These High Green Hills

The Mitford Years: 2

ISBN: 1-7887-0664-0 Order from: Recorded Books

A meandering, warm and charming narrative is marred by exaggerated colloquialism and a heavy hand with religion.

Reviewed by David on December 31, 1999

Genre: Fiction

Synopsis: This sequel to At Home in Mitford, shows a small North Carolina town of Mitford, with a cast of colorful characters, a heavy leavening of religion, human pain and human joy, and the beauty of human spirit reflected by the beauty of the world.

Father Tim Kavanaugh, a rector of Lord's Chapel, an Episcopal church in the fictional town of Mitford, forms the core of this narrative about the quirks, achievements and losses of the colorful inhabitants of the small North Caroline town.

Enjoying his unexpected marriage to a talented neighbor, exasparated and charmed by his parisheners, Father Tim does his best to help people get along, sooth the pain and correct injustice. From interior decoration to child abuse, Father Tim and his friends struggle with the problems of life. And yet for every loss, there is a treasure of joy, from the beaty of nature to the beauty of the spirit, friendship and love, pride and achievement.

Full Review: This is an unabridged recording of These High Green Hills.

The warmth and charm of the narrative is well translated in the reading of Mr. McDonough. Full of expressive joy that the protagonist and his wife can find in the toughest situations, this book is a celebration of courage and kindness.

Unfortunately, the persistent southern dialect begins to wear after a while in this lengthy novel, and the religious homilies, while appropriate for Father Tim, begin to cloy when frequently verbalized by every positive character.

While a skilled and pleasant novel, with a healthy dose of realism complemented by the inherent optimism of the protagonist, the two flaws, exacerbated by the (intentional) lack of plot make the entertainment value of the book to be rather low.

Overall: 4.5; Plot: 5; Characters: 6; Style: 6; World-building: 6.5; Originality: 5;

ISBN: 1-7887-0664-0 Order from: Recorded Books