Synopses & Reviews
Autumn 1918: Rumors of peace are spreading across America, but spreading even faster are the first cases of Spanish influenza, whispering of the epidemic to come. Maureen Ross, well past a safe childbearing age, is experiencing a difficult pregnancy. Her husband, Troop--cold and careless of her condition--is an emotional cripple who has battered her spirit throughout their marriage. As Maureen's time grows near, she becomes convinced she will die in childbirth. Into this loveless menage arrives Mary Oliver, Troop's niece. The sheltered child of a well-to-do, freethinking Washington family, Mary comes to help Maureen in the last weeks of her confinement. Horrified by Troop's bullying, she soon discovers that her true duty is to protect her aunt. As the influenza spreads and the death toll grows, Troop's spiteful behaviors worsen. Tormenting his wife, taunting her for her low birth, hiding her mother's letters, Troop terrorizes the household. But when Mary fights back, he begins to go over the edge, and Maureen rallies, releasing a stunning thunderstorm of confrontation and, ultimately, finding spiritual renewal. The Boston Globe hailed On the Occasion of My Last Afternoon as another gift from Kaye Gibbons to the literature celebrating strong women of every age and era. Much the same can be said of Divining Women.
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“The most powerful writing yet from Gibbons.” San Antonio Express-News
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“[H]earkens back to the Bronte sisters. Gibbonss tale is atmospheric and unsettling...and ornamented with period flurishes.” Publishers Weekly
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“[R]ich and complex.” Winston-Salem Journal
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“[R]eading Kaye Gibbons invariably provides pleasure...[S]he is a great literary companion.” Washington Post
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“Gibbons has once again given stimulating voice to women.” Miami Herald
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“[A] harrowing and explicit declaration of the power of a woman wronged.” Daily Press, Inc. Newport News, Va.
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“With lean and graceful prose, Gibbons gives flesh to the meanings of love and resilience and oppression and cruelty.” Memphis Commercial Appeal
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“DIVINING WOMEN is a compelling tale of female friendship and the confines of social expectation.” Denver Rocky Mountain News
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“Gibbons sentences are... wonderfully lucid and lyrical at once.” Chicago Tribune
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“[A] work of grace and intelligence...all readers who appreciate fine writing will enjoy it.” Richmond Times-Dispatch
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“Gibbons once more uses her remarkable talents to walk a fine narrative line, one that runs betwween heartbreak and hope.” Chicago Tribune
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“It is vinatage Gibbons gorgeously written, filled with insights about women and memorable characters.” Newhouse News Service
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“One of her best...A book this good comes along very rarely.” Baltimore Sun
Synopsis
Autumn 1918. Rumors of peace are spreading across America, but spreading even faster are the first cases of Spanish influenza, whispering of the epidemic to come. Maureen Ross, well past a safe childbearing age, is experiencing a difficult pregnancy. Her husband, Troop -- cold and careless of her condition -- has battered her spirit throughout their marriage. Into this loveless ménage arrives Troop's niece, Mary Oliver, who has come to help Maureen in the last weeks of her confinement. Horrified by Troop's bullying, she realizes that her true duty is to protect her aunt.
As the influenza spreads and the death toll grows, Troop's spiteful behavior worsens. He terrorizes the household, but when Mary fights back he begins to go over the edge. Maureen rallies, releasing a stunning thunderstorm of confrontation and, ultimately, finding spiritual renewal.
This P.S. edition features an extra 16 pages of insights into the book, including author interviews, recommended reading, and more.
About the Author
Kaye Gibbons is the author of four previous novels: Ellen Foster, A Virtuous Woman, A Cure for Dreams, and Charms for the Easy Life. She lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, with her husband and five children.