The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (1993) - Plot & Excerpts
Sharyn McCrumb’s book, The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter, fulfilled all my expectations. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and believed it earned its right as a New York Times Notable Book. The different storylines, complex characters, and underlying theme of the story make it truly magnificent. In the book there are many different storylines to follow. Each chapter covers many of them, if not all, at varying times. The reader will experience a whirlwind of information and action while traveling through the book. I enjoyed the different plots of the book and the way they would connect at different times, especially at the end. When I finished the book, I felt that everything came together and made sense. The author made clear was when she was switching focus because she would start a new paragraph, making it surprisingly easy to follow along. With different plots comes many characters, all with their individual qualities that make them either likeable, unlikable, or so complex that opinions on them can change by the second. An important part of any book is to make the reader know whom to root for, but McCrumb did something different. She did not give too much information on who was good or bad because once I thought I knew, she would hint at something that made my mind spin in circles. Characters have a realistic quality of them that may stick with the reader. With every book, you remember certain characters. I know I will remember Maggie Bonesteel in The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter. It may be because I see some of myself in her, but it may also be because I never knew how I felt about her until the last page of the book. The author did a great job of making her so complex, along with the other characters, that I still ponder about her today.Most authors wants the reader to “get something” from the book, and become a changed person. McCrumb didn’t go into this book trying to make the theme important. She said on her website, “I realized that I wanted my novel to explore the liminal state between life and death.” Her main priority was not the theme, yet I sensed it through the whole story: do not judge a book by its cover. We all have secrets and pasts that make us so much different than what others see on the outside, but most people don’t want to peel back that first layer. It is easier to decide where a person lands in a category and roll with that. Maybe they are going through things, such as in this book, that are killing them inside or driving them into killing someone else. Yet, no one seems to care about that because they are too busy forming their misinterpreted opinions.Anyone would be crazy to not give The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter a chance. Sharyn McCrumb takes the reader on a ride they will not want to get off. The storyline, characters, and theme make it what it is: exciting, memorable, and thought-provoking. I recommend it to anyone who wants a book that stands out from any other mystery they have read.
There are times when Sharyn McCrumb's writing is downright poetic. But this story had a lot of sadness. It starts with the terrible murder of a family by an older son, leaving two younger children Mark soon to be 18, and Maggie 15, on their own. The story covers several months in the area of Dark Hollow, Tennessee in the Appalachian Mountains, a fairly close knit community. McCrumb makes the characters believable and people the reader can care about. One disaster after another impact the residents in this edition of the series making the story a bit depressing. Nora Bonesteel is very much a central character to the story along with the sheriff, Spencer Arrowood, and his deputy, Joe LeDonne, from the previous debut. We are introduced to Laura Bruce, the young minister's wife and boyhood friends Tavy Annis and Taw McBryde who end up battling the pollution of the Little Dove River which Tavy believes is killing him.Nora is believed to have "the sight" but she keeps her knowledge close. Maggie and Mark are struggling and it is bothersome how everyone wants to check on them but no on seems to find the time - perhaps that's also very true-to-life, sad to say.This is supposed to be a mystery series but this was less mystery than character study and a story of relationships until the very end of the book where tension builds. I wasn't as satisfied with the story as it moved slowly, and sadly, forward as I was with the way the first story unfolded. However, I will probably read the next as I believe, considering the length of the series, that there is much to the stories.
What do You think about The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (1993)?
This is the 2nd novel in the "Ballad" series. The story revolves around Nora Bonesteel, though she is not the main character. She has what is known as the "second-sight" in Appalachia and she knows things before they happen. What I like about this series is the characters and their developement throughout the books. The plots in this book revolve around the murder-suicide of four members of a family, a pregnant woman, whose husband is overseas, and a man dying of cancer, caused by pollutants in the river. The author entwines these stories and adds a few unexpected twists
—Holly Morey
I liked this very much, although it was too violent in spots for my taste. The slow-paced and repetitive nature of life in undeveloped areas of the USA, is aptly portrayed. The mixture of religion and superstition is, too. And, really, who is to say if the dead do or do not appear to certain individuals or that intimations of the spirit to not forecast future events. My hunch is that this book would appeal to many readers who hope that children would be treated with the utmost consideration rather than harmed, that "strangers" would be warmly welcomed into communities, and that elders would be respected for their accumulated knowledge rather than denigrated because of feebleness.
—Karen
McCrumb does a wonderful job in describing the mountains and people. I adore her use of old-time folk lore to enhance the story. In this tale, two brothers and the parents are brutally murdered by the oldest son, who also takes his own life. The story has other tragedies besides this: the burning death of a young mother, the environmental cancer death of an old man, the stillborn death of the preacher's wife. But, amid all this heartbreak is inspiration and hope; and a sense of renewal. I thoroughly enjoy reading McCrumb's book because I am reminded of my own short experience of life in the TN/NC mountains.
—Debbie Maskus
