Home to Holly Springs is the first Father Tim spin-off novel. Chronologically, it falls between Light From Heaven and Somewhere Safe With Somebody Good. The book follows Father Tim as he travels back to Holly Springs, Mississippi, where he was born and raised. While there he encounters many people from his past and also makes a lot of new connections. Home to Holly Springs has a bit of an air of mystery to it, and also fills in a lot of blanks that have been alluded to in the Mitford books. This book is nothing less than what I've come to expect of Jan Karon novels.The book opens with Father Tim receiving a cryptic letter. The entirety of the letter: "Come home." That's it. No signature; no explanation. But Father Tim and Cynthia do agree that he needs to go. It's been nearly 40 years since he was last in Holly Springs. It is, indeed, time for him to go home. Understandably, he's a bit apprehensive. Wouldn't you be? He's been gone for nearly 40 years! There was bad blood with his dad. There was a forbidden friendship. There was a nanny who disappeared mysteriously. Father Tim isn't sure at all what he'll find when he returns, or how he'll be greeted. I was super excited to see all the Mitford regulars mirrored in Holly Springs. There's a slightly deeper vernacular, but they're all there. There's the hardware shop owner, where the Holly Springs version of the turkey club hang out. And the diner, run by Frank, who is the Holly Springs Percy. There's even a version of Miss Patty in Holly Springs! I just love the characters in Jan Karon's books. I want to be friends with all of them!I also really enjoyed the little mystery in this book. That's new for a Mitford book. The author of the mystery "come home" letter is only revealed to the reader later in the book. Father Tim doesn't know who it is either, so it's a fun journey together to find out who wrote it and why. When I found out who it was and why, I wanted to cry happy tears. You're going to love it! If you've already read through the Mitford books (like me), then the surprise is kinda revealed in Somewhere Safe With Somebody Good but the book is still so good that I got caught up in the emotions.Home to Holly Springs is a bit more emotionally deep than most of the Mitford books, but Jan Karon handles it very, very well. Sections of flashback to incidents in his childhood that were not so pleasant are bracketed by sections of story set in the present day, and his interactions with the almost overly-hospitable residents of Holly Springs. There is a lot of re-visiting of the past, but there's also a lot of healing and character growth for Father Tim. He is faced with his past, and he dives in courageously to emerge a stronger, better man.
so i figured this, which i read for the christian/gentle segment of R/A class, would be the beigest of the beige: dentist office carpeting, hotel room art, supermarket music (although my supermarket plays a lot of corey hart and toad the wet sprocket, so - awesome) but what i didn't count on from "gentle reading" was quite so much attempted rape, whipping, and use of the word "nigger" by white people. sure, it takes place in mississippi, whose racial tolerance has come a long way, baby (oh, but i still do think he is dreamy...) but i thought the point of gentle fiction was to excise all the uncomfortable realities and serve up some pap for the grannies. guess not. the reality of this world is one where a man gets an unsigned notecard in the mail from his hometown (40 years after leaving it) that says "come home" and nothing more. and he goes, receiving cryptic phone messages and other notes throughout and DOES NOT GET DISMEMBERED at the end. this is a gentle world, indeed, full of obedience and no consequences for foolishness:"who is ______??" (i have kindly avoided spoilers.)"i have no idea, except he's the one who wrote me in mitford. i talked to him on the phone this morning, he wants me to meet this afternoon at one o'clock""where? and what for?""we'll meet at frank's place, he says someone wants to see me, insists the whole thing is covered by prayer. we'll drive out to the country about fifteen miles."she pondered this. "how do you feel about going off with a total stranger who lacks the courtesy to sign what he writes, much less tell you what he's up to?""he sounds like an agreeable fellow. there's nothing to worry about. i promise"...............................................................................famous last words, in the real world. teenaged girls - take heed: THIS IS A BAD IDEA.but be that as it may, i was going to give this three stars because i didn't hate the dickens out of it. but it's not great, and i will never read another of her books, and i can't see giving this the same number of stars as i gave borges, even to prove some anti-elitist point, for which i do not have the strength.my favorite quote, which does kind of serve as a commentary of the genre:"you want your lip balm in cherry, lemon, or chocolate?""can't it just be plain??" nothing was plain anymore.................................................................................well, not nothingzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
What do You think about Home To Holly Springs (2007)?
With the shift away from Mitford, I wondered how things would work for the Father Tim stories. Well...just fine! This was my second time reading it and it was worth multiple readings. Probably the most emotionally charged in a way, potent with Father Tim's memories of growing up, as he fills in the gaps between what he remembers and the realities he didn't understand (or wasn't even aware of). After the years of "dropped hints" in the other Mitford novels, it was cool to get a more full story regarding Father Tim. Just make sure you have the tissues handy! I know it's been criticized for a few too many "coincidences" but a good author can get away with those in the right context, and this time it worked. Especially in Father Tim's long-standing desire for a brother. Overall this is really a story about grace, forgiveness, restoration, and yes, what home is really all about.While many beloved characters never make an appearance, I think this is probably one of my favorites in the series.
—Barbara
While not technically one of the Mitford Series of books (it doesn't take place in Mitford) it follows directly after the events of Light from Heaven and it is still about the life of Fr. Tim Kavanaugh. In this book, Fr. Tim has received a cryptic two-word letter, postmarked from his boyhood home town of Holly Springs, Mississippi. The letter says "Come home" and nothing more. Feeling led by the Holy Spirit, Fr. Tim decides to drive down and investigate. His wife, Cynthia, has a broken ankle and cannot come, so he brings is loyal dog, Barnabas. While at Holly Springs he meets some new people (all very friendly) and manages to also contact some of the people he knew when he lived there. Naturally, his memories go back to his days growing up, and we get many flashbacks of his early life. While some of these are familiar from the other books, they are fleshed out more in this one, and there are many more flashbacks, filling us in on his childhood. Through the people he meets up with, including the author of the mysterious letter, we find out some jaw-dropping family history. I was absolutely stunned by a couple of the revelations. But they are not far-fetched, at all, even if they are somewhat shocking.One of the things I have loved about these books is Fr. Tim's problematic relationship with his father. I like how he struggles with forgiveness, and is still longing to be loved by his father. We learn more about his father, coming to some understanding of why he was so cold to Tim. And one of the revelations I did not see coming! Fr. Tim will be processing what he now knows for quite some time - as will I!The pacing of the book is excellent, with the flashbacks interspersed with the current action. The new characters are all quite believable, and as charming and idiosyncratic as those back in Mitford. Some of the revelations are pretty painful, however, so be warned. But, as with the other Mitford books, the overall tone of the book is one of love and hope.
—Kris
Given that I'm generally down on most things religious, it's a wonder even to me that I am inordinately fond of Jan Karon's numerous works about Father Tim, his wife Cynthia, the fictional North Carolina town of Mitford and their collective "adventures." Karon has created an entire world populated with interesting, funny and all-too-human people. She brings us with them as they grow and change over a number of years. Tim is an Episcopal priest and faith has a large place in these works. But the faith part is actually inspiring and deftly done. Karon is wonderful at bringing people and situations to life -- often with humor and always with great compassion for her characters. If you like a gentle but compelling story and haven't read any Jan Karon yet, give her a try. I think it's best to start at the beginning of the world she created: At Home in Mitford. If you like these, let me know.
—Karen
