two stories were a tad uneven
3
By glhince
As I found in A Hundred Summers this book was a little slow to start for me, and combined two stories from two differing timelines and places. It is in the interweaving of these two stories, and the common elements in each story that have the two timeframes working to tell the tale.
In 1966, we meet Pepper as she is introduced, in a roundabout way to the other focus of this story, Annabelle. From there, the storylines intersect and divide, taking off into a tale of life in pre-war 1930’s Europe as we move to the nearer dates of mid-60’s America.
These two stories were a tad uneven, Annabelle’s character and her life in Europe were richly detailed and emotionally available, through threats, romance, struggles and heartbreak before immigrating to the US, Annabelle had experiences that clearly related to her present behaviors and attitudes, so many years on.
Pepper was, for me, the less intriguing or engaging of the two: abrasive, headstrong and more than a tad self-centered, she was difficult to empathize with and engendered little sympathy. Not quite detestable, but just filler for me, only relevant in the moments where she and Annabelle interacted or her character moved the story forward. Of course there is a mystery to solve, some drama to overcome and romance, some good some could have been left aside to concentrate on balancing the two stories.
With some over used phrases, a bit more tell than show and some gaps in the choices made in pre-war Germany, all presented but few explained. For me, the story would have been richer for that information and perhaps a few fewer romantic themed moments, as many felt forced. A story that is bordering on beach-side read, notable for the moments that sparkle, but not enough of those moments appear to truly rocket this read into a keeper shelf.
I received an eBook copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
