Saturday, July 29, 2017

Eyes Of A Valley Girl Is A Unique Look At The 60s

By Mark Ellis


This book is in the genre of retro autobiographical fantasy. The main character, Marianne, goes through a journey of ranging emotions of and prospects. The setting is in Southern California in a suburban town in the 1960s. When you read Eyes of a Valley Girl by MW Lilly, you'll feel like you're experiencing the story just like you were there with her.

The 60s for a lot of people were all about compassion and optimism, and those themes are quite emphasized in the book. The storyteller witnesses good things and people not perishing due to bad experiences and lack of support. Marianne brings her very cosmic view of the universe and humanity and brings it into the reader's thinking.

The woman who wrote this novel, MW Lilly, is a Hollywood native but moved with her family to the Valley back in 1958. In Van Nuys, she attended Birmingham High School. She currently resides in South Kona, which is on the Island of Hawaii.

People who have read the book are saying that it's fun to read, with also some bittersweetness in there as well. By viewing the story from the perspective of this particular woman, and in the time period that it's set in, there are interesting and unique experiences abound. However, the subject matter dealt with always has some pain and struggle involved, though it's buffered with much humor and success.

In this kind of a book, it's imperative that the author has a strong, well-defined voice that will carry you through the story and be believable that the author is actually the character. MW Lilly couldn't be more authentic sharing her own personal experiences and peppering in perfect amounts of humor and angst. She delivers very clear descriptions and makes you feel like you're there with her.

Some of us enjoy reading because you get to learn things that you've never even heard of if you're reading attentively. Lilly throws in a lot of informative details about things like French cooking and culture, and even a bit of La Belle Epoque. She also talks about Ganesha, and describes the symbolism of this deity.

Being optimistic and compassionate are recurring underlying themes in this story that help the protagonist get through the troubles she's experiencing. Living with a parent who is an alcoholic and abusive is a painful thing to live with, and something that is portrayed from a very personal angle in this story. We are shown how she gets through these struggles, and it's an encouraging story in a way that only autobiographical pieces of work can be.

Promise and courage can be very powerful concepts for those who are going through tough or confusing times, such as moving on into adulthood. When one is coming of age, one needs the reassurance of what life's going to be, or just that they are going to be okay and are going to be able to figure things out, because it can be so overwhelming. This coming of age story is a great pick for anyone, and it comes highly recommended.




About the Author:



No comments: