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A review by claudiaslibrarycard
The Sky Club by Terry Roberts
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I picked up The Sky Club because it is by a local author and set so close to me, literally on the mountain in my neighborhood. Told from before the crash to during the early years of the Great Depression, Roberts tells the story of Asheville and Jo Salter, a country girl from Madison County who came to the city to "live a life her mother could never have imagined" after she dies.
In Asheville, Jo moves in with her wealthy Uncle and soon begins working at Central Bank and Trust. She takes quickly to keeping track of numbers and becomes an essential employee on the first floor of tellers. Suddenly knocking elbows with many of Asheville's most wealthy and socially elite, Jo is out of place but learns quickly how to get by. But when trouble comes for the city and the bank, Jo is in a tight spot.
As Jo navigates bank work and the crash, she comes to know a reclusive speakeasy manager. Their relationship is the focus of the latter part of the book, and I enjoyed their dynamic.
So for my praise and criticism, here are my opinions:
+I flew through this 409 page book, finishing the second half in one day. That says something positive.
+I liked the historical details and the way Roberts told a possible story of a woman wrapped up in the city's terrible crash.
+Jo was tough, determined, and tender too.
-The historical accuracy was not as much as I hoped for outside of the banking details and Asheville setting.
-The intimate scenes were... awkward. Clearly this is a case of men writing women badly.
-It was a little too long for what it was.
So I had a great time with this book, but do I think you will? I don't know. Do you live in or love Asheville and have a special interest for history? Then maybe it's worth a try.
In Asheville, Jo moves in with her wealthy Uncle and soon begins working at Central Bank and Trust. She takes quickly to keeping track of numbers and becomes an essential employee on the first floor of tellers. Suddenly knocking elbows with many of Asheville's most wealthy and socially elite, Jo is out of place but learns quickly how to get by. But when trouble comes for the city and the bank, Jo is in a tight spot.
As Jo navigates bank work and the crash, she comes to know a reclusive speakeasy manager. Their relationship is the focus of the latter part of the book, and I enjoyed their dynamic.
So for my praise and criticism, here are my opinions:
+I flew through this 409 page book, finishing the second half in one day. That says something positive.
+I liked the historical details and the way Roberts told a possible story of a woman wrapped up in the city's terrible crash.
+Jo was tough, determined, and tender too.
-The historical accuracy was not as much as I hoped for outside of the banking details and Asheville setting.
-The intimate scenes were... awkward. Clearly this is a case of men writing women badly.
-It was a little too long for what it was.
So I had a great time with this book, but do I think you will? I don't know. Do you live in or love Asheville and have a special interest for history? Then maybe it's worth a try.