This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite
In Melanie Forde's latest work, The Quarryman's Girl, readers are transported into a world of heartrending family dynamics, the power of forgiveness, and the struggles of aging. The protagonist, Rose Dowd, must navigate her twilight years with the aid of her youngest son Vince after her husband's passing. As her memory starts to falter, Rose is confronted with the traumas of her past and must come to terms with her estranged sister Izzy, who she was left with in Quincy when her family migrated to Manitoba. Enter Nate, the ragman's son, who arrives to assist Rose with handyman tasks while also keeping Vince apprised of her forgetfulness. Meanwhile, Izzy's personal crisis threatens to expose the deep-seated conflict that fractured the sisters' bond years before.
The Quarryman's Girl by Melanie Forde is a historical novel with several converging themes, some nuanced and others intentionally presented, that enable readers to become acquainted with each character and empathize with familiar figures. The story is poignant, exploring the emotional complexities of familial and friendly bonds, encompassing love, injury, and physical and mental limitations of its characters while portraying senior cognitive degeneration honestly. The scenes are meticulously drawn and border on the cinematic, bringing to life the landscape with prose like, “Random shafts of sunlight penetrated the depths and allowed a distorted view of the massive rock walls all around.” The book is rich in emotion, with raw and humorous moments that alternate. The writing style is perceptive, sophisticated, and eloquent with a closing that is certain to elicit a deeply moving response. Very highly recommended.
