At first, the story seemed to drag, I wasn't that interested in the time, location or characters. But as I continued to read, I grew to like Cussy as a character and got a better sense of the world in which she is living. Her love of books, her situation, and those around her made the story interesting and made me curious to find out more. Though I feel the book is not for me. It seems like a good read for those interested in historical fiction especially as it pertains to the south.