BookBrowse Reviews The Flower Sisters by Michelle Collins Anderson

BookBrowse:

A teenage girl visiting her grandmother in the Ozarks uncovers secrets pertaining to a town tragedy decades earlier.

Michelle Collins Anderson's novel The Flower Sisters, based in part on a real tragedy that occurred in the author's hometown in 1928, received considerable praise from our First Impressions reviewers. Out of 42 reviews, 38 rated the book either four or five stars.

What it's about:

The Flower Sisters is a debut novel centered around a real-life tragic event at an Ozarks dance hall in 1928. This event happened in West Plains, Missouri, the author's hometown. To this day, much mystery surrounds this tragedy (Dotty G). This book is a welcoming into a family history, and as all families have complexities, this is no different. It is commonplace nowadays to explore your genealogy to discover long-lost relatives or learn more about your family background, but in this story it is the year 1978. Left to her own imagination at her grandmother's house, teenage protagonist Daisy does some sleuthing by way of the local newspaper, pitching a feature with individual pieces to showcase the history of Possum Flats. She encourages the residents of this small town in Missouri to remember a tragedy that occurred fifty years prior and reflect on some of those who perished. The residents react to her reporting with both delight and angst. All involved have their own version of the night of the dance and the fire that took so many young lives. Despite not knowing her grandmother very well, Daisy believes that she might shed light on the event, as her twin sister perished that night. By digging into the past, Daisy uncovers much more than she expected (Mary H).

Nearly every review mentioned the excellent characterization in The Flower Sisters.

Anderson's imagination easily pulls you into the storyline with characters that are well-drawn with varied personalities (Laurette A). I found the characters, especially Daisy, to be complicated and fascinating (Dotty G). Michelle Collins Anderson takes the tragic event and creates a whole world of fascinating and complex people whose stories become part of the reader's world (Mary L). The characters are especially well-drawn and make the book hard to put down. They range from an eccentric granny who runs a funeral home to her precocious but lovable granddaughter, along with so many others (Susan M). Anderson perfectly captures the voices of the men and women—the young and not so young; the business owner, the preacher, and many more—and interweaves them (Kathy W).

Readers also felt the book was inspiring in showing both the spirit of a community and individual resilience.

This book was like a breath of fresh air, depicting the resilience of people who journey through tragedy only to discover anew the role of forgiveness and the meaning of community. It's a must-read! (Marianne L). I highly recommend taking the journey to Possum Flats (aka West Plains) to discover the true meaning of community and the human spirit (Rosanne S).

Several mentioned that they thought it was a great choice for a book club discussion.

Anderson writes in a heartfelt, compelling way that really draws the reader into the story. The material is rich and it's a solid book club choice (Edith K). To me, this novel is in the same vein as Fannie Flagg's books, as well as Jan Karon's Mitford series. Touching on family, forgiveness, secrets, lies, sadness, grief, love, and friendship, it's a great book for book clubs (Jill). The story moves quickly and it's an easy read. The characters are well-developed and relatable given the time period. I think book clubs that enjoy light-hearted stories will find much to discuss (Cindy M).

Some felt there were some unrealistic elements to the story…

While assigned to the paper's morgue detail, Daisy begins her investigation and writes detailed articles about what really happened that night of the explosion. While her findings shocked the town, this reader found it hard to believe that she could author such a profound exposé of this event (Carol N). Like others, I enjoyed the characters but some of the plot seemed unrealistic, particularly the "discovery" and story by Daisy (Betsy R). I found a few of the plot points implausible, but I keep thinking about the book days after I finished it (Kathleen L).

...but overall, most thought The Flower Sisters was an exceptionally enjoyable read.

The warmth and spirit of Anderson's writing will keep you turning pages, laughing or crying, but always happy to be in the middle of the action (Carol S). This debut historical novel based on the tragic Bond Dance Hall explosion of 1928 (see Beyond the Book) is a multigenerational masterpiece (Dorothy S). The Flower Sisters is a standout! I loved this book (Marianne L). The Flower Sisters moved me to ponder, to laugh, to cry, and more. It is now on my list of never-to-be-forgotten novels (Mary L).

This review first ran in the June 19, 2024 issue of BookBrowse Recommends.