It’s a great feeling to discover a writer you didn’t know anything about and love that first book; I imagine it’s akin to finding the first gold nugget in a creek. You know you’ve got a treasure in your hands, as well as the tantalizing prospect of more to be found—maybe just around the corner! Somehow Michelle Shocklee flew under my radar until just recently, when I was drawn to the beautiful cover image for Appalachian Song and checked out the audiobook version from my library.
Appalachian Song is the story of a young pregnant girl who is taken in and cared for by a group of older spinster sisters. They live alone in a backwoods Tennessee cabin while the Second World War wages. Songbird, as the sisters lovingly call their little ward, is an utterly charming character who quickly wins the hearts of her new family. Even grumpy-but-practical sister Jenny, who reminds me a lot of Marilla Cuthbert (from Anne of Green Gables), warms under Songbird’s influence.
Flashing forward to the 70s, Country singer Walker Wylie tries to dig up the truth about where he came from, and what happened to his parents. I’m sure you can guess where this is going, but I enjoyed following along as the story unfolded, as there was a bit of mystery around what exactly had/would happen to Songbird and her baby.
Because some of the subject matter is more mature in nature, I would advise caution before giving this to younger readers. That said, the author handles topics like teen pregnancy with compassion and discretion. Bertie Jenkins, one of the sisters who cares for Songbird, is an especially memorable character; a midwife, Bertie becomes like a grandmother to her charge, as well as a spiritual mentor. Bertie beautifully shares the Gospel with Songbird as well as Biblical wisdom and encouragement. Even so, she’s every bit a product of her time and place, equal parts grit and practicality.
I wish I could say I loved every character as much as Bertie (if I did, this would surely be a five-star review), but I never warmed up to Walker. I think if the author had mingled in some of his more positive character traits early on–alongside his frustration and anger over his recently discovered adoption– I would have been more sympathetic towards him. As it was, he came across as whiny and self-absorbed. Not so detrimental in itself–since he had a huge “about face” moment at the end– if not for an underlying romance thread throughout the book. I still don’t understand what exactly the girl fell in love with, since Walker mostly wallowed in angst the entire time. Just a few well-placed paragraphs of Walker charming everyone with a few guitar melodies, embracing farm life, or doing an occasional kindness would have really helped me root for him at his lows. Either that, or hold off on the romance till the end when he has a change of heart, and give a subtle hint that it’s in the cards so we all know he gets a happy ever after.
While I was also a bit unsatisfied with the ending written for Songbird (I didn’t feel like it made sense for her character, but I can’t say why due to spoilers), I won’t deny this book left me with a lot of good feelings. One of my favorite verses, Psalm 90 verse 2 says, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” I hope you will meander through the Appalachians as well and leave with the same sense of warmth, dwelling on our everlasting Creator.
a page out of her book 