-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" Absolutly clever and wonderful. Twists and turns and story in a story, in a story. Amazing. I'd teach it in a moment - if I were still in the classroom. "
- Chris, 2/11/2014
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" The story was intriguing, and the young Gladys had a wonderful narrative voice, but there were several issues that prevented me from falling completely into the book. There were a few too many bunny trails, a dramatic and oddly imagined mid book twist, and a small list of narrative details that didn't make sense to the flow of the novel. Decent, but not a book I would recommend. "
- Dora, 2/10/2014
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" Gladys Cailiff is 11 and narrates the story about an eccentric new teacher coming to her small town. Threestep Georgia in 1939 is still farms, small groceries stores, and the KKK. Ms. Spivey the new teacher brings tales from Arabia and costumes and plans that change the lives of the children and the town. I liked the Gladys story with her brother Force, sister May, Theo Boykin and, of course, the new teacher Ms. Spivey. But there may have been 1 too many other stories. The book has stories inside of stories inside of stories inside of stories etc etc. The have a purpose - there just were too many for me. "
- Jane, 1/30/2014
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" Set in 1938 small town Georgia, the narrator, 11 year old Gladys, tells the story of when 29 year old Grace Spivey comes to be the new teacher with radical ideas. She talks the town into tranforming the downtown into Bagdad for one night and perform Alladin's Lamp. Camels enter into the plot as well as tales of ancient Bagdad. Racism, sexism and fear are all part of this small town. Characters are interesting people, plot is funny and sad at the same time. "
- Luann, 1/23/2014
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" Story telling is at its best. "
- Mariana, 1/12/2014
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" I enjoyed the first half; the second half was hard to get through and didn't seem very relevant. I was disappointed with the ending. "
- Tracey, 1/10/2014
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" Another one that I got into and was really happy with, and then at the end (yet again), it went completely off the rails. Although I persevered, I do have to say I was somewhat disappointed. Sad, huh? I hate that when it happens! "
- Lyn, 12/9/2013
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" Hmm, my review disappeared. I expected light and fun reading but what I got was poor writing. There were many problems including a long digression, too heavy foreshadowing and stereotypical characters. "
- Lynne, 12/8/2013
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" I really got lost in the characters, but I kept thinking it was ending, so it got a little old. I was also pretty put out by some "dog poop" that was tucked in. Didn't need the details. "
- Vicki, 12/4/2013
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" Put me in mind of "Fried Green Tomatoes" and Joshilyn Jackson books. A bit melancholy at times, but filled with memorable characters. "
- Heather, 12/1/2013
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" Liked the story until the author went into an endless diversion of a substory that I had trouble figuring out the relevance of... "
- Christi, 11/3/2013
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" Mostly I liked this book, although at times it bogged down and I would put it down and then I would end up picking it up again. It took me awhile to get it read. "
- Paula, 8/20/2013
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" I made it through twelve chapters, but could not bring myself to finish it. "
- Amy, 1/31/2013
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" This was really good until the author threw a bucket of cold water on it by making up her own Arabian Nights tales toward the end, which I ended skipping through since I couldn't see the relevance. I would have rated this book higher if it weren't for that. "
- Linda, 8/26/2012
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" Absolutely adored this book. The characters, the setting, the plot really worked for me! "
- Emily, 4/13/2012
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" More like a 3.5. I think it was extra interesting to me since I spent a number of years in Georgia, and could sense some of the tensions and so forth illustrated in this novel. Even for non southerners though, it's an engaging story. "
- Krista, 12/16/2011
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" It took almost to the end of the book to really get interesting...I like a book you cant put down.. "
- Sharon, 10/26/2011
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" good book for someone born in rural south-GA "
- Sylvia, 10/15/2011
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" Love southern historical fiction! Didn't love ending and side stories, but still give it 4 stars! "
- Amy, 3/18/2011
-
Overall Performance:




Narration Rating:




Story Rating:




" I really wanted to like this book more. And I may have if I read it in one swoop but I felt that it peetered way out at the end. The author seemed to have 2 stories but was trying to cram it in all one story. Plots were forced and the characters became cliches.
"
- Caroline, 12/9/2010
> Hide All