Beautiful and real historical fiction
The first thing that caught my attention with this book was the realism. It's real, it's gritty at times and it's realistic - just the kind of thing to suck you in if you're a fan of historical fiction. America in the late 20's was a time of unimaginable lows and Verde does a perfect job of capturing the desperate atmosphere.
👍 What I Liked 👍
Art: Art is the kind of guy that you can easily fall in love with. He's awkward, quiet, nerdy and attentive. I enjoyed seeing him grow over the course of the story and become more his own person, get out from under his family's thumb. I enjoyed every scene he was in simply because he was so cute!
Etta: Etta is a character to admire. She is hard-working, dedicated and self-sacrificing. Even though she dreams of leaving home and going to the city, she stays to help her father. Early on I found myself wishing all the best for Etta.
Realism: The historical accuracy and realism of this book was such a great surprise. Usually historical realism can feel like just about any period, but I really felt the early depression era vibe. Very well done.
👎 What I Disliked 👎
Pace: For me, the pacing was a little off. It took a while to get going and the ending felt abrupt. Of course, that's just my taste.
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review