whistling past the graveyard review

Whistling past the graveyard is a term used to describe doing something you like to keep your mind off of your greatest fears.  This book is about doing just that.  "Whistling Past the Graveyard" by Sarah Crandall is the story of Starla, a "white-trash" girl whose parents have abandoned her and is left to live with her grandmother who makes no secret of hating it.  Starla is a smart-mouth brat.  No two ways about it.  But if she wasn't, there wouldn't be much of a story, would there?  Starla decides she is going to runaway from her grandmother, who lives in Mississippi, and live with her mother.  She is convinced her mother is a famous singer in Nashville.  On the way she is picked up by a black woman, Eula, who has "found" another white child and is on her way home to her abusive husband.  By the way, this is the 1960s.  The story follows the three on their adventures to Nashville and back where they are whistling up a storm.  One bad thing happens after another and the two experience a transformation.  Eula becomes a woman who can take care of what ever life tosses her way and Starla become a girl who can trust the people around her and not need to make up life as she goes.  This book may not be real probable, but it is very good.  However, I wasn't born in 60s and have never lived in the South so what do I know.  I still liked it.  I received this book for free in exchange for a review from www.netgalley.com.