The minute sixth-grader Theo Thomas gets off the bus and arrives in
Destiny, Florida with his Uncle Raymond, I’m right there with him. Award winning author AugustaScattergood, uses great details to pull readers into the character and setting: Theo grabs his
bags, baseball mitt and a tattered book, Everything You Want to Know About Baseball; the heat hits him like a slap in the face; diesel fumes whoosh around him; he encounters slithery gray stuff hanging from the trees; and no "old men in shorts and flip-flops" meet him and his uncle at the Marathon
gas station.
Theo’s shakes his head at the banner stretching across the
street, Destiny, Florida: The Town Time
Forgot and wonders, “Man, what am I doing here?”
Writers are encouraged to start a story at the moment in the
character’s life when things change. True to that advice, Augusta starts this book with the fact that Theo’s life has taken a turn for the worse. As the story moves forward and Theo becomes acquainted with his new hometown, the reader finds out that he lived with his maternal grandparents on their Kentucky farm since his parents died in an accident when he was four. His Vietnam vet uncle had to come back from his happy life in Alaska to sell the farm, put his parents in a nursing home, and take care of him. Raymond resents it all.
I appreciated the way in which Augusta wove together the strands of the other character's stories. Besides Uncle Raymond's story, other sub-plots include Anabel's passion for baseball and her determination to uncover part of Destiny's history; and Miss Sister’s dancing dreams, which turned out different than
she expected.
I also loved that Theo was as passionate about playing the piano as he was about practicing baseball. These two strands create a very unique character.
There are too many great lines from this book for me to quote, but here are a few:
- "Music Makes Memories" the sign in Sister's practice room. The sign provides great subtext for the novel.
- When Theo plays the piano he describes it as "music jumping out of his fingers."
- Uncle Raymond: "I don't know nothing about raising kids. Especially ones that remind me of the bad times."
- Theo: "I'll start acting like family when you do."
- Uncle Raymond: "I hate everything that happened. I hate you having no one but me."
**********
Why did Augusta Scattergood name the town Destiny? Why does Uncle Raymond want to leave Destiny? How does Theo figure out a way for them to stay and a way for them to be a family. You’ll have to
read (or listen to) the book to find out.
Here Augusta reads a snippet of The Way to Stay in Destiny (Scholastic, 2015):
I am giving away a copy of the Audio CD expertly narrated by Michael Crouch. If you would like to win, please leave me a comment (with your email address if you are new to my blog) by 6 PM August 20. If you become a new follower of my blog, or share this post on Facebook or Twitter, I'll give you additional chances to win; just let me know in your comment what you did.
This review originally was published on LitChat on July 28, 2015
I am giving away a copy of the Audio CD expertly narrated by Michael Crouch. If you would like to win, please leave me a comment (with your email address if you are new to my blog) by 6 PM August 20. If you become a new follower of my blog, or share this post on Facebook or Twitter, I'll give you additional chances to win; just let me know in your comment what you did.
This review originally was published on LitChat on July 28, 2015
8 comments:
Tweeted about great reviews of great books. Thanks Carol and Augusta! Hope to hear it/read it soon!
Thanks, Linda. Your name starts the giveaway list. You'd love this book!
This is a lovely book. I enjoyed every word. Someone will certainly enjoy the audio, but please don't put me in the drawing. I've already read this one.
Agreed, Rosi. You and I have similar tastes in books as well as in writing blogs, I think!
Carol,
I've read "Glory Be" and loved it. I'm definitely excited about the possibility of winning an audio of "The Way to Stay in Destiny" by Augusta Scattergood. I listened to the overview and sample reading. I especially liked learning how Augusta created her setting. Sounds like a great story.
I'll post this to FB.
You;re in twice, thanks LInda!
Dear Carol,
I love the way you summarize the main points of the story by telling what you liked about the characterization or the background. You have a great way of pulling us into the books you talk about. Thanks for doing that.
Augusta Scattergood has a nifty way of making her characters unhappy with where they are and takes them to higher places and finding a reason to want to stay.
Celebrate you and all you do to give meaning to why we write.
Never Give Up
Joan
Thanks, Joan, for your comments on my review. I have entered your name in the giveaway--you would really like this book!
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