Although I love reading, I very rarely get the opportunity to these days...one of the benefits of my old commute in to London was being able to enjoy spending time on the train immersing myself in a good (and quite often, not-so-good) book.
Now, I find it is a real treat to discover a new book, but suffer huge indecision committing myself to a new title as I will be so disappointed if it doesn’t live up to expectations. I didn’t feel the pressure to choose this one, – my mum kindly donated it – and I found that I actually did manage to find the time to read it… note to self, it can be done – get back in to the habit.
Calling Me Home is a debut novel from Julie Kibler, based around two central female characters in America. It is written in character voices from two time frames – 1930s Kentucky and present-day Texas. The story is revealed through the conversations between these two very different women during a road-trip. Isabelle MacAllister, an 89-year year-old white woman from a privileged background, has asked her hair-stylist and friend, Dorrie Curtis, a black, single mother in her 30s, to drive her from Texas to Ohio for a funeral.
Over the course of the journey, Isabelle reveals her tragic story including familiar themes of heartbreak, lost love, family disintegration and betrayal during the racially segregated 1930s Deep South. We also learn about Dorrie’s challenges in modern-day America, the reasons for her issues with trust, her struggles trying to raise two children on her own and trepidation over a fledgling relationship. As we travel alongside this rather odd couple we uncover their stories as well as developing an understanding of their touching and poignant relationship. The story highlights how far the US has come in terms of integration and opportunity, and how much there is still yet to overcome.
Calling Me Home has been compared to titles with similar themes and described by Wiley Cash, author, as a young woman whose grandmother would be To Kill a Mockingbird, sister The Help and cousin The Notebook. This book can hold its head up in such company and sensitively deals with difficult central themes. I found this an emotional read, oscillating between sadness, anger, hope and comfort and ended up feeling sad and hopeful in equal measure. This is an impressive debut novel from Julie Kibler who already has a confident and sensitive style; I will certainly look out for her next book.
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