I really enjoyed this book and the main character, Julie. She is amazing! I can understand why some people thought this book was depressing---she goes through so much hardship. Personally, I was inspired. It helped me appreciate my modern conveniences and ease of life.
I was especially impressed with Julie's strength---both physical and mental---and wisdom for her age. She was very insightful in knowing how to maintain peace in her home despite troubles. What acceptance, too! I felt humbled in realizing how much I have to be thankful for and what I can personally do to improve myself. I wanted to throttle Hank so many times---my husband is a saint by comparison. I mean, could Hank just have once put aside his pride and told Julie he appreciated her???
I didn't want this book to end. It was written in 1999 so I am pessimistic about expecting a sequel. I wish I could know what happened to them. It felt like it ended just as a new chapter in their lives began! Please Mr. Morgan, can we have some more?

I picked this book up from the second-hand bookstore near where I work on a particularly rainy and grey Sunday. Since I haven't been reading like I used to, I wanted something easy to get me back in the groove, and this book, and the snippet of review from the NYT on the cover, caught my eye.

It's interesting enough, and the first 50 pages or so drew me in like crazy (hint: gruesome death), but as I neared the end, I realized that there wasn't really ever going to be any story or any real resolution to this novel. It's well-written enough, though the honky-tonk drawl of the first-person narrator can be a bit distracting. The main beef I had with this book was the (male) author's penchant for writing long descriptive passages of exclusively female experiences (like childbirth, and sex - which really read like an account of what men THINK sex is like for women but bears no resemblance to my experience of it, anyway). I don't want to be a gender elitist here, but it wasn't convincing, and it seemed a bit patronising.

All in all, this was a fine summer read, but it didn't make me think anything new, though it did prime the pump for something with a little more bite.

I finished this book several days ago and I'm still thinking about it. That, to me, is the mark of a great story. I had to keep reminding myself that Julie, the main character, was only 17 years old. The time of her life that we get to see is inspiring and heart breaking.

I picked this up and it immediately caught my attention. I read a little bit at night before bed over a couple of nights and then took it to work today where I sat and finished it in a couple of hours. I know a lot of people did not like the way it was written but I had no problem overlooking the "ignorant" speech of the characters. They were what they were. The other complaint that some of my friends had was that the title would seem to indicate it covered the whole marriage or at least a good part of it. Instead, it was just a glimpse into the early part (like about the first year or so) of a marriage. It was about the beginning and the laying of the foundation of a marriage I would say. The story was touching and sad and made me infinitely grateful to live in a time where life is easier. The way uneducated and poor people lived was hard and life was an uncertain for the young and old alike. This book gave me a tiny peek into the life of a girl who had to grow up too fast and take on responsibilities in order for her family to survive. Marriage provided no relief and she had to work even harder in order to make a life with her husband. She had this deep well of inner strength that only grew stronger as each trial came her way. I found myself wanting the Julie and Hank to make it,but at the same time, I wanted to smack Hand and make him man up. They were both so young and so ignorant about things. All that being said, this was a great book and was well worth the time.

I've been an Oprah Book Club fan since the beginning, may be in the minority. I thought this book was great, simple but raw. I love books set in the Appalachian's. My first book by Robert Morgan, I like his style of writing. Look forward to more fm this author!

This book, written by a North Carolina native who was born and raised in the very lands he writes about, sensitively brings back to life a now distant time, and a way of life that has all but completely vanished except in rural Appalachia. It reminds those of us sitting comfortably in our easy chairs, sipping lattes, and reading books how difficult life once was just a century ago. Set in the Blue Ridge mountains, along the border of North and South Carolina, it is the story of a poor, young, newlywed couple's hardships and struggles during their first year of marriage while living in Gap Creek, South Carolina. Relentless hardship causes them both to grow up in a very short period of time. Written as a first-person narrative, Julie's story will leave you thinking.

It would have been less painful to just slit my wrists and get it over with. Rarely have I read a more bleak book.

'It's for a challenge.' momma said.
'It's an Oprah recommendation too.' poppa said
'It's a classic.' Hank said.
'And it's short.' I said.
'It's a southern tale.' Hank said.
'It has sentences like "We washed the floor until the planks was raw".' momma said.
'But the conversations are extremely annoying.' poppa said.
'Oprah and I don't like the same books.' I said.
'You'll be glad when it's over.' Hank said.
'The story are slightly okay, but the accent and writing makes me dislike reading it.' I said.
'That's gonna be a low rating then.' Poppa said.
'No more than two stars.' momma said.
'Indeed so.' I said.

And with that you've basically read the entire book. I've read another book this year with similar conversations. Had this story been longer I would not have finished it for the '....said' dialogues.

Morgan has created the most simple yet fascinating characters, their words are so straightforward and the life they lead is so physically and mentally demanding. I was definitely left wanting more and to know how Julie and Hank ended up years later.

One of my favorite books of all time is Winter Wheat by Mildred Walker and Gap Creek has a very similar feel. It’s an easy and extremely enjoyable read.

I tend to enjoy living fiction books, so there was a lot I enjoyed about this book. The reason I rated it with 3 stars is there were a few parts I had to skip over because of explicit content, which I never read. The ending is also very abrupt and, in my opinion, unsatisfying. It's unfortunate, because this had the makings of a really great read, but these 2 issues really affected the outcome.

This was a revisit to one of my favorite books. I read it first several years ago, and when I picked it up this time, I expected to love it again. I did (eventually) really enjoy it. The characters grow, and find strength for very difficult things. However… the voice of the main character (Julie) near about drove me crazy.

A good book that follows the life of a young girl in late 19th Century Carolina’s life. It definitely shows the life style of rural mountain living and the trials and tribulations that post civil war life was like. Would recommend reading but mostly like won’t read twice.