The Quickening A Novel
The Quickening A Novel by Michelle Hoover, published by Other Press, LLC on June 29, 2010, is a first edition work comprising 224 pages. Set in the early 1900s in the upper Midwest, the narrative follows Enidina Current and Mary Morrow, two women living on neighboring farms. While Eddie finds fulfillment in her agricultural life alongside her husband, Mary grapples with her religious beliefs and a desire for a more cosmopolitan existence. Their friendship develops amidst the challenges of rural life, revealing the complexities of their circumstances.
Readers will find a poignant exploration of family life and the impact of historical events, particularly as the Great Depression looms. The relationship between Eddie and Mary serves as a focal point, highlighting themes of survival and companionship in a harsh environment. As their reliance on one another is tested, the story delves into the darker aspects of human nature and the lengths individuals will go to preserve their lives and relationships. This novel offers a reflective look at resilience and sacrifice, resonating with contemporary issues while remaining rooted in its historical context.
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A July 2010 Indie Next Pick
Enidina Current and Mary Morrow live on neighboring farms in the flat, hard country of the upper Midwest during the early 1900s. This hardscrabble life comes easily to some, like Eddie, who has never wanted more than the land she works and the animals she raises on it with her husband, Frank. But for the deeply religious Mary, farming is an awkward living and at odds with her more cosmopolitan inclinations. Still, Mary creates a clean and orderly home life for her stormy husband, Jack, and her sons, while she adapts to the isolation of a rural town through the inspiration of a local preacher. She is the first to befriend Eddie in a relationship that will prove as rugged as the ground they walk on. Despite having little in common, Eddie and Mary need one another for survival and companionship. But as the Great Depression threatens, the delicate balance of their reliance on one another tips, pitting neighbor against neighbor, exposing the dark secrets they hide from one another, and triggering a series of disquieting events that threaten to unravel not only their friendship but their families as well.
In this luminous and unforgettable debut, Michelle Hoover explores the polarization of the human soul in times of hardship and the instinctual drive for self-preservation by whatever means necessary. The Quickening stands as a novel of lyrical precision and historical consequence, reflecting the resilience and sacrifices required even now in our modern troubled times.
For information, tour dates, and reading group resources, visit www.michellehoover.net.
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