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A review by bethgiven
The Wives of Los Alamos by TaraShea Nesbit
2.0
I can't talk about this book without talking about the verb tense: first person plural. The royal we." At a couple of points, I thought it was somewhat lyrical -- but for the most part it felt unnecessarily melodramatic (an individual experience becomes everyone's experience, so it felt like everybody was catty and whiny and adulterous, and I doubt that was true). Other times it felt just plain boring; it was hard to connect with the story just because there are no real characters to speak of -- just this nebulous "we." I did actually appreciate the verb tense toward the end, when dealing with the implications of the dropping of the bombs on Japan -- it was an effective way to demonstrate the varied points of view on a complicated issue -- but it felt like too little too late. I think I would have really liked the novel if the author had alternated the first-person plural with a few traditional chapters, with characters and such.
My other complaint with this book is that I wished there was some way to tell what was fact and what was fiction. I know enough about the Manhattan Project to recognize Feynman and Bohr and Oppenheimer and Groves in the pages, but who are the rest? Which passages are inspired by real stories and what are born of the author's imagination? (The author just throws in a passing reference to a Mormon neighbor -- she can't tease me like that! I want to know the whole story!!) Even a few notes at the end would have been appreciated, but all that she includes is a small bit of bibliography in the "thanks" section.
So I can't say I liked this book or anything (to be honest, I kind of had to drag myself through it in the middle), but it was definitely more interesting toward the end. I'd love to hear what my other Los Alamos friends (including the current "wives of Los Alamos!") think of this one!
My other complaint with this book is that I wished there was some way to tell what was fact and what was fiction. I know enough about the Manhattan Project to recognize Feynman and Bohr and Oppenheimer and Groves in the pages, but who are the rest? Which passages are inspired by real stories and what are born of the author's imagination? (The author just throws in a passing reference to a Mormon neighbor -- she can't tease me like that! I want to know the whole story!!) Even a few notes at the end would have been appreciated, but all that she includes is a small bit of bibliography in the "thanks" section.
So I can't say I liked this book or anything (to be honest, I kind of had to drag myself through it in the middle), but it was definitely more interesting toward the end. I'd love to hear what my other Los Alamos friends (including the current "wives of Los Alamos!") think of this one!