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A review by jeanm333
The Excellent Lombards by Jane Hamilton
5.0
A wonderful coming-of-age book. The Lombards are a family (actually two families) who jointly own an apple business in Wisconsin. The story is told through the eyes of Frankie (Mary Frances), the daughter of Jim and Nellie Lombard. She grows up loving the apple business, while her mother wants her to go off to college to "broaden her possibilities." But this is only part of what's going on in the mind of Frankie. The story is recent history; she discusses her reaction to 9/11/2001 and she recalls the crash of 2008.
I loved reading about Frankie and the family. I kept having to check to be sure this was a novel; the story was so detailed and real it seemed like a memoir. The author knows the business -she and her husband have an apple farm in Wisconsin.
Lots of family secrets, some of which are revealed, and some not. Who really is Aunt May? Where did Gloria come from? Was Stephen really a spy? Frankie comes to some realizations about herself and her family and her relationships with everyone.
The end was satisfying, if incomplete. As all good endings should be.
I loved reading about Frankie and the family. I kept having to check to be sure this was a novel; the story was so detailed and real it seemed like a memoir. The author knows the business -she and her husband have an apple farm in Wisconsin.
Lots of family secrets, some of which are revealed, and some not. Who really is Aunt May? Where did Gloria come from? Was Stephen really a spy? Frankie comes to some realizations about herself and her family and her relationships with everyone.
The end was satisfying, if incomplete. As all good endings should be.