What star is that? Book

Having read only one other book by Anne Rivers Siddons (Off Season, which I rated 4 stars), it seems silly to say that Fox's Earth is the BEST book I've ever read by her; but, it is! Fox's Earth is a masterfully written epic with a phenomenal cast of characters! When I finished listening to Fox's Earth, I was in awe and just speechless! That does not happen often!

Fox's Earth, which means "where foxes dwell", is not just the name of the huge ancestral Georgian mansion that is the setting of the book; Fox's Earth is the life story and life obsession of Ruth Yancey.

In the beginning, Ruth Yancey is the beautiful young daughter of a dirt poor mill town family whose father is not only a raging, insane, drunk and a horribly abusive, "loud, screeching, angry, hostile Old Testament preaching false prophet" who brings nothing but fear, guilt and shame to his family. At a local market, Ruth is spooteed by Alicia Fox, the wife of the owner of Fox's Earth. Alicia is appalled at the chlld's plight in life. Alicia feels compelled to save Ruth, so she approaches Ruth's mother, Pearl, to make Pearl the offer of a lifetime: to give Ruth the chance to leave her family and become a "daughter" of Alicia Fox. In Alicia's mind, Ruth will become an educated and a properly mannered and socialized Southern girl with all the benefits of the Fox name, wealth and social standing in the community. Ruth desperately wants the Fox's Earth life and Pearl is willing to make sure that it happen. However, Ruth's father is deadset against it! At her mother's knee, Ruth is schooled in her mother's ways and is advised as to exactly what Ruth will need to do in order to make this offer become a reality and then how to make it Ruth's life goal to successfully become a Fox woman at eery turn.
One would think Ruth would be overwhelmingly grateful for this gracious opportunity of a lifetime, but Ruth is not what she may appear on the outside.
Fox's Earth is not just a "rags to riches" fairy tale. It's the gripping story of the someone determined to get what she wants and the vise-like control she must have in order to make it all go her way, come hell or high water.

All who dwell in Fox's Earth and everyone Ruth encounters seem to be caught in the web of Ruth's passive/aggressive, flirty Southern charm and her cleverly disguised control of seemingly everything around her.
But then there's Rip, who (though only a few years younger than Ruth) became Ruth's maid-servant when she arrives at Fox's Earth. Rip is very observant even as a child and she always seem to know more about Ruth and her ways than Ruth is aware. Rip has a wisdom that Ruth doesn't realize. Rip has a central place and a plan that plays an integral part in Ruth's life and in the life of inhabitants of Fox's Earth


Through whom and exactly how will this dark web of wicked deceit and control be broken? Well, you have to read the book to find out!

I highly recommend Fox's Earth. It is an epic novel and well-worth the time to read it!