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Jun 12, 2013

Desert of the Heart, A Review



In Desert of the Heart, Jane Rule wrote about one woman's quest for identity after sixteen years of marriage to the wrong man. The book is set in 1960s before Stonewall and the current LGBTQ openness. This gave the book a little bit more innocence for one in which the characters have lots of sex than it would have had it been set in the 2010s.

I liked the lack of graphic details about the physical relationships the women were involved in. It was refreshing to read about thinking women, whom have sex, like sex, and yet are still innocent about the subject. I've read erotica for women with women and while that has its place, this book could be read and not make one blush if interrupted during an interesting bit, if you know what I mean.

I liked the descriptions Ms. Rule used. She describes Diamond Lake by Reno, Nevada, as having a beach made up entirely of miniature snail shells bleached white by the sun and alkaline lake water. They are exquisite and easy to see in the story. This is just one example of the descriptive language in the book.

I would like to have had less of the author writing as the thoughts of a character while giving information. It seemed a little much at some points. I would have done a little less in my own writing. Though it would be hard to have the characters discuss some of the subjects they thought about.

I gave it 4/5 stars because I really liked the book and was able to read the book in a few days.

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