The Wildling Sisters by Eve Chase
4 stars
Applecote Manor houses many secrets and ugly misfortune, and is the scene of this gothic-style tale. In 1959, four sisters are sent to stay with their aunt and uncle whose sixteen year old daughter disappeared off the estate several years before. Margot shows the most resemblance to the missing Audrey and is pulled into the mystery of her disappearance. Alternately, the story follows present day Jessie as she deals with her new stepdaughter, Bella, and the ghost of her husband's deceased first wife. When sixteen year old Bella learns about the history of the house, she becomes obsessed with Audrey and the dark drama of the estate. This is a beautifully written novel with interesting characters and just enough mystery to move the plot along. There is a sense of foreboding but also the sweetness of the languid summer days of youth. I really enjoyed the atmospheric experience this book provides and will definitely explore further books by this author. I received a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Reading with Patrick: A Teacher, a Student, and a Life-Changing Friendship
By Michelle Koo
4 stars
Right after graduating from college, the author decides to forego more lucrative career options and instead serves with Teach for America in Helena, Arkansas at an alternative high school for last chance students. There she faces a group of students who have few opportunities and even fewer adults who care. She forms a special relationship with Patrick, who she feels can succeed if only he has someone to hold him accountable. After her two year obligation is up, she makes the decision to leave Arkansas for Harvard Law School. This is a decision she mulls over for the years to come with a sense of regret and disappointment. After obtaining her degree, she is all set to begin a career at a non profit when she learns of Patrick's incarceration and decides to once again devote herself to Helena and the student she left behind. I have to be honest that I was more than a little leery going into this book, worried that the author's intentions towards her subject are driven more by literary ambitions than altruism. I do believe Michelle Kuo considered this herself as she was writing and was up front with Patrick that she had written about him in an essay and hoped to turn it into a book. It is a beautifully written exploration of poverty and what these kids and teachers are up against in a system that is so broken. She demonstrates how one person can make a difference in another's life but also how fleeting that difference can be in the face of insurmountable obstacles. I liked this novel, and while I still found myself at times wondering about her own reasons for the daily jail visits, I mostly think that she is a person who found herself questioning her own privilege in the face of the poverty she witnesses in Arkansas and my inner cynic was put to rest. I received a copy of this book from the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program in exchange for an honest review.
