Up from the Blue by Susan Henderson, 317 pages. Available now in paperback from Harper Collins.
from the backcover:
Tillie Harris's life is in disarray - her husband is away on business, the boxes in her new home aren't unpacked, and the telephone isn't even connected yet. Though she's not due for another month, sudden labor pains force Tille to reach out to her estranged father for help, a choice that means facing the painful memories she's been running from since she was a little girl.
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It is no secret that I am drawn to stories with a hint of darkness. Unexpected hardship in the course of ordinary living, particularly featuring a child as main character. Sometimes I find them predictable, but not in the case of Up from the Blue. We follow Tillie and her family - military father, older brother, and erratic mother - as they move across the country and settle outside of Washington DC in the mid 1970s. Susan Henderson beautifully captures the perspective of 8 year old Tille amidst the confusing and cruel worlds of home and school. Well constructed - without the constant alternating between past and present - this is one that caused a sharp intake of breath, yet remain grounded in reality. It is a testament to Henderson's skill that each of the characters are vivid and vulnerable, and provide the reader opportunities for mercy and outrage in equal measure.
My first response to this book was that it "feels" like great southern fiction, without the southern part. The chilling aspects of Tillie's story merge with rich characterizations and a bittersweetness that are hallmarks of southern literature. Up from the Blue is worth seeking out and adding to your pile, it is on my list of favorites for sure.
Author Susan Henderson can be found at www.litpark.com. And on twitter: @litpark.
Thank you yet again to the lovely ladies at TLC Book Tours for the review copy. To follow the blog tour for Up from the Blue, click here.
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