
Frankly, historical accuracy is none of my business whatsoever, but this felt very historically accurate? Even though it’s a longer book, the plot never left me hanging as there was danger *literally* around every corner.
CW: sexual assault, violence, death
Frankly, historical accuracy is none of my business whatsoever, but this felt very historically accurate? Even though it’s a longer book, the plot never left me hanging as there was danger *literally* around every corner.
CW: sexual assault, violence, death
October 11, 2011
Originally posted to the Lesbrary, at lesbrary.wordpress.com
The back copy of Nevada Barr’s Bittersweet promised me a truthful, accurate portrayal of two women living together in the 1800s West. Imogene, a spinster teacher, is forced from her job in the East when her secret affair with a female student is revealed. She ends up in small Pennsylvania farming town, where she starts a friendship with Sarah Mary. However, malicious gossip eventually finds her again, and Imogene and Sarah are chased out to Nevada, where they try to start again.
The book is equally Imogene and Sarah’s stories, which I found difficult. Imogene is older, more experienced, and to me, much more interesting. She is described as exceedingly tall and strong for a woman- so not only is she old, single, over-educated, but she also physically embodies the characteristics of spinsterhood. Barr is not an explicit writer – the queerness of Imogene’s character is implied more than it is spelled out. I wanted more of her, her inner feelings and struggles, than I got.
Sarah, on the other hand, is introduced as a child. When she reaches around 15, she is married to a local neighbor. Her life is difficult and hard; she is immature in both age and experience. Her friendship with Imogene, I think, has more to do with Imogene’s loneliness than with a lot of commonality of character. It takes Sarah quite a long time, in both page numbers and in plot, to become an interesting character. Most of the time, I felt that Sarah was just a victim for Imogene to protect, not a true partner.
Without being too spoilery, here is Sarah trying to decide her future:
I think Bittersweet runs a bit slow and overly long, but Nevada Barr is a gifted writer. The Old West comes alive, without cliche, in her writing. Where Barr succeeds is in telling the lives of women– mothers, daughters, wives, and spinsters. I found it fascinating and interesting, even when the story slowed down.
The back copy of Nevada Barr’s Bittersweet promised me a truthful, accurate portrayal of two women living together in the 1800s West. Imogene, a spinster teacher, is forced from her job in the East when her secret affair with a female student is revealed. She ends up in small Pennsylvania farming town, where she starts a friendship with Sarah Mary. However, malicious gossip eventually finds her again, and Imogene and Sarah are chased out to Nevada, where they try to start again.
The book is equally Imogene and Sarah’s stories, which I found difficult. Imogene is older, more experienced, and to me, much more interesting. She is described as exceedingly tall and strong for a woman- so not only is she old, single, over-educated, but she also physically embodies the characteristics of spinsterhood. Barr is not an explicit writer – the queerness of Imogene’s character is implied more than it is spelled out. I wanted more of her, her inner feelings and struggles, than I got.
Sarah, on the other hand, is introduced as a child. When she reaches around 15, she is married to a local neighbor. Her life is difficult and hard; she is immature in both age and experience. Her friendship with Imogene, I think, has more to do with Imogene’s loneliness than with a lot of commonality of character. It takes Sarah quite a long time, in both page numbers and in plot, to become an interesting character. Most of the time, I felt that Sarah was just a victim for Imogene to protect, not a true partner.
Without being too spoilery, here is Sarah trying to decide her future:
She squeezed her eyes shut and willed the words to heaven. When she opened them she was alone and small under the ring of mountains, the little grave at her feet. ”If not, Lord, I’m going to cast my lot with love.” The defiance returned and she added, “Half a year. I’ll listen half a year.” (198).
I think Bittersweet runs a bit slow and overly long, but Nevada Barr is a gifted writer. The Old West comes alive, without cliche, in her writing. Where Barr succeeds is in telling the lives of women– mothers, daughters, wives, and spinsters. I found it fascinating and interesting, even when the story slowed down.
May 3, 2020
This book was quite different from the Anna Pigeon series that Barr writes. From the short blurb I read, I wasn't sure what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised. The characters were complex & sympathetic, the setting of, first, mid-1800s Pennsylvania & then Reno, Nevada & surrounding areas was descriptive & historically fascinating. The story follows the life of a schoolteacher who loses her position due to inappropriate conduct with a student & takes up a new position where she meets a young farm girl & forms a strong bond with her. When the girl is more or less forced to marry a much older religious neighbor who beats her, the teacher steps in to comfort the girl. The rumors of her conduct eventually follow her to her new position where false accusations from a jealous student result in the loss of her position again. The young girl she befriended, also implicated in the accusations, is beaten & evicted by her husband who also takes her infant son away from her. The two women move west together & forge a life on the frontier. The story shows the thinking of the time--a woman is nothing without a man to serve & provide a family & home for; women cannot sign contracts legally, cannot do the work of men or take care of themselves. And when women do these things, they are shunned & considered unnatural. There is also the emotional & physical relationship between these two women who have come to know & care for each other, to depend on each other, to love each other--something they never received from their families or others in their lives. This was a very moving story & I enjoyed it.
November 11, 2010
This is a hard book to rate, because while the storytelling was at best mediocre, I found the story itself engrossing. I've never read Nevada Barr before but have learned that she usually writes a series of mysteries. I confess that I'm not tempted to pick up anything else by her, but, to her credit, she did a great job choosing her topic in her attempt with Bittersweet to write historical fiction. Based on "women's diaries", according to the book jacket, this story describes the lives of two women living in 19th Century America - one is a strong, fiercely independent schoolteacher, who is also a lesbian when there were no lesbians - or not acknowledged. The other is a younger, painfully shy woman who knows only the submissive, barefoot-and-pregnant (and also required to do a lot of back-breaking work) role that women of the time were assigned. They fall in love and commit to one another in a society that will allow no such thing. Barr's writing is slow at first, but the story carried me along and she did manage to make these two women real, although it took awhile. The sacrifices they make and the pain they endure, as well as Barr's unpolished style, made for difficult reading at times, but I would say that this novel is worthwhile reading for anyone interested in gender roles and the everyday, unknown women on whose shoulders we all now stand so tall as to bang on the glass ceiling and with relative, growing freedom explore and be whoever we are.
February 11, 2017
I wish I had found the time to review this when it was still fresh with me, but maybe it is better like this. To start off, I can safely say that this book or rather this audiobook stayed with me for quite awhile.
The whole story starts really slow with long graceful descriptions. In the course of the detailed account, I felt I got to know the two women (schoolteacher Imogene Grelznik and her student Sarah) really well. Imogene left her former post, because of a romantic relationship with a female student. She's a branded woman, hurt and hardened. Yet Sarah wiggles herself into Imogene's heart, even though she doesn't know what her own feelings mean. Then Sarah's father marries her off to an unfeeling man and Imogene's past somehow closes in on both women. They have to flee.
What starts off as a close friendship, becomes more. But first wounds need to heal, feelings need to be acknowledged and strength needs to grow.
This book contains so much grief, but also so much love. I soared and loved spending my time with the two women. Yet, the terrible feeling of social repression throughout the book together with Sarah's feeling that she was doing wrong in loving Imogene did depress me.
I so hoped for a happy ending and it was happy, if not what I wished for both women in my heart.
The whole story starts really slow with long graceful descriptions. In the course of the detailed account, I felt I got to know the two women (schoolteacher Imogene Grelznik and her student Sarah) really well. Imogene left her former post, because of a romantic relationship with a female student. She's a branded woman, hurt and hardened. Yet Sarah wiggles herself into Imogene's heart, even though she doesn't know what her own feelings mean. Then Sarah's father marries her off to an unfeeling man and Imogene's past somehow closes in on both women. They have to flee.
What starts off as a close friendship, becomes more. But first wounds need to heal, feelings need to be acknowledged and strength needs to grow.
This book contains so much grief, but also so much love. I soared and loved spending my time with the two women. Yet, the terrible feeling of social repression throughout the book together with Sarah's feeling that she was doing wrong in loving Imogene did depress me.
I so hoped for a happy ending and it was happy, if not what I wished for both women in my heart.
August 10, 2007
I got this book for fifty cents at a chich book sale and what a buy. The story is about 2 women in the who travel from PA out to Nevada when it is first being settled. The relationship beween them builds and you get to care very deepl about their lives They fcae down so much hate and sadness but in the end, despite the title being very true, you are left savoring the sweetness of this book. I was sad when in the author bio I saw this was her first non-mystery novel but then when I saw it was published in 1984, I was excited to know that there are many ore books by this great author to read.
I talked about this book so much while I was reading it that my husband, not a big reader a all, picked it up and is now engrossed in it too.
I talked about this book so much while I was reading it that my husband, not a big reader a all, picked it up and is now engrossed in it too.
November 19, 2008
This is an interesting look at attitudes towards same-sex relationships in another century. It is a work of fiction, but no doubt is a story that could very well have happened. Life was hard for women in general in this time, and for lesbians, would have been even harder. You gained your status based on what male you were connected to--father, husband. If you had neither, you had no husband and were of marrying age, you had nothing, no right to vote or sign legal agreements. Barr points out the difficulties while giving us a story full of lovable and redeemable characters. An outstanding book by an outstanding author.
February 11, 2013
Recommendation
Recommended to those who enjoy John Irving or David Adams Richards novels.
Review
While the writing is good (but not amazing) I found a sincere attachment to the characters and their lives that left me thinking about them long after I finished the novel. A beautiful romance/family drama that shows the many different types of love and how they can develop and change over time.
Recommended to those who enjoy John Irving or David Adams Richards novels.
Review
While the writing is good (but not amazing) I found a sincere attachment to the characters and their lives that left me thinking about them long after I finished the novel. A beautiful romance/family drama that shows the many different types of love and how they can develop and change over time.
November 15, 2021
This book really helped put into a perspective how lucky I am to live in the age that I do. This story is a tragedy about two women and how far they're willing to go for their love of one another in a time period where women had no rights and were considered property.
My heart hurts for Sarah and Imogen and the life they fought so hard to live together. There were some beautiful words of devotion in this book and I'll carry these two women with me for a long time.
My heart hurts for Sarah and Imogen and the life they fought so hard to live together. There were some beautiful words of devotion in this book and I'll carry these two women with me for a long time.
January 19, 2015
Love this book so much. And I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook, too. I highly recommend it.
August 9, 2013
My Favorite love story of all time.
May 13, 2022
Actually, quite delightful. Just SO sad.
April 8, 2012
I'm not generally a huge fan of historical fiction, but I listened to the audio book version of this and I really enjoyed it. The start was a bit slow, as it seemed to take a long time for the two main characters to connect with one another. However, I was listening to that part while on a long drive, so I don't think the slowness was as noticeable as it might have been if I was reading it.
I sort of went through phases of really liking the characters, and then not liking them quite so much.
I really like the character of Imogene throughout. We get vague hints about the scandal that happened before the book starts, and you can see her holding back and hesitating in her friendship with Sarah, probably in the hopes of avoiding something like that again. The injustice of the situation that drives them from Pennsylvania was very upsetting, considering that they actually had NOT committed the acts for which they were accused. It was also interesting when we finally do hear exactly what did happen in Philadelphia between Imogene and Mary Beth -- I had expected that story to be a bit different from what it actually was.
I found things a little aggravating when they first arrived in Reno, I think because the character of Sarah was SO weak and helpless. I started to dislike her a bit during this part. The scenes with Mr. Weldrick (not sure on spelling since I listened to the audio book) were especially annoying. Perhaps I'm just too far removed from how life was back then, but the thought that she would even consider marrying him was just too much. It was also unclear to me how she REALLY felt -- it almost seemed as though she had been kidnapped away and didn't really want to be there, with Imogene. When she told Imogene at one point "I love you", I was actually a bit surprised.
But then once they settled at the stagecoach stop, I swung back around to liking the characters again. Sarah transformed into a much stronger woman and the descriptions of their life there were beautiful to read (hear). I didn't really expect any graphic descriptions of sex or anything (given the style of the book), but I thought it did a good job of really showing their love and devotion to one another. It wasn't until they were at the stagecoach stop that I really believed that Sarah really loved Imogene.
Unlike some of the reviewers, I don't think the end was abrupt. I was a bit sad to let go of the characters after spending all that time with them, and of course a happier ending would have been nice, but I was sort of expecting something along these lines all along. Ever since the injustice in Pennsylvania, I kept expecting similar tragedies to befall them.
Their devotion to one another was there right to the very end of the story.
I've read a few of Nevada Barr's mysteries and enjoyed them as well, but it was nice to see something of a completely different style.
I sort of went through phases of really liking the characters, and then not liking them quite so much.
I really like the character of Imogene throughout. We get vague hints about the scandal that happened before the book starts, and you can see her holding back and hesitating in her friendship with Sarah, probably in the hopes of avoiding something like that again. The injustice of the situation that drives them from Pennsylvania was very upsetting, considering that they actually had NOT committed the acts for which they were accused. It was also interesting when we finally do hear exactly what did happen in Philadelphia between Imogene and Mary Beth -- I had expected that story to be a bit different from what it actually was.
I found things a little aggravating when they first arrived in Reno, I think because the character of Sarah was SO weak and helpless. I started to dislike her a bit during this part. The scenes with Mr. Weldrick (not sure on spelling since I listened to the audio book) were especially annoying. Perhaps I'm just too far removed from how life was back then, but the thought that she would even consider marrying him was just too much. It was also unclear to me how she REALLY felt -- it almost seemed as though she had been kidnapped away and didn't really want to be there, with Imogene. When she told Imogene at one point "I love you", I was actually a bit surprised.
But then once they settled at the stagecoach stop, I swung back around to liking the characters again. Sarah transformed into a much stronger woman and the descriptions of their life there were beautiful to read (hear). I didn't really expect any graphic descriptions of sex or anything (given the style of the book), but I thought it did a good job of really showing their love and devotion to one another. It wasn't until they were at the stagecoach stop that I really believed that Sarah really loved Imogene.
Unlike some of the reviewers, I don't think the end was abrupt. I was a bit sad to let go of the characters after spending all that time with them, and of course a happier ending would have been nice, but I was sort of expecting something along these lines all along. Ever since the injustice in Pennsylvania, I kept expecting similar tragedies to befall them.
Their devotion to one another was there right to the very end of the story.
I've read a few of Nevada Barr's mysteries and enjoyed them as well, but it was nice to see something of a completely different style.
November 26, 2018
I don't understand why this book isn't at least as well known as the various classics by Sarah Waters, given that it's also historical fiction featuring a lesbian relationship... Maybe because it was published in 1984? Whatever. It's GREAT. The sense of place (rural Pennsylvania and the wilds of Nevada) is exceptional, as is the sense of time (the Civil War and the Gold Rush are in the background but never acquire major narrative prominence - the time period makes itself felt through subtle everyday details of dress and food and tools relevant to the characters' struggle for survival). Although there is as much pain, violence, and melodrama as you would expect from a historical novel about a lesbian couple, it never feels gratuitous/punishing as with the pulp novels of the mid 20th century, and there's a lot of joy as well. Bonus points for a main character whose gender-queerness is handled with great respect and nuance.
Cautionary notes for those wishing to avoid PTSD triggers: contains plenty of sexism and homophobia, some racist slurs, sexual violence (implied, and one vividly described attempted rape), domestic violence, animal violence, and the main couple begins as teacher/student with a significant age gap that initially has some semi-squicky maternal overtones (mostly as the characters attempt to sublimate/rationalize their feelings for one another into a more socially condoned female-female relationship).
Cautionary notes for those wishing to avoid PTSD triggers: contains plenty of sexism and homophobia, some racist slurs, sexual violence (implied, and one vividly described attempted rape), domestic violence, animal violence, and the main couple begins as teacher/student with a significant age gap that initially has some semi-squicky maternal overtones (mostly as the characters attempt to sublimate/rationalize their feelings for one another into a more socially condoned female-female relationship).
August 1, 2017
An easy-enough read, but the story was too "femme danger & butch power" for me. The "love" story takes place between a late-20s/early-30s woman and a teenager (gross), and at a certain point they basically agree that if a man tries to marry Sarah, she'll just go along – bc obviously femme women are just waiting for a man, and butches have to fight those men off bc we have no agency. I dunno. This author is also, AFAIK straight... which is doubly strange. Weird shit happens in this, and maybe it's worth reading if you're super into the 19th century "west," but the adult on teen predatory love and the bullshit masc > femme stuff is really not my bag.
May 13, 2018
I didn't read the review before I read the book. It was interesting in that it showed the difficulty of being female, single, lesbian and educated in the 1800's. It showed how men in many cases, had all the resources even if they did not have the intelligence to use them well. It showed how people can make things happen even in the worst of times.
It was very depressing and the ending didn't give me hope that the characters had any chance for happiness.
I cannot recommend this unless it was going to be a book discussion of today vs then - has anything really changed.
It was very depressing and the ending didn't give me hope that the characters had any chance for happiness.
I cannot recommend this unless it was going to be a book discussion of today vs then - has anything really changed.
December 2, 2020
I'll be completely honest, I almost stopped reading this book in the first chapter when Mr. Utterback kept throwing around 'thee' in the most nonsensical ways. It was driving me crazy. I managed to get through all of it though. There were definitely some parts that were a struggle though. I don't know. The beginning feels very slow and the pacing is weird until Imogene and Sarah become innkeepers. And there's a lot of gratuitous violence towards Sarah that I wasn't super into. Overall, the love story felt kind of flat? I don't know really how I feel about this one.
February 29, 2008
A girl-meets-girl, girl-runs-away-with-girl-to-Reno story, and I can always get behind that sort of thing.
Although I really enjoyed this (not too many lesbian novels set in Old West Nevada!), WHY oh WHY did she have to pull a kill-the-lesbian-at-the-end-of-the-novel move? It just felt wrong to me.
Although I really enjoyed this (not too many lesbian novels set in Old West Nevada!), WHY oh WHY did she have to pull a kill-the-lesbian-at-the-end-of-the-novel move? It just felt wrong to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2016
One of those books that stays with you. I remember the clever and hard-won solution two women found to be a couple in even less tolerant times. I don't know if their plan would actually work, and the suspense would be wearing, but it is emotionally satisfying to think that they tried.
April 24, 2015
An unusual woman disguised as man story, set in a believable historical backdrop. The book is enthralling and tugs at emotions. Though there's no HEA ending, Sarah became a stronger person at the end.
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