The Thing With Feathers by Anne Sweazy Kulju + giveaway

When an itinerate Baptist preacher arrived with his baby daughter and a wife lost on the trail, there was no one prepared to suspect what lurid secrets and heartbreak he might be concealing. As the preacher sets his sights against those who might oppose him, the names, reputations, even the very lives of the good people of Cloverdale may not be spared.

Yet in the midst of the machinations of a mad man, virtue and valor can persist. The Thing with Feathers is known to fly through wars, depressions, and natural disasters. But will the Marshall clan and the good people of Cloverdale find it in time?

Type: Historical Fiction, 1930s-40s

Heat: 1 out of 5

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

A light easy read this is not. This was my first time reading Sweazy-Kulju and she's an excellent writer. She can weave together a story that will hold you captive but at the same time it's a story that will break your heart. 

The story focuses on the life of Sean Marshall as he grows up, marries and falls in love during the 1930s and 40s in Oregon. He's a good, honorable man that does what he believes is right even if it hurts him. The journey he and his family go through over the years is just devastating. Their tale broke my heart and by the time I reached the final page I was just sobbing. 

This one really did leave my heart heavy. I spent the entire book wanting Sean and his family to just catch a break already. To have a good life and for things to be easy for them for a change. But nothing ever was. They suffer tragedy after tragedy with murder, rape, incest, a broken court system handing a child over to an abusive "grandparent", horrific child abuse, mental illnesses and unavoidable life threatening injuries. The part that made this read so hard from me, other than the obvious--it was just a dark read, was that the good times in their lives, which they did have years of, were completely skipped over. We got a brief mention of them before more of their life tragedies and the horrors of their life were delved into. I would have really liked actually hearing about the happy times when things were good for them. It was such a heavy read and I needed to have some lightness added in to it. 

I do love history and have long read historical romances but that's not what this is. If you haven't read historical fiction it's a much different genre. Happily ever afters don't have to exist and the look into life is more based on fact and isn't prettied up. I really did find the time period the book was written in fascinating since it's a time I just haven't read much about in fiction. I think Sweazy-Kulju did an amazing job getting the feel for the time and including the history that was being made. Seeing the family go through the Great Depression, the beginnings of wars, devastating forest fires that really did ravish the region was gripping. It was shockingly real and poignant. The things the world was going through, the difficulties of life and just the changes and inventions set loose on the world were amazing and Sweazy-Kulju brought that to life in vivid detail. 

While The Thing with Feathers was well written and incredibly moving it's not the tale I'd  for everyone. It doesn't have the perfect happily ever after or even a pretty ending. It is an interesting read that I think will grab the attention of history lovers but be prepared for tears and have some chocolate on hand. You'll need it. 

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ANNE SWEAZY KULJU has won awards for editorials and honors for short stories; she now writes historical fiction page-turners. Her first novel, “the thing with feathers,” debuted in 2012, via Tate Publishing. “Bodie,” is expected in early spring 2013. Anne lives near Pacific City, Oregon, where she is writing her third book, “Grog Wars.” She divides her free time between the beach and Mount Bachelor. Readers may learn more about Anne and correspond with her on her website at www.AnneSweazyKulju.com

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Anne has a great giveaway for yall today. Look at all those pretties! 

Just fill out the Rafflecopter and leave a comment! 

Do you read historical fiction? (not the same as historical romances)

Have you read one set during the Great Depression? What did you think? 

Have you read anything by Anne Sweazy Kulju? 

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March 9th- Sharing Links and Wisdom (Review/Giveaway)

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