James Villas

Reader Comments about DANCING IN THE LOWCOUNTRY

Kensington
ISBN: 9780758228475
(September 30, 2008)

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Here are comments from our group of Advance Readers about DANCING IN THE LOWCOUNTRY by James Villas.

Ann from Madison, TN

What other southern writers do you usually read?
I don't usually characterize authors as southern (or not) in my book journal, but Dorothy Allison (CAVEDWELLER and BASTARD OUT OF CAROLINA), Charlaine Harris, Anne George, Mary Kay Andrews and Anne Rivers Siddons come to mind.
 
What did you think of DANCING IN THE LOWCOUNTRY?
I liked it. The lowcountry setting is a place I love to read about and wish I could visit (especially to eat some of the food described in the book!). I liked the characters, especially (of course!) Ella and Goldie. The other appeal is the revelations about times past as well as the future, and how they are different --- and yet connected. Learning about the past through recollections about Ella's life and her regrets was interesting. We can learn new things about ourselves at any age!
 
Would you ever read a future book by James Villas?
I would, if given the opportunity.

Gale from Houston, TN

What other southern writers do you usually read?
I don't have a list of southern authors I read. This book was different from the mystery/suspense genres I usually read, and it was a very pleasant diversion.
 
What did you think of DANCING IN THE LOWCOUNTRY?
This is a lovely story about family that is beautifully written, with memorable characters. Southern lady Ella Dubose takes a trip with her Cherokee companion, Goldie Russell, to recapture some of her youth in Myrtle Beach, S.C. There, she is reminded of a secret old love and is confronted with new romance. Ella is to meet up with her author son, Tyler, who has secrets of his own. In this first novel by Villas, his love of the lowcountry shines through. 
 
Would you ever read a future book by James Villas?
Yes.

Jackie from Omaha, NE

What other southern writers do you usually read?
Villas was my first southern writer, and though it was a change of pace for me (I usually read mystery/thrillers), I enjoyed reading this book from start to finish.
 
What did you think of DANCING IN THE LOWCOUNTRY?
I thought this was a great story. I loved Ella, and the food and scenery made me wish for a vacation in South Carolina.
 
Would you ever read a future book by James Villas?
I would definitely read another book by James Villas. He creates good characters and a nice, fun read.

Mary from Atlanta, GA

What other southern writers do you usually read?
I read Bobbie Ann Mason, Fannie Flagg, James Lee Burke, Pat Conroy, Maya Angelou, Peter Taylor, Alice Walker, Lee Smith, Kaye Gibbons, and Ellen Gilchrist, as well as classic southern writers, of course, such as William Faulkner, Flannery O'Connor, Eudora Welty, Harper Lee, etc.
 
What did you think of DANCING IN THE LOWCOUNTRY?
What a treat from James Villas. Ella Dubose brings family, her companion and several secrets of her past to the Priscilla, a gracefully aging hotel near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. In the process of preparing to share her secrets with her family, Ella discovers that living in today and moving toward tomorrow gives her a choice.  Secrets are powerful, and revealing them would --- she thinks --- bring peace to her and insights to her family.  Gently, Ella gains wisdom, and her heart learns that secrets can be baggage that we hold onto for our own reasons. The choices that this delightful, near-eccentric and lovely southern woman must make are universal. Ella, her family and her new friends are delightful and personable, and Villas captures the flavors and manners of a special, fascinating southern culture.
 
Would you ever read a future book by James Villas?
Of course, I would read more fiction by James Villas. His sense of place is memorable, and his writing appeals to the senses so exquisitely.

Jane from Owensboro, KY

What other southern writers do you usually read?
Pat Conroy, Tom Wolfe, Terry Kay, Anne Rivers Siddons, Mark Childress, and Reynolds Price.
 
What did you think of DANCING IN THE LOWCOUNTRY?
I thought it was an average read; it was pretty predictable. I would feel safe passing this book on to my mom. It would make an enjoyable beach read --- nothing to tax your brain.
 
Would you ever read a future book by James Villas?
Maybe, but I would not be enthusiastic enough about his writing to buy one of his books in hardcover.
 
I felt like he was almost making fun of his main character by making her a "character", instead of writing about an actual Southern eccentric lady.  My experience is that they tend to be much more complex than this surface portrayal.

Jo from Staten Island, NY

What other southern writers do you usually read?
I like Fannie Flagg and Pat Conroy.
 
What did you think of DANCING IN THE LOWCOUNTRY?
I liked the first 50 pages quite a lot, but then I lost interest. I didn't finish the book.
 
Would you ever read a future book by James Villas?
Sure.

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