Loved this story! As with most historical fiction books I read, I'm amazed at what I learn. I never thought about how turpentine was made, but I have read other books that portray the work camps (harvesting whatever) that sucked the workers in and dug their claws in, making it nearly impossible for the workers to ever leave (thanks to having to buy everything through the camp store.)
In this book, we follow Rae Lynn Cobb, who is forced to leave her home after a tragedy, and disguise herself as a man.
There are some dark moments in this story, times where I was so angry at certain characters and felt so scared for others, that I had to remind myself this was fiction! What always resonates with me though, is the knowledge that it is somewhat based on fact, and that people suffered horrific living conditions just to survive.
The author does such a great job of sucking you in, I felt like I was in the scene, was a part of camp (and the farm later in the story,) part of the character's lives as they journey to build relationships, build a family of sorts, and persevere!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this wonderful historical fiction novel. ( )

"The Saints of Swallow Hill" by Donna Everhart is only the second book I have read of hers and it was better than the first one I had read, which was great too. I was never much into Depression-era books, though I can remember stories my grandparents and great-grandparents told me. While my family was not from the same region, there were many similarities. I had heard of the "Tar Heel" state before but didn't have a clue. During the reading of the book, I looked up some information on this very thing and found the book to be accurate. It could have been a true story.

The book flowed great. It sparks a lot of emotion at times because you can feel what these characters are going through, which tells you that the character development is terrific. I suppose being a female today and reading about what certain women went through in those days, it could also make you feel blessed. I would also say that Everhart has a great propensity for descriptive writing. You can see what she is writing. When the book plays out in your mind like a movie, that is a sign that the author has done a wonderful job of setting the scene and describing it to the point of viewing it mentally. I love that about this book and so far the other I read too ("The Forgiving Kind").

If you love books that are full of hardships, friendships, full of descriptive writing, characters that you grow attached to, and a storyline that you could see as a movie, then it's a book that you should definitely read. I highly recommend it! ( )

3.5⭐️

Set in the depression-era South, The Saints of Swallow Hill by Donna Everhart gives us a look into the turpentine industry and the people employed in the work camps around the pine forests. The story revolves around Rae Lynn Cobb and Delwood ‘Del’ Reese both of whom find themselves under the employ of the Swallow Hill work camp in Georgia. Del has a working knowledge of the trade, his parents having once worked in a similar camp when he was a child. However, before Swallow Hill, he was employed on a farm where his promiscuous misadventures with the wives of his boss and coworkers got him into trouble. Rae Lynn ,recently widowed under tragic circumstances, once ran a small-scale turpentine farm with her late husband . In an attempt to escape her previous life she on the run and ends up at the Swallow Hill camp. Disguised as a man “Ray Cobb” she seeks employment and is put to work with the rest of the men. She finds it difficult to keep up with the men in the labor intensive work required of the job, which places her in the crosshairs of Crow, one of the most vile overseers who also has an issue with Del on account of Del’s easy demeanor and fair treatment of all the workers in the camp, irrespective of the color of their skin. 'Ray' and Del meet and gradually become friends, with Del even saving 'Ray'’s life when Crow metes out particularly harsh punishment for Ray being unable to meet the requisite daily quota. The narrative alternates between Rae Lynn and Del’s PoVs and takes us through their backstories and describes the difficult working conditions in the camps and the cruelty that some of the overseers inflict on the workers. The story also explores racism and misogyny in both the workplace and society in general. The pace does falter in places but overall, the story is engaging.

I enjoyed Rae Lynn's story most of all. Her friendship with Cornelia “Nellie”, the wife of the abusive Otis who owns and operates the commissary in the camp, was one of the brighter tracks in what was mostly a dark and melancholic narrative. However, the romantic track between Del and Rae Lynn felt a bit forced and I felt Del’s story was left somewhat undeveloped. What is described as a significant moment in Del’s life, a moment that had a life-changing impact, is not explored in much depth and is mentioned only in passing in the latter part of the novel. But overall I did enjoy the story and was impressed with the writing. . This is a very well-researched novel with vivid imagery and a realistic portrayal of characters and their motivations. Heartbreaking yet insightful and informative, The Saints of Swallow Hill by Donna Everhart tells a story of friendship, hope and survival in an era of economic hardship and societal injustice wherein one struggled to simply stay alive and earn a living under the most adverse conditions.
This was my first Donna Everhart novel and I look forward to reading more of her work. ( )

Nothing special except for some basic detail on how turpentine was harvested during the Great Depression. Men mistreating wives; white bosses mistreating their mostly-Black workers; an LGBTQ character thrown in. ( )

3.5 stars as it was a bit depressing. ( )