Helpful Score: 3
Overall, I really enjoyed this book.
The characters are fairly deep, flawed, and human. The imagery is good. The writing style is readable and fast. The complex plot draws you in. The plot, which could fit equally in the mystery genre and the general fiction genre, draws in elements of racism, Civil Rights, the Vietnam war, a single father trying to raise a daughter (and makes plenty of mistakes), unwed teenaged pregnancy, dysfunctional families, small town life, forgiveness, redemption, and ultimately hope.
The story alternates effortlessly between flashbacks of the 1950's and 60's and the 1980's (the present era for the story). The past tells about the upbringing of Harper and Betsy (his girlfriend and later wife), their flawed parents and friends in a small Vermont town where everyone knows everyone else...or at least, they think they do.
Harper's mother, who feels unfulfilled with her life, involves herself in the Civil Rights movement. She goes down to the Deep South to help bring voting rights and equality to blacks. When she comes home, she is murdered while distributing Civil Rights literature during a race riot.
So, although there are no black people living in Two Rivers, Vermont, the now young adult Harper faces growing resentment for black people in general and for his father who, it seems, is doing nothing to avenge the death of his wife.
Meanwhile, Betsy, who previously refuses marriage because she does not want to end up like her depressed mother who commited suicide, finally intentionally becomes pregnant with Harper's baby and then weds him to help him avoid the Vietnam draft. And then she is killed in a car accident.
All of this grief and resentment leads Harper to become involved in a horrific crime.
Now, twelve years later, Harper, a railroad worker struggling to raise his daughter on his own, takes in a black pregnant teenaged girl who seems to be one of the many victums of a massive train derailment in Two Rivers.
But, who is she really? Her story does not check out.
The characters are fairly deep, flawed, and human. The imagery is good. The writing style is readable and fast. The complex plot draws you in. The plot, which could fit equally in the mystery genre and the general fiction genre, draws in elements of racism, Civil Rights, the Vietnam war, a single father trying to raise a daughter (and makes plenty of mistakes), unwed teenaged pregnancy, dysfunctional families, small town life, forgiveness, redemption, and ultimately hope.
The story alternates effortlessly between flashbacks of the 1950's and 60's and the 1980's (the present era for the story). The past tells about the upbringing of Harper and Betsy (his girlfriend and later wife), their flawed parents and friends in a small Vermont town where everyone knows everyone else...or at least, they think they do.
Harper's mother, who feels unfulfilled with her life, involves herself in the Civil Rights movement. She goes down to the Deep South to help bring voting rights and equality to blacks. When she comes home, she is murdered while distributing Civil Rights literature during a race riot.
So, although there are no black people living in Two Rivers, Vermont, the now young adult Harper faces growing resentment for black people in general and for his father who, it seems, is doing nothing to avenge the death of his wife.
Meanwhile, Betsy, who previously refuses marriage because she does not want to end up like her depressed mother who commited suicide, finally intentionally becomes pregnant with Harper's baby and then weds him to help him avoid the Vietnam draft. And then she is killed in a car accident.
All of this grief and resentment leads Harper to become involved in a horrific crime.
Now, twelve years later, Harper, a railroad worker struggling to raise his daughter on his own, takes in a black pregnant teenaged girl who seems to be one of the many victums of a massive train derailment in Two Rivers.
But, who is she really? Her story does not check out.
Back to all reviews by this member
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details
