The Moonflower Vine (1962)

The Moonflower Vine is considered lost classic by an author who was considered to be a one-book author until a second manuscript was discovered just a few years ago. It concerns the Soames family, living in rural Missouri in the early 20th century. Patriarch Matthew is a high school teacher and farmer. His wife Callie is illiterate, and her main desire in life is to be a loyal housewife and good mother. Their daughters rebel in various ways and encounter heartbreak and tragedy. The whole novel revolves around the farm and the nuclear family - we hear tell of the daughters' more successful and more cosmopolitan adult lives, but they are not as real as the farm with no plumbing and the broody hens and cows. It is a more complex book than meets the eye; the characters are well -drawn. With all these daughters, it's really not a "woman's novel." Matthew is perhaps the most fully realized and interesting character. The book started slowly, and I'm a little skeptical of the "lost classic" designation, but I enjoyed the book and I'm glad I stuck it out. ( )

The story of a family in rural Missouri unfolds from the point of view of each member. Lovely descriptions of farm life, and some spicy secrets too. A good book for when you're in the mood for a leisurely read. ( )

http://www.bostonbibliophile.com/2011/11/review-moonflower-vine-by-jetta.html ( )

The story is of a family living in the rural south in the early 20th century. The father is a small town school teacher and he and his wife also work a small farm. They have four daughters. The first part of the novel describes a summer when three of the girls, adults now and living a distance away, come home for two weeks. It is a sweet story of a close family, not without tensions, but basically a happy story. In the rest of the novel, she devotes a chapter to each of them, peeling away a layer and looking at key moments in their lives. Needless to say, it adds great dimension to the story, some real surprises, and is a very effective way to look at the characters. The writing is first rate. ( )

I became interested in this book after reading that it was a favorite of Jane Smiley. First published in 1962 and written at a leisurely pace, one wonders what is so compelling that you have to keep reading, but you do. It is the story of the Soames family and each parent and the sisters relate their "truth" of growing up and the family life. Just as you are lulled into the complacency of the slow life in Missouri, there is a twist to the story with a surprise at the end of the novel. My only wish would be to know more of the adult life of the sisters but that is just because you have gotten to know them and you want to learn more. ( )