Riveting Tale of Family Dynamics
I have only read a few of this author's previous works, and was not a loyal fan. This book made me one! I read it in one day and wanted to start all over again once I finished. The family drama is a bit reminiscent of Jane Smiley's "A Thousand Acres", but definitely not a knock-off. It was a wonderful exploration of the mother daughter and sibling relationships within a family. Further, Ms. Berg's technique of using photographic imagery at the beginning of most chapters to "illuminate" the themes was effective and thought-provoking. The only thread I would have liked to have seen developed is the relationship between Caroline and her daughter, Eva. All we are told was that Eva was grown and moved to California - which in itself is telling, I suppose, but are we left to speculate too much about the meaning of this? I am curious to know what others think.