Book cover of Betty

Book description

'A coming-of-age story filled with magic in language and plot: beautiful and devastating'
Observer, Books of the Year

'I felt consumed by this book. I loved it, you will love it'
Daisy Johnson, author of Sisters

'A page-turning Appalachian coming-of-age story told in undulating prose that settles right into you'

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Why read it?

2 authors picked Betty as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Oh boy, am I glad I picked up a copy of this.

Although the cover did nothing to attract me, it turned out to be one of those rare books you want everybody to read. Even though it was quite a long book, at around 480 pages, I loved every single sentence. The plot, the references to Native American culture, characterization, you name it. Superb. 

Betty is a fictionalized account of Tiffany McDaniel’s mother’s upbringing in the foothills of the Appalachians. It is a stark rendering of how family secrets, hidden by the previous generations, often inadvertently spill into the future and affect other family members. 

McDaniel’s hard-hitting story is filled with abuse of all kinds. It is a tale of struggle, hardship, and determination, as her mother, Betty Carpenter, learns of her own mother’s past and copes with a Cherokee heritage from her father. This novel is sure to leave an indelible mark on any reader, but it also shines a light of…

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A moving story of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.

German pianist Hedda Schlagel's world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda…

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