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B O O K R EV I EW S 2 1 9 life-givin g n atu r e o f t h at w orld . A s for w h at a w o m an is su p p o sed to b e like, th e n o v e l h as t h e in tegr ity o f b o t h r efu sin g t o ac c e p t easy an sw ers an d r efu sin g t o giv e u p ask in g. A r o m an t ic in terlu d e c u t t ragically sh o r t con fir m s R u t h ’ s ab ility to grow t h r o u gh lo v e b u t d o es n o t d efin e h er: n e it h e r t h r o u gh r o m an ce n o r traged y is it a closu re fo r life or n o v e l. In m ore t h an o n e sen se, sh e is a n o u tsid er a t th e en d , d eep ly h u r t b u t str o n g in facin g an o p e n fu tu re, alth o u gh p er h ap s m or e ab le to c o n n e c t w ith p e o p le in h e r co m m u n ity st r o n g e n o u gh t o ac c e p t her. R u t h ’s m oth er , Cally , is q u ick ly sk et ch ed , b u t m em orab ly : C ally , too, is an ou tsid er, b u t d e m e an in g an d selfish in h e r at t e m p t s to c o n t r o l R u t h . O n e sen ses t h at th e au t h o r fin d s in C a lly n o t ju st a n e gat iv e en ergy again st w h ich R u t h c a n d efin e h erself, b u t also a figu re in w h ose d ar k n ess lies a p ar t o f t h e h istor y o f cr ab b e d h u m a n p o t e n t ial t h at n e e d s to b e u n d er stood . T h e stu rd y ach ie v e m e n t o f Sm all R ock s R isin g is su ch t h at o n e h o p e s Su sa n Lan g w ill follow u p t h is first n o v e l w ith fu r th er exp lo r at io n s o f v iv id ly p lace d an d q u e st in g ch ar acter s. T h e ach ie v e m e n t is also su ch t h at o n e e xp e ct s h e r w o m e n t o b e stu b b o rn ly u n settlin g. M a n 1H allock Foote: A u th or-1Liust rator o f th e W est. By D arlis A . M iller. N o r m a n : U n i v e r s i t y o f O k l a h o m a P r e s s, 2 0 0 2 . 2 7 0 p a g e s , $ 2 9 .9 5 . R e ad in g A V...

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