Deborah Smith
A Place to Call Home (1997)
Author: Deborah Smith
Genre: Romantic (contemporary)
Plot Summary:
Growing up, Claire Maloney was the darling precocious little girl of two of the most influential families in Dunderry, Georgia. In everyone's eyes, she could do no wrong, until she befriended Roan Sullivan, a boy from the wrong side of town. They shared a bond that no one understood. When violence touches Claire, Roan is blamed and the two are separated. Twenty years pass before the two will meet again and discover their connection is just as strong as it was when they were kids. But their bond still concerns Claire's family and friends. Where has Roan been for 20 years and what is he hiding? Will Claire be forced to choose between the family that cares for her and the man she has loved her entire life?
Geographical Setting: Dunderry, Georgia
Time Period: present day & 20 years ago
Appeal Characteristics:
This 1997 Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award for Contemporary Novel is a story about the lifetime connection between two people and how it grows and changes. The story is full of complex eccentric characters with the focus on Claire and Roan. Because the book spans a 20 year period, Smith is able to describe the development of the characters and their love as they grow from children to adults. This romance book explores the different kinds of love including the innocent love between two children, the love of a parent for a child, and the love of a man for a woman. The story is told entirely from Claire's perspective, which gives the book a storytelling appeal. The pace of the book is steady with only a few big surprises and mysteries. Smith does a lot of foreshadowing so an astute reader will solve the mysteries before Claire does. The tone of the book is somber and it does not seem like the story will end with the traditional happy conclusion. Hence, readers want to keep reading to find out how the girl ends up getting the boy. Smith's writing style is very simple. She uses common vocabulary and language that everyone will understand. Her point is to tell the story, not to educate her readers. Ultimately, the main appeal of the book is the development of the characters and their need for forgiveness to fix relationships. This is a romance focusing more on love than on sex.
Read-alikes: A good book to start with would be The Stone Flower Garden by Deborah Smith. It has a similar style to this book and a similar plot. Both settings are in the South and both have a tragedy that must be overcome so that the couple can live happily ever after. The Boy Next Door by Josie Lloyd & Emlyn Rees is recommended for similar reasons. The plot is the same in that two kids are childhood friends until they are separated. They meet again as adults and attempt a relationship, but first have to settle the past. Another read-alike is Second Chance by Danielle Steel. It has a strong female lead similar to this book. Both women are very successful journalists who sacrificed a personal life for their career. As they struggle to have a relationship, they realize that some things are more important than prestige and money. One read-alike with other appeals elements is Ain't She Sweet by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. It is an inspirational book where the This story has the same kind of eccentric kooky characters as A Place to Call Home. In both books, the characters develop as times passes and their craziness becomes necessary to the lead characters relationship and happiness. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee was recommended because of similarities between Scout and Claire. Both little girls have the same curious fighting spirit. They both see an injustice and want to fix it. Both girls are also the storytellers of the book as all the events are seen from their young eyes.
Red Flags: violence, language, and sex
|top|
|
