Rosemount (Book) - 2/24/2001 5:03:36 PM
Sixteen-year-old Leslie Cahill makes good grades, has nice friends, and a family who loves her. A talented pianist and a good hand with a horse, Leslie loves her home, a ranch in Washington state, and is devastated when she finds out her dad, John Cahill, intends to send her away to school. After a young girl is attacked at the local high school of Chewack, John sees no other alternative. Having raised her alone after his wife died, the safety of his daughter is paramount.
Leslie sees it differently and suspects she is being sent away in order to make room in her Dad's life for his new love interest, Lilith, and her daughter Roxanne. Leslie, hurt and saddened to the point of desperation, takes the situation into her own hands, and with disastrous results. This story is about perception, family ties and love, and the danger of supposing what motivates another. Throughout the story Leslie's heart is always right, her actions always understandable, and the lessons she learns always real.
Rosemount, though listed as a young adult novel, is just a plain good read, no matter your age. Ms. Trimble knows ranching, livestock, and the lay of the land in this story that takes the reader on a cross-country journey filled with authentic detail, and I know because I lived there. She knows the teenage heart and mind, too, and seems to understand a parent's anguish when they fear for their children, a striking contrast that Ms. Trimble handles with exceptional skill and insight.
From the first page to the last, I was captivated by the story and involved with the unique cast of characters: Leslie, John, Wade, and Cyrus, one of my personal favorites, Maureen, Clem, another personal favorite, Dutch, and even Roxanne. As Clem says, "Plannin' ain't doin'," and that's the truth. Don't plan on reading this entertaining tale, but do so. Even though I've just now finished the story, I miss the characters already. I highly recommend this book to readers of any age, sixteen to sixty and beyond. I hope we can look forward to more novels from Mary Trimble, a sublime storyteller, with a knack for bringing to the surface the treasures that are right in front of us, but so easily missed.
Rosemount (Book) - 2/4/2001 4:25:48 PM
If you’ve forgotten the bewilderment of being a teen, Mary E. Trimble’s ROSEMOUNT will remind you. She makes you feel Leslie Cahill’s pain and agony. ROSEMOUNT is a delightful read and I highly recommend it. It is a book I plan to read with our four grandchildren, and recommend it for everyone.
