Summary and Reviews of The Singing and Dancing Daughters of God by Timothy Schaffert

Media Reviews

The Lincoln-Journal Star Poignant...This splendid new book echoes the wacky humor of Schaffert's first book - The Phantom Limbs of the Rollow Sisters - and yet both treat seriously the complexity of family ties that persist against all odds.

Nebraska Life Magazine What makes it work is Schaffert's deep understanding of (and compassion for) his characters, with all their irrationalities and contradictions. Though the plot allows Schaffert to display his sharp sense of irony and humor, ultimately it is the characters themselves that drive the story. Hud, for example, may be a lousy husband and father, but he means well and loves his children in his own fumbling way...Schaffert...remains a writer worth reading, a talented novelist with a style all his own.

The New York Times - Janet Maslin While much of America's reading public suffers its way through the latest selection from Oprah Winfrey's book club, Mr. Schaffert's obscure little treat is also ready for group discussion.....With one tip of the hat (through "Hud") to Larry McMurtry and another that ought to go to Richard Russo, Mr. Schaffert creates a comically mopey little burg full of whimsical dreams....[He] does not take his material lightly. He only makes it seem that way.

Library Journal Starred Review. Laced with hope and an aching sweetness, it is as whimsical and smile-inducing as its title. Readers will fall for Hud, his family, and the one-off inhabitants of the quirky little town from page one owing to Schaffert's homey yet elegant and precise prose. The only reason to put the book down is to make it last.

Publishers Weekly Achy-breaky dysfunction drives a messy, funny family drama in this smalltown Nebraska tale, told in a winning faux-naive style...film, along with music, plays a wonderful incidental role throughout....Deft, sweet and surprising.

 Gerald Shapiro I can't get over the delight of Tim Schaffert's new novel, with an instantly appealing cast of characters that won my heart so quickly and thoroughly. And the ending, as sweet and transcendent as any I can remember, lifted me right out of my chair.

 Jennie Shortridge, author of Eating Heaven and Riding With the Queen The Singing and Dancing Daughters of God is an honest and unflinching story of families unraveled and the heartache and joy only loved ones can spark in each other. With skill and tenderness, Timothy Schaffert unfolds his characters' hopes, strengths, and frailties in this gorgeous novel, revealing the crazy-quilt fabric of humanity.

 Midwest Book Review - Laurel Johnson Schaffert breathes life into his characters with a delicate touch, lending a poignant dignity to even the oddest misfit. The result is life boiled down to its heartiest essence....[The book] is often humorous, yes, but thanks to Schaffert's story telling style it is not a cruel parody of life's rejects. These are lives made up of large and small failures, joys, and negotiations. And Schaffert makes them shine. Highly recommended.