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There are currently 53 member reviews
for Sweeping Up Glass
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Linda (Concord CA)
Unexpectedly Different!
"Sweeping Up Glass" definitely 'swept me up' from the very first page. It was a much different read than I expected. I thought it would be a traditional whodunit mystery, but instead, it turned out to be a literary saga, spanning 30 years or more of a young woman's life. Taking place in the 30's in Kentucky, we follow the life of young Olivia, who experiences a tragedy in her younger years that resurfaces when she's older, which brings about an explosive twist at the end.
Mystery lovers, as well as lovers of literary fiction, will both enjoy this well-written tale. I also think it's a great choice for book clubs, lots of 'hidden secrets' and issues for discussion.
I manage a bookstore and cannot wait to start recommending "Sweeping Up Glass" to all my readers. I would definitely read this author again.
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Susan (DeRidder LA)
Captivating Read
The story is told by Olivia, the main character, as she struggles through a life that is hard for us to imagine today. I loved the writing style, and the author's character development is a strong component of this debut novel. It would seem to me that the book will appeal to a large cross-section of the reading public. It is an excellent read full of surprises, interesting characters and a range of emotions. At no time does the book lose your interest, and it seems to build toward the end so that it is really hard to put down. I would think this a very good choice for book group discussions!
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Heather (Orlando FL)
A Great Debut
This book had me hooked from the very first pages. The hard-scrabble daily existence of the characters was captivating and engrossing. The economies that had to be made were many, and the detail of 1930's Kentucky were so precise that it was greatly absorbing. The language was rustic and simple, yet very clear and concise. I found myself wanting to know more about these people, to know more about their lives, hurts and victories. This book has a lot to say about the times that it portrays. The small issues and the great, neither is neglected. There are wise and humble characters as well as wicked and sinister ones. Love, anger, betrayal, duty, honor, racism, death, forgiveness: they are all here. And the tapestry created is one that will stay with me for a long time.
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Beth (Chester VA)
Sweeping Up Glass
When I started this novel by Carolyn D. Wall, I thought to myself, "This is crazy, I can't read it". But I kept reading and it took only a few pages -- I was in love. I almost finished it in one sitting. Set in 1938 rural Kentucky, the narrator is Olivia Cross, a woman of strong character and a life full of hard work and incredible loss. As the story goes back in time, we learn more about Olivia and the people that inhabit this small community during the coldest winter on record. You will fall in love with the unusual cast of characters, share their loves, losses and pain, and eventually be swept into a fast paced race to a conclusion that you cannot possibly have imagined. Character development is the author's strength. They command you to read to the end, and leave you wanting more.
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Chrisanne K. (Cape Coral, Florida)
I can't get no ..Satisfaction
I love great narratives and characters that ignite passion and a plot that is dappled with factual fiction and this book has all that...however, it comes up short. I do think that it was delivered hastily and could have...should have... delved deeper into its own story...Instead of leaving me wanting more it has left me wanting to know more and knowing that it can't happen...kinda like waking in the middle of a great dream.
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Christine H. (Canton, OH)
Sweeping Up Glass
I found this book to be a very easy read, easy to follow, and well written. The author kept my attention making me feel very much part of the story with her description of the area of Kentucky where the story took place. The suspense at the end in particular made me not want to put the book down.
This book would be an especially good book for summer reading, on vacations or just to pass a rainy weekend. The story would be appealing to the young adult/older teen however, the sexual descriptions in the last chapter may be objectionable to some.
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Theresa R. (Sierra Madre, CA)
Good Read
There aren't too many books that can grab my attention right away, but this was one of them. The writing style was great - the author's character portrayals and her descriptive prose made this a very easy read and kept me wanting more. I think this would be a great book club read as it would garner a lively discussion!
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