This was a really solid fiction read although I guess it could also be classified as historical fiction because some real-life events were incorporated into the story. I thought the author came up with a unique way to tell a story that deals with the subject of racism.
Reporter Elizabeth Balsam meets with James Rich and she leaves their meeting contemplating his strange request. He wants Elizabeth to find an older relative she has never met and give her an old camera and a box of photos. Given recent life events, Elizabeth decides to go through with it and leaves her home in Detroit and heads to her great-aunt's centuries old farmhouse. This story follows three strong female characters in different time periods including the 1800s during the Civil War, the 1960s, and the present day.
I found myself drawn to the story lines of the past much more than the current day storyline. Part of that might be because the characters of Mary and Nora felt more fully fleshed out whereas with Elizabeth I felt like I didn't know her quite as well. The fact the book alternated between the three different women and time periods really helped with the pacing in my opinion. Even though the book is close to 400 pages it actually felt like a quick read.
I didn't find this book to be quite as touching and moving as other readers have thought, but there are a few good moments that got to me. In particular, I loved the message of not forgetting family history and how important it is to share with the next generation. Overall, I think the author did a good job tackling a tough subject and I appreciated her honesty in the Author's Note at the end of the book in which she discussed her writing process.
I am glad I got a chance to read this one as the 1960s Detroit riots are not something I remember ever having an opportunity to read about before in a fiction book and it's always nice to read something different for a change. Definitely recommend as a pretty solid read.
I won a free copy of this book from BookishFirst and the publisher.
Reporter Elizabeth Balsam meets with James Rich and she leaves their meeting contemplating his strange request. He wants Elizabeth to find an older relative she has never met and give her an old camera and a box of photos. Given recent life events, Elizabeth decides to go through with it and leaves her home in Detroit and heads to her great-aunt's centuries old farmhouse. This story follows three strong female characters in different time periods including the 1800s during the Civil War, the 1960s, and the present day.
I found myself drawn to the story lines of the past much more than the current day storyline. Part of that might be because the characters of Mary and Nora felt more fully fleshed out whereas with Elizabeth I felt like I didn't know her quite as well. The fact the book alternated between the three different women and time periods really helped with the pacing in my opinion. Even though the book is close to 400 pages it actually felt like a quick read.
I didn't find this book to be quite as touching and moving as other readers have thought, but there are a few good moments that got to me. In particular, I loved the message of not forgetting family history and how important it is to share with the next generation. Overall, I think the author did a good job tackling a tough subject and I appreciated her honesty in the Author's Note at the end of the book in which she discussed her writing process.
I am glad I got a chance to read this one as the 1960s Detroit riots are not something I remember ever having an opportunity to read about before in a fiction book and it's always nice to read something different for a change. Definitely recommend as a pretty solid read.
I won a free copy of this book from BookishFirst and the publisher.