Deena recommended this to me along with a few other books. I thought it was fine. The story is about a young girl growing up in North Carolina in the 1930's. She has dreams of pursuing a career at the Grand Ole Opry but she also falls in love with a former troublemaker-turn-preacher from her hometown with whom her life would be decidedly less dramatic. Her internal battle between remaining loyal to her home and loyal to her dreams forms the majority of the narrative.
The book seemed very basic to me. It had a textbook beginning, middle, climax, and denouement, with no real surprises. Velva Jean's voice was young and stayed young even as she aged into her later teens. And the ultimate decision she makes is not surprising.
However I did appreciate two things about this book. First, Niven did a great job creating a very detailed setting. I felt like I knew just what Velva Jean's home and town looked like and what it would feel like to walk around. The other thing I liked about the book was that Niven had several characters and situations all of whom were struggling with dilemmas of staying versus leaving, progress versus status quo. In fact one of the story lines is about a road that is being built through their area, and the different characters' points of view on whether it is "going out" or "coming in".
This is Niven's first novel, and it shows. She has some great ideas but I hope she matures as an author so they come in a format easier to appreciate.
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