Dawsey lives in a nice house in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Her life isn't as nice as her house. Her father has been in a strange daze for as long as she can remember. All he does is sit by the window with a strange golden lamp. Dawsey tends his needs, and late one night it changes her life forever.
Hooper comes from a family of people who do what they think is necessary to live. His father tells the story of the golden lamp and it becomes something of a family legend. When Hooper is sent to pick up his young cousin who's going to live with them, he finds out that the lamp is real. He just has to see it for himself and that's when he runs into Dawsey. Her shouts cause him to snatch her up and take her back to his family's home.
Bringing her to the swamp may have been on impulse, but looking at Dawsey in the light of day reveals the family secret that Hooper's sister, Ellie, is actually Dawsey's twin sister. Hooper's father felt justified in taking the child since he left one behind. He had no idea that anguish it caused Dawsey's family.
While Dawsey is held against her will, she plans her escape. Her chance comes, but she doesn't have the skills to make it away on her own. When she's rescued, something shifts in the way she sees this family. She starts to fall for Hooper, but his violence scares her and she's not sure she wants to pursue her feelings.
This was a very unusual book, and I've never really read anything like it. I did enjoy reading it and was glad I picked it up. I was confused for a while about Hooper's background and why he felt justified in his criminal activities. I think it could have been a little better explained in the beginning, but it was a nice, quick read overall and I look forward to reading the next book. It's about Tiller, the young cousin, who appears in this book. I'm not sure how much connection there will be between the books, but I'll know more after I read the next one. Good Book!
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