From Publishers Weekly
When the admirable heroine of the title, a 35-year-old black woman, arrives in Nodd's Ridge, Maine, to live in the farmhouse bequeathed her by an unknown uncle, local residents gossip a little behind her back, but otherwise do not respond to her color. Having abandoned her career as librarian, Pearl Dickenson takes over the local diner, and with her deep, throaty laugh and indomitable spirit (not to mention her fried chicken), wins the hearts of both Reuben Styles, who runs the local garage, and David Christopher, the town's resident poet. As summer progresses, Pearl is happy to find her life weaving seamlessly into the daily fabric of Nodd's Ridge, but the dilemma caused by her liaisons with both Reuben and David takes its toll. As Pearl helps Reuben cope with his wild teenaged daughter, David's past, which includes witnessing the shooting death of his young sister, makes him increasingly unstable. Occasionally slipping into melodrama, King (author of Small World and The Trap and wife of novelist Stephen) resolves her story happily for nearly all of the small-town characters she brings vividly to life. Pearl's quiet wisdom and prodigious energy make her slightly more mythic than human, but she remains an unforgettable character. Literary Guild alternate.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Using her rich descriptive powers and clear narrative style, novelist King ( The Trap, Caretakers ) has fashioned a jewel of a setting in Nodd's Ridge, Maine, and a near-perfect protagonist in Pearl. Thirty-something and black, Pearla woman looking for purposecomes to Maine to bury her grandmother and set down some roots. While she is at it, she captures the hearts and loyalties of the town's inhabitants. Her big mistake is becoming involved with two men, only one of whom she loves. A gifted storyteller, King has written a contemporary tale of real people struggling with teen rebellion, the aftermath of divorce, aging, loneliness, and abuse. An unforgettable reading experience. Jo Ann Vicarel, Cleveland Heights-University Heights P.L., Ohio
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.
