A Short Time to Stay Here
Sep 25, 2012
Author: Terry Roberts
Publisher: Ingalls Publishing Group
Publication Date: September, 2012
ISBN:978-1-932158991
When I first received this book, I was mildly interested in the fact that the story is based on the true fact that during WWII, there was a German internment camp set up in the North Carolina mountains. Nothing else grabbed me about the story.
But it should have.
This is a great story. Very well written with characters that I fell in love with immediately. This sounds at first like a big story but in actuality it's very small... It's about Stephen Robbins, one person - and the people that surround him, soothe him, temper his demons and provide him love and respect.
He ran the giant hotel as The Manager, until the government turned it into a war camp with 2,000 prisoners and informed him he was now The Warden. Stephen sees people, not races or nationalities or colors. He does his best to respect others, as long as they respect him.
At first I felt he is a meek fellow in over his head, but soon realized Stephen is tough as nails and won't back down.........ever. He appears weak, then suave, then stubborn and strong. It takes a while to figure out what drives him. His heritage and upbringing is a total surprise when discovered.
The writing is filled with a dry, sharp wit that you could miss in spots if you don't pay attention while reading. Stephen is a character with many layers that you enjoy watching unfurl as events turn into a need for action.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would be more than happy to follow Stephen into another set of pages, should that ever happen.
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Reviewed by Idgie. If you would like to have the Dew review a book, please contact me at dewonthekudzu@gmail.com
