Book Review: Turtle Valley

After reading Robert Morgan's Gap Creek, I went on a hunt of other works of literature that had similar characters who are realistic, hard, and genuine. Yet, it was not until I stumbled upon this novel that I found Morgan's match. Gail Anderson-Dargatz is a beautiful writer who knows how to balance plot and character. What emerges is a fantastic story about love, hardship, redemption, family, and the power of one's own character.


When Kat returns to her hometown of Turtle Valley, it is under the duress of impending fire. Yet it is clear that the fire is not the greatest hurdle Kat will have to combat. Upon her return, she is faced with her unresolved feelings towards her ex-lover. Accompanying her on this return to Turtle Valley is her invalid husband and overly emotional son. To add to her stress, she must pack up her parents' house and move them to another location while the fire rages. Additionally, her mother is suffering from memory loss and her father is on his death bed. Kat must deal with her past and present while the fire rages and threatens her future.

While Kat is contemplating the choices available to her, she stumbles upon her grandmother's papers. In these papers, Kat finds that her grandmother once battled with the same internal demons as she is. This second storyline can be confusing at times and I found myself wishing to go back to Kat's plot, however, it all came together beautifully. Clearly this book is character driven, so if you are not interested in personal growth and development then this novel may not be for you. However, if you like psychological books that challenge your emotions then this is right up your alley! It is a strong novel written by a strong author about strong characters meant for a strong reader.

-DLP