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A review by egkaetzel
The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County by Claire Swinarski
medium-paced
3.5
I read this as ARC from Avon Harper.
It’s hard to really say what this book is about. I thought it would be a light hearted read, but it is not and anyone reading should look carefully at the trigger warnings. Namely it focuses heavily on characters dealing with PTSD gun violence. It isn’t dark though, it also centers the stories of different generations of women and the power of community. And the power of cooking! I think it’s a portrait of life in small towns all over the country where the church ladies believe everything can be cured by a good casserole.
It’s hard to really say what this book is about. I thought it would be a light hearted read, but it is not and anyone reading should look carefully at the trigger warnings. Namely it focuses heavily on characters dealing with PTSD gun violence. It isn’t dark though, it also centers the stories of different generations of women and the power of community. And the power of cooking! I think it’s a portrait of life in small towns all over the country where the church ladies believe everything can be cured by a good casserole.
I feel like there are several places it could have gone that it just didn’t and that left the book feeling a bit uneven. I would have liked more focus and detail on the cookbook rather than Coopers story. Overall though the character all felt very real and familiar and that kept me reading.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, and Gun violence