What do You think about The Coal Tattoo (2005)?
I will admit I didn't know I was in the middle till i was done, and to make it worse it was the last book written, and apparently the Author didn't know they would work together till this story came about, but now I will read with more than I wanted when I get to the other stories. What is it about me and connect the dots books. The Coal Tattoo by Silas House was a lovely story. it was a drama with evil corporate being defeated by the little guy (or gals). It was strong women facing life head on, making mistakes etc. I was a little put off by the "female intuition" card which coming from a man just seems a little hackney. I liked the characters that don't seem to feel comfortable in the own skin and keep making mistakes while they try and sort it out. I think it is odd that I read half the book before i got it straight where they were I some how had read the name as Fern Creek when it was Free Creek. I was so very frustrated with Anneth at the end, she betrays the only one she loves as some sort of justification that she was doing for him. She believes fate is more desirous of her being unhappy than reality acting as it does. She makes herself purposefully unhappy to thwart a bad situation. I of course really want to read Clay's Quilt to see if she was right or it worked or however it works out. I just think that it will be sad how ever it works. These stories are not happy ones. they show hard times and pain and how folks grow out of it. I loved Easter's sense of happiness with her circumstances. She see so many folks who want more, more more and they are pained over it. She is content with her garden and her "small" life. She has made peace with her one true sacrifice and moved on instead of being bitter. She is at times frustrated with her sister, but nothing more than one expects. I like the family is family and we care for them attitude, even though it is painful.
—Rebekah
Easter and Anneth are sisters who are different from one another. Easter is a very proper and God fearing young lady. Anneth is the opposite, she loves to go out drinking and dancing and generally getting into trouble. Easter being the older of the two tries her best to keep Anneth under control, but it ain't easy.The two lose their parents as young children and are raised by their grandparents. But the two end up alone while still very young after losing their last surviving grandmother. Yet they stay on their ancestral land alone despite their young age. The Coal Tattoo is set in the 1960's and covers all that time period has to offer, from the Vietnam war to Eastern Kentucky's battle with strip mining, and how Easter and Anneth fight this issue personally with their own land. This was a 3.5 star book for me and I enjoyed it. If you like this time period, and location you will enjoy it too.
—Stephanie
Narrator: Kate Forbes. She did a beautiful reading. It was as though she was not the voice of any one character, but the voice of the rural Kentucky itself.Coal Tattoo is a quiet, beautiful book. The plot moved along swiftly, but in a quiet way like the rural Appalachian area where it took place. I was very taken with sisters Easter and Anneth and the characters that surrounded them and was sad to let them go when the book ended. The book was covered in sadness. But the love between the Easter and Anneth, and the sense of community in this isolated area, kept Coal Tattoo from leaving me depressed.I was sorry when the book ended; I wanted to spend more time with these women.I'm adding Vine's story, Parchment of Leaves, and Clay's story, Clay's Quilt to my To-Read list.
—Betsy
