Title: A Gracious Plenty
Author: Sheri Reynolds
First published September 8, 1997
224 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780609803875 (ISBN10: 0609803875)
Rating: 3.98
Overview
Scarred by a tragic event in her childhood, Finch Nobles lives a solitary life, shunning the sympathy of her community. But her world changes when she discovers that she can hear the voices of the deceased in her father’s cemetery.
As she begins to communicate with them, their stories unfold in a beautiful symphony of apologies, revelations, and wisdom. A Gracious Plenty is a captivating blend of literary greats like Steinbeck and Faulkner, Spoon River Anthology, and Our Town.
Prepare to be drawn into a reading experience that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.
About the Author
Sheri Reynolds is a well-known author of contemporary Southern fiction. She hails from rural South Carolina and graduated from Conway High School in 1985, Davidson College in 1989, and Virginia Commonwealth University in 1992.
Sheri has written several novels that have been published, including Bitterroot Landing, The Rapture of Canaan (which was selected for Oprah’s book club and became a New York Times bestseller), A Gracious Plenty (98), Firefly Cloak (06), The Sweet In-Between (08), The Homespun Wisdom of Myrtle T. Cribb (12), and The Tender Grave (21).
In addition to her novels, she won the Women Playwrights’ Initiative playwriting competition in 2005 for her first play Orabelle’s Wheelbarrow.
Sheri is also a Professor of English and holds the Ruth and Perry Morgan Chair of Southern Literature at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. She teaches creative writing and literature classes and was awarded the Outstanding Faculty Award from the State Council for Higher Education of Virginia in 2003.
She has also taught at Virginia Commonwealth University, The College of William and Mary, and Davidson College.
Currently, Sheri resides in the town of Cape Charles on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.
Editoral Review
Sheri Reynolds’ debut novel, A Gracious Plenty, published on September 8, 1997, is a stunning work of Southern Gothic literature that explores themes of grief, forgiveness, and the universal desire to connect with others. Reynolds, a Virginia native and creative writing professor at Old Dominion University, writes with an unflinching honesty and a deep understanding of the human experience.
Set in the fictional town of Jubilation, Virginia, A Gracious Plenty follows Finch Nobles, a young woman working in a cemetery, who has the unique ability to communicate with the dead. As she navigates her lonely life and haunted past, she encounters a colorful cast of characters, including a grieving mother, a reclusive writer, and a young couple struggling with infertility.
Through their interconnected stories, Reynolds weaves together a tapestry of life, death, and the messy, beautiful connections that bind us all. Reynolds’ writing is both lyrical and precise, capturing the essence of small-town Virginia life with vivid descriptions of the landscape and its flora and fauna.
Her characters are richly drawn and complex, each grappling with their own demons and searching for meaning and purpose in a world that can feel overwhelming and cruel. The novel moves at a leisurely pace, building tension and suspense as the characters’ lives become more tightly intertwined.
One of the novel’s strengths is its exploration of grief and the different ways people cope with loss. Reynolds approaches this topic with sensitivity and empathy, acknowledging the profound pain of bereavement while also showing how the dead can continue to offer comfort and support to the living.
She also delves into the complex dynamics of family relationships, particularly between mothers and daughters, and the ways in which past traumas can reverberate through generations. However, the novel does have some weaknesses.
At times, the pacing can feel slow, with sections that drag on longer than necessary. Some of the metaphors and symbols used throughout the book may feel heavy-handed or forced, and the conclusion may feel too neat and tidy for some readers.
Overall, A Gracious Plenty is a stunning debut novel that showcases Reynolds’ talent for storytelling and her deep understanding of the human experience. Fans of Southern Gothic literature, as well as readers interested in themes of grief and forgiveness, will find much to love in this book.
While it may not be perfect, its strengths far outweigh its flaws. Rating: 4/5 stars
Recommended for: Fans of Southern Gothic literature, readers interested in themes of grief and forgiveness, and anyone looking for a gorgeously written, emotionally resonant novel.
