Many thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the gifted digital ARC of the new book by Lesley Kagen - 4 stars for a peek into the past coming-of-age story to lift you up. This is a new to me author and I really enjoyed getting lost in her created world of Summit, Wisconsin.
Three best friends - Biz, Frankie and Viv - are as different as can be but each has strengths that the others may lack. Together they form the Tree Musketeers, since their home base is a wonderful tree house built by Biz' dad in honor of his wife who died after giving birth to Biz. It's the summer of 1960 and the girls have set up a list of things they must accomplish during the summer. One of those is more investigation of the local mental health institute and what could possibly be happening in the basement. But investigating could cause tragic consequences for the girls and possibly more in the community.
I loved reading about the naivety of the girls when it came to anything sexual. Today, it's hard to imagine that you could find 11-year-olds who would be so wonderfully clueless. Try not to laugh when an older girl explains what happens when you get your period! While such ignorance probably isn't healthy, it still harkens back to a time of innocence which is sorely needed right now. This was a time of unlocked doors, kids playing unsupervised until it was dark, having a healthy fear of God and disappointing parents. On the opposite spectrum, it was also a time of racism and prejudice and terrible treatment of mental illness. This book at its core is about friendship and loyalty and always trying to do the right things. I loved the ending!
No comments:
Post a Comment