Name: If the Creek Don't Rise
Rating: 3.625 (8 reviews)
ISBN: 9781432844424

Leah Weiss

A LibraryReads PickAn Indie Next PickHe's gonna be sorry he ever messed with me and Loretta Lynn. Sadie Blue has been a wife for fifteen days -- long enough to know she should have never hitched herself to Roy Tupkin, even with the baby. When a stranger sweeps into Baines Creek and knocks things off kilter, Sadie sees an unexpected lifeline . . . if she can just figure out how to use it.

If the Creek Don't Rise

He's gonna be sorry he ever messed with me and Loretta Lynn Sadie Blue has been a wife for fifteen days. That's long enough to know she should have never hitched herself to Roy Tupkin, even with the baby. Sadie is desperate to make her own mark on the world, but in remote Appalachia, a ticket out of town is hard to come by, and hope often gets stomped out. When a stranger sweeps into Baines Creek and knocks things off kilter, Sadie finds herself with an unexpected lifeline...if she can just figure out how to use it. This intimate insight into a fiercely proud, tenacious community unfolds through the voices of the forgotten folks of Baines Creek. With a colorful cast of characters that each contribute a new perspective, IF THE CREEK DON'T RISE is a debut novel bursting with heart, honesty, and homegrown grit.

A Novel

Kath Lau

Check out my other reviews here.

The story is set in Baines Creek, a small remote town in Appalachian mountains, North Carolina during the 70's. The people in this isolated town are facing huge social problems such as lack of education, poverty, and domestic violence.

This book is written in multiple perspectives which I truly loved. It adds more depth to the story and characters. Speaking of characters, this books has a lot of amazing, authentic and unforgettable ones. We get to meet Sadie Blue, a young pregnant girl who has been married for fifteen days to his alcoholic and abusive husband Roy Tupkin; Gladys Hicks, her grandmother whose past has also been difficult; Sadie's aunt Marris Jones who is very kind and loving; Preacher Eli Perkins and her spiteful sister Prudence; Kate Shaw, a very passionate teacher/person and a newcomer from the city; Birdie Rocas, the local "witch" with a crow nest on on her head; Billy Barnhill, Roy's "shadow"; and a young boy named Tattler Swan. My personal favorites were Sadie, Marris, Kate, and Birdie. I loved the sincerity and compassion that they've shown to others.

The writing style matches the story perfectly. It was unusual yet captivating. The author managed to take me Baines Creek and introduced me to the town and its people. She made me feel their sorrow and pain. Some scenes were too heavy and hard to read (expecially the violent scenes) but there were also heartwarming and touching ones. I had no problem adjusting with the narration and here were also some phrases (old words) that I wasn't familiar of but it didn't stop me from enjoying the story.

My only problem was there were some interesting and important incidents that were never mentioned again towards the end. In my opinion, the story isn't only about Sadie. It's about all of the characters in the story. The ending was unexpected. I wasn't expecting that at all. It felt quite abrupt but I thought it was brilliant.

If The Creek Don't Rise is an astounding debut novel that will definitely stays with me for quite a while. Highly recommended!

*Huge thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.*

If the Creek Don't Rise

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