Why was Thea suddenly sent away to a riding camp/boarding school
in North Carolina, far from her home in Florida? Thea and her twin brother Sam
were born into a wealthy family with a doctor for a father and a beautiful
mother who inherited orange groves and loves gardening and horses as much as
Thea. Set mainly in 1929 – 1930, it is a story of a world with strict rules
regarding ‘proper’ behavior, especially for females, clear social levels, and
money – vital but never discussed.
The family lives an insulated life – there are no social
equals nearby – and their only regular visitors are Thea's aunt, uncle, and a
slightly older cousin, George. As the adults seem oblivious to the maturation
of the children, natural biological changes are occurring. The details of
Thea’s fall work their way out gradually until almost the end, but a sense of
the general nature of them surfaces early.
Once sent to the camp, Thea gradually adjusts to what she
believes is only a summer-long exile. She begins to see a world much larger
than previously known, learns the ins and outs of the social world of young
ladies, and, as the effects of the Wall Street collapse begin to impact the
lives and status of other students, sees that money does matter. She also learns that she cannot only survive, but
actually thrive as a separate person from her twin and other family members.
Her life has veered down a different road just by living in another place
without them, and all she left behind is irrevocably altered.
This is a well-drawn slice of a time, place, and a rigid society beginning to shatter. A true coming of age novel, The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls is
a wonderfully complex but not confusing story. It was a satisfying reading
experience.
CAS
Southern States -- Social life and
customs -- Fiction
Southern
States--Social life and customs--20th century
Bildungsromans
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