The Barnes' family has had a rough time the past few
years. After a couple of tragedies and some misfortune,
the family decides to give up farming. Though the land
around them is no longer theirs to cultivate, they still
reside in the farmhouse. It is another reminder of what
they gave up. Will they find their place in this unknown
territory? Will they be able to adjust to their new way
of life?
Rita Barnes is the family matriarch, who has lost her
husband and one of her sons. She now lives in a small
house in town. She tries to be useful by taking care of
the elderly people around her. Has she failed her
family? Her son, Mack Barnes, suffers with depression.
He has recently been in a psychiatric hospital, and is now
trying to come to terms with his illness. He is trying to
take control of the situation, and still be useful to his
family. Will he ever find his place? Jodie Barnes is not
sure how to cope with her husband's illness. While Mack
was in the hospital, she had to be strong to keep the
family together. Now that he is home, she no longer knows
what to do. She feels more alone and abandoned than
ever. She begins to look outside her marriage for a sense
of belonging. Will she find what she is looking for?
Along with their parents, Kenzie and Taylor are also
affected by this change in the household. Kenzie seeks
solace in the church. She prays continuously and writes
in a journal. She eventually befriends a man who leads
her into a more fanatic aspect of Christianity. Where is
God trying to lead her? Completely opposite of his
sister, Taylor immerses himself with the Goth crowd. He
starts to wear make-up and all black clothing. He has a
couple of skirmishes with the law that garners him the
attention of his father. Will he find the answers that he
is seeking?
Vinita Hampton Wright has written an unforgettable tale of
family strife. The novel is told by the different family
members viewpoints, and these viewpoints provide a
powerful tool to understanding the struggles of each
person as they adapt to the loss of their farm and their
whole lifestyle. The characters are real enough to be any
family; and, therefore easy to identify with. DWELLING
PLACES not only deals with the loss of a lifestyle, but
also tackles the illness of depression. Ms. Wright
certainly captures the pain and heartache caused by a
loved one who has a mental illness. DWELLING PLACES is an
excellent novel that portrays an amazing emotional journey
of a family trying to come to terms with what life has
thrown at them.
Mack and Jodie have no idea how much their lives are
going to change when they decide to give up farming. Mack is
hospitalized with depression, Jodie finds herself tempted by
the affections of another man, and their teenage children
begin looking for answers outside the family—Kenzie turns to
fundamentalist Christianity, and Taylor starts cavorting
with Goths. Told in the unforgettable voices of each family
member, this powerful story of family life reveals the
stubborn resilience of love and how sometimes the very thing
we're looking for has been waiting at home all along.
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