A John F. Blair, Publisher,
Reading Group Guide

Music of
Falling Water Julia Oliver

0-89587-238-2
 $21.95 Hardcover
First printing, June 2001

The early spring meadow is a softer green than the money in her new pocketbook. It's too soon for swimming, but a dip in the cold, cider-colored pond will fortify her for the journey ahead. She takes off everything but a thin shift, wraps the garments around the purse, and places the bundle in the fork of a weeping willow tree.

The big wheel draws her like a magnet and groans like a lover as she mounts it. When she reaches the top, she can hear the triumphant whistle of the train that will bear her away. But the  sound of her own voice, calling to the solitary figure whose back is to the window, is lost in the ever-present music of falling water.

Music of Falling Water opens on a sultry Alabama afternoon in 1918 when three sisters react to the discovery of a pile of human bones at the old family gristmill. Could they be the remains of their sister, Rhoda, who disappeared fifteen years before?

In the days that follow, the three sisters--Gertrude, Kathleen, and Lola--confront the memories of their childhood, long since buried or even excised. As they take turns narrating the story, each contributes clues to the mystery of Rhoda's disappearance and, moreover, to the daring sequence of events that led to her flight.

Set against the backdrop of World War I at a time when rapid social and political changes were shaking the foundations of the rural American South, Music of Falling Water tells the story of four spirited, very different women who comprise a family. Central to the novel is a mystery that ends so surprisingly that readers will literally gasp at the realization of what has occurred.

A conversation with Julia Oliver:

What inspired you to write Music of Falling Water?

As happened with some short stories and my earlier novel, I was inspired by a recurring mental image. This time it was a girl on the waterwheel of a gristmill.

Tell us a little about the plot of the novel.

Music of Falling Water is about four sisters, one of whom ran away from home fifteen years before. When the others reunite to deal with the discovery of human bones in the Holloway pond, old family secrets are brought to light. As the characters evolve, the novel expands beyond the mystery at its core.

What was going on in Alabama during the time of the novel? How do those events impact the novel?

Though still primarily agrarian, Alabama was benefiting from the progress that brought automobiles and better roads, and to urban areas such as Felder, the novel's fictional city, skyscrapers and industry. Like the rest of the country during World War I, the state was intensely patriotic. When the novel begins, Lola Holloway's fiance has been shipped overseas with the army's Rainbow Division. The influenza epidemic of 1918 left its mark of Alabama, and there were strong feelings both pro and con about women's suffrage. These major historic events impact and, I hope, enrich the story.

Tell us a little about the characters. What is it that each of them is looking for?

Marriage to a good man was the top priority for the eldest sister, Gertrude, as it had been for her mother. Rhoda aspired to a life of adventure and independence; Lola envisioned forever-after-love plus a fulfilling career. Kathleen was not a goal setter; she took life as it came, but with increasing frustration, until she developed a latent talent.

Lola is the youngest daughter in the Holloway clan; how does her age affect her understanding of her family and the events of the novel?

As a precocious child in Hackberry Hill, Lola had a strong instinct for self preservation. Today, she  would be called street-smart. Obviously, she didn't know firsthand what had gone on in the family before she was born. Being the youngest was traumatic in other ways which are addressed in the novel.

The novel is concerned with unearthing the truth about past events. Why is discovering the truth important to these characters?

The desire to know the truth about the mysterious pile of bones gives rise to more searching for the truth. But not everyone in this intimate circle has the desire to delve below the surface. Gertrude's husband, Jason Howard, takes it as his duty to make the pieces of the puzzle fit without disrupting the fragile bond the sisters are trying to reestablish.

Which characters do you want readers to identify with most? Which character do you identify with most?

I think characters become what readers need them to be. Rhoda will be a valiant victim to some, to others she may come across as a troublemaker. Most readers probably would cheer for Lola, the protagonist, and Kathleen next. I hope they'll find, as I did, that Gertrude grows on them. I don't identify with my own characters, but if I had to choose one here, it would be Jason. He's so stout of heart, resolute, and ethical, and sometimes he's funny.

Who are your favorite writers? How has their work influenced you?

My favorite novelist is usually the one whose work I'm reading at the moment. Great writers who have mesmerized me over the years include Thomas Hardy, Flannery O'Connor, Toni Morrison, and Walker Percy, to name a very few. 

More information:

Music of Falling Water title page

Reading Group Guides home page