Thursday 2 March 2017

Book Club: The Sound of Gravel

Book The Sound Of Gravel: A Memoir by Ruth Wariner
Image Via Chapters Indigo
Book: The Sound of Gravel: A Memoir
Author: Ruth Wariner
Indigo Summary:
RUTH WARINER was the thirty-ninth of her father's forty-two children. Growing up on a farm in rural Mexico, where authorities turn a blind eye to the practices of her community, Ruth lives in a ramshackle house without indoor plumbing or electricity. At church, preachers teach that God will punish the wicked by destroying the world and that women can only ascend to Heaven by entering into polygamous marriages and giving birth to as many children as possible. After Ruth's father-the man who had been the founding prophet of the colony-is brutally murdered by his brother in a bid for church power, her mother remarries, becoming the second wife of another faithful congregant.

In need of government assistance and supplemental income, Ruth and her siblings are carted back and forth between Mexico and the United States, where Ruth's mother collects welfare and her stepfather works a variety of odd jobs. Ruth comes to love the time she spends in the States, realizing that perhaps the community into which she was born is not the right one for her. As she begins to doubt her family's beliefs and question her mother's choices, she struggles to balance her fierce love for her siblings with her determination to forge a better life for herself.

Recounted from the innocent and hopeful perspective of a child, The Sound of Gravel is the remarkable memoir of one girl's fight for peace and love. This is an intimate, gripping tale of triumph, courage, and resilience.

What I Have To Say:
This book was the February pick for my book club. This was an interesting, and at times heartbreaking, read. This story gives a glimpse into one girl's life in a polygamist colony and follows her until her and her siblings leave the colony. There are stereotypes associated with polygamists and this book, in an honest way, shows those stereotypes. Ruth's stepfather, Lane, is a horrible man and I was truly disgusted and disturbed by what he did and what he put his "family" through. While reading, I had to keep reminding myself that this was a true story...everything in this story actually happened.

Final Verdict: Book club members liked the book. It was a good read and easy to get into, but a disturbing read too. While I would recommend this book to others who are interested in non-fiction books, I'm not sure that I will re-read this book.  

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