A Thousand Acres

Book No: 13
Title: A Thousand Acres
Author: Jane Smiley
Genre: Fiction
Completed: 3/17/09
No. of Pages: N/A Audio
Rating: 4/5*****

This book was a very tough read. It is dark and tragic, a tale of a dysfunctional family and how their seemingly normal life careens out of control.

The story is set in the late 70’s and is narrated by Ginny Cook, one of three sisters that were raised on the family farm in Iowa. Rose and Ginny still live on the farm when the story opens. Larry Cook is the girls remaining parent, clearly the dominating factor of their life and master of his domain. Although in their thirties the two sisters live in close proximity on the farm and share the daily care of their father and his home. The third sister Caroline has moved to the city to become a lawyer. When Larry decides to give the farm to Ginny, Rose and their spouses, cutting Caroline out completely, and then reverses his decision, long held secrets and resentments are brought to light.

There are many layers to this tale, as each secret, betrayal and lie is revealed. Throughout it all Ginny seems to be our voice of calm and reason, until she too plans an act so heinous it takes your breath away.

It took a while for me to get into the story, almost half the book before it took up speed and then I couldn’t stop reading. At times it got very depressing, for there is one tragedy after another. Frequently I found the “He said, she said” relaying of conversations annoying and the detail too overdone. However the insular life of a small town is clearly depicted and the bitterness and anger that can often be found within one family is often painfully illuminated. I have to say that I didn’t like a lot of the people in this book, yet I haven’t stopped thinking about them and their story since I finished the book and for me that is the sign of a tale well done.