Synopsis
The companion to the bestseller Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, here is the tale that first introduced Siddalee, Vivi, their spirited Walker clan, and the indomitable Ya-Yas.
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Review
Little Altars Everywhere is much bleaker than its predecessor Divine Secrets of The Ya-Ya Sisterhood, told by Rebecca Wells with a whisky drawl. Divine Secrets was about heart break, bad parenting and loyalty, spiked with a delicious spitefulness that Scarlett O'Hara would have adored. It was impossible not to be bewitched and bewildered by the Southern charm and molten rage of Vivi and her friends, the Ya-Yas. Bad things happened but narrator Siddalee Walker, Vivi's eldest child, was left with "love and wonder" for her desperado, drunken mother. The charm and the drunken revelry is there in Little Altars Everywhere but it's more desperate and hung over and destructive.
Siddalee, once again, is the hub of the stories, a smart and sensitive raconteur, but the other children also take their part in unpicking the legend that is Vivi. Here Vivi Walker is larger than life and twice as scary, a sort of Mommie Dearest character where affectionate gestures are tainted with inappropriateness, and repressed anger and boredom snakes out into harsh violence. All her children are damaged in some way. Lulu becomes the town's best shop lifter, "The Princess of Gimme", whilst Baylor is depressed and emotionally "parked at the edge of a graveyard." Little Shep's story "Snuggling" goes a long way to explaining the crazy sadness of the Walker children; it tells of Vivi climbing into bed with him: "She looked at me and whispered, Give me a hug, Little Shep, give me a hug and a kiss ... then she reached down and started to rub her hand across one of my nipples." And "Willetta's Witness" brings on the darkness as all four children are "lined up against the wall of that brick house and everyone of them buck naked. Miz Vivi out there with a belt, whuppin' them like horses". Despite all this Little Altars isn't a depressing read; the whiplash wit and the whiskey phrases add some measure of merriment to the misery. --Eithne Farry
Review
"A hilarious and heartbreaking first novel." -- Booklist
"Wells' people pop with life." -- Kirkus Reviews
"Energetic and delicious.each voice is unique, independent and right on." -- Seattle Times
Wells people pop with life. --Kirkus Reviews
"Rebecca Wells has written a funny, eloquent and sad novel that easily leaps regional bounds."--Washington Post
"Wells effectively juxtaposes the innocence and joy of childhood reveries with the pain and guilt of adult memories."--Richmond Times-Dispatch
"Wells' people pop with life."--Kirkus Reviews
"A gem of a book....Wells offers a virtuoso performance."--Denver Post
"At the Walker family altar, sainthood is a one-way ticket to purgatory, and getting there is half the fun."--Columbus Dispatch
"A hilarious and heartbreaking first novel."--Booklist
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Little Altars Everywhere
Seller: World of Books (was SecondSale), Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Good. Item in good condition. Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc. Seller Inventory # 00041450516
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Little Altars Everywhere
Seller: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.
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Paperback. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0913089257I3N00
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Little Altars Everywhere
Seller: ZBK Books, Carlstadt, NJ, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: good. Fast & Free Shipping â" Good condition. It may show normal signs of use, such as light writing, highlighting, or library markings, but all pages are intact and the book is fully readable. A solid, complete copy that's ready to enjoy. Seller Inventory # ZWV.0913089257.G
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Little Altars Everywhere
Seller: HPB-Movies, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
paperback. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority! Seller Inventory # S_399400890
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Little Altars Everywhere
Seller: HPB-Ruby, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
paperback. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority! Seller Inventory # S_451583405
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Little Altars Everywhere
Seller: Wonder Book, Frederick, MD, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Good. Good condition. A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains. Bundled media such as CDs, DVDs, floppy disks or access codes may not be included. Seller Inventory # E09K-01002
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Little Altars Everywhere
Seller: Wonder Book, Frederick, MD, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Very Good. Very Good condition. A copy that may have a few cosmetic defects. May also contain light spine creasing or a few markings such as an owner's name, short gifter's inscription or light stamp. Seller Inventory # H21D-04679
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Little Altars Everywhere
Seller: GoldBooks, Denver, CO, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Paperback. Condition: very good. Very Good Copy. Customer Service Guaranteed. Seller Inventory # 11D11_12_0913089257
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Little Altars Everywhere
Seller: Dan A. Domike, Hoquiam, WA, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Soft cover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Corner bumping. Wear to the covers. Sticker residue on the top front corner. Previous owner's name on the front page. Otherwise a clean, unmarked copy. Seller Inventory # 004553
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Little Altars Everywhere
Seller: Library House Internet Sales, Grand Rapids, OH, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Fair. Dust Jacket Condition: Poor. Don't miss Little Altars Everywhere, the New York Times bestselling companion novel that introduces the Ya-Yas and is also a basis for the film. Moderate edgewear on the boards. Binding is very loose. Please note the image in this listing is a stock photo and may not match the covers of the actual item. Book. Seller Inventory # 123666145