Home to Big Stone Gap

October 1, 2006
As a narrator, Trigiani slips into the roles of the characters she created as naturally and comfortably as she would a well-worn pair of slippers. As the creator of protagonist Ave Maria, Trigiani has a deep understanding of the character and is able to express all her emotional nuances: her trepidation at all the sweeping changes in her life (her daughter has gotten married and moved overseas to Italy; her husband's health takes a frightening turn for the worse; she discovers that her best friend has been keeping a life-shattering secret from her); her deep love for her family, friends and town; and most of all, her ability to embrace all the lessons life has to offer, good and bad. Trigiani's narration makes all of the colorful characters feel real. They all have a Virginia "country" accent, but she deepens her voice here, adds an emphasized "twang" there to create distinctive voices for each character. Fans of this warm, homey series will find added dimension by listening to their favorite characters brought so perfectly to life. Simultaneous release with the Random House hardcover (Reviews, Sept. 4).

October 1, 2006
This latest "Big Stone Gap" novel begins in 1998, where Milk Glass Moon ends, just after the Italian wedding of Ave Maria's daughter. Back home, Ave Maria is trying to deal with Etta's new life in Italy, husband Jack's health issues, and his possible job with a surface mining company, as well as the threat to her cherished friendship with Iva Lou. Toss in another wedding, a local production of The Sound of Music, and a possible house swap abroad. All of this forces Ave Maria to examine her past so she can face the future with confidence and joy. Maybe it's the four-year gap between books, but even the inclusion of recipes and Trigiani's familiar humor don't seem to be able to improve this disappointing novel. Unlike Jan Karon's "Mitford" novels, Trigiani's characters don't seem to hold up as well over time. Purchase for public libraries where there's high demand for this series. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 5/1/06.]Rebecca Kelm, Northern Kentucky Univ. Lib., Highland Heights

Copyright 2006 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from October 1, 2006
Tucked in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia is Big Stone Gap, the bucolic backdrop for Trigiani's popular series. In this fourth entry, Ave Maria Mulligan MacChesney and her husband, Jack, must come to terms with the absence of daughter Etta, newly married and living in Italy. (The country holds a special place in Ave Maria's heart: her biological father, Mario, whom she learned of and met only after her mother's death, is Italian.) Ave Maria has plenty to keep her mind off missing her only child (the MacChesney's son, Joe, died of leukemia at age four). She's a full-time pharmacist and the newly appointed director of the town's annual musical. Then comes news that her longtime friend, glamorous librarian Iva Lou, has been keeping a startling secret for nearly 20 years. Other developments, including a health scare for Jack and a Christmas visit from a colorful former resident, move the plot along briskly. With her original cast of characters, playwright and television writer Trigiani blends playfulness and pathos in this evocative portrait of a small southern town. Fans of the Big Stone Gap series can look forward to a feature film; Trigiani has written the screenplay and is slated to direct.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)

September 4, 2006
The delightful Blue Ridge Mountain town of Big Stone Gap, Va., once again comes to life through the voice of Ave Maria MacChesney in Trigiani's fourth entry in the series. Ave has just returned from an emotional trip to daughter Etta's wedding in Italy with her husband, Jack. As Ave learns to juggle empty-nest freedoms with the ache of loss, Jack's sudden health problems send Ave into a quiet panic. She struggles to be supportive while imagining the worst. Her fears allayed, she ends up directing the town's annual winter musical, a production of The Sound of Music
that would send the Von Trapp family heading for the hills. Adding to the mix, Ave's close buddy, Iva Lou, becomes distant when a long-held secret surfaces, threatening their friendship. Thankfully, Theodore Tipton, the town "rock star," returns from New York City for a holiday visit. Memorable characters and smalltown magic (including recipes) continue to have appeal, but unwanted pregnancies, mountain strip-mining, the rearing up of old griefs and a trip to Scotland (given short shrift) have a kitchen-sink feel.