Too Many Stones is the story of Evelyn Toraason. It begins in 1930 when Evelyn is a bright, promising eleven-year-old girl with the potential to go far beyond the poor, rural, but beautiful and almost spiritual Wisconsin coulee farm where she lives. The bond between Evelyn and her father, Olav, cannot quite fill the void created by her failing mother who continues to retreat within herself over several years. Evelyn's teacher and mentor, Miss Johnson, sees her potential as the fulfillment of her own lost dreams.
As Evelyn grows into a young woman, she suffers abuse at the hands of Alfred Toraason, a second cousin eight years her elder. The resulting pregnancy ends in forced marriage and the loss of her closest confidant.
Evelyn's courage sustains her as her family grows, but along the way she suffers multiple setbacks and crushing losses. Even as she rises to meet these challenges, her own imperfections plague her as she navigates life.
Inspired by actual events, this is not Evelyn's story alone. Our deepest relationships have a symbiotic effect, for better or worse, with the people in our lives and Too Many Stones brings to light the full impact these relationships can have on us. In the end, despite the good and bad in our lives, each of us must decide if we have made the most of our relationships, ourselves, and of life itself.
