A review by bufally47
The Alaskan Laundry by Brendan Jones

4.0

Talk about a portal into another world. This novel follows Tara Marconi, a young woman from Philly, as she tries to escape grief and trauma by working the fisheries in Alaska. Her resilience is staggering. But just as prominent are the hodgepodge, rough-and-tumble communities that make up Port Anna and its surroundings. Jones really seemed to have a handle on Philly but he also managed to capture the attitudes of not only native Alaskans but also that of a chatty Appalachian with a treasure trove of southern aphorisms. I even loved getting lost in the rhythm of the work being described. Everything is so unknown to me – the terminology, the processes – that it was thrilling to learn it vicariously through Tara. And I like that Jones made her tough but flawed, competent in her work but a bit quick-tempered and sometimes callous. Considering the claustrophobic nature of the community I was worried that monotony might creep in, but Jones managed to keep it fresh with little surprises sprinkled evenly throughout the novel.