Tender Graces

by Kathryn Magendie

Book Overview

A gentle yet unflinching look at how we find our way home. A woman returns to her West Virginia roots to resolve the ghosts of her childhood. In the tradition of Rebecca Wells, Sue Monk Kidd, Olive Ann Burns, and Dorothy Allison. TENDER GRACES by Kathryn Magendie is strong literary women's fiction written with exquisite style.

The death of her troubled mother and memories of her abused grandmother lure a young woman back to the Appalachian...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0982175620
• ISBN13: 9780982175620
• Release Date: April 2009
• Publisher: Bell Bridge Books
• Length: 316 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Going Home

"No matter what, we care about our mommas and we always will." This single statement, by her Aunt Billie, defines the life of Virginia Kate Carey and her brothers as told with care and total believability by Kathryn Magendie in TENDER GRACES. Rarely have the effects of adult neglect and cruelty to children been presented with such grace and clarity. We applaud the resilience of the children, but see the scars that linger forever and can find little sympathy for the perpetrators, regardless of the reasons for their actions. Virginia Kate's Mother, Katie Ivene, is a cruel, alcoholic, promiscuous, narcissistic beauty who is hard to love. Her father isn't perfect by a long shot, but he does his best to provide stability for his children and it is fortunate for everyone that he finds a true saint in his new wife, Rebekha. We find ourselves rooting for Rebekha and becoming impatient with Virginia Kate's guilty reluctance to love her. Although we want to believe a sliver of goodness motivates Katie Ivene, it is too slippery to grasp. Despite its overarching theme, Virginia Kate's story is filled with beauty, mystery, and the joys of life. Transcending the genre of women's literature, it is reminiscent of such classics as TOM SAWYER and HUCKLEBERRY FINN.

FANTASTIC

How did I love it? Let me count the ways: 1. Poetic 2. Imaginative 3. Clever 4. Unique 5. Exciting 6. Haunting 7. It made me laugh/it made me cry 8. It's one I'll never forget The story is beautifully written, haunting, profound, and develops the characters in a way that makes the reader feel personally connected. It should be in Oprah's book club. I hope she reads it!

From J. Kaye's Book Blog

Virginia Kate Carey received a phone call from her uncle with news her mother died. Two weeks prior, she'd received her grandmother's journal in the mail along with a letter from her mother to come home. Little did Virginia know when she sent back a reply back, refusing to come home, it would be the last. Filled with remorse, Virginia is heading back with her grandmother's journal. Through this journal and her mother's notes in the margins, she will be carried back in time. Kathryn Magendie's poetic voice will tug at your heart as she paints a realistic picture of a time gone by. Fans of Southern Literature will cherish TENDER GRACES.

Literature that won't have you tearing your eyes out!

In a world of rushed 30-day novels, brooding teenage vampires and prepubescence riding broomsticks....Kathryn Magendie shines through as a beacon of hope for those who require character development and descriptive literature to place them inside the story. Tender Graces is a literary work of art that will quickly find a sanctuary on your bookshelf.

Amazing voice and riveting story

Kathryn Magendie's debut novel is a tour de force of lyrical storytelling, heartfelt intuitions, and exquisite detail. TENDER GRACES qualifies as an "Oprah book" in the best sense of the term: This story of a dysfunctional family who are neither all bad nor all good, but simply very flawed and human, examines a broad spectrum of marriage, childhood, emotional abuse, forgiveness and family loyalty. Warm without being overly sentimental, funny without being frivolous, and poignant without being maudlin, Tender Graces is a strong start for Magendie's career as a novelist. If you love the novels of Barbara Kingsolver, Anne Tyler and Sue Monk Kidd then this book is for you.