All the Living

Categories: Fiction

I’ve written posts about a few novels set in the Appalachian mountains—Serena, The Well and the Mine, the novels of Silas House—and here’s another one.  Kentucky writer C. E. Morgan’s All the Living is another beautiful work with that setting.

Orphaned young, Aloma was sent to a mission school by her aunt and uncle, so she’s not quite as native to her native mountains as she was.  She poured her heart and soul into her piano lessons, having few other joys or attachments in life, until agriculture student Orren Bell swept her up at a school dance, and they began an intoxicating affair.

Now, after his own family’s sudden death, Orren has inherited his family’s mountain farm, and Aloma has come to live with him, daringly unmarried.  But the house is so grim, the work so unrelenting, and the piano he promised her an untuneable wreck.  She learns to work in the house, at least, but her dreams of getting out clash with Orren’s dreams of rescuing his family farm.

Aloma gets herself hired to play the piano at a nearby church, evading the preacher’s questions, since she’s sure he’ll never hire a woman living in sin.  Her anger against Orren builds as he seems to ignore her, pouring all his efforts into the farm.  Her days with the charismatic young preacher and her music become temptingly important to her.

This is a lovely portrait of the give and take of a relationship; Orren’s grief and Aloma’s wariness, which between them may wreck their chances, are subtly drawn.  And of course the beautifully realized Appalachian setting is a strong part of the book’s appeal.  So here’s another one to take home and savor.