Reviewer: Amy Lignor
Title: On Folly Beach
Author: Karen White
Publisher: NAL Accent
ISBN-13: 978-0-451-22921-2
Release Date: May 2010
Genre/Sub-genre: Women's Fiction
Year/Setting: Folly Beach South Carolina/1940's & Present
Overall Rating: 4.5
Sexual Content Rating: None/Subtle
Language (Profanity/Slang) Content Rating: None
Violent Content Rating: Minimal/Moderate
Karen's Website/Blog: www.karen-white.com
Dear Readers:
In the beautiful location of Folly Beach, South Carolina, we first meet up with Maggie, Cat, and Lulu. Maggie's mother and father have passed away, and she has taken over the running of the local book store, Folly's Finds. Not only does she run the business, but she also raises her younger sister, Lulu, and tries with all her might to bring happiness back into her life. Cat is her cousin who has come to live with them. Cat is nineteen and has recently lost Jim, her husband of a few months, to the atrocities of war. Although Cat should be in mourning, she wants nothing more than to go down to the pier and dance with the other soldiers, put on more make-up, and make sure that she is still the belle of the ball. One evening, Maggie accompanies Cat to the pier dance so that Cat doesn't make a complete fool out of herself in front of all her admirers, and ends up meeting Peter Nowak. Peter is not in the army because of an asthma problem; he is a Polish immigrant who works in other areas to help the U.S. troops. But the best thing about him? He doesn't even look at Cat once - the most beautiful girl in town - he only has eyes for Maggie.
Lulu is eight years old; she loves Maggie but Cat drives her crazy. She was absolutely in love with Jim (Cat's husband) who has been taken from their lives. Jim had told Lulu about sculptures called bottle trees that would be placed beside houses in Africa. The glass bottles resting on the branches would allow the wind to go through them and make noises that would keep the evil spirits away. Lulu loved that idea, and has taken it upon herself to make these bottle trees to keep the pain and heartache that seems to consume her, at bay.
In present day we meet Emmy. Emmy is a young woman who has just lost her husband in the War in Afghanistan. She feels completely destroyed and doesn't know what to do with herself. She lives in Indiana with her parents; her mother owns Paige's Pages - a bookstore in town where Emmy works. Her mother also happens to have a beautiful bottle tree in the backyard that Emmy likes to stare at and pray to. Soon, Emmy's mother tells her of the small town where she grew up in South Carolina. She can almost feel the fact that her daughter is "one of them" - one of those people who live in that town that "own" the strength and perseverance that would help Emmy regain her strength and begin a new life. When a box of old books arrives at the bookstore in Indiana, Emmy finds herself discovering romantic passages and notes that have been written in the margins of some of the classics - a conversation from decades before that a young man and woman were having who were apparently very much in love. Not only does she have a mystery to uncover, Emmy can feel in her heart that she needs to see first-hand this, Folly Beach, South Carolina, and begin a new life for herself.
Upon arrival, Emmy rents a house owned by a handsome man named Heath Reynolds, who has a heart-broken fiancée' who keeps showing up drunk on Emmy's doorstep. Emmy purchases the old bookstore in town and meets up with an old lady named Lulu who works out of the back of the shop making bottle trees, and staring off into the horizon as if searching for someone to reappear on the beach. A tale of intrigue and suspense is wrapped up in this wonderfully touching story of overcoming death and building a new life - no matter what age you happen to be. The writing is so well done that the reader doesn't really know who the bad guys are versus the good guys. Not only that, but the real STAR of this book was Folly Beach, itself. I would absolutely scream with delight if I could find a way to move to that place, stare up at that unbelievably beautiful azure sky, and find ultimate peace among these strong, amazing women. Fantastic job, Ms. White!
Until next time, Amy
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