This is the fourth book I've read by Diane Hammond. The others are "Hannah's Dream," "Friday's Harbor: A Novel," and "Going to Bend." Like the others, this takes place in the Pacific NW. There isn't a lot that "happens" in this book--instead, it's about the day-to-day lives of ordinary people in a small community. Most of the characters are poor. There is one big surprise regarding one of the characters and the consequences of the person's unwillingness to take appropriate action. The characters were pretty well written. It would have been helpful to have an index of the characters--I still don't know how the "Fanny" character factored into the story (if she was a relative or friend of one of the other characters). According to Google, there are two more books that the author has written so I will be adding those to my paperbackswap wish list.
Even better than "Going to Bend", this novel relates lives on the fringe in the Pacific Northwest. The tone is somber and sorrowful; don't pick this one up if you want a light read. Very well written.
A really good read by Diane Hammond.
