A review by ropalimpia
The Wives of Los Alamos by TaraShea Nesbit

4.75

So I'm not a historical fiction kind of person, but I really enjoyed this. I love Nesbit's style in general. She has a softness and grace to the way she writes while still being direct and powerful with her words. Upon seeing the reviews of this book that complained about her usage of "us" and "we" and "or," I was a bit worried that it would get tedious, but after the first few pages, I completely forgot that this style wasn't one that's usually employed and got through it without even noticing the unorthodox pov. I loved the "or"s especially, actually. I think it created a realm of possibility that I would have found myself asking about if she hadn't covered it. I was never left wanting. 

The most accurate way I can describe this book is that it's a painting. It doesn't paint, but rather, it's the actual painting itself. It feels like visiting an art museum and fixating on that one painting with many tiny figures going about their lives in different ways, but all responding to the same circumstances. It tells the story of a community through naive but apprehensive eyes, and there's a comfortable emotional distance that makes it feel slightly scientific, but then the gossip and wariness gave it the humanity necessary to keep me wanting to continue to read. 

I wholeheartedly enjoyed this book, and I'm glad I found it.