Featured on Oprah’s Summer Reading ListFor readers of Delia Owens’ Where the Crawdads Sing and Sue Monk Kidd’s The Secret Life of Bees, this extraordinary historical debut novel follows three fierce Southern women in an unforgettable story of motherhood and womanhood.It’s 1924 in Branchville, South Carolina and three women have come to a crossroads. Gertrude, a mother of four, must make an … womanhood.
It’s 1924 in Branchville, South Carolina and three women have come to a crossroads. Gertrude, a mother of four, must make an unconscionable decision to save her daughters. Retta, a first-generation freed slave, comes to Gertrude’s aid by watching her children, despite the gossip it causes in her community. Annie, the matriarch of the influential Coles family, offers Gertrude employment at her sewing circle, while facing problems of her own at home.
These three women seemingly have nothing in common, yet as they unite to stand up to injustices that have long plagued the small town, they find strength in the bond that ties women together. Told in the pitch-perfect voices of Gertrude, Retta, and Annie, Call Your Daughter Home is an emotional, timeless story about the power of family, community, and ferocity of motherhood.
“Like Jill McCorkle and Sue Monk Kidd, Spera probes the comfort and strength women find in their own company.”
— O, The Oprah Magazine
“A mesmerizing Southern tale…Authentic, gripping, a page-turner, yet also a novel filled with language that begs to be savored.”
— Lisa Wingate, New York Times Bestselling Author of Before We Were Yours
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A mesmerizing Southern tale, Call Your Daughter Home follows three women intertwined in struggle, unlikely friendship, and ultimately, redemption. Authentic, gripping, a page-turner, yet also a novel filled with language that begs to be savored. This book kept me up late and stayed with me long after I closed the final page.
A beautifully told story about three very different women in the early part of the 20th century who shared the desire to support each other in a world that was still very male dominated.
This historical southern novel sings with style and depth. It is difficult to remember that it is a debut effort – Deb Spera plays our emotions like a southern hymn. This is a book to keep and read again when the world seems too trying or you are finding the daily grind a bit too much. Taking place in the early 1920s in South Carolina just following three years of Mr. Boll Weevil destroying all the cotton, and just prior to the Great Depression, this should be a depressing story. Throw in Mr. Pardee and Mr. Coles and you would normally have a sit-down and cry. Except for these wonderful, strong, spiritual mothers, that is.
Gertrude Caison Pardee is married to a lazy, abusive drunk. She has watched as their four daughters slowly starve down to hungry twigs while he drinks away his pay working for his Daddy in Reevesville. When he starts whaling on the girls as well as Gert she has to make a choice – and the only choice she has is to escape from the reach of him and his father. There is no money – they will have to literally ‘run’ away, but there is a rumor of work at a sewing factory called The Sewing Circle in the nearby community of Branchville. Branchville is where Gert’s brother Berns and his wife Marie live and try to care for and feed the two oldest of Gert’s daughters, Edna, 15, and Lily, 13. It is a sewing machine job that she knows how to do, and it comes with a house, but it is not far enough away to escape Alvin. Or his father, Otto.
Retta and Odell Bootles are comfortable with what they have. They lost their only child, a daughter, at the age of eight many years since, and both work. Retta is a cook-housekeeper for the Coles, and Odell, who lost a leg working for the railroad, is now the community ragman. They live in the black community of Shake Rag, across the street from the only white resident of Shake Rag, Oretta’s best friend, Mrs. Watson. It is the death of Mrs. Watson that made the job and house open up to provide a life for the Pardee girls. And there is no time to waiver – 10-year-old Alma is skinny and frail, but 6-year-old Mary is on the verge of starving to death. Retta agrees to keep her for a couple of days while Gert goes back to Reevesville for the rest of her things and gets settled into Mrs. Watson’s house.
Annie Coles has been married to Edward for many years. They have two grown daughters who are estranged, married, and living in Charlotte. Annie hasn’t heard from them in years and does not understand the estrangement. They have two living sons, Eddie who works with his father running the plantation, and Lonnie, a stutterer, and shy, who works with his mother at the Sewing Circle factory, making feedbags and men’s shirts and employing 47 women. Their third son, Buck, committed suicide when he was 12 years old.
These lives come together, mesh when the community gathers for the annual Methodist revival the first week of October in the countryside, at The Camp. Annie is deeply into a hunger strike, her reaction upon finding out why her girls ran away, why Buck killed himself. The Sewing Circle is shut down for the duration of the revival, and Gert is hired to nurse Annie, and three of her daughters, already beginning to thrive, are hired to help Retta cook at the camp. And it was there, at Camp, that these three vibrant, caring women work together and clean house.
I received a free electronic copy of this historical novel from Netgalley, Deb Spera, and Harlequin -Park Row. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this novel of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work.
Call Your Daughter Home is set in 1924 in rural South Carolina where times are hard, very hard. The region is desperately poor, having lost two seasons of cotton to the boll weevil infestation. It tells the stories of three women from distinctly different backgrounds. (My use of the term colored in this review rather than black is only to stay within the timeframe of the novel; I mean no disrespect).
Gertrude is a poor white woman, married to Alvin, an abusive, alcoholic husband. They live in Reevesville where Alvin works at his Daddy’s sawmill. She is struggling to keep her children and herself from starving. Alvin? He’s the reason they’re starving, drinking all their food away! Her two oldest children have already been sent to live with her brother Berns and his wife in Branchville, her hometown. She now goes to see if he can take the other two as well. Berns tells her that he knows of a job at The Sewing Center; one of the workers died, and the position comes with a small house. He agrees to take the older of her remaining children, but tells her the youngest, Mary, is too sick and belongs with her. Go get the job so you can take care of your own he urges.
Oretta Bootles (married to Odell) has been the maid for the Coles family since she was old enough to serve in the position. Her family has been slaves owned by the Coles for generations. She is the first free colored woman to serve them. Retta runs the house. After Mrs. Cole gives Gert the job at The Sewing Center, Gertie asks Retta to let Mary stay with her for the four days she needs to go back to Reevesville, put her affairs in order and come set up the home in Branchville and begin work. Retta, seeing Gertie’s desperation, agrees which sets the tongues in Shake Rag (the colored section of town) to wagging. What’s a colored woman doing taking care of a white child in her home? And when they realize that Gertie will be living in Shake Rag with her family? What’s going on?!?Are the whites going to take Shake Rag from them too?
Annie Coles is married to Edwin. The Coles own most of the land in Branchville. They have two adult sons living with them; Eddie who works with his father on farm business; and Lonnie who (to his father’s chagrin) works with his mother at The Sewing Center, a company she started and manages. Their third son, Buster, died at aged twelve, and their two daughters Sarah and Molly are estranged from the family. They left home after Buster’s death and have refused to see or talk with their father since. Annie is heartbroken with grief over Buster’s death and the loss of her daughters which she doesn’t understand but which time will clarify.
The lives and secrets of these three women will entwine them in ways they could never imagine. “None of us get what we deserve. We make the best of what we got.”
This is a wonderful read with its richly drawn characters and well-set scenes! Spera puts the reader into the middle of it all. I came to admire each of the three women for different reasons and was sorry to see the story end. An impressive debut, I look forward to reading more from Deb Spera.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Park Row for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Listening to this audiobook was mesmerizing. The surroundings and characters were so easy to imagine that I felt transported to South Carolina in the 1920s. And I hate to admit it, but drawing to the end of this book left me a bit sad. Characters I’d grown to love had disappeared as though a magician had waved his wand over them. I was lost. After 11 hours of listening, the voices had easily become images of my imagination. Yes, all books do that to some degree. But Call Your Daughter Home is one of those books that won’t be forgotten for some time.
And then when I discovered that this was Deb Spera’s debut novel, I was really impressed. The language and background felt extremely researched and right on. The story easily conveyed what life was like in the 1920s.
Spera brings us three very unique, unforgettable women. And I don’t say those words lightly, these are women who will stick with you due to their hardships and determination. The three points of view most likely depict many women of that time. But in this case, three very different woman’s stories are gently woven together.
Gertrude is a battered wife with four young girls. They are struggling to find enough to eat and living in filth.
Annie is quite noted in the community. Her husband has dealt in cotton and now tobacco. He is also dealing in secrets. They have five children: two daughters are grown and estranged from both parents, one son committed suicide, one son has a stammer and is considered less than manly by his father, and the other son comes far closer to pleasing the father and is due to inherit all. Though the family looks fine on the outside, problems brew from within.
Retta is the daughter of a slave who worked for Annie. She also is a first-generation free slave. Because of her history with the family, she is treated with a little more respect, and in many small ways is part of the family. Behind closed doors, I’d say she is one of Annie’s closest friends. In fact, Retta is a friend to most. And though I loved all of the characters, Retta was my lady. I loved her and it pained me to lose her at the completion of the story.
Each character demonstrated the ability to find strength in times of hardship. You’re apt to find yourself silently cheering them on as they endeavor to overcome.
I can’t stress enough that this is a little community that you will come to love. But what I haven’t mentioned is that the narrators do a beautiful job of helping to make this community come to life.
My Concerns
In my case, since this is character-driven, the audiobook’s narrators won me over. Would I have felt as good about reading the book? I’d like to say yes. The story is incredibly good. But I’m not sure that would be correct. Three marvelous narrators brought well-written dialog to life.
Final Thoughts
This is a story of three strong women from rural South Carolina in the 1920s. Each woman in her own way will pull and tug at your heartstrings. I can’t recommend this audiobook enough.
Deb Spera has created an unusually well-written, captivating, story. Narrators Robin Miles, Adenrele Ojo, and Brittany Pressley, take this wonderful story to the top. I give it an easy thumbs-up.
This story emerges from the struggles of poverty. It begins darkly, in fact, I almost gave up on how depressing and hopeless it seemed. There are both desperate acts as well as acts of kindness and bravery. The 3 main female characters prove their mettle…they make choices to help them stay strong, survive, and fight against evil influences.
Call Your Daughter Home is the story of three women living in South Carolina in 1924. The first is Gertrude, a woman who is abused by her husband and has four daughters. The children are starving from lack of food and Gertrude needs to handle her husband’s abuse one way or the other. The second woman is Retta, a black employee for the wealthy Coles family. Retta is deeply in love with her husband Odell, and still mourns the death of her child Esther. Retta also is a midwife for many in the poor community where she lives. Finally, Annie Coles is the proud matriarch of the Coles family. She has five children, but one son committed suicide as a child, her two daughters refuse to communicate with the parents, and her two other sons continue to work for the family.
When Annie discovers a horrific secret of her family, she takes drastic measures. Gertrude also took drastic measures to save her daughters. Retta makes the most dramatic sacrifice to sane others from a horrible man.
An emotional story of women fighting for their family and the sacrifices they make for their family. This book will start with me for a long time.
What a heart-tugging story from the south in the 1920’s. The story is told from the perspective of 3 very different women yet very similarly strong women who know what they want and what they will tolerate in their lives. At times it was a difficult read only because it exposed the blatant racism and misogamy inherent in the males, especially in the south in the 1920’s. The characters came alive and made their way into my heart throughout the story, in spite of having nothing externally in common.
Strong determined women
Totally believable, deep, well rounded characters woven together in an interesting story.
This is the best book that I have read in years! I didn’t want it to end and I highly recommend it!
Cannot believe this is Deb’s first and only book. Best story I have read in a long time…absolutely recommend to anyone and everyone that enjoys a book that makes you feel with your heart. Life in 1920’s America was difficult; reading this made me feel truly blessed for life as we have it today. I rarely buy books, just read the freebies…I am so glad I bought this one!
Old South story told from weaving the lives of three strong female characters. Excellent character development for Spera’s first novel. Hoping she will write more!
I truly loved this book. These characters became real before Chapter One was over. It doesn’t matter what your background, we all have struggles, but having the support and love of the women around you at least makes traveling through those troubles doable. This book is a beautiful picture of that.
Wonderful book.
what a wonderful story about so many things in our history we don’t really know about, especially women’s lives before they got for us the rights we have today. I read it in one day, couldn’t put it down. Three completely different women who’s lives are interwoven for no rhyme or reason, just are. Just wonderful.
It was an okay read, but a bit boring most of the time.
Was also sad.
top 3 favorite books of all time!!!
I did not like the lords name used in cussing. The story was a little hard to follow.
Excellent characters and a carefully woven story. Grabbed me from the beginning.