If the Creek Don’t Rise
A Novel
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4.3 • 168 Ratings
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- $15.99
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- $15.99
Publisher Description
"[A] striking debut…" — BUSTLE
"…masterful use of language….Weiss' novel is a great suggestion for fans of the Big Stone Gap books, by Adriana Trigiani, and Mitford series, by Jan Karon."—Booklist, STARRED Review
He’s gonna be sorry he ever messed with me and Loretta Lynn
Sadie Blue has been a wife for fifteen days. That’s long enough to know she should have never hitched herself to Roy Tupkin, even with the baby.
Sadie is desperate to make her own mark on the world, but in remote Appalachia, a ticket out of town is hard to come by, and hope often gets stomped out. When a stranger sweeps into Baines Creek and knocks things off kilter, Sadie finds herself with an unexpected lifeline…if she can just figure out how to use it.
This intimate insight into a fiercely proud, tenacious community unfolds through the voices of the forgotten folks of Baines Creek. With a colorful cast of characters that each contribute a new perspective, IF THE CREEK DON’T RISE is a debut novel bursting with heart, honesty, and homegrown grit.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this tender but powerful debut, Weiss paints both the bright and the dark in the lives of her fictional Appalachian community's denizens. It is the fall of 1970 in Baines Creek, N.C., where pregnant teen Sadie Blue is newly married to her unborn child's father, Rory Tupkin, a bully doesn't hesitate to beat her. Her grandmother, Gladys Hicks, once had to deal with her own abusive husband and feels that it is up to Sadie to do the same. Marris Jones is a good-hearted woman who wants to help Sadie, as does Kate Shaw, the strong-willed teacher new to the mountain, and Birdie Rocas, the witchy woman. Each of these women bring some good to Sadie's life and to others in the community. Others, like Rory and the preacher's sister, Prudence Perkins, only bring venom and pain to those around them. All of these and more get a chapter or two to spin their own tales, while Sadie's story slips in and out, highlighting Weiss's considerable characterization skills.
Customer Reviews
If the Creek Don't Rise
I'm from there. It was pretty much like that back then. Made me time travel. A fun read.
Hard to put down!
The story of a tiny Appalachian community told from multiple perspectives, with expertly woven clues in each chapter. I really loved the ending.
The prose is easy to read and get lost in. A good book for a weekend read.
Outstanding read
What a incredible book both in terms of story and writing. Hard to believe this is a first novel. The author created mesmerizing characters with individual stories wrapped around an extraordinary central character. Please, Ms Weiss, more! Where have you been hiding all these years?!?