The Coal Tattoo

A Novel

By: Silas House

Narrated by: Kate Forbes

Two sisters can’t stand to live together, but can’t bear to be apart. One worships the flashy world of Nashville, the other is a devout Pentecostal. One falls into the lap of any man, the other is afraid to even date. One gets pregnant in a flash, the other desperately wants to have a child. This is what’s at the heart of Silas House’s third novel, which tells the story of Easter and Anneth, tragically left parentless as children, who must raise themselves and each other in their small coal-mining town. Easter is deeply religious, keeps a good home, believes in tradition, and is intent on rearing her wild younger sister properly. Anneth is untamable, full of passion, determined to live hard and fast. It’s only a matter of time before their predilections split their paths and nearly undo their bond. How these two women learn to overcome their past, sacrifice deeply for each other, and live together again in the only place that matters is the story of The Coal Tattoo.

©2004 Silas House (P)2005 Recorded Books, LLC

Kentucky classic

Being from a coal town myself, I felt as if I could relate to the emotions of the characters. It’s hard to understand the resilience of people from that area unless you know some of the background. Lovely and a perfect read.

Good Book - A bit heavy reading

What does Kate Forbes bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Great narration...no complaints at all.

Any additional comments?

Got this on sale and not something I would not normally have purchased. Good read - this is not a beach or light reading. Enjoyable but one must pay attention!

Great book

Awesome book. Definitely a must read. I'm so glad I did. I enjoyed it very much.

Love a southern writer! Esp from Kentucky

Love the complexity of the characters, the relationships and the generational trauma and grief Easter and Anneth carry with them.

This Story Touched My Heart!

I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of the characters in this story. Easter and Anneth especially were much more loveable in their imperfections than the story synopsis had led me to expect. Their love for each other and for their home was very touching.

The one aspect I would have liked to read more about was their "magic". Easter has the second sight and Anneth is always talking about believing in magic, but I would have liked these elements to have been more prominent in the story.

Kate Forbes did an excellent job as narrator - loved the accents!

Good narration!

What other book might you compare The Coal Tattoo to and why?

Fair and Tender Ladies

What about Kate Forbes’s performance did you like?

Sounded authentic!

Any additional comments?

It was authentic in the way it depicted how people think and react to situations.

Great Story - Frustrating Narration

While I love Audible, this is likely a book I would have done better to read versus listen to. I’ll start with the positive - the story is fantastic! Silas House is a marvelous Appalachian writer and I’ve been wanting to dive into this one for a long time. The endearing love of the sisters is something that will touch your heart. Complete devotion.

The narration would be good…without the swallowing and lip smacking. The first time I heard it, I thought maybe it was just an anomaly but it got worse. It was so bad during the last few chapters that I couldn’t wait for the book to end to rid myself of her swallowing. It could have easily been edited out. I don’t understand why publishers do this. Just edit out the swallowing and smacking.

I would gladly listen to many more books by Silas House but I will be very careful to never choose another book with this narrator.

Really Good

I liked this one - the dynamic between the sisters was just right and their story kept me interested. The narration was great - not too heavy on the accents and enough variation to give the individual characters their own feel. I give The Coal Tattoo 3.5-4 stars, a credit-worthy experience for sure.

Performance almost killed my interest in this book

I enjoyed the story to a great degree but I could hear the narrator swallow. Sounded like she was drinking something. Was almost annoying for me.

Sisterly love at it strongest

This a great story about 2 sisters That live in the rural South. The story takes you through their triumphs, loses, heartbreaks and tribulations. The narrator does an amazing job with the voices of each character. The ending left me hanging and I felt like it needed a little something more, unless there is a sequel.
My only issue is hearing the narrator swallow loudly or smack and occasionly hearing someone in the background perhaps a child or a dog. Overall I was pleased with the story.