I just listened to this wonderful new book by Rachel Wells (think Ya-Ya Sisterhood). Well written, well read, deeply emotional and complex. I love Rachel Wells' work. She makes me laugh, cry, and think hard about life and my values.
In The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder Wells' takes us once again to fictional Louisiana, and shows us life through the eyes of another young girl growing up in a small town. Some of it reminded me of my own childhood, and a lot of it reminded me of what I only dreamed that my childhood was. There is a lot of pain and loss in the book, but there is also joy and hope. Calla Lily Ponder learns how to move beyond her own suffering by focusing on helping others, and discovers that she has a gift of healing with her hands, through, of all things, hair dressing.
Honestly, when I read the back of the book, and reailized it was about hair dressing, I thought it would be way too superficially for me. But, true to form, Wells' put in pleanty of depth and tension. The ending is surprising, and some people might find it corny, but it doens't detract from the book, and the strength of the story makes it a rewarding read (or listen).
But be warned. If you like happy, fluffy stories with lots of "pretty pink and blue thoughts" this one is probably not for you. It contains several tragedies, and gets into the nitty gritty of life. On the otherhand, if you enjoy believable stories with just a touch of fantacy and lots of human intreague, you might enjoy this one, too.
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