April 29, 2019
Finkbeiner (A Cup of Dust) explores the ravages of war and the power of reconciliation in her satisfying latest. In a small, fictional Michigan town, 18-year-old Annie Jacobson is about to have her family torn apart by war for the second time. Annie’s father, who abandoned the family when Annie was only six, has been unable to conquer the demons that followed him home from Korea. Mike, Annie’s brother, enlists in the Army as a medic and is sent to Vietnam. In a departing note to Annie, Mike reveals Frank’s address and instructs her to contact Frank if something should happen to him. But when Frank returns for his father’s funeral, the family must confront past hurts and form new bonds as Mike’s experience in Vietnam becomes increasingly dire. Finkbeiner’s characters believably navigate the emotional upheaval of war, and she skillfully depicts how the Jacobsons slowly open up to one another, emerging with greater strength, faith, and mutual respect. This stirring tale will appeal to fans of Jody Hedlund.
July 12, 2019
"All he wanted was a normal family. It seemed such a small thing to want. And such a difficult thing to have," 18-year-old Annie Jacobson muses about her younger brother Joel. Annie and Joel's father left 12 years ago, too haunted by his memories of the Korean War to belong to a family unit. Her mother, Gloria, handles the duties of single mom admirably, but when Annie's older brother Mike enlists in the army and gets sent to Vietnam, the whole family has to deal with old demons. Annie begins to grow up, working long hours in her cousin's diner and watching the wider world encroach on her idyllic hometown. Finkbeiner ("Pearl Spence Dust Bowl" series) perfectly captures small-town 1960s Michigan, both its idealism and its brokenness. Annie's voice draws in readers, and doesn't let go in this gripping family drama about first loves, strong faith, racial equality, and a very unpopular war. VERDICT This a must-have for historical fiction fans and book clubs. Finkbeiner joins authors Valerie Fraser Luesse and Lauren K. Denton in tackling tough topics with realistic characters and a gentle touch.--Christine Barth, Scott Cty. Lib. Syst., IA
Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Starred review from June 1, 2019
When Annie Jacobson's father, Frank, disappeared after serving in Korea, her older brother, Mike, stepped up to hold their family together. So when Mike enlists and is sent to serve in Vietnam, things quickly begin to unravel at home, precipitating, to Annie's surprise, Frank's unexpected return. As her family struggles to find new normalcy with the imbalance Frank brings, the community's social dissonances are coming to a head, and the country grapples with the intensely charged reactions to the Vietnam War. Annie finds herself in the middle of it all, uncertain what her future holds and with whom she will share it. Finkbeiner presents a powerful coming-of-age tale in observant wallflower Annie's voice with the added themes of grief, identity, and love. By eloquently balancing the emotional macro and micro experiences of individual and community, Finkbeiner creates a work that is beautifully poetic and unapologetically frank about the social and political complexities of 1967. Alternating between letters and Annie's narration, the book's honesty and period details tap into the veins of the small-town experience and connect readers deeply to characters who cry, cringe, and are, ultimately, able to rest assured that all will be well.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)