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starshake's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
kathieboucher's review against another edition
4.0
A leisurely dip into small-town West Virginia in the summer of 1938, well-researched, and full of quirky characters and colorful writing. Great sense of place.
hayleyccc4's review against another edition
Honestly, I couldn't get past the 150 page mark. The book was boring me half to death, so I gave up on it. Well, thanks go to my mom for recommending this to me, anyways.
hollyberry60's review against another edition
Great book. Not as compelling as the Potato Peel Society book, but memorable characters and a strong moral family story.
rachelmerry_'s review against another edition
3.0
The construction of this book was an absolute disaster. Too many narrator changes—which often happened within the same chapter with no cue there’d been a switch. On top of that, it also went from third to first person to letters throughout the book. And at times it was told from a character’s perspective for only a couple of paragraphs and then never returned to their point of view for the rest of the book. It was really distracting and sometimes confusing.
I’ll be honest in saying I enjoyed the story and that a couple of parts made me laugh out loud. There were some good characters but maybe not enough development. The beginning was slow but I got more into it in the end.
I’ll be honest in saying I enjoyed the story and that a couple of parts made me laugh out loud. There were some good characters but maybe not enough development. The beginning was slow but I got more into it in the end.
mawalker1962's review against another edition
3.0
There were things I loved about this book. The characters were well-drawn, the plot was compelling, and the voice of the main character, precocious 12-year-old Willa is delightful. But it was simply too long with a lot of extraneous scenes not necessary for characterization or plot. I kept reading because it was a good story, but I skimmed a lot of the "History of Macedonia." To read my full review, see my blog post at: https://historyloverdiversions.wordpress.com/2015/08/15/depression-days-in-west-virginia-the-truth-according-to-us-by-annie-barrows/
retiredlibrarylady's review against another edition
5.0
Could. not. stop. reading. this. book! A bit too long and convoluted, upon reflection, and impossible all the way around. But absolutely sucked me in and I HAD to know what was going to happen. Fortunately, it ended satisfactorily (to me anyway). Layla gets sent to Macedonia, WV to write the town history for the Federal Writer's Project, because she won't knuckle under to her senator dad. There she boards with the Romeyn family, which is full of amazing and horrifying secrets. The story is told in part by a third person observer and in part by young Willa, aged 12. We hear Layla's voice through letters she sends and receives. Secrets left buried can fester and impact yet other lives. By the end, all is known and the healing commences.
ammbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Wonderfully crafted story. Makes one wonder how much our society has lost with the loss of the written letter. The novel slowly drew me into the lives of the Romney clan till suddenly I found myself greeting the dawn.