I loved it!

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I was incredibly excited at the opportunity to read and review Wild Women and the Blues — a book that was described as Ordinary People meets Chicago the Musical (I haven’t read Ordinary People, but you could pretty much get me to read/watch anything by comparing it to a musical), and a synopsis that reminded me of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo meets The Electric Hotel.

You know those books that you know are just going to break you from the very first chapter? This was one of them. Wild Women and the Blues opens with Sawyer, a graduate student obtaining a doctorate in media studies, at a senior living facility, trying to get the courage to speak with Honoree Dalcour — a 110 year old lady, who he’s hoping will offer some answers, help him complete his thesis, and fix his life. Which is a lot to pin on a 110 year old, not to mention, anyone.

At the senior living facility, Sawyer is greeted by an overprotective nurse assistant, Lula Kent. After explaining that he’s only there to ask Honoree some questions about some photographs – photographs, along with a film reel, that he found in the attic of his grandmother’s house – from 1925, he’s begrudgingly let in. But as is the case with all things, everything comes at a price. Honoree is determined that Sawyer shares his secrets too — after all, “What happened in 1925 and why it happened is my business.” While Sawyer’s still intrigued by the photographs, and the people in them, his curiosity soon expands to wanting to know more about Honoree herself.

Wild Women and the Blues is a thriller in itself, with more and more mysteries unraveling along the way. Why did Sawyer take a year off? Who is Honoree? Why is she so reluctant to speak about the past? What happened in 1925? Who is Sawyer’s grandmother, Maggie, and why does Honoree speak so poorly of her? How did she get the photographs? Where do Sawyer and Honoree’s stories intersect?

Wild Women and the Blues is told from different points-of-view, one following Sawyer in 2015, and the other following Honoree in 1925. While I was curious about Sawyer and Honoree’s relationship, I found myself more interested in what was happening in 1925 Chicago. Just like Sawyer, I was entranced by Honoree, and the cast of characters. Her love story with Ezekiel, her friendship with Bessie, her tragic past and her drive to be more, made her an incredibly interesting and dynamic character. Reading about Honoree felt like I was reading an incredibly well-written memoir about a 1920s chorus girl, about lost history that we were so lucky to find out more about years later. And lucky we are. Wild Women and the Blues, and Honoree’s story, is a gift. Bryce’s writing truly made me feel like I was in Chicago. As Honoree’s best friend, Bessie was a character that intrigued me and I felt like she was underused — until the twist, that is. Wild Women and the Blues is a rollercoaster in the best way, with more twists and turns than I could ever imagine.