Thrasher writes in the first person in a spare writing style. Her first paragraph sets the scene for the reader with a move from the hills near Jubilee to the city of Bedford, a reluctant move for Seely Robinson, the protagonist.

Thrasher's poetic use of language paints vivid pictures of her characters, their actions, and the setting. In particular, her use of metaphor is pure pleasure: "The snow began on Christmas Eve, blowing and slithering down the alley and across our yard like a living thing, hurrying on its way to somewhere else." Thrasher's vivid descriptions paint indelible scenes of the life of poor people in the Depression.

Thrasher's characters are flesh-andblood people whose suffering and joy are tangible to the reader. The reader shares Seely's determination to be "a workman worthy of her hire" to add money to the family finances in spite of the...