Gap Creek (Oprah's Book Club): A Novel

I found this book to be both intriguing and frustrating. I liked certain parts of it quite a bit, including the idea of following two people starting their lives together as a married couple struggling to scratch out a place for themselves in the world. We hear the story through the eyes of a young, poor woman who has worked hard her entire life supporting first her poor family and her sick parents and then her new husband, who cannot seem to hold a job. The story is told in her simple, uneducated voice, in spare and rough prose. You get to know and care about the characters, especially the narrator. Her relationship with her husband and mother in law is drawn particularly well. But then there were parts of the book that I found distracting and disagreeable. The books delves far too much into religion for my taste - so much so that I looked up the author on the internet to figure out if he was a pastor or a fundamentalist. It seemed unnecessary and distracting. If I wanted bible fiction, which I most assuredly do not, I would have looked for it. It had no place in this book. I also found the very detailed descriptions of life on a poor farm more than necessary - I get it, they are poor, and their life on the farm is very hard. But do we really need page after page of descriptions on how to kill, disembody and slice up a pig? I don't.All that being said I did end caring about the characters quite a bit. I'm torn as to whether I want to read the sequel to the book to find out what happened to them. I think so, but if it's going to be another bible thumping religious creed I'm not interested. If digressions into the Bible and Jesus, or detailed renditions of life on a farm are not your things, stay away.

It was like stepping back in time. You can feel the evolution of the characters with every success and failure they experienced.

This book does what no other book has done in the way it describes hard work, daily living, and farm life. I found myself fascinated with descriptions of even the most mundane of tasks. In fact, all of the small tasks the characters do regularly helps to shape their character as well as the reader's understanding and view of them. The relationships are realistic and rather unsatisfying, which I liked. Nothing is clean-cut and dry, which I also appreciated. The ending was too abrupt, though. I don't care that there's a sequel; the author should have ended the book differently, perhaps in a different place in time.The basic story follows a young woman, her marriage to a difficult man, their difficulties living alone together on an isolated farm far from family, and the events and people who eventually help to strengthen their relationship with one another and who help to provide the sense of community they need. As I wrote above, even the most ordinary details are delicious. The book is written in a mesmerizingly poetic cadence, turning a hard life into music and beauty.

I read this book when it first came out years ago. Then I reread it and I'll be rereading it AGAIN. I absolutely love this book and all things Robert Morgan writes.He spoke at my college years ago and spoke on his inspiration for Gap Creek and This Rock and it made me love his work even more.Highly recommend to those who love Appalachian stories, simple lives, and drama.

In my opinion, I feel that some reviewers missed the point. On the surface this is a tale of hardships suffered by a young woman at the turn of the century(1900). I read this book in one "sitting" due mostly to the excellent story telling abilities of Mr. Morgan. The almost sing-song poetic quality of prose to which I connected on so many levels. This is more than a story of a young woman who faces death, hard work, hunger, hard times. It is a story of tolerance, perseverance, strength & determination to continue when others would give in. It is the story of all stong women who face diversity and through love and loyalty and self-pride continue to "prod" on through what life presents. She was the "glue" in her marriage which is so very often the case in even this new turn of the century. Recognizing the faults, immaturity and lack of ambition in her spouse, but pushing him and helping him in a way to save his self-esteem. To gently push him the way he really wanted to go, but was unable to because of his upbringing. This is a wonderful story, not just a story of turn of the century Appalacia but a story with depth and messages of tolerance, love, and the value of loyalty to us "modern" women. Don't misconstrue the grammer of the times to indicate lack of intelligence, because the women of this novel exhibited intelligence on many, many levels. Mr. Morgan has captured us well.

First off this is not a traditional story that takes you on plot from beginning to end so don't expect that. But it is a great escape into a time gone by in the southern Appalachians of upstate SC. I had to Google Gap Creek to see if it was really a geographical spot and it is. By the description I knew the general location of the plot and was pleased to see that I was correct. The description of Gap Creek is spot on with the actual location of the area. If you want a feel good book don't get this one. It is about hardships of this area around 1900. If you want a traditional plot where something happens then is worked through during the book and then solved, don't get this book.But if you want to escape to a time gone by and actually feel like you are living the life of the main character GET THIS BOOK. The descriptions are great, the scenes, sounds, sites, smells, are all there. I loved to pick the book, escape back into Gap Creek for a short period of time, put the book away, and then repeat.

A wonderful tale that kept me hooked to the very end. I definitely recommend it.

The book was a bit odd, I kept waiting to get to the meat and potatoes of the story and then the next thing i know the book is done.

I enjoyed Gab Creek, and would recommend it to other interested readers.Amazon customer

Loved this book

Very good read.