"Sedahlia"
by
Cynthia D. Toliver
WARNING: PG RATING (Contains adult themes)
Description
After
fleeing post-Civil War Georgia, John Masters, Sr., his wife Virginia
Masters, and their rebellious servant Jessie Lindsey have built new
lives in Texas ranch country. Now their offspring, Johnny Masters and
Rachel Lindsey, are in love. On the isolated, sprawling Sedahlia ranch,
their youthful dalliances are largely overlooked until Rachel becomes
pregnant, forcing Rachel to leave Texas for a freedman’s school in
Georgia. From the insulated Sedahlia
ranch to the Jim Crow south, the rails both separate and unite - parting
lovers, reuniting family, pushing out the old, bringing in the new. It
is in these settings that the Masters and Lindseys live and love, and
their personal needs and mores collide. The repercussions rumble through
this family and the surrounding community, tearing them asunder and
bringing them together as only love and tragedy will.
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About the author
Writing is something I’ve always done. I love the creative process, from beginning to end. As a writer I become invested in the characters and their stories. If I've crafted them well, my readers will do the same.
I also host a Christian blog, Back to Eden at cynthiatoliver.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Facebook, Twitter and my website at www.cynthiatoliver.net.
My Thoughts ~
Three generations and two very different families inhabit a ranch called Sedahlia in post Civil War Texas. The war might have been over, but a person's skin color is still a pertinent factor in the social mores.
Lines are clearly drawn, and white Americans refuse to allow the
crossing of those lines. As servant Jessie Lindsey's daughter and ranch
owner John Master's son become impassioned with one another, the birth
of a child results.
Relationships, family dynamics and physical attraction are strong aspects in this very well written novel of the lives of those beyond the days of war over slavery. Two very different families are connected through numerous and varied relationships. These families work together, share their lives, losses and love with a respect that connects them far beyond the differences in the color of their skin.
Passion escalates as lovers connect, and tempers flare over thievery and deception. This edgy novel is realistic and earthy, honest and tempestuous, with human desire and violence a realistic aspect of life. In choosing this novel from the For Readers Only program through The Book Club Network I knew the novel contained some sexual intimacy and physical violence, and with that said, I can honestly say that those factors are an honest representation of the real story. This is life in all of its layers, love and life, disagreement and war, living and dying.
Sedahlia is a beautifully penned story of the connections of life at the ground level. There is no glossing over of the realities of life. I respect the author for her sensitivity in presenting difficult scenarios with openness and realism through a story that needs to be told.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through the For Readers Only program through The Book Club Network in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.
Relationships, family dynamics and physical attraction are strong aspects in this very well written novel of the lives of those beyond the days of war over slavery. Two very different families are connected through numerous and varied relationships. These families work together, share their lives, losses and love with a respect that connects them far beyond the differences in the color of their skin.
Passion escalates as lovers connect, and tempers flare over thievery and deception. This edgy novel is realistic and earthy, honest and tempestuous, with human desire and violence a realistic aspect of life. In choosing this novel from the For Readers Only program through The Book Club Network I knew the novel contained some sexual intimacy and physical violence, and with that said, I can honestly say that those factors are an honest representation of the real story. This is life in all of its layers, love and life, disagreement and war, living and dying.
Sedahlia is a beautifully penned story of the connections of life at the ground level. There is no glossing over of the realities of life. I respect the author for her sensitivity in presenting difficult scenarios with openness and realism through a story that needs to be told.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through the For Readers Only program through The Book Club Network in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.
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