Exuberance Is Beauty

Fiction Podcast

A Story of Love and Loss in 1940s Oregon

Oregon, 1940s: Eve Miller, a young war widow, rebels against the ordinariness of womanhood in the post-war era. Eve is enlightened as she succumbs to the sensual temptation of an adulterous affair. In its aftermath, Eve Miller's life unravels and leads to unexpected violence and moral isolation. Exuberance Is Beauty, is a contemporary interpretation of Adam and Eve's biblical allegory and Eve's fall into desolation

Featuring

Donna Barrow-Green Creator, Producer

Darlene Sorensen as Eve Miller
Eric Schneiwind as Jeff Lambert
Shelley Bryant, Carmen/ Mary / Various

Ross Laguzza, Harry / Frank / Various

More information and content on the Exuberance Is Beauty Blog

Exuberance is Beauty -- 5 beautiful stars.

"This story is intense! The time period is 1940s and the setting is Oregon. The main character, Eve, is whisked away to the middle of nowhere to have her illegitimate baby by a married man who seduced her. When he finds out about the child, he starts terrorizing her. He is a classic sociopath, sucking her in and manipulating her. His character infuriated me, and the author did a great job of provoking strong emotions from this reader. At one point, Eve even ends up in a mental hospital. That section of the book was of great interest to me. The ending of this story was perfect, in my opinion. It was realistic and matched the story itself. I love the way the author pulled it all together, and gave us a terrifying glimpse into the mistreatment of women in the 40's and the utterly disgusting way mental health systems were run. The author's writing was beautiful, despite the dark and intense nature of the story. The characters were well-drawn and the story immensely powerful. Looking forward to reading more from this author. Definitely a 5 star read."

Amazon Customer Review

A Searing Tale

"This is a socially important and poignant tale of a war widow's seduction. She is impregnated and then abandoned by a clinically slick and selfish bastard, a married man without conscience. As the book moves on, I hoped he had done his worst, I hoped he would move on to other conquests. But he kept coming back.

The widow is sometimes strong and clear in defense of herself and at other times unable to tend to her self-interest. In the 50s in small town Oregon things were somewhat different than now. But the protagonist, frail as she is, dangles from a pendulum--she swings within the reach and orbit of close and very smart friends and then off to a terrible weakness in the face of the tormenting married lover who seduced her. This pendulum never stops swinging. Her weakness, indecision and need for love are terribly maddening and deserving of much empathy. I cheered for her to make herself the center of her life.

The controlling beast of a lover is able to deliver her to the mental health professionals and her decline worsens. She's a captive of the system without legal or moral help on the way."

Amazon Customer Review