Rural Kentucky in the 1950s is not an easy place to grow up in, and it's especially hard for ten-year-old Icy Sparks, an orphan who lives with her grandparents.
Life becomes even more difficult for Icy when violent tics and uncontrollable cursing begin - symptoms brought on by a troubling affliction that goes undiagnosed until her adulthood. Icy's adolescence is marred by the humiliation of her behaviour but she finds solace in the company of Miss Emily, a woman who knows what it's like to be an outcast in this tightly knit community.
Narrated by a now-grown Icy, this novel shimmers with warmth and humour as it recounts a young girl's journey to womanhood - and the many lives she touches and enriches along the way.
An Oprah Book Club selection.
