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3.22 AVERAGE
3.22 AVERAGE
I am a big historical fiction fan, so when I heard Jane Lorenzini talk about her book at the Southern Festival of Books this year, I knew I needed to pick this one up. I really didn't know much about Thomas Edison and his winter estate in Florida, and I love to learn new things, so this sounded like a really fun read!
I loved the setting of this story. I felt very immersed in the world, and could picture it very vividly in my mind. I love when I feel like I can fall into a setting and feel totally at home there. It was descriptive without being too much.
The characters were very well drawn. Belle was intriguing and I really did enjoy how I kept discovering new things about her as the novel went along. She was like a beautiful onion, with all of the layers ;) The supporting characters of Merle, Abigail, and Boone helped to round out the story and make it feel complete. I enjoyed how the supporting characters helped to reveal more of the story bit by bit. I thought the storytelling in this novel was very well done.
I will say, for a novel that purports to be about Thomas Edison, we find out remarkably little about him. I thought that this would bother me, but I was so wrapped up in the lives of the other characters that I didn't really mind in the end.
This book does deal with some tough topics, including rape, abortion, single-motherhood, death in childbirth, murder, and abuse. I thought that all of these topics were handled with grace and care. I also found it very interesting to see these topics discussed in a historical context, which is not always done. So, if any of these topics trigger you, proceed with caution, but they are handled well.
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. I learned a lot about this era of history and the western coast of Florida. I loved the characters and wanted to know even more about them when the book was finished. That is always the sign of a good book for me! :)
My Rating:
4.0/5.0
I gave After the Rain 4 STARS! If you enjoy historical fiction with some great moral takeaways, this is the book for you!
I loved the setting of this story. I felt very immersed in the world, and could picture it very vividly in my mind. I love when I feel like I can fall into a setting and feel totally at home there. It was descriptive without being too much.
The characters were very well drawn. Belle was intriguing and I really did enjoy how I kept discovering new things about her as the novel went along. She was like a beautiful onion, with all of the layers ;) The supporting characters of Merle, Abigail, and Boone helped to round out the story and make it feel complete. I enjoyed how the supporting characters helped to reveal more of the story bit by bit. I thought the storytelling in this novel was very well done.
I will say, for a novel that purports to be about Thomas Edison, we find out remarkably little about him. I thought that this would bother me, but I was so wrapped up in the lives of the other characters that I didn't really mind in the end.
This book does deal with some tough topics, including rape, abortion, single-motherhood, death in childbirth, murder, and abuse. I thought that all of these topics were handled with grace and care. I also found it very interesting to see these topics discussed in a historical context, which is not always done. So, if any of these topics trigger you, proceed with caution, but they are handled well.
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. I learned a lot about this era of history and the western coast of Florida. I loved the characters and wanted to know even more about them when the book was finished. That is always the sign of a good book for me! :)
My Rating:
4.0/5.0
I gave After the Rain 4 STARS! If you enjoy historical fiction with some great moral takeaways, this is the book for you!