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Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
Too Many Stones is a work of fiction in the literary, social, and emotive writing genres. It is best suited to mature readers owing to the serious content around child abuse. Penned by author Rodney Nelsestuen, this powerful novel tells the story of Evelyn Toraason, starting in 1930 when she is an eleven-year-old girl with great potential living on a rural Wisconsin farm. The bond with her father, Olav, cannot fill the void left by her emotionally distant mother. Her teacher, Miss Johnson, sees Evelyn as the fulfillment of her own lost dreams. As she grows up, Evelyn suffers abusive mistreatment by her cousin Alfred, which changes her life forever. Despite numerous setbacks and insecurities, Evelyn seeks reconciliation and strives to embrace her life’s successes and failures.
Author Rodney Nelsestuen utilizes a keen sense of narrative balance and sensibility to craft an emotionally rich novel that brought me into the heart of Evelyn Toraason’s life journey. The narration is bold but compassionate and careful in how it tells the darker parts of the tale, capturing the beauty and hardship of rural Wisconsin life, with both the everyday and the more extraordinary events that make Evelyn's story poignant and relatable. The central emotional incident where Evelyn is so powerfully damaged by her cousin Alfred was a distressing turning point, evoking deep empathy for Evelyn's plight and highlighting the author’s talented for emotionally charged, atmospheric description that carries the weight of future consequences for all involved. Her courage in facing these challenges, coupled with her enduring insecurities, highlighted the craftsmanship in the complexity of her character. The novel left me contemplating the incredible endurance we have as people and the importance of embracing both success and failure as integral parts of a well-lived life. Overall, I would not hesitate to recommend Too Many Stones for its immense emotional depth and moving storytelling, making it a compelling read that lingers long after the final page.
