|
|
|
|
|
|
     
Harry Longabaugh aka the Sundance Kid, & Etta Place (courtesy of Pinkerton Detective Agency) |
|
|||||||
|
Outlaw Heroes By Deanna Lynn Sletten XLibris 2001 ISBN: 0-7388-9902-X - Trade Paperback Children / Fiction / Adventure
Reviewed by Beverly J. Rowe,
MyShelf.com Twelve-year old Will Long has always been fascinated by Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid in their outlaw escapades as shown in the film with Robert Redford and Paul Newman. He has read everything he could find about them, and now, as he dozes off, the outlaws themselves join him in his dream. Will has recently lost his father to an accident, and now he and his mother are on journey by train to see the man she has become interested in. Will is swept back in time, and Butch and Sundance are in the process of robbing the very train Will is on. Will gives the outlaws some help in the robbery and then rides off with them. What an exciting adventure! Butch is the cheerful, friendly one, and Sundance is just a bit grouchy. Will has read all the history of their robberies and knows what to do to help them avoid capture. He is assigned the job of staying with the horses during a robbery that goes sour...making Will realize that robbery is, after all, a crime. He begins to wonder if the outlaw life is right for him...he begins to miss his mother.
Etta Place is
a bright spot in the outlaws' lives and is secretly married to
Sundance. They all travel to New York, where Butch, Sundance and Etta
will depart for South America. The characters are very realistic and
likable...the plot compelling and fast moving with an ending that is a
refreshing surprise and just right. I'm looking forward to more from
this exceptional writer. She has the knack to make the learning of
history exciting and leave kids begging for more.
|
"Widow, Virgin, Whore"
by Deanna Lynn
Sletten Very intriguing and very real story about three women's lives and how the actions they took from the beginning tell the tale of their outcome. After considering the title, 'Widow, Virgin, Whore,' I think it is the most appropriate for this story. Denise is the thirty-six year old virgin, Darla is the whore, and Katherine is the widow. But how their lives come together in the beginning and the end, is a mix of emotions from the reader. Darla has been the party animal for the most part of her life. Everyday she goes out with friends, changes boyfriends every month, and doesn't consider the important things in life. Especially her teenage daughter, Chelsea. Denise is the quiet shy one, which is funny because Darla is her sister! They are complete opposites. But Denise has her reasons for being the way she is, and also keeping her virginity all these years. Katherine lost her husband some years ago in a car accident. She has been grieving ever since, but keeps busy with her son Chris and also is starting a novel. When Katherine bought an old Victorian house, Denise agreed to share the house with her, but also invited Darla to stay along with Chelsea. It would be extra income for Katherine, plus giving Chelsea a stable home. Darla usually went out every night partying. But one night, she was unusually sick. This cold she had kept lingering. Finally, when the doctor diagnosed her, she had AIDS. The pneumonia was a result of the AIDS attacking her body and she couldn't fight off the cold normally. Darla was ashamed, so she told no one. But when it finally came out, Katherine was very supportive. Even though they've had their differences over the years, Katherine became her friend. She helped her with her medicine doses, brought her to support groups and got her through the bad times. In the end, you probably know the outcome. But what happens in the heart of the story is what you have to experience by reading about these three, very different women, and how AIDS affected all of their lives. Not just the one who was infected. Ms. Sletten integrates her research of AIDS into a very believable story. Darla, Katherine and Denise become part of your life as well. This very talented author gives you a real sense of what it's like to live and care for someone who has AIDS. The medicines, pills and the diseases and colds that become over-exaggerated because of this killing illness. You'll look at life a different way after reading this compelling novel.
by LISA of
Book
Review Cafe
|
Reviewed by: Midwest Book Review
Widow, Virgin, Whore
by Deanna Lynn Sletten
Xlibris Corporation
Women's Fiction
ISBN: 0738860123
Deanna Lynn Sletten's Widow, Virgin, Whore is a compelling novel of three
very different sisters who must all learn to cope with AIDS, the sickness
caused by HIV virus infection, in their lives. Focused upon family life and
the strains that conflicting personalities can put on human relationships,
Widow, Virgin, Whore Is An Engaging, Introspective, Skillfully Written Novel
From First Page To Last.
|
Review by: Teresa Cox For Women Writers |
5/01/02 |
|
Widow, Virgin, Whore Widow, Virgin, Whore is obviously the novel's title, but it is also how author Deanna Lynn Sletten describes the three main characters of her novel. Katherine (the widow) finds the house of her dreams, a Victorian that overlooks Puget Sound. Denise (the virgin) decides that she will move in with Katherine, her best friend since childhood. Denise asks Katherine to rent the space over the garage to Denise’s sister Darla (the whore) and Darla’s 12 year old daughter Chelsea. Katherine reluctantly agrees. She knows that she and Darla have always hated each other and yet she hears Denise’s plea for a stable home for Chelsea. Katherine knows that Chelsea has moved as often as Darla has and has had male companions and that seems to have been quite a few times. Katherine also feels that Chelsea will be a good companion for her own son Chris who is also 12 years old. Everyone moves into the new house and so the life of the novel begins. Darla is painted as an uncaring, irresponsible mom who wears red lipstick, wild silver shoes, and parties in bars, sleeping with a different man nightly. Katherine and Denise spend a great deal of time pointing out Darla’s less-acceptable features and Darla continues to anger them uncaringly while they all share the same space. This cycle grows vicious until Darla falls victim to the AIDS virus. From this point forward, the three unique women go through anger, frustration, and pain while finding peace and closeness within themselves and among each other. About halfway through the book the reader gets a broadened view of the realities of living with AIDS and how it effects the lives of those who have the virus as well as all of the people who touch their lives in even the slightest way. This novel seeks to raise the consciousness and expand the awareness of the impact of the AIDS virus in our lives. |
|
This site was last updated 05/27/08
