Enjoyed!
I really enjoyed this book. I liked the twists and interesting characters. Being from Mo I especially liked it, would recommend!
Rated of 5
by MaryEllen K. (Albany, NY)
A Good American
I was very eager to read this book, based on the advanced praise. However, I found that it got off to a very slow start for the first 65 pages. Then, finally, I started to care about Frederick, Jette, Joseph, and Rosa. These characters were well drawn and had great potential for development, but it seemed to me that the author put more focus onto the historical events (WW l, Prohibition, Big Flood, Stock Market Crash, WW ll, etc.) that surrounded their lives. Lomax was one character that I felt I knew well, and I really enjoyed the way he befriended and loved both Joseph and Rosa. The book soon turned its focus onto the next generation of Meisenheimers- James, Freddy, Frank, and Teddy. I must honestly say that I didn't feel a connection to any of these brothers, their wives, or their children. This novel was a generational saga, but I feel that the author could have written a better book if he had aimed for more depth, rather than breadth.
Rated of 5
by Jane H. (Owensboro, KY)
A Good American
This book started out great as a historical fiction book but somewhere along the way the author decided to insert wry humor into the mix. In my opinion, this diluted the effectiveness of the story. Maybe if the entire book had been written this way, I wouldn't have felt so cheated, but having settled in for a good historical fiction read, I was disappointed when this adjustment was added. My opinion is that it is a light read -- certainly not an award winner.
Rated of 5
by Lee M. (Creve Coeur, MO)
Not for me
The characters did not grasp my interest. The story was good, but did not flow cohesively and seemed interrupted by current events.
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